One Man Dead after Snowmobile Crashes Into Horse and Buggy
In one of the more unique roadway accidents one will probably ever see, a Pennsylvania man died after his snowmobile crashed into a horse and buggy around 3:30 p.m. last Saturday in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A fourteen year-old boy was also a passenger on the snowmobile at the time of the accident but was treated at a nearby hospital and released. None of the passengers on board the horse and buggy were injured. The snowmobile was apparently driving north along a road in Lancaster County as the horse and buggy had just turned and began traveling south along that same road. The snowmobile crashed into the front-left end of the buggy and continued north over two-hundred feet, throwing the snowmobile riders from the vehicle. Police have not stated who was at fault for the accident.
This situation illustrates the importance of keeping a lookout for all types of vehicles on the roadway. While one would rarely expect to encounter a snowmobile or horse and buggy in Tennessee, unexpectedly meeting one on the roadway could cause serious problems including a deadly accident for which one or more of the parties could be held liable in a personal injury suit. Many forms of transportation can be quieter or less noticeable than automobiles and thus may not provide ample warning of their approach to nearby drivers. In addition, many of these vehicles, such as a horse and buggy, are not easily maneuverable and may not be well-suited to quickly moving out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. Thus, Tennessee drivers need to take extra care to be aware of the possibility of encountering such roadway obstacles and be prepared to deal with them. Failure by one party to drive cautiously and reasonably can cost someone his or her life, as it did here, or can lead to a personal injury lawsuit seeking damages for torts such as negligence and wrongful death.
Source: http://www.fox43.com/news/wpmt-pmnews-snowmobilebuggyax-12-19-2009,0,3495393.story
