A serious car accident outside Kansas City left one driver dead after his car stalled on the highway. The crash caused a backup on the highway that lasted for hours as police gathered evidence.
Fatal Car Accident Outside Kansas City
The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-435 near the exit for Bannister Road, south of Kansas City and 70 miles south of St. Joseph, Missouri. The collision occurred just after noon on Tuesday, November 8, 2016.
According to the initial reports of the crash, a driver’s car stalled while he was driving in the center lane of the highway. The engine problem caused his car to lose speed rapidly, so he tried merging into the right lane to get out of the way of other drivers and stop on the shoulder. However, his car didn’t make it far enough, and came to a rest on the highway.
Another driver, noticing the situation too late, was unable to brake in time. He hit the stalled vehicle from behind.
Immediately after the car collision, the stalled vehicle burst into flames. Several bystanders, including the driver who rear-ended the stalled car, rushed to help, but were unable to get the man out of the fiery wreck. Police say that he died on the scene of the accident.
Car Problems Can Cause Accidents
As this car accident shows, car problems have the potential to create dangerous situations on the road. Some of these situations can lead to car crashes, and some of these crashes can even be fatal.
According to a February 2015 study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 2% of car crashes happen because of a car problem, defect, or malfunction. While this is a small percentage, there are millions of car accidents in the United States, every year. As a result, this 2% of crashes represents no fewer than 44,000 car accidents in the 30 months included in the study.
Unfortunately, when these problems happen at the perfectly wrong time, like in this car accident in Kansas City, it can be deadly.
Car Accident Attorneys at Smith Law
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car accident because of a car defect or problem, you should explore your legal options. Personal injury and products liability lawsuits are meant to let you pursue the person or company that’s ultimately responsible for your injuries. A successful lawsuit leads to you getting the financial compensation that you need to make a full recovery, and that you deserve after all of your pain and suffering.
The best way for you to recover from a car accident is by hiring a personal injury attorney who understands the complexities of a car accident and how to best represent the people hurt in them. Contact the Smith Law Office for the legal representation that you need by calling our St. Joseph office at (816) 875-9373 or by reaching out to us online.