Woman Injured in Vehicular Crash on Watt Avenue
A vehicular accident on December 5 in Sacramento at 6:13 in the evening caused injury to a woman involved in the crash. The accident occurred on Northbound Watt Avenue in the vicinity of U.S. 50 West. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash involved two vehicles, a Honda Accord and a Nissan Frontier. The woman was having difficulty breathing and complained of unspecified pain. A tow truck and Sacramento Fire rescue personnel were called to the crash site. Both vehicles were on the right-hand side of the highway after the crash. The CHP is actively investigating the vehicular accident as to cause and to determine fault. It is unknown at this time whether drugs or alcohol were involved. No arrests have been made.
Vehicular Accidents in Sacramento
Accidents in Sacramento as elsewhere are primarily caused by driver error. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 94 to 96 percent of all accidents are due to mistakes or driver recklessness. Approximately 40,000 people were killed in 2017, a 6-percent raise over that of 2015. This happens despite efforts to make cars safer in recent years. The rising fatality rate is due to the following:
- Distracted driving: In the past few years, distracted driving has increased to a level that meets or surpasses drunk drivers as the chief reason fatal accidents happen. Motorists are consumed by their need to multitask and insist on texting, playing with gadgets in the vehicle, or talking to other passengers. This need takes their focus off the road. Of all activities, texting is felt to be the worst since it causes the driver to use visual and manual maneuvers to complete. This means their hands are off the wheel, and they are looking down rather than at the roadway ahead.
- Drunk driving: Driving while intoxicated is another behavior that weakens the driver’s ability to handle his or her vehicle appropriately. Drinking causes a motorist to lose cognitive and manual ability. Coordination and the ability to judge distance and other factors are affected. Aside from being illegal, drunk driving kills approximately 10,000 people every year.
- Reckless driving: This behavior, which includes aggressive driving, is becoming more prevalent each year. In some forms, it is considered a criminal act. However, even the driver who constantly tailgates or changes lanes repeatedly to arrive at their destination sooner is considered a reckless driver.
Chest Injuries in a Vehicular Accident
While potentially any area of the body can be injured in a vehicular accident, chest injuries often have dire consequences. For instance, hitting the steering wheel or the dash can cause significant damage to the rib cage, lungs, and heart, depending on the speed. Rib fractures are fairly common and can be painful injuries, which take time to heal. However, if the rib is displaced, it can puncture the lung, causing problems breathing. Heart contusions also occur and can lead to serious cardiovascular damage.
What an Attorney Can Do to Help
One of the key factors in a car accident case is proving that a client’s injuries are caused by negligence on the part of another. To prove this, we dispatch our investigative team to the accident site where they interview witnesses who saw the vehicular accident happen. They also obtain video footage of the accident gleaned from traffic surveillance cameras and other sources, including nearby businesses and homes. Police reports are scoured to check for inaccuracies. This is important since the reports are widely used in court and during negotiations with insurers. Once all this information is accumulated, the investigators turn it over to our lawyers to use as they build a robust case for our client.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. A vehicular accident can result in both physical and financial problems. Under these circumstances, it is important to have a personal injury lawyer at your side. Phone me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also reach out to me by using our convenient contact form online.
I’ve helped clients all over the Sacramento area to obtain the compensation they deserve in all types of car accidents, wrongful deaths, and other traumatic injuries.
I belong to the following organizations:
To learn more about my firm, please visit the following pages:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_11765047_l-2015
:cd llo [cs 749]