Accident on I-5 Involves Hit-and-Run Driver
A fleeing driver caused injuries to another person in a two-vehicle accident in Elk Grove recently. The collision was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) at around 4:39 a.m. along southbound I-5 just north of the Hood Franklin Road off-ramp. According to the report, the accident involved two sedans, but the hit-and-run driver fled the scene.
Authorities Investigating to Locate Fleeing Driver
Although injuries were reported in the collision, details were not provided. The lanes reopened to traffic around 5:32 a.m. The CHP is investigating to determine how the collision occurred and to locate the hit-and-run driver.
Causes of an Off-Ramp Accident
Accidents on highway ramps are fairly common, and driver error is the usual cause. Most of these accidents are of the following types:
- Rear-end collisions: Because of the fast pace of motorists exiting a highway and narrow lanes, if one suddenly slows or stops, it can cause a collision.
- Sideswipes: Narrow lanes and attempted lane changes can end up causing a sideswipe accident.
- Run-off-road accidents: Speeding and poor ramp design can result in a vehicle leaving the roadway.
- Cut-offs: Some drivers suddenly switch lanes where there is little room for error and end up cutting off another motorist, which can result in a collision.
Finding a Fleeing Driver
When a hit-and-run driver causes accident injuries, they can be held responsible when they are located. By conducting an investigation, these drivers can often be found. Over the years, my law office has located a number of hit-and-run drivers to do exactly that.
Investigations Into Accidents Involving Fleeing Drivers
Our investigative team goes to the accident site as soon as possible to gather the information needed to hold the fleeing driver responsible, either through their insurance company or in civil court. Some of the areas where evidence is obtained to locate the driver include:
- The investigators collect evidence at the site of the accident involving the fleeing driver. This can include paint samples from the vehicle and dropped pieces of metal, which can be used to determine the make and model.
- Witnesses of the accident are interviewed. In some instances, they can describe the vehicle and its driver. In others, someone recalls part of the license plate number or even videotaped the accident on their cell phone, which provides compelling evidence.
- Area traffic surveillance cameras are examined to see if the collision was captured on tape.
- The police record is checked to ensure its accuracy because errors can affect an injured party’s ability to claim compensation.
- The investigators perform forensic reconstruction of the accident, which helps determine how it occurred and often points toward who was at fault. This type of evidence is often used both in court cases and by insurance companies.
Collecting Compensation by Using Your Insurance
When the driver involved in the accident cannot be located, the injured party can use their uninsured/underinsured insurance policy to recover damages. This type of add-on policy is offered to all California drivers when they elect to purchase auto insurance. If the injured person does not have this add-on policy, there is another option available. They can use the uninsured/underinsured policy of another member of the household to cover their expenses caused by the injury. It will not affect the rates in the future.
Personal Injury Attorneys in Elk Grove
I’m Ed Smith, an Elk Grove personal injury attorney. When you’ve been injured in an accident caused by another driver or entity, we have free and friendly advice to offer you. Contact us at (916) 694-0002 or (800) 404-5400. We can also be reached online. By setting up a virtual meeting or one in person, we can answer your questions, review the details of your accident and tell you about options to recover compensation.
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Since 1982, my team of injury lawyers and I have assisted many injured people to obtain compensation for all varieties of traffic accidents, including with hit-and-run drivers, families with their wrongful death claims, and other cases.
Discover how we’ve helped others in obtaining the compensation they deserve at the following:
Photo attribution: Image by Netto Figueiredo from Pixabay
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