Personal Injury Law

Mother and son killed in Pulaski County accident

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Diana Dawes, 43, and her son, Ivan Barton, 19, were killed when their car was hit head-on by a driver attempting to pass another vehicle.

This fatal Missouri car accident occurred on Highway C near the town of Dixon. Dawes was driving a 2000 Ford Taurus eastbound at the time of the accident, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. In the westbound lane on the highway, Thomas McGrath, 63, was approaching Dawes' vehicle. Just before the impact, McGrath attempted to pass a slower moving vehicle by moving into the oncoming traffic lane. According to the initial accident report, McGrath attempted to perform this passing maneuver on a hill, which likely obscured the road ahead and possibly led to the tragic car wreck.

The two vehicles collided head-on, totaling both.

Dawes and Barton were pronounced dead at the scene. McGrath sustained moderate injuries and was flown to University Medical Center in Columbia for treatment.

Neither Dawes or Barton were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

This is the second serious accident involving a passing vehicle that we have commented on in the past couple weeks. As we said before, passing vehicles on two lane road is a perfectly legal maneuver as long as it is done safely and at appropriate locations. The lines on the road indicate when it is safe to perform such a maneuver. If the lines are solid, then don't attempt to pass. If the lines are broken or dotted, you are in an area with enough visibility that you should be able to see the road ahead and pass if there is no oncoming traffic.

Typically, hilly and curvy sections of roads are designated as no passing zones, though the initial report of this latest accident did not specifically say how the lines were marked on the roadway at the accident site.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on November 03, 2010 (boomark / email).