Accident on Hazel Avenue Causes Front-End Damage to Both Vehicles
An intersection accident in Orangevale resulted in minor injuries on January 13 when two vehicles collided. The accident occurred around 8:15 in the evening at Hazel Avenue’s intersection with Elm Avenue between a Toyota Prius and another sedan. The report about the accident issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said that one vehicle blocked the number one lane while the Toyota ended up on the sidewalk. Both vehicles exhibited front-end damage. The incident is being investigated by the CHP to determine which motorist was at fault for the intersection accident.
Intersections Are Dangerous Places
More than half of all collisions occur at intersections, and most are caused by negligence. Because traffic converges at these crossroads and is complicated by the presence of cars, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicycle riders, there are many ways an accident can occur, including the following:
- Drivers who run a red light are a common cause of an intersection accident.
- Speeding leads to an intersection accident when a driver cannot stop in time when the light changes. In many cases, a rear-end collision occurs with another motorist already stopped.
- Making an improper left turn can lead to an intersection accident. The driver who turns just as the arrow has changed to red is counting on passing through the intersection before oncoming traffic reaches them.
- Turning right is a major cause of accidents involving other cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Because the driver is looking left at oncoming traffic, which is sometimes impeded by other vehicles, they neglect to look right where a pedestrian or bicyclist is in the crosswalk.
- Distracted driving occurs when a motorist is texting or performing another activity that removes their focus from surrounding traffic.
- Drunk driving is a common cause of all types of traffic collisions, including an intersection accident.
- Fatigued drivers are more of a danger during the nighttime hours. A driver who is too fatigued to be behind the wheel of a car often doesn’t realize it. However, they are at high risk of drifting out of their lane or nodding off behind the wheel.
- Potholes, malfunctioning traffic lights, and other problems can cause a crash at an intersection. The government entity in charge of maintenance can be held liable.
- Auto defects such as a sticking accelerator, brake failure and a locked steering wheel can lead to an intersection accident. The manufacturer may be held responsible by filing an auto product liability claim. Checking for defects is one of the reasons it is important to retain a vehicle following an injury collision.
Investigating an Intersection Accident
When someone has been injured by a negligent driver or for other reasons, evidence has to be gathered to support their claim for compensation. Our investigators are good at gathering that evidence, and some of the areas in which they look for helpful information includes:
- The police report is examined for errors because a mistake could affect the client’s case for compensation.
- Traffic cameras in the area are checked to see if the intersection accident was caught on tape. If it was, that record can be subpoenaed to show proof of negligence by the other driver.
- Any witnesses to the collision are interviewed. Some may have even taped the accident on their cell phones as it happened.
- Accident reconstruction is performed, which shows the positions of the vehicles and how the crash occurred.
Our team of injury lawyers takes the gathered evidence and compiles it into a strong case for the benefit of our client’s claim for compensation.
Orangevale Car Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, an Orangevale car accident lawyer. If you suffered injuries in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation. Contact us for our free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. If you prefer, you can reach us by filling out the short, online form.
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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