Accident on SR 99 During the Early Morning Hours Results in Injury
A two-vehicle crash in Sacramento resulted in the hospitalization of at least one person on August 15 following a collision along State Route 99. The accident was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) at 1:44 a.m. just south of the 12th Avenue off-ramp in the North City Farms area. The vehicles were pulled over to the right-hand side of the road with debris reported in the lanes.
First Responders Transport Patient to UC Davis
First responders with the Sacramento Fire Department arrived before the police and transported one individual to UC Davis Medical Center with undescribed injuries. The freeway was shut down for about 15 minutes so a tow truck could remove at least one of the vehicles. An investigation into the cause of the crash is being conducted by authorities to determine why it occurred and to assign fault.
Causes of a Two-Vehicle Crash After Dark
Driving at night is a major cause of all traffic accidents and accounts for around 40 percent of all fatalities even though traffic is much lighter. Some of the causes of nighttime traffic collisions include:
- Drunk drivers are more likely to be on the roadway after dark. Because it’s difficult for other drivers to judge distances in the dark and may be facing bright headlights, the drunk driver is at even more of a disadvantage. Some of the ways alcohol consumption affects a drunk driver is in their lack of judgment, inability to judge distances, slower reflexes, and diminished vision.
- Fatigued driving makes a motorist unobservant and affects them in a way similar to a drunk driver. They might fall asleep at the wheel or drift over into another lane, waking too late to prevent a two-vehicle crash.
- A driver can’t necessarily see an oncoming car after dark until it’s too late. A motorist traveling at 55 mph on a highway or rural road can see ahead about twice the distance with the high beams on. However, because of the stopping distance, they may not spot an oncoming car until it’s within one or two seconds from a two-vehicle crash.
- Speeding, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, causes many more accident fatalities at night than during the day. Some of the reasons may include a driver being in a hurry to get home, fewer police cars on the road and the thrill of going fast.
- Lack of seat belt use contributes to some serious injuries and fatalities in a two-vehicle crash after dark. Drivers and passengers are less likely to use seat restraints during nighttime hours, especially around 2:00 a.m.
Seeking Compensation Following a Two-Vehicle Crash
In order to place a claim for compensation following an accident injury, it must be proved that the other driver was responsible. Our investigators are highly experienced in collecting the evidence to do just that. The first thing they do is head to the site of the two-vehicle crash, take photographs and examine the surrounding area.
- The accident report is checked for mistakes.
- Witnesses are interviewed.
- The other motorist’s driving record is examined for previous citations.
- Accident reconstruction is performed.
- The roadway is checked for signs of government negligence, such as poor lighting and potholes.
- Traffic surveillance cameras are examined to see if any of them captured the two-vehicle crash on tape.
Our injury attorneys use the compiled evidence to build a case to support our client’s damage claim, so they can obtain the compensation they deserve.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento car accident lawyer. A negligent driver can cause a serious accident with injuries when you least expect it. When you’re injured by a negligent driver, call us at (916) 921-6400 for our free and friendly advice on whether you can place a claim for compensation. You can also reach us at (800) 404-5400 or by completing the message form online.
Since 1982, my team of injury lawyers and I have helped many people obtain the compensation that they deserve following any traffic collision involving negligence, wrongful deaths and other claims.
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Photo attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/headlamp-accident-auto-blue-broken-2940/
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