Lack of Highway Safety Repairs Adds to Fatal Tesla Crash
Regulators took transportation officials to task for not repairing highway safety barriers faster after reviewing a fatal Tesla Model X crash last March when the vehicle was on autopilot. According to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, officials in California had not repaired the safety barrier along Highway 110, which had been damaged in an earlier accident. The second Mountain View collision killed Walter (Wei) Huang, an engineer employed by Apple, when his vehicle struck the same spot.
Earlier Accident That Damaged the Barrier
Eleven days before the accident that killed Huang, a Toyota Prius, traveling at high speed, had crashed into the same attenuator, which is the cushion that keeps vehicles from striking the end of the concrete lane dividers. The Prius driver survived the accident and suffered only minor injuries from that collision. Although the California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigated the earlier crash, which occurred on March 11, they did not tell the California Department of Transportation about the damage to the highway safety barrier.
NTSB Investigates Highway Safety
According to a representative of the NTSB, the two separate accidents and their results demonstrated the necessity of functioning attenuators and how they provided highway safety benefits. The NTSB acknowledged that the crash of the Tesla was still being investigated. The report of that crash is expected to be completed sometime next year, along with a safety report concerning electric vehicles. Instead of waiting until the investigation is finished, the director of the Office of Highway Safety with the NTSB said that it was in the interest of motorists to make this recommendation now.
DOT Reviews Report
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation in California, Matt Rocco, said the report issued by the NTSB was being reviewed. The NTSB reported that prior problems were an issue with highway safety maintenance in California. This was in regard to an accident in San Jose in 2016. In this collision, a Greyhound bus crashed with a barrier along Highway 101. Forty-four days earlier, that same barrier had been damaged but had not been repaired. That accident injured more than 12 people and killed two. It was determined that a missing retroreflective marker had contributed to the crash.
What an Attorney Can Do for You
In some cases, an accident investigation is protracted as multiple government agencies try to find out why and how it happened. In this case, a preliminary result is that repairs needed to be made to safety barriers and were not done. Your attorney will work for you in every facet of the case. Our firm not only sends investigators to the scene of the accident where they gather evidence, interview witnesses, and obtain videos of the accident if available but also delve into the crash from different perspectives.
We examine police reports for accuracy and review previous accidents at the location. Prior to a final report on the accident, we formulate a plan to negotiate with the insurance companies or take the matter to civil court. This is a complex situation since government agencies are involved. Such claims need to be filed in a different way from ordinary ones and have a differing time limit to do so. Our firm makes sure all documents are filed on time.
Grief After a Highway Safety Accident
It is impossible for a family to avoid the overwhelming sense of grief an accident causes when it robs loved ones of someone they cherish. While grief is unavoidable, the way you deal with it is a necessary element. Since the expression of grief differs from one person to another, there are varying ways to handle it. One consistent problem is that the family members are often so consumed by the event they fail to take care of themselves. It is essential to make sure that you eat and rest as needed to stay strong and help others affected by the loss. In the midst of all this, it is often difficult to focus on obtaining justice. Your wrongful death lawyer can help. Talk to them about whether you can file a claim against the negligent party. This ranges from the vehicle’s manufacturer to a government party that was negligent.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. Road maintenance is an important part of staying safe on the highway. When this goes undone, horrific accidents happen. It is important to have an experienced legal advocate at your side. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also reach out to me online by using our convenient contact form on my website AutoAccident.com
I’ve assisted clients from all parts of Northern California achieve the compensation they deserve in all varieties of car accidents, wrongful deaths, and other traumatic injuries.
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