A 100-car pileup over the week of Thanksgiving is still under investigation, according to reports. Currently, Texas Highway Patrol officials are looking into whether fog may have played a role in causing the devastating accident.
The Wreck
The trouble started just before 9 AM on Thanksgiving. In the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10, an accident occurred involving multiple vehicles. Shortly thereafter, a chain reaction crash started to take place, eventually spilling over into the westbound lane, as well. The trouble happened southwest of Beaumont, located in Jefferson County.
According to reporting on WPTV, officials suspect that a dense fog may have contributed to the crashes. Even in video shortly after the accidents, a light fog can be seen. One couple, in their 60s, unfortunately lost their lives during the accident, after a semi truck struck their vehicle from behind.
The accident ended up sending people to the hospital in Houston, which is located approximately 75 miles away from where the accident actually occurred. Officials estimate that anywhere between 80 and 120 people were injured in the accident. The cause of the accident continues to be investigated.
Pile-Ups and Chain Reactions
Accidents where multiple vehicles and a piling up on one another and when one accident turns into a chain reaction are among the most deadly situations that you can be involved in on the highways and freeways. In many cases, inclement weather is to blame for these accidents, though negligent driving on the part of a single driver can set one of these devastating events into motion.
Finding out exactly what happened that led up to such an accident is an extremely difficult task, even for experienced investigators. In the 100-car pileup over Thanksgiving, fog is suspected to be an issue and visibility is quite often what leads the first one or two cars to get into a crash, eventually leading to a multicar pileup.
While investigating these accidents is difficult, a personal injury attorney may be able to find out whether or not somebody was negligent and how that negligence may have contributed to the injuries and deaths of other people involved in the accident. If you happen to have been injured in such a crash, it’s a good idea to contact an attorney right away and to figure out whether or not it is likely that there was some sort of negligent action that led to the disaster happening at all.
In chain reaction accidents, you have to be exceptionally attentive and know what to do to avoid becoming hurt or killed. Unfortunately, there are some situations where either of those eventualities is completely unavoidable. If you have survived such a wreck, however, and want to investigate your options, make sure to speak with an attorney.