Car Accidents

Orange County and San Bernardino Accidents Caused by Elderly Drivers

February 2, 2012 | by Robert Walch

Two serious California car accidents this week were caused by elderly drivers whose ages seemed to have played a large part in causing the incidents. First, on Monday afternoon, in an Orange County accident, a ninety one year old lady apparently accelerated in reverse into the patio area of a doughnut shop, causing injuries to three people. Then, on Tuesday, an eighty five year old woman, driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 15, caused a San Bernardino car accident that killed her and another man.

According to the Los Angeles Times, in the Orange County car accident, three men sustained injuries and were treated at hospitals. All three injuries were considered minor. After hitting the patio area of the doughnut shop, the woman then shifted her vehicle into drive and drove forward and collided with a wall for a residential property. There do not appear to have been injuries to pedestrians in the second collision.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the I-15 accident, near Bear Valley Road in San Bernardino County, occurred when the elderly woman drove the wrong way on the freeway and struck a Cadillac Eldorado in a head on collision. The woman and the sixty seven year old male driver of the Cadillac both died from their injuries in this collision. The woman was from Victorville and the man was from Hesperia.

These Orange and San Bernardino car accidents, as well as many others in the past, must cause us to ask the question whether the California Department of Motor Vehicles is doing enough to insure that California drivers are qualified to be on the road. We often hear stories of people in their twenties and thirties, with no histories of problems on the road, having to pass vision and other tests to renew their licenses, while other elderly drivers are able to renew their licenses without any tests.

Santa Monica 405 Freeway Accident Kills One

February 1, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Santa Monica 405 Freeway Accident on Tuesday resulted in the death of one person and possibly serious injuries to others involved. The three car collision occurred on the 405 Freeway near Santa Monica Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the Santa Monica car accident and closed all of the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway during its investigation. According to the Los Angeles Times, three cars were involved in the freeway accident and there was at least one death, implying there could be more people killed or seriously injured. As of the time of the report, the wrongful death victim had not yet been identified.

Once the CHP completes its investigation, the cause of the three car 405 freeway wreck will be clearer. If the person who died did not cause the collision, the legal heirs of the victim may be able to make a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against the party that caused the collision.

The family members of the victim should consult with a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer to investigate the claim and determine the sources for recovery. Sometimes, the party who caused the collision will have little or no insurance coverage, in which case it is necessary to make an underinsured or uninsured motorist claim. For this reason, it is always advisable that all drivers have as much uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage on their policies, to protect them in case they are injured by someone with inadequate insurance coverage.

Los Angeles Car Accident Averted Due To Help From 911 Dispatcher

October 18, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A very serious Los Angeles car accident was avoided on Monday due to quick thinking from a 911 operator. A woman called 911 as the accelerator on her Ford Escort was stuck and she could not get her car to stop. The woman also had her young child in the car with her.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 911 dispatcher, Richard Engersbach, instructed the woman to place the car into neutral and to shut off the engine. Fortunately, as the vehicle was traveling at about 25 miles per hour towards a red light at Foothill Blvd. and Sport Chalet Dr., the instructions worked and the car slowed down before the engine died and the car stopped before reaching the intersection.

No Injuries in Mall Accident in Baldwin Hills

October 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Baldwin Hills car accident this morning involving a woman who drove her car through the doors to a mall before her vehicle was stopped by the second floor guardrail fortunately did not result in any injuries to the driver, passenger or any bystanders. The car accident in Baldwin Hills happened before 9:00am, and fortunately the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall had not yet opened.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the woman, who is 37 years old, who is reportedly not a licensed driver, accidentally hit the gas when she meant to hit the brake, causing her to crash through the mall doors, into the mall and almost halfway through the second floor railing, which was 20 feet high. Had the 1986 Acura Legend gone completely through the railing and crashed down into the first floor, serious injuries to the driver and passenger would likely have occurred.

