Skip to content
A Tupelo man had died in a car accident in Union County on January 1. According to news reports, the single-vehicle accident occurred just after 2:55 pm on Interstate 22 in New Albany. The 42-year-old driver’s car left the road and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol are currently investigating the accident.
Fatal Car Accidents in Mississippi
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Mississippi had 703 fatal car accidents in 2022. Most of the fatal car crashes involved a single-vehicle car crash.
Unfortunately, Mississippi has historically had one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities per capita among U.S. states. Common causes of fatal car crashes include distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and lack of seatbelt use. Our rural roadway system does play a part in car crashes, with limited lighting and visibility combined with high speed limits.
Single-vehicle accidents are often complex because of Mississippi insurance laws. The state follows a “pure comparative negligence” system, which means you can still file a claim for your accident even if you are found 99% at fault for the accident. This means that even in single vehicle accidents, families may have valid claims if factors like road conditions, vehicle defects, or maintenance issues contributed to the crash. It’s important to get a copy of the accident report before filing a claim to learn what happened before and during the accident.
Families of the victims can file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, as well as burial and funeral costs. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Mississippi at Giddens Law Firm to learn what your options are following a fatal car crash.
Note: Our team of writers uses secondary sources to produce this post, including local and state media and news sources, regional and state police incident reports, social media platforms, and eyewitness accounts about serious accidents in Mississippi. For that reason, if you find any information that is not correct, be sure to contact Giddens Law Firm as soon as possible so that we can update the post with the most exact information available. A post will be removed upon request. All information in this post is informational and not intended to be considered legal or medical advice. This post is not a solicitation for business.