Two Collisions Happened Within Minutes on Elkhorn Blvd.
I’m Ed Smith, a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. Two collisions happened within minutes of each other recently along Elkhorn Boulevard in North Sacramento, according to a report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Because of the accidents, vehicles were on both the left side and right-hand side of the road, interfering with the flow of traffic. Personnel with the Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the scene along with EMTs to determine injuries suffered in the collisions, while investigators determined the liability in the crashes.
What Happened
The first collision happened along the left side of Elkhorn and Diablo Drive shortly before 1:00 in the afternoon when a Ford Fusion and white sedan collided. Both vehicles were along the left-hand side of the road with one damaged enough that it was no longer drivable. The second accident occurred in the same area about two minutes after the first between a Chevy and Nissan. Those vehicles were removed to the right-hand side. The extent of injuries were not reported in detail by the CHP.
Reasons for Highway Collisions
Highway collisions are among the most common types of accidents. In part, this is caused by increased speeds along these stretches of roads and dangers of entrance and exit ramps. However, driver error is the reason for most accidents, both on and off the highway. Following are some reasons for highway accidents:
- Distracted driving: In spite of crackdowns by police on those who talk on their cell phones or text, this form of distracted driving is a major contributor to accidents. Distracted driving caused 3,450 fatalities in 2016. Other forms of distracted driving include eating or drinking while driving, changing a radio station, chatting with passengers or ogling another accident up head.
- Tailgating: When vehicles are too close together on the highway, an accident can easily occur if one of them slows down or has to stop. Keeping the correct following distance can help avoid this kind of accident.
- Defective equipment: There are many reasons a car can cause an accident due to defective equipment. A problem with the steering, transmission, brakes or tires are some of the things that can go wrong. A few problems are caused by poor maintenance, while others may be caused by a manufacturing or other defect. When this happens, compensation can be obtained through a products liability lawsuit.
- Speeding: In 2016, speeding was a factor in more than 10,000 accident fatalities nationwide, which represented 27 percent of all traffic deaths.
- Drunk driving: Drunk drivers kill nearly 29 people about every 50 minutes because being intoxicated affects muscle coordination, reasoning, and reflexes.
- Aggressive driving or road rage: Aggressive driving includes cutting people off, weaving in and out of traffic and making threatening gestures toward other drivers. In some cases, an aggressive driver will try and force another vehicle off the road.
- Wrong-way drivers: These are among the most dangerous motorists because accidents caused by a wrong-way driver are almost always head-on collisions at high speed. Wrong-way drivers are often under the influence of drugs or alcohol, although bad road signage can be at fault.
Car Accident Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. Highway accidents can be complex, particularly if multiple vehicles are involved. This is why you need the help of an experienced injury lawyer to obtain the compensation you need. Call me for free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 in Sacramento, or feel free to use the toll-free phone line at (800) 404-5400.
Since 1982, I’ve helped many of the good people of Sacramento and surrounding Northern California in obtaining compensation for the different types of car accidents and in wrongful death cases.
To see a list of some of our earlier cases along with comments and reviews by clients, please check out the following links:
Trial lawyers who have a proven record of a verdict or settlement in excess of $1 million for a client can be invited to join the Million Dollar Forum. I belong to this group as a California member.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/police-houston-texas-hpd-3252205/
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