A car accident that occurred in Texas on Feb. 10 resulted in the death of a 16-year-old girl. According to the report, a pickup truck suddenly swerved on a road that was determined to be icy. The vehicle then slammed into the teenage driver’s Ford Contour head-on, resulting in the death of the 16-year-old and causing her passenger to suffer serious injuries.
A trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety stated that an investigation into the accident was still ongoing as they were awaiting the results of a toxicology test at the time the report was released. While the slick road conditions were considered to be a cause of the accident, the trooper also stated that the pickup’s driver was traveling at a speed that was unsafe for the road conditions. However, neither drugs nor alcohol were thought to be causes.
The driver was not charged for causing the accident. However, he did receive a traffic ticket for unsafe speed and will face a maximum fine of $500.
In some cases involving a fatal car accident, the driver who is deemed liable for causing the crash does not receive criminal charges because there is no evidence of criminal intent. However, the family of someone who is killed in a crash can still hold the driver responsible by filing a wrongful death claim.
While a wrongful death claim will not result in a jail sentence or other associated punishments for the driver, the family can still seek financial compensation for their loss. This financial compensation may include any medical bills that accumulated before the loved one died, unexpected funeral costs and loss of income.
Source: CBC, “Driver Responsible For Deadly Texas Crash Issued Ticket“, February 19, 2014
