Recently, there was a chain-reaction accident that made nationwide news. According to the New York Times, the accident happened along I-57 near Charleston, Missouri and involved more than 100 vehicles. Per the report, the crash site was around half a mile long. The multi-vehicle crash reportedly left six people dead and several others injured. At the time of the report, authorities were still trying to determine what caused the initial wreck that began the pileup.
What Is a Chain-Reaction Accident?
Chain-reaction accidents (also known as pileups and multi-vehicle accidents) are a type of traffic collision that involves three or more vehicles. Generally, a chain-reaction crash consists of several rear-end collisions occurring at that same time.
For example, a car traveling on a highway stops suddenly and the car behind it can’t stop in time and rear-ends it. Then another car rear-ends those two cars and so on.
Because chain-reaction wrecks often happen on freeways, where vehicles are traveling at high speeds, and because these crashes usually involve several vehicles, the damage and injuries that result from pileups can be numerous and catastrophic.
What Can Cause a Chain-Reaction Accident?
In many cases, a lot must go wrong for a chain-reaction accident to happen.However, these types of accidents happen more frequently than many people realize, so there are common reasons that cause them. In fact, just as there are several reasons why regular car and truck accidents happen, there are a wide variety of issues that can lead to a chain-reaction accident, including the following:
- Aggressive and reckless forms of driving, like speeding and tailgating
- Bad weather, such as rain, snow, ice, high winds, and fog
- Drunk driving and drugged driving
- Mechanical issues, like brake problems, acceleration issues, and bad tires
- Distracted driving, such as texting and driving
- Hazards, including objects on the road, potholes, fallen rocks and trees, pedestrians, animals on the road, and construction equipment
Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Today
In the aftermath of a single-car crash, it can be tough to know what do. So, following a chain-reaction accident, which could involve several vehicles, it can be nearly impossible for victims to figure out what they are supposed to do.
At Belushin Law Firm, we understand how chaotic and overwhelming it can be at a traffic accident scene. We have been helping clients in the wake of devastating car and truck accidents since 2002. Our car accident attorneys have more than 75 years of combined legal experience. We know what is at stake for car accident victims and their families, and we know how to successfully guide them through the legal process of holding those at fault for their pain and suffering accountable. We don’t rest until we’ve exhausted every legal avenue necessary to help our clients secure the compensation they need for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and loss of income.
We are available 24/7 to help. Give us a call at (888) 918-9890 or get in touch with us online to set up a complimentary consultation with our legal team. For more information about our firm, check out our case results and reviews.