Jessica Lane Killed in Accident in Wichita Falls, TX
Wichita Falls, TX -- A single-vehicle collision claimed the life of 30-year-old Jessica Lane in the area of Wichita Falls, TX Sunday, January 29, 2017.
It looks like the vehicle occupied by Ms. Lane was southbound on Highway 79 about 9 p.m. when the incident happened. The report claims the car for reasons unknown veered off the roadway, crashing into a tree. The collision caused the passenger car to catch fire. Ms. Lane was killed at the scene of the incident.
The cause of the deadly crash had yet to be determined by the time of the report.
No more information was available.
The investigation is ongoing.
map of the area
Commentary
The tendency following a single-vehicle accident is to blame the driver first and foremost. I don't think that's entirely unreasonable as most single-vehicle accidents happen as a result of driver errors such as texting, driver fatigue, and excessive speeding. However, with all the news reports about major auto manufacturer recalls, I feel an investigation of the vehicle is in order.
A perfect example of this is the recent GM ignition switch recall. For those unfamiliar, General Motors was initially forced to recall about 800,000 of its vehicles due to a faulty ignition switch. This switch, when failing, could shut down the engine, sometimes when vehicles were traveling at posted speeds on the highway. The engine shut off could also lead to a failure of the airbags to inflate in the case of an accident. As you might imagine, this could spell disaster. Well, disaster is exactly what followed. Sources say the recall led to at least 124 deaths, more than 100 injuries and the eventual recall of nearly 30 million vehicles globally.
And it wasn't a matter of General Motors voluntarily offering up their knowledge of the faulty part, nor was it uncovered by Federal regulators. The facts came to light following a lawsuit filed on behalf of a crash victim's loved ones.
Believe me, the superabundance of resources to investigate the GM ignition switch accidents was probably staggering. But, the opportunity for victim's loved ones to attain closure is beyond measure. While the GM case and the accident in Wichita Falls, Texas may seem worlds apart, they share in common the need to uncover any and all possibilities, providing the driver a fair shake.
--Grossman Law Offices