I’m Ed Smith, a Lincoln car accident lawyer. A car driving south along Highway 65 was involved in a collision with a northbound vehicle on July 6 near Lincoln, which caused the death of one person and injuries to two others. According to a representative of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the accident happened close to Twelve Bridges Drive. The person who died was traveling in the southbound vehicle.
I would like to extend my sympathy and prayers to the family and friends of the person who died in the collision.
What Happened
The head-on crash occurred at about 12:00 p.m. when a Toyota and Ford collided after the southbound driver lost control of the vehicle, crossed over the center median and struck the northbound car. The impact of the collision caused one of the vehicles to flip and roll over, resulting in a passenger being thrown from the car while trapping another person inside. One of the individuals in the collision was reported as having suffered major injuries, while the other was said to have serious injuries. It is unknown whether the fatality occurred at the scene of the collision or happened later at a local hospital
The Aftermath of the Collision
According to reports, lanes in both directions were shut down, causing heavy delays. The CHP reported that the lanes were reopened sometime after 2:00 p.m. No information has been released by authorities on the reason for the collision or whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
Losing Control of a Car
Loss of control while driving is responsible for about 11 percent of all car accidents. The reasons are varied, but most involve negligence on the part of the driver. Some of the more common reasons a driver loses control while behind the wheel of a vehicle are as follows:
- Drunk driving: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 29 individuals died every 50 minutes in 2016 due to drunk driving. Crashes involving drunk drivers cause over 10,000 traffic fatalities each year.
- Speeding: Speeders were responsible for 27 percent (10,011) of the motor vehicle accident fatalities in 2016. Speeding is considered a type of aggressive driving, which also includes running red lights, cutting off other vehicles and frequent lane changes.
- Distraction: In 2016, distracted drivers claimed 3,450 lives in traffic accidents. Distracted driving includes texting or talking on a phone, accessing GPS, fiddling with the radio and eating or drinking.
- Fatigue: Drowsy driving was attributed to the loss of more than 800 lives in traffic collisions during 2014. Most of these accidents involved only one vehicle.
- Hydroplaning: This type of accident occurs on wet road surfaces when a vehicle slides or skids because of poor traction and oil from the road surface mixing with the rain. Hydroplaning is most likely to occur within the first few minutes during a light rain.
- Road conditions: Government entities such as a county or state are responsible for maintaining roads in a condition that makes them safe for motorists. Besides repair of road defects in the pavement, signage must be correctly maintained, and any overhanging tree limbs or overgrown bushes must be taken care of.
- Defective auto parts: Defective auto parts can range from the engines themselves to brakes, tires, and airbags such as the ones recalled by Takata.
Lincoln Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Lincoln car accident lawyer. When someone is injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver or entity, they may place a claim for fair compensation to pay their medical bills, lost time away from work and other expenses. I am happy to offer you free, friendly advice when you call me at (916) 921-6400 in the Lincoln area or (800) 404-5400 long-distance.
Over my 36-year career as an injury lawyer, I’ve helped many people around Lincoln and the surrounding areas of Northern California to obtain compensation for all types of car accidents and serious injuries as well as wrongful deaths.
I am a Million Dollar Forum member from California. This forum is open only to trial attorneys around the country who have obtained a settlement or verdict in excess of one million dollars for a client.
To take a look at some of our previous cases and see client reviews, please visit:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_40248311_l-2015
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