BRYAN, Texas- A collision between a 2019 Chevy Tahoe and a GMC pickup truck has resulted in the death of Duane Bridges, 56.
According to reports, the crash happened around 6:15 a.m. as both vehicles were heading in opposite directions. The Tahoe crossed into the GMC’s Lane, resulting in a head-on collision.
Bridges, the driver of the Tahoe, was pronounced dead at a local medical center following the crash. The driver of the GMC was treated for minor injuries.
No further information was immediately available.
Thoughts on fatal two-vehicle accidents and potential sources of recovery for the surviving family
Stories like this highlight just how quickly a routine activity, like driving, can become deadly. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of Mr. Bridges. No family should have to navigate the aftermath of a tragedy like this alone, and our investigative team has the experience needed to help victims and their loved ones get the answers they deserve quickly and ensure that every opportunity to seek legal relief is pursued.
The facts here suggest that Mr. Bridges may have lost control of his vehicle for one reason or another. Consequentially, the first potential cause we would want to explore would be a mechanical failure of some sort. A failure of the braking or steering systems or an issue with one or more of the tires could easily cause a loss of driver control. This often happens due to a poorly done repair job or parts that were defective, to begin with. If a repair job was done improperly, Mr. Bridges’ family may be able to recover against the service shop. If the problem was a defective part, we would look to the car manufacturer for answers and/or relief.
Alternatively, it would be important to investigate in lane assistance technology on the Tahoe. Newer vehicles are equipped with lane assistance to help keep the vehicle in its lane of travel. If this technology failed to work properly, the family may have a claim against the manufacturer.
Regardless of what the official investigation finds, we always advocate for an independent legal investigation, particularly in cases like this, where there is not an obvious cause of the accident. Resource constraints often mean that official investigations stop at the first identified cause. Unfortunately, we find many accidents have more than one cause, and we do not stop our investigations until we are confident all causes have been identified
