Sacramento Man Dies in Run Off Road Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. A major one-vehicle crash on Saturday, August 5, resulted in the death of one man and injury to another along Interstate 5 in Sacramento. None of the lanes of the highway were blocked by the collision.
I want to extend my sympathy to the woman who was injured and to the family of the deceased victim in this time of difficulty.
What Happened
The accident occurred sometime around 4:00 in the morning when the California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call that a motor vehicle had exited the road close to Airport Boulevard and crashed. A representative of the CHP reported that there had been no witnesses who saw the accident. However, numerous people driving along the highway stopped to try and help, including a truck driver who moved one of the accident victims away from the vehicle, which became engulfed in flames.
Accident Victims
One of the victims of the accident was identified as a Citrus Heights woman, 21, who was transported to a local hospital with a broken leg. Her male passenger, 25, was a Sacramento resident. Sadly, he passed away at the scene due to his injuries. Although the CHP at this time does not know what precipitated the crash, they do not believe that alcohol or drugs was a precipitating factor in this accident.
Dangers of a Run Off Road Crash
This type of accident is usually attributable to driver error but not always. Driver errors that contribute to a run off road accident include trying to drive around a curve at too high of speed and overcorrecting, speeding or being forced over by another driver. Run off road accidents occur in about 16 percent of motor vehicle accidents and account for 31 percent of traffic accident fatalities. However, there are additional reasons for run off road crashes, which can include swerving to avoid an animal in the road and road defects such as potholes or mechanical problems due to a manufacturer defect.
Wrongful Death in a Motor Vehicle Accident
When a death is caused by negligence of another individual or entity, the victim’s family may be able to seek compensation for the loss of their loved one. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were over 35,000 deaths attributed to motor vehicle accidents in 2015. In 9,557, speeding was involved. The California Department of Motor Vehicles reported that in 2013, 1,197 crash fatalities were related to drunk driving, and in 892 of the accidents, drug consumption contributed to the fatality. When a loved one has been lost due to a negligent driver or other entity, a seasoned wrongful death lawyer can help by gathering all the evidence, along with the economic losses suffered by the victim’s family, to bring fair compensation to the surviving family members.
Creating Clear Zones to Improve Traffic Safety
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the creation of adequate clear zones can help mitigate the severity of a run off road accident and help allow a driver to regain control of the vehicle. Basically, a clear zone is an area along the side of a road that is obstacle free. While this is not practical in an urban area because of curbs and restraints caused by a right of way, it may be valuable in lowering accident injuries and deaths along higher speed roads.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recommends clear zones of 30 to 32 feet in width along straight sections of roads and highways with higher speed limits. On higher speed roads with a steep slope, the size of the clear zone needs to be increased from 38 to 46 feet.
Related Links by Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer:
California Wrongful Death Car Accidents Are Numerous
What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?
What Is a Wrongful Death Action and What Is a Survival Action?
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. A death in the family is a terrible thing. One that has been caused by a negligent driver compounds the anguish felt by the family because it was a senseless act. If your loved one has died at the hands of a negligent driver, please give me a call at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I am honored to offer you my free and friendly advice.
For reviews and comments about my practice, please visit Yelp, Avvo and Google. This link to Verdicts and Settlements, on my website, offers insight into some of my cases and their results.
I have worked as an injury lawyer in California for 35 years, defending the rights of those with traumatic injuries and who have lost a loved one because of negligent actions of another person or entity.
I am a Sacramento personal injury lawyer in the Million Dollar Forum. This is a selection of trial lawyers across the country who have obtained settlements or verdicts for clients of at least $1 million.
Please enjoy looking around my website, autoaccident.com. I hope you find the pages it contains helpful and informative.
Top Photo Attribution: Via Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain Image accident-734594_1280.jpg
Bottom Photo Attribution: Edward A Smith, Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
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