The modern economy in Oklahoma usually requires individual motor vehicle travel. The vast majority of trips in motor vehicles end without incident, but some of them result in collisions. Some crashes are minor because they occur at lower speeds and involve comparable vehicles. Other collisions are far more extreme.
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The worst collisions generally involve multiple vehicles and/or multiple fatalities. When looking at one of the worst collisions in recent Oklahoma history, it becomes obvious that several issues contributed to this tragic wreck.
One crash claimed a half dozen lives
As with drivers of all ages, most teen drivers are safe and responsible as they learn how to properly manage a motor vehicle. However, traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for teenagers, as their lack of experience and sometimes questionable decision-making ability can lead to tragic crashes. That is exactly what happened in 2022 when a wreck led to multiple young adults dying at the same time.
The intersection of State Highway 22 and U.S. 377 is notorious for having a dangerous, outdated design. In March of 2022, I was also the location of one of the worst crashes on record on Oklahoma. The wreck involved six teenage girls in a tiny vehicle that collided with a semi-truck. Not only were there more passengers in the vehicle than it could safely hold, as it has seats for four, but only two of the teens had seat belts on at the time of the wreck. All six of the young women in the vehicle died.
The lack of visibility at the intersection was a known issue, as was the outdated design from when commercial vehicles were smaller and traveling speeds were lower. The decision to operate a vehicle over-filled with other young adults very likely led to distraction for the driver, who may then have not approached this deadly location with the caution necessary. Unfortunately, the combination of factors resulted in one of the worst collisions in recent Oklahoma history.
Small safety issues add up quickly
Distraction, lack of safety restraints, excess speed, problematic road design and numerous other factors on their own don’t always lead to collisions. However, many of the worst crashes that occur in Oklahoma and elsewhere involve scenarios in which there are multiple risk factors present at the same time.
Those who carefully abide by traffic laws, who consistently engage in safe practices at the wheel and who familiarize themselves with the most dangerous roads and intersections in their regions will have an easier time avoiding crashes or minimizing the severity of the collision if they do ever experience one. Tracking information about when, where and why the worst collisions occur in Oklahoma can help some people stay safer in traffic, as a result.
Legal Rights When Oklahoma’s Deadliest Factors Cause a Crash
The factors that make Oklahoma crashes deadly — high speed, impairment, distraction, poor road conditions, failure to wear seatbelts — each map to legal liability that is well-established under Oklahoma law. A speeding driver who exceeds the posted limit is negligent per se — their violation of a traffic safety statute is itself evidence of negligence. An impaired driver who causes a crash may face both criminal prosecution and civil liability, with punitive damages available in the civil case when their conduct showed conscious disregard for others’ safety. A distracted driver whose cell phone records show active use at the time of impact faces documented evidence of negligence that is increasingly difficult to deny.
Government entities bear responsibility when road design or maintenance contributes to a crash: unlit intersections, missing guardrails, inadequate signage on dangerous curves, potholes that cause loss of control. Claims against government entities require navigating the Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act — written notice within one year of the crash, a shorter claims process, and some damage limitations — but these claims are viable and pursued by experienced attorneys regularly.
What Victims of Oklahoma’s Deadliest Crashes Can Recover
The severity of Oklahoma’s fatal and catastrophic crash statistics reflects the physics of high-speed impacts with large vehicles. Victims of these crashes — those who survive — face life-altering injuries that produce recovery needs that far outlast any initial settlement offer. Oklahoma law allows full recovery of all medical expenses, past and projected future, along with lost wages, reduced earning capacity, vehicle replacement, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for a victim’s spouse or family. Where a crash causes wrongful death, Oklahoma’s wrongful death statute allows the family to recover medical bills, funeral costs, grief, loss of companionship, and the economic contributions the deceased would have made to the family over their expected lifetime.
Oklahoma’s Statute of Limitations
Two years from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit; two years from the date of death for wrongful death claims. Physical evidence at the scene, surveillance camera footage, electronic data from vehicles, and witness contact information are all time-sensitive. An attorney acting early preserves evidence that determines fault while the client focuses on recovery or the family focuses on grief. Contact Warhawk Legal for a free consultation: (405) 397-1717. No fee unless we win.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the at-fault driver died in the crash? Claims survive the driver’s death — they are brought against the driver’s estate and insurance policy. The insurance company remains obligated to pay covered claims regardless of the driver’s death.
My family member was killed in an Oklahoma crash — who can file the wrongful death claim? Oklahoma’s wrongful death statute (§ 12-1053) designates the personal representative of the deceased’s estate as the proper plaintiff, recovering on behalf of the spouse, children, and other designated beneficiaries.
Does it matter that I was not wearing a seatbelt? Oklahoma recognizes seatbelt non-use in comparative fault analysis, which can reduce your recovery percentage. An attorney minimizes this reduction by focusing on the severity of the at-fault driver’s conduct relative to your own.
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