Two drivers were injured in a Fullerton car accident involving three vehicles, the afternoon of June 19, 2012. According to a news article in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at the Nutwood Avenue off-ramp of the 57 Freeway. California Highway Patrol officials say the driver of a Ford Mustang made an unsafe lane change and sideswiped a Honda Accord. The two vehicles then veered toward the right shoulder of the freeway and struck a Chrysler PT Cruiser. The Cruiser was forced off the roadway and crashed into a tree. The Accord went off the road into a planted area while the Mustang ended up on the right freeway shoulder. The drivers of the PT Cruiser and the Accord were transported to an area trauma center with moderate injuries. The driver of the Mustang refused treatment.
My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this car accident. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), five fatalities and 761 injuries occurred involving Fullerton car accidents in 2009. During the same year, Orange County car accidents claimed 141 lives and injured 13,373 people.
Laws and Liability Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the Ford Mustang made an unsafe lane change and triggered the chain-reaction crash, which injured the other two drivers. California Vehicle Code Section 21658 (a) states that whenever a roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction the vehicle “shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.”
If the driver of the Mustang is determined to have been at fault, he or she can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused. Injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. Victims would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all facets of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to car accident victims and their families.