Vermont & New Hampshire Injury Blog

Tragic Rear-End Accident in New Hampshire: Two Killed; One Seriously Injured

Late on Friday, February 20, 2009 a father and his 5-year-old son were killed in Rochester, New Hampshire. The accident occurred on Route 11 when Carl Lytle rear-ended a car that was waiting to make a left hand turn.  Carl Lytle and Tyler Lytle were from New Durham.  Ann Leighton, of Farmington, was the driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended.  She was waiting to turn left into Lilac City Pediatrics.  Immediately following the collision, a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2007 Dodge Charger traveling east on Route 11 smashed into the vehicles. 

Ann Leighton was taken to Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester and was listed in critical condition. 

The highway was shut down for hours as police tried to determine exactly what happened. The Strafford County Regional Technical Accident Reconstruction team is investigating the accident.  However, authorities have said that the motorist was driving too fast for the icy roads.  Apparently, Route 11 is known for high-speed driving. 

Driving too fast for conditions is a common issue in New Hampshire. For example, police counted 18 accidents on Seacoast highways (Route 12, Route 101 and Interstate 95) on Friday morning. 

This story serves as a reminder to all drivers in the Vermont/New Hampshire area that road conditions can be very dangerous during the winter.  If you are a passenger in a motor vehicle that is involved in a car accident due to negligent driving, you may have a personal injury claim.  The driver of a motor vehicle has a duty to operate the motor vehicle in a safe and reasonable manner.  This standard of care applies in dangerous, wintry weather conditions as well.  If you have been injured in a car accident, see Auto Accident Checklist, for detailed information on how to protect your rights.

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