Running between the Columbia River and the Willamette Valley, Oregon State Route 47 offers many scenic views and interesting destinations, including numerous nearby volcanoes… and the World’s Tallest Barber Pole. The road also is home to many serious and fatal vehicle accidents. From drivers going too fast to commercial trucks operating unsafely, the reasons for serious and fatal crashes on this road are many but often involve negligent conduct by someone other than the person (people) who were severely injured or died. If your family has been touched by a catastrophic or fatal accident that occurred because someone else was not meeting their safety obligations under the law, your family may be able to obtain justice through a civil litigation action. An experienced Oregon auto accident lawyer can help guide you through this process which is often complex, intricate, and extensive.
A crash that occurred last weekend further underscores this reality. On Sunday night, emergency responders were called to an accident scene in Forest Grove. The collision was serious enough that one injured person was life-flighted to a nearby hospital and authorities closed the road to traffic.
Only two weeks earlier, the scene was Yamhill County. That crash, according to police, occurred after a southbound driver “missed a curve” and crashed into a pickup truck. The impact injured two children riding in the pickup truck. The drivers were less fortunate, with one enduring severe injury and the other suffering fatal harm.
Turns
Crashes along this road happen for a variety of reasons. One common occurrence is drivers making unsafe turns onto or off the highway. In July, a man died in one such crash south of Forest Grove. The driver, who was making a left turn onto southbound Highway 47, steered into the path of an SUV. The SUV struck the man’s sedan, killing him. Last October, a motorcyclist died at the same intersection. In that collision, a Beaverton woman turned her Toyota onto Highway 47 and into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. The vehicles collided and the motorcyclist died at the scene.
Drivers making turns represent one of the most dangerous scenarios on the roads. A study of nearly 7,000 accidents involving passenger vehicles (conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation) revealed that more than a third (36%) were vehicles “turning or crossing at intersections just prior to the crashes.” This situation is especially dangerous for motorcyclists, as a driver who makes an unsafe turn into the path of a motorcycle creates a situation where the impact likely will be a high-speed one and will throw the motorcyclist from his/her motorcycle.
Speed
Speed is also a factor in many severe or fatal accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost a third (29%) of traffic fatalities in 2022 involved at least one speeding driver. The death toll from these crashes exceeded 12,000.
It’s important to understand that “speeding” includes more than just driving at a speed that exceeds the posted speed limit. Excessive speed encompasses all situations where a driver travels at a speed that is too high for the conditions. This may mean going 75 mph in a 55 mph zone but also may mean a driver going 40 mph in a 45 mph zone if the road conditions were wet or icy. A driver traveling within the speed limit but at a speed too fast to allow him/her to navigate a sharp curve successfully may also be liable for going too fast.
Trucks
In January, the situation was a jackknifed big rig. The semi-truck went off Highway 47 and jackknifed in Washington County near Highway 26. Fortunately, only minor injuries were reported in that incident, according to officials.
In addition to semi-trucks, logging trucks are a common sight on Highway 47. Serious commercial truck accidents often are even more complex than those involving only passenger vehicles. Investigating a catastrophic injury resulting from a semi-truck collision means obtaining and checking many records and considerable data to see if the trucker was going too fast, had been driving too long without a break, was overweight, or otherwise was operating unsafely. This means obtaining the truck’s black box recorder data, the trucker’s log books, and more.
Highway accidents can implicate many issues, including civil lawsuits, insurance claims (including claims with the at-fault driver’s insurer and your own insurance company under your insured/underinsured motorist coverage,) and more. Navigating these multiple processes as you try to heal is an enormous task. Instead of tackling all this on your own, get knowledgeable legal counsel to represent you instead. The diligent and experienced Oregon auto accident attorneys at Kaplan Law LLC have the extensive first-hand experience and in-depth knowledge necessary to give the best opportunity to get justice. To learn more, call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to set up your free consultation.