A two-car crash that happened around 3 p.m. on the afternoon of Sept. 13 is still being investigated by local and state authorities, according to reports. New York police are in the process of determining how the car accident took place. Several people were injured in the crash, and the driver who appeared to precipitate it was killed.
The accident report confirms that an 85-year-old woman was driving south on State Route 9 when, for reasons unknown, she suddenly veered into the northbound lane. Her vehicle struck another car driven by a 28-year-old and carrying several other individuals, some of them children. She was killed on impact and pronounced dead by medical personnel on the scene.
The driver of the other car, along with three boys — ages 14, 9 and 5 — were all rushed to hospitals. The condition of the driver is unknown, but it has been confirmed the 9-year-old suffered serious injuries to his arms and legs. The 14-year-old escaped with minor injuries, and the condition of the youngest was not reported.
New York police may never know why the older woman turned into oncoming traffic, causing the car accident that claimed her life. However, the preliminary evidence suggests negligence was responsible for her fatal error. The other driver and the families of the injured minors could sue her estate for personal injury in an attempt to help cover their medical costs and other damages incurred. Since the law requires that drivers maintain their lane on the roadway, it is likely that liability will attach to the estate of the deceased woman.
Source: news10.com, “Head on crash in Kinderhook leaves many people severely injured“, Nick Fusaro, Sept. 13, 2015