Tragic Calabasas Car Accident Leaves 1 Dead and 1 Critically Injured

October 3, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A tragic Calabasas car accident on the 101 freeway, near the Las Virgenes exit, has left a 9 year old girl dead and her mother critically injured with burn injuries. Dramatic video from the scene of the Calabasas accident, wherein bystanders are trying to help the mother after rescuing her from the vehicle, can be seen here courtesy of CBS News.

The Calabasas freeway accident happened Saturday morning at about 8:30am on the southbound lanes of the 101 freeway. The car apparently lost control and hit the center divider and a tanker truck. As a result, the car rolled over and became engulfed in flames. While the mother was able to exit the car with severe burn injuries, she was not able to save her 9 year old daughter, who died in the accident in Calabasas.

3 Injured in Chatsworth Car Accident

September 12, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A three car accident in Chatsworth, California, resulted in injuries to two police officers and another person. The Chatsworth car accident apparently occurred while police were responding to a call.

According to the Chatsworth Patch, which also has a photo of the scene of the accident which can be seen here, all three injured people were taken to the hospital, but none of the injuries were considered more than “minor.” The Chatsworth accident happened near the intersection of Plummer St. and Mason Ave. Investigators are still looking into which vehicle caused the Chatsworth car accident injuries. The news report on the Chatsworth car crash does not state if the police had their sirens or emergency lights flashing at the time of the accident.

SUV Hits a Home in South Los Angeles Accident

September 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

This morning the driver of a sports utility vehicle was arrested after he crashed into a home in a South Los Angeles accident. The car accident in South Los Angeles occurred before 8:00 a.m. and the driver allegedly tried to run away from the scene. According to the Los Angeles Times, the driver tried to use a skateboard as a weapon to fend off the witnesses who had tried to chase after him after the South Los Angeles car accident.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there was an injury to a pedestrian, who had to be taken to the hospital. How those injuries occurred or the severity of the injuries to the pedestrian are unknown at this time. It is possible that the pedestrian was struck by the SUV before it collided with the house.

Woodland Hills Man Arrested After Malibu Car Accident Injuries

August 27, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Woodland Hills man was arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly causing a Malibu car accident. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Malibu accident happened on Pacific Coast Highway, after two L.A. County Sheriff deputies had just returned to their squad car from a sweep of the beach. Once in the car, the man, Mark Liebrecht, who was arrested for driving under the influence, apparently rear ended the stopped police car and pushed it down an embankment and into the ocean.

The car accident in Malibu resulted in injuries to the two sheriff deputies, who were rescued by fire personnel. The Malibu rear end car accident injuries included a serious lumbar injury to one of the officers, while the other officer sustained a shoulder injury as well as an injured clavicle.

Warning: Drunk Driving Checkpoints Set Up to Prevent Los Angeles Accidents

August 19, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Starting this weekend, the Los Angeles Police Department, in an effort to prevent Los Angeles drunk driving accidents and injuries, will be setting up checkpoints throughout the city. The checkpoints, designed to catch drunk drivers before they are in a Los Angeles car accident, will be up from 8pm until 2am and this particular program will go through the Labor Day extended weekend.

According to the Los Angeles Times, there will be 100 police agencies involved and the checkpoints will be spread out throughout the Los Angeles area.

The L.A. Times cites the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which provides that in 2009, there were 10,839 accident deaths in car and motorcycle accidents where a driver was legally intoxicated. The most common age group for these fatalities was 21 through 24 years old.

No Injuries Reported in Artesia Accident

August 16, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Early this morning there was an Artesia car accident in which a sports utility vehicle, which was allegedly stolen by a boy, crashed into a home. Fortunately, although the home has been red tagged, which means that it is unsafe to enter, there were no injuries reported in the car accident in Artesia.

According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the boy, who has not been identified, was arrested, while a passenger in the SUV was not arrested. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the SUV first crashed through an exterior fence, then walls, before hitting the house. The force of the impact in the Artesia accident, or the continuation of the driving, led to the front door ending up all the way at the back area of the house.