What Happened?
On 11 July, a blue Honda Civic traveling westbound on Byron Highway veered into the opposite lane for unknown reasons. A gold Mazda minivan travelling in the opposite direction was unable to avoid the Civic. The two vehicles then crashed in a head-on collision.
Witnesses report that both vehicles were traveling at at estimated 50 miles per hour when they collided on Byron Highway between Holey Road and Bruns Road.
Emergency Response
The Contra Costa County Division of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) received initial reports of the accident around 9:30 a.m. CHP officers, the East Contra Costa County Fire Department, and two American Medical Response (AMR) ambulances immediately responded to the accident.
Upon arrival, first responders quickly determined that the driver of the blue Honda Civic passed away in the impact. Next, they determined that the driver of the minivan was trapped in the vehicle.
We extend our sympathies to the friends and family of the driver that passed away in this crash.
The fire department then used extrication equipment, including the “jaws of life”, to rescue the second victim from the vehicle. Finally, at nearly 10 a.m., rescuers pulled this victim from the vehicle.
A helicopter then transported this man to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. First responders used a helicopter due to heavy traffic in the area.
Injuries in the Accident
The victim transported to the hospital sustained traumatic injuries. He is identified only as a male from the surrounding areas. We send our wishes for a full and speedy recovery to this individual.
Cause of the Accident
The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the CHP. At this time, investigators are unsure if drugs or alcohol played a role.
Accidents on Byron Highway are commonly caused by distracted drivers. Drivers often use the long, straight stretches of Byron Highway to check their cell phones or eat food. This pulls their attention from the road and often causes them to drift into the opposite lane.
Cause of the Accident – Byron Highway
The highway itself may have also caused the accident. This was the second fatal accident in the exact same location on Byron Highway since May 2017. In both of these accidents, one victim crossed the center line, causing the accident.
It is often difficult to determine why a driver crosses a center line. Sometimes an attorney must hire a trained investigator to interview witnesses to determine what they saw the at fault driver do. The investigator can also find out what the at fault driver did earlier in the day to see if those actions contributed to a crash that occured later.
Sometimes, there are other defendants involved to recover damages from besides just the driver. For example, the driver may not be the owner of the car. Sometimes a driver may be working for an employer who may also be responsible for damages sustained to other parties. Contact a Brentwood personal injury lawyer for more information.
Byron Highway Deadly Accidents
Byron Highway in general is notorious to locals for a high rate of deadly accidents. People often use it as a commuter road connection from Tracy and the Central Valley to Brentwood and the gateway to the Bay area. As a result, the road is heavily traveled.
It remains a country highway, however. This means it is often an undivided, two lane road with steep shoulders and poor signage and lighting.
Government Liability for Roads
The government has a responsibility to maintain roads. If a failure to do this causes a car accident, the government may be responsible. Unfortunately, according to the California Tort Claims Act, a claim like this must be filed within six months of the accident.
An experienced Brentwood car accident lawyer can help in these situation by hiring experts to examine the roads. We can also help meet those state deadlines.
Brentwood Car Accident Attorney
I am Ed Smith and I am a Brentwood car accident lawyer. If a car accident injures you or kills a loved one, I welcome your call at (925) 428-5220 or toll free at (800) 404-5400. When you call, I will give you free and friendly advice on how best to proceed.
I personally have practiced personal injury law for 34 years. Over these years I compiled a team of top-notch injury lawyers that are here to help.
I also created the car accident reference site AutoAccident.com.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Please look at my reviews on Yelp, Avvo, and Google. You can also see some of our Past Verdicts and Settlements.
Sources:
Older Byron Highway Accident: http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/05/22/fatal-multi-vehicle-crash-closes-byron-highway/
Image Attributed to W. Robert Howell at Wikimedia Commons
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