A devastating multiple-vehicle accident injured five people Friday night in Fresno County. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the scene along Whitesbridge Avenue/Highway 180 near the intersection of Bishop Avenue, west of Fresno.
FOX26-News reports the accident, occurring on January 21, involved three vehicles. The CHP says it began with a white car crossing into oncoming traffic for an unknown reason. The car impacted a blue sedan head-on.
The crash sent the two drivers to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno with major injuries. Their conditions have not been updated. A passenger in each car also suffered minor injuries.
After the initial collision, a third vehicle struck both vehicles. The driver of that vehicle reportedly only suffered minor injuries.
The lanes in both directions were shut down while CHP investigators worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Accident Dangers on Two-Lane Highways in Fresno County
Nighttime driving on highways through rural Fresno County can present unique dangers to all travelers. A glance down at a cellphone screen or a driver using a bit too much speed can lose control and veer into a devastating accident.
Drivers in other lanes may only have the headlights of another vehicle to judge where they are and if other motorists are in the proper lanes. A miscalculation of just a few feet can send a careless driver’s vehicle into a head-on impact. The injuries from these powerful collisions can be severe and victims and their families can face a long and expensive recovery.
The California Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks these dangerous accidents each year on county roads. For 2020, TIMS recorded that Fresno County saw 3,017 total accidents. Those accidents left over four thousand victims to deal with injuries and cost 175 people their lives.
Many of these accidents could have been prevented if drivers had simply paid attention to the road and where their vehicles were headed. This inattention leads to far too many victims on Fresno County roads. It’s hoped that more attention paid to the lanes in 2022 can reduce the number of victims and families affected by these traffic mistakes.
A word for the victims of serious accidents in Fresno County…
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a careless or reckless driver, you should be aware of the benefits available to you and your family through an insurance claim. This support could help with medical costs and other financial hardships that arise after a serious accident. You can read more about these claims on my page about car accident claims in Fresno.
