Single Vehicle Accident on Lincoln Boulevard
On the morning of Thursday, April 15, 2021, one person lost their life, and another sustained critical injuries in a South Oroville crash.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash happened sometime before 8:20 a.m. on Lincoln Boulevard, south of Helman Street. Lincoln Boulevard was shut down for a period of time following the incident while officers investigated and cleaned up the scene.
The only vehicle involved was a blue Suburban. Witnesses reported that the Suburban had been traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver made a move to turn into a driveway, then crashed into a rock and power pole before continuing on to slam into a garage. The garage was unoccupied at the time of the crash. PG&E subsequently came to the scene to repair the damaged power pole.
There was one male passenger in the vehicle along with the driver, also male. The passenger unfortunately succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, and the driver remains hospitalized with major injuries.
The Dangers of Excessive Speed
It is not clear what exactly caused this tragic event, but based on witness reports, the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed, and that may have played a role in the causation of the crash as well as the extent of the damages. This is especially true if the driver did not slow down significantly prior to executing a turn.
The risks of traveling at high speeds greatly outweigh any perceived benefits. According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a third of all fatal car crashes involve a driver who was speeding. Excessive speed is second only to drunk driving as a leading factor in motor vehicle fatalities. More than 13,000 people die annually in the U.S. in vehicle accidents where speed was a factor, and more than 40,000 people sustain critical injuries, according to the NHTSA.
What Makes Speeding So Deadly?
A few factors that make excessive speed so deadly could potentially have been at play in the recent Oroville crash, based on the limited facts reported so far:
- Driving at a high rate of speed gives the driver less time to avoid a collision.
- If a crash does occur, it is more likely to be severe if the vehicle(s) involved were speeding because the force of the impact doubles with each 10 mph speed increase (NHTSA).
- The risk of sustaining severe injuries or being killed increases with excessive speed.
While, again, we do not know if this applies to Thursday’s accident, NHTSA research has found that drivers who regularly speed also are less likely to wear a seat belt which greatly increases the risk of serious injuries or death.
Safety Advocates Urge Speed Reductions
The NHTSA is not alone in urging the public to drive at safe speeds. Numerous studies have shown that when speed limits rise, so do traffic accident fatalities.
Watch the YouTube video. Below is a video posted by the California Office of Traffic Safety reminding Californians to “slow the fast down.”
Oroville Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading our report on this tragic Oroville crash. My name is Ed Smith, and I am an Oroville personal injury lawyer. For nearly 40 years, I have been advocating on behalf of injured Northern Californians. Dealing with an insurance company and trying to ensure that you are being treated fairly can cause a lot of anxiety. That stress is not something you need when you should be focusing on your physical recovery. Retaining a skilled injury lawyer can relieve that mental burden. To receive compassionate, free, and friendly advice, reach out to us at (800) 404-5400 or (530) 392-9400.
For case results, please see our trial verdicts and case settlements page. Reviews from past clients can be found on the following sites:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/background-candles-tea-lights-2138132/
:mm llo [cs 672]