Sacramento Man Killed in Rear End Collision on Interstate 80
I am Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. The name of the victim of an accident that occurred along Interstate 80 at San Pablo on November 1 was released by the coroner for the county of Contra Costa as Conrad Martin, 69, of Sacramento.
I would like to extend my sympathy to Mr. Martin’s family and friends during their time of sorrow.
What Happened?
The crash occurred on the westbound side of the highway close to San Pablo Dam Road at about 3:50 in the morning when, for some unexplained reason, Mr. Martin, who was driving a Kia Optima, either stopped his vehicle or slowed down in his lane. At this point, his vehicle was struck in the rear by a pickup identified as a Dodge, according to a representative of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Police reported that Martin was found unresponsive in his vehicle following the crash. The driver of the Dodge was uninjured in the accident.
Pickup Driver Cooperates With Police
The driver that struck the Kia in the rear is being cooperative regarding the police investigation into the incident. It was determined by the CHP that the driver of the pickup had not been influenced by drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
Investigation Into the Accident
An autopsy is scheduled at the coroner’s office for Contra Costa to determine the reason for the Sacramento resident’s death. Witnesses to the accident are being asked to phone the CHP in Oakland with any information.
Rear End Collisions
Rear end collisions can happen for a variety of reasons. For example, a driver may see an animal or a pedestrian darting into the road and slow suddenly or stop. In other instances, the driver in the lead car may have a medical emergency. The vehicle behind may not be paying attention or driving at normal highway speeds, preempting them from stopping in time. If the roads are wet or icy, the rear vehicle may be unable to stop. Trucks that generally take the length of an average football field to stop at 55 mph might also fail to stop in time, avoiding a collision.
Responsibilities of Drivers to Avoid Rear End Collisions
Both the lead vehicle and the driver to the rear share the responsibility for avoiding a rear end collision. Lead vehicles must refrain from stopping suddenly if at all possible. If the road ahead is congested, indicating that a slower speed will be necessary, the lead vehicle’s brake lights will begin to flash a warning. In the event the lights are not working, the lead driver may be considered partially at fault for the accident.
Drivers in the rear have the obligation of paying attention to the road ahead. Distractions, such as playing with the radio or texting might consume the driver’s cognitive attention for seconds, long enough to cause a crash. The average driver, according to Politifact, takes 5 seconds to read or send a text message, which is the length of a football field.
Injuries From a Rear-End Collision
Due to the nature of the accident, cervical strain injuries are common. Other types of injuries may include blunt chest trauma or abdominal trauma. Lower extremity injuries also happen.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. When negligence by another has caused you or your loved one’s injuries, call me at (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly advice. The toll-free line is (800) 404-5400, or you can contact me at autoaccident.com through our online form.
In my 35-year career as a Northern California injury lawyer, I have helped countless personal injury victims in the Sacramento area receive fair compensation for their traumatic injuries and in claims for the wrongful death of a loved one.
If you wish, you can look over the page titled verdicts and settlements to see how some of our prior cases were settled. Reviews by former clients can be found on Google, Yelp and Avvo.
Recognition of the million dollar verdicts and settlements awarded my clients have allowed me to become a member of the Million Dollar Advocates, a forum for top trial attorneys around the nation.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/crash-test-collision-60-km-h-1620591/
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