Plank Road is a very commercialized stretch of road with malls, stores, restaurants, and businesses that are heavily congested. Additionally, Interstate 99 runs through the area and also has heavy traffic. These two roadways are some of the most heavily travelled roads in the area, and a large number of accidents occur on them.
People hurt in car accidents on major roadways in Altoona may be able to seek financial compensation with guidance from a skilled legal professional. An Altoona vehicle wreck attorney could review your case and determine if you have grounds for a civil claim.
A lot of commercial vehicles travel on Interstate 99 between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. These vehicles are much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, meaning that collisions between the two can be extremely damaging.
Additionally, the speed limit on the interstate is higher, generally 65 or 70 miles per hour in some areas. The faster vehicles are moving, the more force there will be at the time of impact and the less reaction time people will have to respond. For instance, if a distracted driver makes an unexpected lane change, or hits a patch of black ice and skids, drivers around that vehicle may be unable to move out of the way in time to avoid colliding.
Altoona is also an area of higher elevation, so in the wintertime especially, there tends to be more snow and ice there than in other parts of the state. Poor weather conditions in Altoona are often the cause of auto accidents both in the Plank Road area and Interstate 99 because of the higher speeds and increased traffic.
Whenever there is a catastrophic accident, such as those on major roadways or involving a fatality, there is a special unit from the State Police that handles it. These officers have specialized training in documenting the scene of a severe accident.
Law enforcement will examine things like gauge marks and debris, speak with the involved parties, and create a very detailed reconstruction report as to what happened in the accident. If the wreck involved a tractor-trailer, they could also look at the vehicle’s electronic data recorder, which is sometimes referred to as the “black box” that shows the speed at impact, braking, acceleration, and deceleration.
While any motor vehicle collision is tragic, it can be especially devastating when it occurs on a major roadway. Due to the increased speeds and traffic, as well as the presence of large commercial vehicles, these accidents often have catastrophic, if not deadly, results.
If you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident on a major roadway in Altoona, you may have grounds for monetary compensation. If another person is responsible for the harm you suffered, speak with a reliable attorney at Marcus & Mack about filing a civil claim for action.
