Area Between Old River Road and the County Line Closed After Accident
A vehicle was pulled from the railing of the 52.5-foot high Vietnam Serviceman Memorial Bridge after a three-vehicle crash on September 25. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the accident occurred at about 3:30 in the afternoon. The southbound lanes of the Interstate 5 bridge, which connects Sacramento and Yolo counties, were shut down. Caltrans reported that the closures, which lasted for about a half-hour, involved the area between Old River Road and the county line. The closures ended at approximately 4:15 p.m. Injury information was not reported.
Bridge Accidents
Many factors are involved in a bridge or overpass accident. Some of the most common are:
- Driver error
- Poor construction or design
- Poor lighting
- Inadequate signage
- Weather conditions
- Poor bridge maintenance
- Lack of warning signs
- Inadequate structural support
Three-Vehicle Crash
No matter where they happen, a three-vehicle crash can cause serious injury and even death. The main reason for this is that cars are often hit more than once or hit other vehicles on the road. In the initial impact, the vehicle’s safety devices such as airbags deploy, protecting the driver and occupants. However, the second or even third time they are hit, the safety devices are useless and provide no protection.
In addition, some of the accident vehicles might leak flammable substances, and a fire may ensue. Because of the number of cars involved in the accident, it might be difficult for fire and rescue personnel to reach the injured.
Causes of a Three-Vehicle Crash
Some of the most common causes of a three-vehicle crash are:
- Speeding: Driving too fast is a major problem and often causes the driver to lose control over his or her vehicle.
- Fatigued drivers: This is a common cause of accidents today as people work longer to make ends meet. In some cases, fatigued driving is as dangerous as drunk driving.
- Distracted driving: Trying to multitask while driving is the number one cause of traffic accidents today.
- Drunk drivers: Drunk drivers lack the ability to navigate their vehicles through traffic safely. This poses a major risk for them and other drivers.
Showing Fault in a Three-Vehicle Crash
In many instances, the cause of the accident and the liability involved is straight forward. For example, the driver to the rear hits the car in front of them because they were speeding and could not stop in time. But, what if the driver in front had malfunctioning brake lights and gave no indication that they were stopping. In this case, the driver with the malfunctioning or defective brake lights would be liable.
The driver to the rear still has the obligation of traveling at an adequate distance or speed to stop in time. If the brake lights were defective, an attorney may file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Investigating a Three-Vehicle Accident
Our investigative team is dispatched to the accident site to gather evidence of fault. They follow the following protocol to accomplish this:
- The investigators speak to witnesses who saw the accident happen.
- Accident reconstruction techniques are used to document the positioning of the vehicles.
- If surveillance cameras are nearby, video capture of the accident is obtained.
- The cars are examined for defects.
- Road defects such as potholes or poor signage are noted.
- The police report is reviewed for mistakes.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento car accident attorney. When a driver’s negligent actions caused your injury, you are welcome to call me for my free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400. The long-distance line is (800) 404-5400. I also offer an online form for your convenience.
It is my honor to have helped many Sacramentans since 1982 with their traffic accident injuries, loss of a loved one to wrongful death, and all types of trauma.
Some of the associations I belong to include:
Reviews by former clients and information about cases handled by my firm are below:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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