Head-On Collision Near Hesperia Kills Two

Early this morning a tragic head-on collisoin in the high desert killed two motorists.  The Press Enterprise reported that a 34-year-old driver from Phelan drove into the on-coming lane of traffic and collided head-on with a pick-up truck.  The driver of the truck, a 49-year-old woman from Wrightwood was killed instantly, as was the driver of the Honda Accord.   The accident reportedly happened at about 1:30 a.m. along Phelan Road, just east of Shasta Road, in the community of Baldy Mesa, west of Hesperia.  The names of the drivers are being withheld pending notification of relatives.

See the Press Enterprise story HERE.

Fault for the accident has yet to be determined by the investigating police agency.  However, the scene of the accident is a relatively flat, open area of roadway, at least from the images on Google maps.  It is therefore difficult to understand why the Phelan driver reportedly crossed into oncoming traffic, leading to the fatal, head-on collision.  Given the time the accident occurred, it seems a logical inference that the accident could have occurred because of driver fatigue.  According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy driving is a serious problem that leads to thousands of automobile crashes each year.  A typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics:

• The problem occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon.
• The crash is likely to be serious.
• A single vehicle leaves the roadway.
• The crash occurs on a high-speed road.
• The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash.
• The driver is alone in the vehicle.

The accident above appears to have a number of these characteristics: the accident was serious, the Phelan driver was alone and the crash occurred on a high speed road.  A forensic investigation will likely reveal whether this horrific accident was caused by driver fatigue.

Compensation for the victims of automobile accidents caused by a driver’s negligence and/or driver fatigue, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a careless driver negligently or recklessly causes a traffic accident and death results, the driver should be held accountable.  An Orange County wrongful death attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including those involving fatigued, negligent drivers.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in an automobile accident involving a fatigued or negligent driver?

•  Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter.  A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.