Woman Killed Following Head-On Collision With a Tree 

According to California Highway Patrol reports, the wreck took place shortly after 1:30 a.m. on August 2nd on Skyway in Butte County, CA.

The female driver was heading eastbound when she veered off the roadway, causing her to hit a tree head on. The vehicle was immediately engulfed in flames. 

The flames from the accident spread to vegetation nearby but firefighters were able to stop the spread in a timely manner. The driver, on the other hand, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

As a result of the accident, both lanes on Skyway were shut down from around 1:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. 

Prior to the crash officers received a call that the same vehicle was driving recklessly. Because the vehicle was badly burned, it is too soon to know if alcohol or drugs played a role. 

The identity has not yet been identified of the woman, however, we do know she was in her 60s. 

Studies show that about 20% of motor vehicle fatalities are caused by a vehicle veering off the roadway and hitting a fixed object. Among these fixed objects, trees, traffic barriers, and utility poles are most common. Approximately half of these types of accidents occur at night time. Another interesting fact is that in 2019, studies found that a majority of these deaths took place from July to September.