Two female drivers were injured in an Orange County car accident involving five vehicles, the morning of October 20, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the car accident occurred in the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway, near the 73 Freeway, in Costa Mesa. Officials say that a Toyota Solara was travelling at a high rate of speed before colliding with a Ford Explorer, a Lincoln limousine, an airport shuttle van and a Hyundai Tiberon. The Ford Explorer rolled over during the collision and the female driver was injured. The driver of the Solara was ejected from her vehicle during the collision. It is not clear if the driver of the Solara will be cited for the crash. An investigation is ongoing.
My thoughts and prayers are with the two women who were injured in this Orange County rollover accident. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three people were killed and 848 were injured in Costa Mesa car accidents. During that same year, there were 141 fatalities and 13,373 injuries reported due to Orange County car crashes.
Possible Speed Limit Violation
Based on this news report, officials say that the driver of the Toyota Solara may have been travelling at an unsafe rate of speed. According to California Vehicle Code Section 22350: “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.” I trust officials are also looking into whether the driver was intoxicated, inattentive, distracted, driving recklessly, or otherwise negligent at the time of the crash.
Fault and Liability
If the driver of the Toyota Solara is determined to have been at fault, she could be held liable for the injuries and damages caused here. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. In this particular case, the victim who was driving the Ford Explorer would be well-advised to preserve the SUV, so an expert can determine if a design flaw in the vehicle contributed to the roll over. If an auto defect or design flaw led to the rollover and the subsequent injuries, the auto maker can also be held accountable. An experienced Costa Mesa personal injury lawyer will analyze all aspects of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable.