Highway Closed Following Three-Car Incident
On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 1, 2021, an automobile accident involving multiple vehicles resulted in one person being hospitalized with major injuries, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The incident also resulted in a portion of Highway 44 being shut down. The blocked-off location was east of Dersh Road.
The multi-vehicle accident occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. To update the local residents regarding road conditions, Caltrans took to Twitter. The agency issued a statement at 4:29 p.m.that the road had been reopened and traffic in the area of the collision was returning to normal.
Details of the Accident
According to a representative from the CHP, a motorist driving a Nissan in a westerly direction on Highway 44 was approaching a van when, for unknown reasons, the Nissan swerved into the eastbound lane and sideswiped a commercial truck. The contact caused the big rig to roll over. Immediately thereafter, the Nissan crashed into a white Chevy truck.
There were a total of three vehicles involved in the incident. The overturned semi blocked one lane west of Shingleton on Highway 44, which necessitated the highway closure.
Redding Accident Injuries
The Nissan’s driver was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital with major injuries. Information gleaned from an emergency scanner indicated that this transport occurred following the driver’s extrication from the Nissan. The other involved motorists sustained minor injuries.
Sideswipe Collisions
As one might be able to guess from the name, sideswipe collisions happen when one vehicle makes contact with the side of another. This can happen when two vehicles are moving in the same direction, or in opposite directions.
This type of contact commonly occurs when a vehicle begins moving into another lane. The initiating driver may not have checked his or her blind spots sufficiently, or the action could be the result of reckless, distracted, or impaired driving. This type of collision also commonly happens when two vehicles are attempting to change into the same lane at the same time.
Sideswipes also happen when a driver moves too close to a vehicle parked on the side of a road.
Sideswipe Collisions Can Lead to Other Crashes
While it is true that head-on and t-bone collisions often cause the most serious damage and injuries, sideswipe accidents can also be incredibly destructive. Sideswipes are very common. While we do not know what led the driver of the Nissan to make contact with the semi in the recent Redding incident, all it takes is a brief lapse in attention or a slight move in the wrong direction to have two vehicles make unintended contact. While some sideswipe collisions remain minor with some minimal property damage and no injuries, they can often initiate a much more serious crash or series of crashes. That appears to be what unfolded in the Redding incident. The action of sideswiping often is enough for one or both drivers to lose vehicle control. Once a driver has lost control of the vehicle, he or she may overcorrect, which may result in swerving followed by a secondary crash. Also, as we see in the case of the big rig in the recent Redding incident, a sideswipe can cause a large vehicle to overturn.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below offers advice on avoiding sideswipe collisions.
Redding Personal Injury Lawyer
Thank you for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury attorney serving Redding, California. For nearly four decades, the experienced injury lawyers at my law firm have advocated on behalf of injured Northern Californians. If you or a loved one is seeking compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice, don’t hesitate to call us at (530) 392-9400. From outside the local area code, you are welcome to use our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400.
For information about some of our case results, please see our settlements and verdicts page.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-crash-accident-insurance-4652992/
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