A scary accident in Simi Valley sent a semi-truck over on a pickup Tuesday morning. The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene along Madera Road just north of Highway 118 on January 31, 2023.
The Ventura County Star reported on the crash that was called in around 9:10 in the morning. The California Highway Patrol determined that a big rig from Valex Trucking struck a curb and tipped over as it exited Highway 118. The truck driver was trying to turn onto Madera Road. The tractor-trailer landed on top of a white pickup truck.
The driver in the pickup complained of pain and was taken to a local hospital. There were no other injuries reported. The intersection had to be shut down while crews cleaned up debris and the CHP worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Big Rig Accident Hazards on Simi Valley Roads
Large, heavy trucks can take up more space in their lanes and veer into other lanes. At times they can threaten to squeeze other motorists off the road. When drivers have room to escape, an accident is usually avoided. Yet, when big trucks leave drivers with nowhere to steer clear, they can smash into vehicles and even end up on top of them.
These frightening impacts aren’t that rare in Ventura County. We have plenty of agricultural industry trucks, construction trucks, and shipping trucks passing through at all hours. The California Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) documented 138 serious traffic accidents involving large trucks across Ventura County in 2021. Those accidents led to at least 4 deaths and dozens of injuries. The victims were often the occupants in the smaller less protected cars, SUVs, and pickups.
In these accidents, the truck driver is sometimes found at fault after making a careless mistake. The driver may also be guilty of reckless behavior after going too fast or pulling out in front of motorists. But the trucking company that employs the driver must also accept liability. These employers may not do proper background checks on their hires to find the safest drivers. They may not provide enough training to make sure their employees are practicing safe driving. A trucking company may also fail in the duty to keep trucks properly maintained and repaired to prevent collisions.
A note about Simi Valley car accidents…
According to Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, “Victims hurt in accidents involving big rigs should receive full support for every hospital bill they receive and for the paychecks they must forfeit while missing work. Patients can also seek full damages for the physical pain they endure and the emotional trauma caused by a violent crash and a difficult recovery.”
