Reckless Driving Accident on Westbound Highway 50
I am Ed Smith, a personal injury and car accident lawyer in Sacramento. There was a multi-vehicle collision recently involving five to six vehicles along U.S. Route 50 heading west. The reckless driving collision caused the closure of all the lanes traveling westbound except for the HOV lane and partially blocked one of the exit ramps.
Details of the Crash
The accident occurred near the Howe Avenue off-ramp at about 4:00 in the afternoon. According to a report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a driver in a gold-colored Crown Victoria was driving along the shoulder of U.S. 50 for miles, then sped up to over 100 mph. After colliding with the center divider, the vehicle ricocheted across the highway, causing it to crash into other cars on the road. One vehicle involved in the collision was utterly wrecked, and it was reported that some individuals might have been trapped inside another car.
Injuries Reported in the Crash
Medical assistance was requested at the accident site for injuries in multiple vehicles. It is unknown at this time the extent of those injuries, or whether any of them required hospitalization. Westbound traffic was at a standstill from Watt to Bradshaw due to the incident.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is treated as a criminal offense in California. Under vehicle code 23103, California law describes reckless driving as one where the driver has a willful and wanton disregard for the rules of the road. The mental state of the driver impacts on the safety of property and other individuals. Penalties in reckless driving cases in California include jail time of five to 90 days and a fine of $145 to $1,000. If a driver exceeds 100 mph as a first offense, he or she will pay a higher penalty and have their license suspended for 30 days. If it happens a second time, the driver will face a higher fine and a six-month suspension.
Characteristics of Reckless Driving
Exceeding the speed limit by 35 mph is considered reckless driving in California. The speed limit on freeways in the state is 65 to 70 mph, while undivided highways and two-lane roads require drivers to maintain 55 mph. Other acts include going from one lane to another randomly. Reckless driving is also attached to other infractions such as drunk driving and hit and run.
DUIs and Reckless Driving
A criminal attorney will try to replace a DUI with a reckless driving charge. While the consequences of reckless driving are dangerous, they are less harmful to the driver than having a DUI charge on their record. Two charges reflect this:
- Wet Reckless: A wet reckless charge is one where the DUI charge is downgraded to reckless driving while impaired by alcohol. The penalties for a DUI are higher than those associated with a wet reckless conviction.
- Dry Reckless: This is a reckless driving charge without alcohol.
Car Accident Lawyer for Sacramento
I am Ed Smith, a personal injury and car accident lawyer in Sacramento. If you have been injured in a reckless driving accident, you should have an experienced lawyer at your side. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly and free advice. You can get in touch with me online on my website AutoAccident.com.
I’ve helped residents of Northern California, including Sacramento, for over 36 years with many types of accidents as well as wrongful death claims.
If you want to learn about my practice and how I resolved cases in the past, click on any of the following links:
I’ve won cases for clients for more than 1 million dollars. Due to this, I was asked to become a member of the Million Dollar Forum.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/highway-jam-traffic-pkw-autos-1761825/
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