Too Many Accidents at Fair Oaks Blvd. and Old Auburn Rd.
An intersection in Citrus Heights is under fire by neighbors who say it is too dangerous after three crashes in less than 48 hours over Thanksgiving. It is located at Fair Oaks Boulevard and Old Auburn Road. Neighbors such as Jesse Durham are worried about their safety. To prevent damage to the neighbors’ property, barriers have been erected. However, Durham notes that there is always the worry that the barriers will be knocked down, and the next crash could be in his backyard. Durham has witnessed 10 crashes since moving into the neighborhood three years ago. The longest stretch of barriers is adjacent to Durham’s property, and he said you always have it in the back of your mind that a vehicle could end up in your bedroom. Aside from recent activity, the intersection near his home, Durham says, has been an issue for a long time.
Problem With the Intersection
A major problem associated with this intersection is that it is not a perfect “T.” Drivers were allowed to turn left using the right-hand lane at Fair Oaks Boulevard to get onto Old Auburn Road, causing most of the crashes. Recently, Citrus Heights closed the right lane of Fair Oaks Boulevard at the intersection, preventing the previously used left-turn maneuver. The chief civil engineer of Citrus Heights, Leslie Blomquist, said they are working to make the turn onto Old Auburn easier and less complicated. Barriers and planters were installed about a decade ago to slow down and stop vehicles that are out of control before they enter properties. Planters were used rather than guard rails because it was felt they would be safer for drivers while accomplishing the end result. Other ways the city has tried to lessen the problem is to resurface the road, adding more friction and increasing driver control over their vehicle.
City Open to Suggestions
The city is open to suggestions by the community to make this area safer. They have a public meeting scheduled for December 17 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m at Holy Family Church.
Liability in an Intersection Accident
Most of the liability for an intersection accident lies with the driver. It is expected that the drivers approach an intersection with care and obey speed limits in the area. Running a red light has always been a problem at intersections and is a leading cause of accidents. At the Fair Oaks Boulevard and Old Auburn Road intersection, the city shares some of the blame. The structure and design of the intersection can lead to more accidents, and this could be included in an accident claim as a causative agent.
Suing the City
If the city has a situation where a road defect or lack of street lights, stop signs, or traffic signals cause accidents at an intersection, it can be held liable for damages. This is also true when stop signs and traffic lights are available, but due to overhanging branches, the signs are not visible, or for mechanical reasons, the lights are nonfunctioning.
Filing a lawsuit against the city has different requirements, such as the time limit the injured party has to file. The deadline for most personal injury cases is two years, however, in this case, it is different. A person injured in an accident has six months to file a claim with the city. The city has 45 days to respond. If the city accepts your claim, you can proceed to court. On the other hand, if the city denies the claim, you have six months to file a lawsuit in court. If there is no response, then the injured party has two years to take the case to court. Your personal injury lawyer will make sure that all deadlines are met.
What an Attorney Can Do After an Intersection Accident
Our firm is experienced in intersection accidents, and we send our investigators out to the accident site to gather evidence of liability. We use accident reconstruction techniques along with interview reports with witnesses. We also obtain traffic surveillance camera footage of the crash. If the accident is due to poor city planning, our investigators review records of previous accidents and how they too could have been prevented. Once all evidence is accumulated, our lawyers use it to build a strong case for our client.
Citrus Heights Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Citrus Heights car accident lawyer. If you have been in an intersection accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also reach me online.
I’ve helped clients obtain the compensation they deserve in Citrus Heights car accidents, wrongful deaths, and brain injury and pedestrian injuries.
I am a member of the following organizations:
Learn about my practice on the following pages:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/people-walking-city-urban-knapsack-1031169/
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