Indiana Woman Killed in Wreck on I-75
Twenty-two year-old Rochelle Kay Lee of Plainfield, Indiana was killed yesterday when her vehicle flipped over the guardrail near mile marker 144 at the Stinking Creek exit and was struck by a tractor-trailer. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Paul Jenkins of Madisonville, Tennessee was not injured in the crash. No drugs or alcohol seem to have been a factor in the crash, which was reportedly caused by the fact that Lee lost control of her vehicle due to heavy rainfall. Both drivers were also reportedly wearing their seatbelts.
Due to high speeds and heavy traffic in some spots, the interstate is always a dangerous route to travel. Even in situations such as this one, where both drivers seem to have been driving in a safe manner and doing everything correctly, weather or other conditions can cause deadly accidents. This is especially true when the interstate is subjected to heavy rainfall. Heavy rains can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles due to decreased traction or hydroplaning on pockets of standing water. Either of these occurrences can happen to even the most careful of drivers, but careless driving greatly increases the odds that some sort of crash will happen.
Tennessee imposes a duty on every driver to drive in a safe and careful manner. This includes a duty to be aware of the roadway conditions and respond accordingly. Where the road is wet and slick from rainfall, drivers may need to drive well below the speed limit in order to navigate the roadways safely and cautiously. Far too often, drivers feel the need to go at or above the speed limit on the interstate when conditions dictate otherwise. This can lead to multi-car accidents when the interstates are crowded, which often result in serious injury or death to persons involved in the accidents. Tennesseans who are injured as a result of the careless driving of others may have to turn to the courts in order to recover for their losses. Consulting a capable East Tennessee personal injury attorney can result in greater recovery and less stress for victims in personal injury cases.
Source: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/aug/18/indiana-woman-killed-interstate-75-wreck/
