A car crossed into opposing traffic on Highway 145 in Madera County Saturday afternoon causing a devastating crash that killed one man and injured several others.
The Fresno Bee reported the crash happened south of Madera, near Avenue 9 ½ around 12:30 p.m. on December 19, 2020.
The California Highway Patrol said that a 19-year-old man from Kerman driving a Chevy Cruze was traveling southbound when the car crossed over double yellow lines into oncoming traffic. The Chevy collided head-on with a Lexus SUV driven by a 31-year-old Fresno woman. The Lexus was spun out while the Chevy went off the road and burst into flames.
A passenger in the Lexus, a 30-year-old man from Madera, was tragically killed in the crash. Both drivers and two other passengers were taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. They were said to have major injuries.
CHP says that several motorists stopped to help the victims. Investigators don’t believe drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. They have not released what led to the crash.
The Frightening Collision Risks Along Madera County Highways
Highways in Central Valley can be long and straight and they can sometimes lull careless drivers into a state of inattention.
This temptation to let the mind wander can be a dangerous hazard to yourself and other drivers. These are known as cognitive distractions. Daydreaming is one example. A driver can also be preoccupied with an earlier argument with a spouse or family member and slowly lose focus on the road.
Of course, long, monotonous highways can also fool drivers into thinking they’re fine to take a peek at their cellphones or even shoot off a quick text or check a score. These decisions can prove extremely hazardous to everyone on the road, especially on straightaways where oncoming traffic travels so close by.
It can be almost anything that takes motorists’ attention from the road in front of them and leaves them at risk to set in motion a scary accident.
The California Highway Patrol responds to heartbreaking accidents along Central Valley roads every week.
In 2019, they documented 693 collisions across Madera county, leaving 1048 victims injured. A more targeted look shows that accidents involving a driver crossing into an opposing lane as a less common occurrence, but one with more deadly results when they do happen. In 2019 alone, Madera County saw 19 crashes involving a driver crossing into oncoming traffic with 31 people injured and the tragic loss of 5 lives.
Seeking Legal Advice After a Crash in Madera
Unfortunately, the insurance companies representing at-fault drivers will not inform you of wrongful death cases or compensation available to you for injuries. If you or a family member is ever involved in a serious crash be sure to speak to an attorney in your area. You can visit our page about car accidents in Madera County for more information.
