Not much media coverage is given to accidents involving buggies, since motor vehicles are so prevalent today. However, crashes between cars and buggies are somewhat common in states with a large Amish population, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. A recent accident between a buggy and SUV in Burton, Ohio, claimed the life of one of the occupants in the buggy. The driver of the SUV was intoxicated and asleep at the wheel when the fatal accident occurred.
The crash happened on the evening of March 30. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the SUV rear-ended the buggy, destroying it. The driver allegedly did not stop. A police reports said that he kept on going and when stopped by police, he told them he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
There were five people inside the buggy. All of them except for the driver were taken to local hospitals. A 28-year-old man died, while his 19-year-old sister was airlifted to a local hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the SUV faces multiple charges, including DUI, vehicular homicide and driving with a suspended license. Additional charges could be pending. The accident investigation was still underway at last report.
Nearly one-third of traffic accidents are caused by a drunk driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol can impair judgment and slow down reaction time, making drunk drivers more prone to crashes. When a crash leads to personal injury or death, the negligent party can be sued for compensation. A victim or his or her family often can recover money for medical bills, funeral expenses and even emotional damages such as loss of support.
Source: News Net 5, "Geauga Co. Sheriff's Office: Man killed in Burton after SUV smashes into buggy carrying five people," Veronica McGraw, March 31, 2014
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