As most people are aware, anyone who is in a car can be involved in a motor vehicle accident at any time. This is true regardless of one's age, gender or occupation. A Pittsburgh police commander recently experienced this first hand when the Chevrolet Impala she was driving was involved in a head-on crash with a van. The car accident occurred one afternoon on Stuebenville Pike as the commander drove the department-issued vehicle eastbound.

The commander sustained injuries described as serious in the collision. In addition to broken ribs, she also reportedly suffered a fractured pelvis and femur. Immediately following the accident she was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. Her injuries were so serious that she had to have surgery to repair them.

Other people were hurt in the crash. At the time of the incident, the commander's daughter was in the vehicle with her. The teenager was also hurt in the collision though her injuries were characterized as minor and she did not have to stay at the hospital. The woman, who was driving the van that crossed the centerline and struck the Chevrolet, hurt her head in the crash and said she was experiencing breathing difficulty. Accordingly, she too was taken to the hospital.

There are many different things that could cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle long enough to cause a head-on accident such as this one. Distracted driving, driving while intoxicated and falling asleep behind the wheel are some of those reasons. Other times the failure to stay in the correct lane can be blamed on the driver experiencing some sort of medical emergency.

It is not clear what caused the woman in the van to cross the centerline. Authorities are hoping to determine this during the course of an investigation. Depending on the outcome of that investigation it is possible that criminal charges could be filed.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Pittsburgh police commander seriously injured in crash," Sadie Gurman, July 27, 2012