I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento truck accident lawyer. A wrong way driver died in a collision with a semi on southbound Interstate 5 on September 9 in Sacramento. The driver of the vehicle has yet to be identified at the time of this report.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the family of the victim who died in this tragic accident.
Details of the Accident
A firefighter with the Sacramento Fire Department, the first responders to arrive on the scene, reported that the accident occurred in the early morning hours, when the driver of a pickup entered I-5 in the area between J Street and Richards Boulevard, heading north in the southbound lanes.
A big rig driver told authorities that he saw the vehicle’s headlights approaching, and he tried to avoid being hit by moving into a different lane. Despite this maneuver, the pickup and the semi collided head on, engulfing the vehicles in flames.
Southbound lanes were shut down due to the accident as were as all but one northbound lane. According to a representative of the California Department of Transportation, traffic heading south was diverted to Richards Boulevard, and northbound lanes were opened within 30 minutes.
Accident Injuries
The driver of the pickup was declared dead at the scene, however, it is not known if the driver was male or female. The coroner’s office will provide identification after the driver’s family is notified. The big rig driver was able to extricate himself from the truck’s cab. There is no indication at the time of this reporting as to whether he was injured.
Head on Crashes
Head on collisions happen less frequently than other types of accidents, but the damages inflicted on the participants are most often severe. The reason this occurs is that the impact reflects the speed and weight of both vehicles.
Head on crashes are more common on rural roads than on urban ones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Rural head on collisions make up 13 percent of fatal crashes while those on urban streets account for 7 percent of fatalities.
Head on collisions are also influenced by speed, distracted and drunk driving. Injuries can include spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury or multiple fractures. The use of safety belts can reduce the incidence and seriousness of injuries and prevent fatalities, according to the Association for Advancement of Automotive Medicine.
In a study of 120,000 actual head on collisions, two other factors were found to be important in reducing risk to the occupants. The first was related to the heaviness or weight of a vehicle with heavier vehicles being safer. The second revolved around the stiffness of air bags. Researchers found that lower intrusion into the cabin linked to higher stiffness resulted in fewer serious injuries. Structural characteristics, such as the vehicle’s body type, are also associated with the type and seriousness of the injury.
Reasons to Have an Experienced Attorney
When confronted with an injury or the death of a family member in a head on collision, it is important to have an attorney’s help. An experienced lawyer is able to investigate the scene of an accident to determine fault. The attorney may enlist the assistance of an accident reconstruction expert who will be able to determine not only the reason the accident happened but also whether defective automotive products were instrumental in causing the crash. When this happens, not just the negligent driver but the vehicle’s manufacturer may also be at fault.
Causing Harm Deliberately
In some cases, it is plausible that a wrong way driver intentionally tried to cause the accident. This may be due to suicidal ideation or drunk driving. In either case, the driver knew that his or her acts were not appropriate nor legal but engaged in the activity nonetheless. In such cases, the attorney may ask for punitive damages. These damages are reserved for egregious acts that cause harm to others.
Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento truck accident lawyer. If you have been injured in a head on collision or if a member of your family has been killed by a wrong way driver, call me at (916) 921-6400. My toll-free number is (800) 404-5400. I will offer you friendly advice that is free of charge.
Northern Californians, including those in the Sacramento area, have relied on the experience of my team and myself to make sure their rights are protected and obtain the compensation they need and deserve for their traumatic injury and wrongful death claims.
A listing of some former cases and their results are found at Verdicts and Settlements. Client reviews and ratings are located at Google, Yelp and Avvo. These provide info into how others have been helped.
Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which only admits the top 1 percent of lawyers who can show that they’ve won settlements or verdicts of $1 million or more for clients.
To find comprehensive pages on many types of personal injuries, go to my website, autoaccident.com, which I own and founded.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/autobahn-accident-germany-car-road-837643/
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