South Georgia Man’s Death Highlights Dangers of Single-Vehicle Accidents

A Thomasville man is dead after suffering fatal injuries in a single-vehicle crash. On February 22, Dantavia Crumbly, 33, was attempting to turn from Georgia 300 onto Georgia 38 in Thomas County when his car hit a curb, became airborne, and flipped several times. Mr. Crumbly, who had been speeding at the time of the accident, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. His family has since launched a campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of speeding, particularly when combined with distracted driving. 

While multi-car motor vehicle accidents often cause the most severe injuries, Mr. Crumbly’s case also highlights the danger of single-vehicle car accidents. If you or someone you love has suffered injuries in an accident, a Tifton car accident attorney can help you recover. 

How Common Are Single-Vehicle Accidents? 

Car accidents are often thought of as occurring when two or more vehicles collide. But according to the National Safety Council (NSC), only 43% of deaths in motor vehicle accidents are due to collisions with other motor vehicles. Collisions with fixed or other objects account for 26.8%, collisions with pedestrians account for 19.4%, non-collisions account for 7.4%, and collisions with bicycles account for 3%. Collisions with trains and animals each account for 0.2%. Significantly, the NSC data shows that fatal crashes are much more likely to involve collisions with objects other than motor vehicles (58.5%) than non-fatal crashes (29.1%). 

Common Causes of Single-Vehicle Accidents

Single-vehicle accidents remove the variable of other drivers, but their causes are no less diverse and complex than the causes of multi-vehicle accidents. Some of the most common causes include: 

• Speeding (as in the case above) 
• Striking objects, pedestrians, or animals in the right-of-way 
• Overcorrecting from a driving error or near-miss
• Distracted driving, including texting while driving
• Drowsy driving 
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Inclement weather conditions 
• Mechanical issues, such as brake failure or tire blowouts 
• Poor roadway maintenance 
• Faulty or missing traffic control devices 
• Inexperienced driving 
• Attempting to outrun a train at a crossing 

Liability for Single-Vehicle Accidents  

You may be thinking to yourself — if only one vehicle is involved, there isn’t anybody to sue for damages, right? Wrong. Just because only one driver was involved in an accident does not mean that another party was not negligent. For example, if the accident was caused by defective vehicle equipment, the manufacturer of the equipment and the seller of the vehicle may be liable. If the accident was caused by improper maintenance, the party responsible for the maintenance may be liable. If the accident was caused by debris in the roadway, the party who negligently left the debris may be liable. 

Speak to a Tifton Car Accident Attorney to Discuss Your Options for Pursuing Legal Action 

Single-vehicle accidents can cause severe injuries or even death, and they are often due to the negligence of others. To discuss your options for pursing legal action after a single-vehicle accident, please contact a Tifton car accident attorney at the Hudson Injury Firm by calling 229-396-5848 or using our online form.