A wrong-way driver can create chaos on the roads and statistics show that such a dangerous mistake can often be attributed to someone choosing to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A recent study estimated that somewhere around 58% of wrong-way accidents involved a drunk driver or a driver using drugs.
The Federal Highway Administration finds that crashes involving wrong-way drivers claim between 300 to 400 lives a year. That represents only a small percentage of the traffic-related fatalities in a given year, but while wrong-way driving incidents are rare, they often have more serious consequences than other types of accidents. By nature, these accidents can result in a dangerous head-on or opposite-direction side-swipe impact that can carry the speeds of both vehicles into a crash and release a frightening amount of force.
The injuries resulting from wrong-way crashes can lead to long, difficult recoveries for victims. In severe cases, they can also claim innocent lives.
Deadly Wrong-Way Collision Involving DUI Driver in Watsonville
A Sunday morning crash in western Watsonville tragically claimed a woman’s life and injured two others. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports the accident occurred shortly after midnight along Highway 1 near the southbound Main Street exit on February 21, 2021.
The California Highway Patrol says a 22-year-old driver from Santa Cruz was driving northbound in the southbound lanes when her Nissan struck a BMW head-on.
A passenger in the BMW was killed in the impact. She was identified as a 45-year-old woman from Moss Landing. The driver of the BMW was transported to the hospital with injuries. The driver of the Nissan was taken to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas for treatment.
The Nissan’s 22-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. The investigation into the accident continues.
Finding Assistance for Watsonville Accident Victims and their Families
Wrong-way accidents can be devastating for drivers and passengers involved, but it’s also the families of those victims that can be made to suffer too. A family can have barely processed the news that a loved one won’t be coming home when they start to see the incredible financial burdens a tragic accident can leave in its wake. Hospital costs, funeral expenses, and the loss of wages from the deceased’s place of employment should never fall on the shoulders of a victim’s spouse or children, or other close relatives.
Families trapped by these circumstances can file a wrongful death claim against an at-fault driver’s insurance provider to reclaim some or all of the hardships they’ve faced. Even the emotional support that will no longer be available to loved ones in the years ahead can factor into this claim.
For those trying to recover from injuries caused by a careless or reckless driver a claim for damages can be filed against an insurance policy to find help for paying hospital invoices, doctors’ bills, and making up for missed hours at work.
When at-fault drivers are facing felony charges they will likely be involved in a criminal trial. This won’t affect a victim’s or a family’s claim process. The criminal proceedings are separate from the civil claim. A family can move ahead with their lawsuit no matter where the suspect’s trial stands.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Serving Families in Santa Cruz County
After an accident involving a serious injury or the loss of a loved one, contact an experienced Watsonville car accident lawyer such as Martin Gasparian for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian works closely with families who have experienced a tragedy and fights hard to protect them from further emotional and financial trauma. He believes that every family should work directly with their lawyer and only get advice that’s in their best interest.
