Santa Barbara Multiple Vehicle Crash Occurs on Highway 101
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. A Santa Barbara collision between four vehicles on June 21, 2017 along U.S. Route 101 caused one injury. An investigation is ongoing as to the cause of the crash.
What Happened?
The accident occurred along the highway near Mission Street at about 3:30 in the afternoon between a pickup truck and an additional three vehicles. No further information is available at this time on the types of vehicles or the number of individuals who were involved in the crash. One of the accident victims complained of chest pain following the collision. Emergency personnel were present at the crash site to assist the injured victims in the accident. Towing services arrived to clear the vehicles from the road.
Crash Investigation
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating the accident. Little is known at this time about the investigation. What is known is that one vehicle remained on the road, another ended up on the shoulder and the remaining two vehicles were in the road median.
Accidents in Santa Barbara
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, the city of Santa Barbara ranked 13 highest out of 105 California cities for the number of injuries and fatalities caused by motor vehicle accidents. There were 677 injury victims and deaths in the city of Santa Barbara itself due to accidents. Alcohol consumption was involved in 117 of the crashes and speeding was a factor in 113. Motorcycle accident injuries and deaths totaled 14. The number of pedestrians who were injured or died as a result of a motor vehicle crash totaled 52 and bicyclists totaled 96. There were 40 deaths and injuries caused by hit-and-run accidents.
Countywide Statistics
Santa Barbara County statistics on injuries and fatalities fared better than the city itself with a ranking of 24 out of 58 counties. There were 2, 510 motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities. Speed was deemed a factor in 355 of the crashes and excessive speed was cited in 546. Of the number of motorcyclists involved in crashes, 108 were injured or died. Pedestrian accident injuries and deaths totaled 124 and bicyclists who were injured or died numbered 259. Hit-and-run accidents accounted for 156 deaths and injuries.
Critical Pre-Crash Driver Errors
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studied pre-crash events involving driver error, describing them as the final action in a series of events leading to a crash. The errors are grouped according to recognition, decision and non-performance errors.
- Recognition Error: This accounts for 41 percent of all driver errors and includes distractions, inattention and inadequate surveillance. Of these, inadequate surveillance was the most common. In fact, drivers in this group failed to determine when performing a maneuver was safe such as turning at or entering an intersection in 20 percent of crashes.
- Decision Errors: Errors in the decision-making process accounted for 34 percent of crashes. This includes: traveling too fast for the road and weather conditions (8.4 percent), taking a curve at a speed that is too fast (4.9 percent), assuming wrongly what other drivers will do (4.5 percent) and wrongly judging another vehicle’s speed or the gap between vehicles (3.2 percent).
- Non-Performance Errors: Fatigue was the most common issue in this group.
Attorney Ed Smith
Santa Barbara Car Accident and Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara Car Accident Lawyer. When you or your loved one has suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident caused by another driver’s negligence, call me right away at (805) 372-0200. My advice is friendly and free to help you in this troubling time. Outside the calling area, please phone (800) 404-5400.
Find reviews by former clients and some of my peers on Google, Yelp and Avvo. A list of some Previous Verdicts and Settlements can give an idea of my cases and their results.
As an injury lawyer, I am proud to have helped residents of California, including Santa Barbara and the surrounding county since 1982 to obtain fair compensation for brain injury and wrongful death claims.
As a member of Million Dollar Advocates, I am proud to belong to a group of the top trial lawyers in the country who have recovered million and/or multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for clients.
Photo Attribution: car-accident-2165210_1280.jpg
:cd bw cv