Lincoln Tunnel crash causes fatal heart attack

Speeding is a major cause of deadly auto accidents. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration found that the nation suffered $40.4 billion in economic losses in speeding-related crashes, which claimed 10,219 lives in 2012. The NHTSA also reported that 360 of the 1,168 car accident deaths in New York in 2012 were attributed to a speeding driver. These crashes, however, can lead to other life-taking injuries.

A speeding motorist caused a chain-reaction accident in the Lincoln Tunnel during the early morning commute on Sept. 2. The car accident led to the death of a 49-year old man from Summit, N.J. who suffered cardiac arrest. Six others suffered injuries.

According to police, a red BMW entered into the center tube of the tunnel at excessive speed during the early morning commute at 8:30 a.m. It collided into the rear of a Mercedes minivan, which slammed into the back of a Jitney bus.

The deceased was a passenger in the Mercedes. When Port Authority Police arrived, he was in cardiac arrest and emergency responders transported him to Roosevelt Hospital.

Two drivers also suffered minor injuries and went to Roosevelt Hospital. Other accident victims were treated at the crash scene. A Jitney bus passenger also had a panic attack.

The center tube was closed for almost four hours. First responders had to slowly back up all of the traffic out of that section of the tunnel. Vehicles stranded after the crash included buses loaded with passengers who waited up to one hour before they could leave their bus. Delays lasted up to 90 minutes as traffic backed up.

Following an accident caused by a reckless and speeding driver, victims or their families should seek prompt legal advice. An attorney can help them recover compensation for serious injuries and other losses resulting from the accident.

Source: WABC TV New York, “1 dead in accident that caused major delays at Lincoln Tunnel,” Sept. 2, 2014