More dangerous roadways in Missouri
After pointing out some dangerous intersections in yesterday’s post, I read an article published in the St. Louis Post Dispatch about another particularly dangerous Missouri roadway, Highway DD.
Highway DD is a two lane rural road in St. Charles County that goes past the Busch Wildlife Area. If you’ve ever been out to one of the wineries in Augusta, you’ve probably driven on Highway DD.
According to statistics cited in the Post Dispatch report, Highway DD is one of the most dangerous roads in the state and has an accident rate twice the average for other roads of its type.
DD has no shoulders and steep drop offs on either side of the roadway, which becomes a deadly combination when mixed with numerous sharp turns and hills.
The Highway has seen over 140 accidents resulting in five fatalities over the last five years.
Local residents have petitioned to add safety improvements and MoDOT has plans to add shoulders and turn lanes along certain sections of the highway, according to the Post Dispatch.
These future improvements can’t bring back any of the lives tragically lost in previous Missouri car crashes.
Sometimes when a roadway is particularly treacherous and it can be proved that the state knew about the dangers prior to a deadly crash, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit may be brought against the state. These cases are very complicated and fairly rare, though there was a similar high profile case recently. The family of Andrea Whitehead brought a case against the Missouri Highway Commission after a fatal Missouri car accident in 2008.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident, it would be wise to consult a St. Louis area car accident lawyer to learn your rights and have professionals examine your case including the road conditions and, if another car was involved, the role of the other driver.
