When it snows this time of year, drivers throughout the Pittsburgh area rely upon PennDOT workers to clear the roadways so that vehicles can travel safely from one place to another, hopefully without being involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, the process of actually removing the snow and ice can inflict injury upon others. This happened earlier this winter.

According to the Butler County maintenance manager for PennDOT, the incident occurred as a plow worked to clear a bridge in the county. When it did so, ice and snow was pushed over the edge of the bridge on Route 19 and fell to the road located below. Unbeknownst to the plow driver, a SUV containing five people was travelling on that road, Route 422, at the exact same time.

The falling ice and snow caused the driver of that vehicle to be injured. He reportedly got glass in his eyes from the windshield that broke when the ice and snow smashed it. The 39-year-old was taken to a medical center so that the injury could be treated. It was described as minor by a state police officer.

The driver of the plow stopped to help the man in the SUV shortly after the accident. As the incident was an accident, the plow driver is not facing any consequences either from the police or his employer. Despite this, it is possible that the driver of the SUV could seek monetary damages for his injury via a personal injury lawsuit. Such a suit could be successful if the driver was determined to be negligent in some way.

Source: Trib Live, "Plowing accident prompts PennDOT changes," Tom Fontaine, Dec. 31, 2012