The South Side of Pittsburgh was the scene of a fatal multi-vehicle crash earlier this week. One of the vehicles involved in the morning crash was a dump truck. It took place close to the Hot Metal Bridge, on 2nd Avenue.

Three people were injured in the crash. Sadly, another individual died as a result of his or her injuries. It is not clear which vehicles the victims were occupying or the nature or severity of the injuries to those who survived.

All readers of this blog are likely aware of how serious car accidents can be. In addition to property damage, physical and mental injuries can be inflicted. In the absolute worst cases death occurs. For these reasons, most would agree that all should take steps to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes that occur.

Following the crash a total of nine individuals were brought in to investigate the incident. A sergeant with the Collision Investigation Unit indicated that it was clear who was responsible for causing the fatal accident. The investigation likely determined the cause as well. In addition to driving too fast, problems with passing appear to have played a role.

In many instances accident reconstruction plays an important role when it comes to determining how exactly a crash occurred. This, coupled with eyewitness accounts, can provide a fairly complete picture of just what happened.

Authorities believe that criminal charges will likely be filed against the individual responsible for the crash. It is possible that person will also find himself or herself dealing with civil cases as well. Since the physical and mental toll an accident like this can take can be long lasting and even permanent, financial damages can be a necessity. Families who lose a loved one may need the money to move forward with their lives.

Source: WPXI, "1 dead, 3 hurt in 6-car, dump truck accident near South Side's Hot Metal Bridge," Oct. 30, 2012