Single Vehicle Accident in Santa Barbara County Traps Driver
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. A single vehicle accident on July 3 left the sole occupant of a motor vehicle hospitalized with serious injuries after driving into a power pole.
As always, I would like to offer my wishes for a speedy recovery.
What Happened
According to a representative of the fire department in Santa Barbara County, the crash happened at the intersection of Black and West Betteravia Roads near the western outskirts of Santa Maria. The driver of the vehicle hit a utility pole, and the intensity of the crash caused a lone male to become trapped inside the vehicle. It was necessary to remove the man before he could be dispatched to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, a spokesman said. He was transported by medical CalStar helicopter to the facility. His pickup sustained significant damage.
Accident Details
The crash happened at about 5:00 p.m. According to a California Highway Patrol representative, a single utility pole was severely damaged. No information has been released as to the man’s identity at this time.
Accident Responders
Responders to the accident aside from county personnel from Santa Barbara County and the CHP included firefighters from the Santa Maria and Guadalupe fire departments, the regional air medical service CalStar and the American Medical Response team.
Single Vehicle Accidents
Designating a car crash as a single vehicle accident generally means that only the driver or occupant of a vehicle was injured and that no other vehicle was involved. It also usually refers to an accident caused by operator failure, however, defective parts can lead to such accidents as can inclement weather and poor roadway conditions. The common types of single vehicle accidents include:
- Run off road crashes
- Rollover crashes
- Collisions with roadway debris
Run Off Road Crash
A run off road crash is one where the vehicle leaves the road. Common reasons this happens are due to driver error such as: speeding, taking a curve too fast and trying to avoid a collision with another car or animal. While run off road crashes, occurring at a rate of 16 percent, are not as frequent as some other types of accidents, they result in fatalities 31 percent of the time, particularly when the vehicle hits an object that will not give such as a light pole or tree. In the event the vehicle spins before the collision occurs and hits the object in the door area, the injuries are likely to be greater since the doors provide little protection. If the vehicle rolls over, the mortality incidence is increased.
Current best practices for civil engineers designing a roadway are to provide a 30-foot clear zone in the area immediately around a curve. Based on testing done by General Motors, drivers have a high degree of gaining control of their vehicle within this distance. Other safeguards might involve hazard removal or setback for trees and utility poles.
Rollover Accident
When a vehicle tips onto its roof or its side, it is considered to be a rollover accident. This type of accident has a high fatality rate. There are two basic types of rollover accidents: untripped and tripped.
Untripped rollovers are commonly affected by steering and ground friction as well as speed. Tripped rollovers happen when the vehicle hits a curb or soft ground. This increases lateral forces and is the cause of 71 percent of single vehicle rollover crashes.
Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith
Santa Barbara Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. When you or your loved ones are injured by someone else’s negligence, call (805) 372-0200 or (800) 404-5400. As a dedicated injury lawyer, I offer you my friendly advice and it’s free.
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