Three adults sustained serious injuries and a child was in critical condition after a severe car accident in Manatee County.
The accident occurred on Thursday, December 18 just north of Palmetto on U.S. 41 near 35th Street West. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, an 18-year-old woman from Bradenton was driving her sedan south on U.S. 41 when she crossed the grass median and went the wrong way on to northbound traffic lanes. She then collided head-on with a SUV carrying a 36-year-old Sarasota woman and a child. The force of the impact caused the SUV to collide with a third car carrying a 34-year-old Palmetto woman.
The child, who was not wearing any kind of seatbelt or restraint, was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. All three drivers sustained serious injuries.
Wrong-way collisions inherently dangerous
Wrong-way accidents are inherently dangerous due to them usually resulting in head-on collisions, which are much more likely to cause significant, life-threatening injuries. It is the responsibility of all drivers to stay on their side of the road and avoid crossing into oncoming traffic.
The most common reason for wrong-way collisions is alcohol or drug use, but occasionally these accidents can occur due to poor signage or roadway design, or poor visibility.
To learn more about the steps you should take if you or a loved one have been injured in an accident caused by a wrong-way driver, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.