A devastating head-on collision outside of Los Olivos sent multiple people to the hospital over the weekend. The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene sometime after 10:50 a.m. Saturday morning along Highway 154 near Foxen Canyon Road.
KSBY-TV reports the accident occurred just northwest of the Los Olivos community on April 16, 2022. Investigators say a 69-year-old motorist from Los Olivos was driving a Chevy pickup westbound on 154 when, for an unknown reason, it veered into the eastbound lanes. The truck then struck a Chevy SUV head-on. The Chevy was driven by a 37-year-old from San Francisco. There were two other passengers in the SUV.
The Highway Patrol states that four people were taken to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Three of those victims were thought to have major injuries. One of the victims had to be flown to the hospital by helicopter.
California Highway Patrol Investigators continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Santa Barbara County Highway Accident Dangers
Highway 154 through rural Santa Barbara County offers little protection from oncoming traffic. Along most stretches there is only a double-yellow line separating traffic. One mistake by a careless driver can leave a vehicle in the path of a safe motorist and offer little warning or opportunity to avoid a devastating collision.
These crossover accidents often result in a head-on crash. This frontal impact is the most dangerous of all collision angles because the speeds of both vehicles factor into the crash. More blunt force is sent into the vehicles and absorbed by the occupants inside.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) found that in 2019 frontal impacts accounted for 57% of all passenger vehicle and motorcycle deaths on U.S. roads. That percentage equated to 6,995 tragic deaths for the year involving a head-on collision.
Head-on collisions have a higher likelihood of causing severe injuries and threatening lives. It’s why careless, distracted, and reckless drivers must get the message that their actions on two-lane highways could claim lives and endanger families.
A word about head-on collisions in California…
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a head-on collision in Santa Barbara, you should be aware of the benefits available to you and your family through an insurance claim. Financial support should at least be expected to help with every hospital bill and the income victims miss while away from their jobs.
You can read more about these cases in San Francisco and Santa Barbara County on my page about car accident claims in California.
