Fatal Accident Caused by Ice
This winter has been a difficult one for Texas drivers, as we’ve seen more than our share of Icy roads. One of the latest examples is a tragic one, in which a teenager was killed in the Denton area, after a storm that brought freezing rain and snow left area highways looking like a Sochi ice rink.
The Texas Department of Public Safety was called to the scene of an accident on FM156 south of Justin, at about 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 10. The accident apparently happened when a Ford three-quarter-ton pickup that was headed north on FM156 struck a Ford passenger vehicle that was headed south.
The driver of the car, later identified as 16-year-old Katelyn ShyAnn Hoope, died at the scene, while a passenger in the car, 16-year-old Brianna Christensen, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. Both teens were members of the Northwest High School Lady Texan basketball team. The driver of the pickup, 31-year-old April Seleska of Denton, also suffered serious injuries and was taken to the same hospital.
While a specific cause of the accident has not yet been determined, weather has not yet been ruled out as a possible factor. While this was the only deadly accident that day, Denton police reported handling 65 accidents that same evening.
When icy conditions hit, it’s good to remember some basic safety tips:
- When the temperature drops, keep track of weather and road condition reports.
- In very cold weather, always assume wet spots are ice.
- Make sure your tire’s tread is good because good tread does prevent sliding. If you have some available, using tire chains is a really good idea, for even more traction.
- Always keep a significant distance between you and the car in front of you, and approach all stop signs and traffic lights slowly, to avoid hitting another vehicle, or worse, sliding into an intersection with oncoming traffic. In fact, drive very slowly. Some may make fun of you, but it’s better to arrive alive than the alternative.
- Always carry a bag of cat litter or sand to use if you get stuck, and sprinkle it around your tires to get them to stop spinning.
- Don’t just clear enough of your windows to get by. Clear all windows and side mirrors so that you can see everything around you.
Driving in icy conditions is dangerous for everyone, and you owe it to yourself to keep yourself safe. But even in difficult situations, a complete investigation of the accident must be conducted. Even though the assumption will be that such a terrible accident was the weather’s fault, there may have been other factors, as well, including negligence on the part of one or both drivers or even a defective vehicle or part.
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed as a result of an auto accident on icy roads, please contact the San Antonio Auto Accident Injury Lawyer at Hill Law Firm as soon as possible, so that we can thoroughly investigate the circumstances and protect your rights under the law.