Richard Bowen Conewango: Amish Girl Injured In Conewango Truck Accident On Route 83 In Cattaraugus County After Truck Rear Ends Subaru Outback Driven By Richard Bowen of Randolph
CONEWANGO, NEW YORK (November 12, 2019) – A 10-year-old Amish girl was seriously injured in a car accident after her vehicle was rear-ended by a semi-truck on Route 83.
New York highway patrol are saying that a Subaru Outback driven by Richard Bowen was heading north. The driver was unexpectedly rear-ended by a commercial truck.
The force of the collision crushed the back of the Subaru Outback and caused the semi-truck to overturn on the highway. Paramedics arrived at the scene to help Richard Bowen, the Amish girl and six other children that were in the car.
The driver of the truck remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. An investigation into the semi-truck accident that injured Richard Bowen and seven other children remains ongoing at this time.
A picture of the back of the Subaru Outback shows that it was completely destroyed. It remains unclear if inclement weather may have contributed to the crash.
Liability In Conewango Semi-Truck Accidents
A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs and is very difficult to stop. According to one study from the NHTSA, “there were approximately 120,000 fatal and injury crashes nationwide during the 33-month study period that involved at least one large truck; 141,000 large trucks were involved in those crashes. Fatigue, drinking alcohol, and speeding are major factors in motor vehicle crashes overall. Although their presence does not always result in a crash, these three factors, as well as other driver, vehicle, and environmental factors, can increase the risk that a crash will occur.” Here are just a few of the other factors that commonly contribute to semi-truck accidents:
- Brake problems
- Tire problems
- Traffic flow interruption
- Prescription drug use
- Traveling too fast for conditions
- Unfamiliarity with roadway
- Roadway problems
- Over-the-counter drug use
- Inadequate surveillance
- Internal distraction
There are a number of federal and state regulations designed to help prevent truck accidents. For example, truck drivers are not permitted to operate their vehicles for more than 14 hours in a single day. They must take periodic breaks and undergo medical exams to make sure that they are fit to drive. Truck drivers also have much more stringent regulations on what is considered legally intoxicated. A commercial driver is not permitted to have a BAC of 0.04 or higher – as opposed to the civil limit of 0.08 for civilian drivers. In most circumstances commercial trucks are required to not exceed 55 mph.
But driving the speed limit or 55 mph may be dangerous depending on the circumstances. If there is ice on the road or its snowing outside this speed should be dramatically reduced. Truck drivers should also drastically increase the follow distance with the vehicle ahead of them. When driving conditions are too severe it’s best to simply pull over. Victims of truck accidents tend to suffer from a wide variety of very serious and costly injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Seat-belt injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Commercial trucks are are required to carry at least $750,000 – $5,000,000 worth of liability coverage depending on what is being transported. Victims of commercial truck accidents may be able to recover damages through a bodily injury claim. Damages can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Most commercial accident victims may not even realize the full extent of their injuries until several weeks or months later. But sure enough, a week or two down the road they start experiencing high amounts of physical pain. It’s important to get follow up medical care. Beyond that, the smart thing to do after an accident is to contact a truck accident attorney. An attorney can examine all of the facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal rights are.
Investigating A Conewango Truck Accident
We at Pulvers, Pulvers & Thompson extend our thoughts and prayers to Richard Bowen and all of the children injured in this accident. Any person that may have seen what happened should reach out to the Cattaraugus County police department. This was a preventable accident that should not have been happened. It is our sincere hope that there is a thorough investigation and some accountability for what happened.
