Two people were injured in Scottsville, New York when a medical transport van failed to stop at a stop sign and flashing red light, colliding with a tanker truck filled with nearly 2,000 gallons of gas and diesel fuel.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Wheatland Center Road and Scottsville-Mumford Road early Monday morning on June 11th, 2018, bringing commuter traffic to an abrupt halt.
The driver of the van, 59-year-old Walter Harrison, was ejected from the vehicle, suffering injuries to his head and upper body. The driver of the tanker truck, 37-year-old Christopher Miles, suffered abdominal injuries. Both were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital to receive treatment for their injuries.
The impact was strong enough that the tanker truck, which was carrying 1,000 gallons of gas and 800 gallons of diesel fuel, went off the road and landed on its side, causing fuel to begin to leak.
Emergency services and hazmat crews responded, deeming the area a Level 1 hazmat situation. The two roads were shut down so that the fuel could be cleared from the scene, and the roads were re-opened at around 5 p.m.
Harrison, the driver of the van, was given a ticket for failure to yield at a stop sign and for failure to wear a seat belt, according to Sheriff’s Office Captain Paul DeLella. Officials continue to investigate the crash.
We wish both drivers injured in this accident a swift and complete recovery.
Unfortunately, collisions caused by failure to yield the right-of-way have been on the rise in New York State, according to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. Preliminary data shows that there were 43,667 such crashes in 2017, the highest number in six years.
Source: Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research
These types of accidents have proven to be dangerous to New Yorkers, causing 22,903 injuries and 137 fatalities across the state in 2017, illustrating the consequences of motorists not obeying right-of-way traffic laws.
Understanding who has the right of way in traffic situations may not always be clear due to how quickly events can unfold on the road. A few typical situations include:
- Motorists approaching an intersection must yield to vehicles who are already using it
- Vehicles attempting to turn left at an intersection must yield to oncoming traffic which is passing straight through
- When two drivers approach a stop sign at the same time and are at right angles to each other, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right
- Do not enter a backed-up intersection if doing so means traffic will not be able to get through
- Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks before turning
These are only a few common right-of-way scenarios you may encounter on the road. Even if you obey all traffic laws, however, there is no guarantee that other motorists also will, and motor vehicle accidents may still happen.
If you have been hurt in a car accident as the result of negligent driving, such as not properly observing right-of-way traffic laws, the personal injury attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy can help. Select results include:
- $32,756,156 verdict for a Vietnam Veteran who was struck and seriously injured when an impaired driver ran a red light and ignored a police blockage
- $8,800,000 settlement after a motorist in Ozone Park, Queens was seriously injured by a second vehicle which failed to stop at a stop sign
- $6,000,000 settlement for the passenger of a bus who was injured when the bus driver attempted to turn at an intersection and was struck by a truck driving straight through
Call 212-736-5300 for a free legal consultation today.