Wrong-Way Crash Results in Fire, Injures 4
Two vehicles collided head-on as the result of a wrong-way driver in Lake View Terrace on Sunday night.
The collision occurred on January 30th at 9:24 p.m. on the Interstate 210 Freeway.
According to CHP, a driver was driving east within the westbound lanes before hitting another vehicle head-on.
The crash resulted in a fire, causing four people injuries and left two in critical condition.
A SigAlert was also issued due to the closure of lanes 1 through 4 of the freeway.
The roadway was later reopened at about 10:45 p.m.
An active investigation is underway.
Although crashes involving wrong-way driving account for only 3% of motor vehicle accidents, they usually have a higher fatality rate as they are often head-on collisions. A study in Virginia concluded that those accidents which include wrong-way driving are twenty-seven times more likely to end in a fatality compared to other types of accidents.
The Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) has found that:
- 75% of head-on crashes happen in rural areas
- They are most common on two-lane highways
- Failure in negotiating a curve on the road causes 23% of all fatal head-on collisions
- 58% of head-on collisions result in a fatality
It is also important to remember that in the state of California a person involved in a car accident who has sustained injuries has to file a claim within two years of the accident.
Contact JT Legal Group at (888) 529-3111 if you need legal assistance following an accident.