Santiago Canyon Accident Leaves One Dead and Six Injured

Early Monday morning a two-car crash on Santiago Canyon in Orange County left a 16-year-old girl dead and six others injured. According to KTLA News, the crash occurred on East Santiago Canyon Road when the two vehicles were headed toward Silverado Canyon Road at about 1:45 a.m.   The girl killed in the accident, Marie Elizabeth Johnson, was reportedly not seat-belted and was ejected from one of the two Honda Civics traveling together before the crash.  The driver of the lead car hit his brakes hard after seeing a deer, and the driver of the second vehicle, identified as 19-year-old Antonio Escamilla, did likewise, leading to the accident. Escamilla has been arrested on felony DUI and manslaughter charges.  The condition of the six other people injured and hospitalized is currently unknown.

 Seat Belt Use Among Teens

Unfortunately, seat belt use among teens is much lower than the use among adults, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  In 2009, more than half of the people ages 16 to 20 years old who were killed in traffic collisions were unbelted at the time.  What some people may think is that air bags provide sufficient protection, but the accident above is a tragic illustration why this is not the case.  While air bags may reduce body motion and impact with the interior during a collision, they do not prevent vehicle occupants from being ejected in a major collision.  The combination of using a seat belt and being protected by an airbag is what  most often saves lives.

Driving While Impaired

In the accident above, the driver of the car in which Johnson was riding has been arrested for driving while impaired.  In spite of all of the media attention given to drunk driving and national campaigns intended to curb the problem, more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes  in 2010, according to NHTSA.   As demonstrated by the tragic collision above, teens are at a far greater risk of death in an alcohol-related crash than the overall population.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving an impaired driver, seeking a consultation with an experienced injury attorney is perhaps the best way to find out about your right to compensation for the injuries and damages sustained. 

SOURCE:  Family, Classmates Mourn Teen Killed in Silverado Crash, KTLA News, September 10, 2013, by KTLA 5 Web Staff