Accident on South Highway 29 Causes Life-Threatening Injuries
An accident on July 23 in Napa caused life-threatening injuries to a passenger in the car of a wrong-way driver. The collision occurred along southbound Highway 29 near the Imola Avenue interchange around 10:10 p.m. A news release by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) stated that a Cadillac was heading in the wrong direction on the highway when it struck two cars going northbound.
Driver Strikes One Vehicle and Is Then Hit by Another
The CHP reported that the Cadillac struck a Toyota and went into a spin. It was then struck in the rear by a Tesla. A passenger in the wrong-way driver’s vehicle, identified as female, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center. The Toyota driver, a Napa resident, age 56, suffered injuries described as minor and was transported to Queen by ambulance. Three people riding in the Tesla also suffered minor injuries.
Wrong-Way Driver Arrested and Reportedly Facing Felony DUI Charges
The driver of the Cadillac was identified as a San Francisco resident, age 20. Although the driver was using seat restraints, she was ejected from the Cadillac and sustained moderate injuries. She was flown to Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center by helicopter. She was booked into the jail in Napa County on suspicion of driving under the influence causing injury, which is a felony.
Highway Shut Down While Accident Scene Is Cleared
Highway 29 was closed down close to Imola Avenue until early on Sunday morning, with traffic diverted to Golden Gate Drive. An alert was issued by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office urging drivers to stay away from the area as the scene was cleared and the accident was investigated.
Negligence Can Lead to a Serious Traffic Collision with a Wrong-Way Driver
The majority of traffic collisions are caused by a driver who is negligent. Some of those causes that can result in a wrong-way driver can include:
- Distracted driving, such as texting or checking GPS, can result in a driver going the wrong way.
- Drunk or drugged driving is the most common cause of a wrong-way driver.
- Speeding can lead to a wrong-way driver if the motorist isn’t paying sufficient attention to signage.
- Fatigued driving means the motorist has difficulty concentrating on the task at hand, which can turn them into a wrong-way driver. Fatigued driving has been compared to being inebriated due to how it affects a motorist.
- Unfamiliarity with the roadway can make a driver end up taking the exit ramp onto a freeway.
- Lack of or poorly placed signage can cause a driver to go the wrong way. If an accident injury results from this type of negligence, the injured party may place a claim against the government entity in charge of maintenance. Because there is a six-month statute of limitations, it may be a good idea to get help from an accident attorney to ensure deadlines are met.
Napa Accident Attorneys
I am Ed Smith, a Napa accident attorney. When a negligent driver causes injuries to a passenger or those in other vehicles, they may place a claim to recover compensation. Contact our legal team for our free and friendly advice at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400. An online contact form is available also.
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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