Car Collision Sends Vehicle into Pond in Naperville, Illinois

 Posted on November 12, 2024 in Personal Injury

A young woman was recently killed from injuries resulting from a Naperville traffic collision. Law enforcement and fire crews responded to the auto accident at the Hobson Road and South Naper Blvd intersection. The woman was making a left turn from southbound Naper Blvd. when she was struck by a Ford Bronco heading Northbound.

The car driven by the deceased woman became partially submerged in a nearby pond after being hit. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital and later died from her injuries. Crash investigators and reconstruction specialists continue investigating the incident. There were 1,876 car collisions in Naperville in 2021, with six of those crashes resulting in fatalities. Rear-end accidents comprised 695 of those accidents, usually the result of inattention.

If you are the victim of a negligent driver and are now dealing with medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering from your injuries, it can be beneficial to speak to a Bloomingdale, IL personal injury attorney from Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices. Having a strong legal advocate in your corner ensures that your rights and your future are protected.

Are Left-Hand Turns Inherently Dangerous?

The NHTSA estimates that almost half of the six million automobile accidents each year are "intersection-related," and the majority of intersection-related accidents are caused by a left turn. The risk of left turns is so great that UPS has optimized routes for delivery drivers to eliminate virtually all left turns.  

Left turns are dangerous because a driver must attempt to watch out for multiple hazards. These hazards include traffic lights, other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, blind spots, and more. Inclement weather and driving at night increase these hazards. The following reasons explain why left turns are inherently more dangerous than right turns:

• A driver waiting behind another car to turn left may assume the driver in front has completed the turn. If this is not true, a rear-end accident can occur.
•  Drivers are generally not very good at judging the speed of an oncoming car when making a left turn in front of the car.
• Unfamiliar intersections can have irregularities the driver is not familiar with.
• A left turn requires a driver to direct his or her attention in both directions. A blind turn makes this difficult.
• When multiple drivers turn left, seeing around them can be challenging. A car in front that speeds up to make a left turn may make the car behind it assume the coast is clear.
• A yellow light becomes a hazard when it turns red before the driver completes the left turn and clears the intersection.   

Each driver on the roadway owes other drivers a duty of care to act responsibly. A driver turning on a protected left arrow has the right-of-way. In this situation, the oncoming driver who fails to stop is the negligent party. If a driver makes a left turn without a protected left arrow, then he or she could be the negligent party.  

What Are Common Damages Received Following a Car Accident Caused by Negligence?

Being hit by an oncoming driver while turning left can leave a driver with severe injuries. If the left-turning driver turned on a protected arrow, the oncoming driver is the negligent party. Potential damages include medical expenses, lost wages, lost future earnings, and pain and suffering.

Medical expenses, lost wages, and lost future wages fall under economic damages, which means a financial number can be attached. Pain and suffering are non-economic damages and can be more difficult to collect because they are subjective. Pain includes physical pain, emotional pain, and trauma.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Car Accident Lawyer

When you choose a Naperville, IL car accident lawyer from Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, you will benefit from three offices for your convenience: Lombard, Bloomingdale, and Naperville. We also offer Saturday and evening appointments to help you find a time that works for your schedule. Contact Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices at 630-932-9100 today to schedule your free consultation.