14-Year-Old Driver in Fatal Lake City Car Crash
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reports that no one in a single-vehicle accident in Lake City was wearing a seat belt even with a 14-year-old driver behind the wheel on Sunday evening, January 16, at about 6:45 p.m., according The Orlando Sentinel. The Florida car crash involved a Mustang that was traveling southbound on Southwest Haltiwanger Road, south of C.R. 349, when the young teen lost control of the vehicle before it hit a dirt embankment and then a tree before rotating clockwise and rolling. A 10-year-old boy in the car, along with a 26-year-old woman, both died in the crash while the driver and a third passenger, a 6-year-old boy, survived but are hospitalized in critical condition.
A story in The Florida Times-Union contains a comment from a reader who said she worked on that road for three days last week and every time a car came by, workers had to back off to let them pass because the road had recently been narrowed by 5 or 6 feet. She blames the loss of life on the deep ditches and a young driver.
This information is not verified, but if it is true, then the municipality could potentially be held responsible for the deaths and injuries that this tragic Florida car accident caused. When a car crash is not the fault of either driver, investigators need to look at other causes, such as a failure by local or state government to keep roadways safely maintained. If someone is injured or killed because roads were not well-maintained, the jurisdiction in charge could be liable for damages.
The friends and family of those who died in this car accident would be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced Florida car accident attorney, who can help sort out their legal options during this time of pain and confusion.
