Hawaii News Now reports that eight people suffered serious personal injuries, including one who was critically injured following a two car crash near Waianae Valley Road and Piliuka Road this past weekend. According to reports, a pickup truck was heading northbound when it crossed the centerline and collided head-on into an oncoming vehicle.
A witness who lives near the scene noted, "The place we live, it's a dangerous corner….The speed limit is 25. People do 45, 50, 60 and especially around this bend, it's a blind corner." He further referred to the stretch of road as "Dead Man's Bend," because it is notorious for causing accidents.
All eight passengers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Whenever a serious accident occurs, several factors need to be considered. For example, was the driver distracted? One observer notes that the pickup truck failed to make the bend to the right, and continued driving straight instead. Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of injury accidents. Although many people think of texting and driving as distracted driving, "distracted driving" can include any action that takes a driver's eyes off the road and diverts their attention. Additionally, in certain instances where a road is known to be unreasonably dangerous – the agency that owns or maintains the roadway may be found liable for "roadway negligence" where poor roadway conditions lead to an accident, or "negligent roadway design" where the design of the roadway is not reasonably safe – this is often determined by the frequency and severity of accidents in the area, a factor which may come into play in this situation.
This accident remains under investigation.
For more information or if you have sustained injuries in any type of vehicle accident, please contact the experienced Hawaii accident lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.