A terrifying Monday morning semi-truck crash claimed one life and injured two people in northern Santa Barbara County. Santa Barbara County Firefighters responded to the scene near the intersection of Betteravia Road and Philbric Road, southeast of Santa Maria.
KSBY-TV reports the accident occurred around 6:35 a.m. on May 2, 2022. Fire Department officials confirmed the accident involved a semi-truck with a tractor-trailer and a sedan. Photos from the scene show a semi-truck that ran off the road with its tractor-trailer overturned.
The collision claimed the life of one person in the car. Another person in the car was taken to the hospital with what were deemed as non-life-threatening injuries. The big rig driver suffered minor injuries.
First responders also worked on the scene to stop a fuel leak and removed a broken power pole from the road. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.
Truck Accident Dangers on Santa Barbara County Roads
Motorists in cars, SUVs, and on motorcycles are likely to see plenty of big rigs as they travel the rural roads of Santa Barbara County.
These large trucks supply local stores and transport goods for local farms, wineries, and construction sites, but they also present unique hazards on narrow streets and highways. A small mistake by a semi-truck driver can have devastating consequences.
California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks the terrible toll of truck accidents across Santa Barbara County each year. They documented 58 truck collisions across the county resulting in an injury or a fatality in 2021. Those accidents led to the tragic deaths of two people and left another 82 victims suffering from injury.
Farms and local trucking companies send these truck drivers out on the road and it’s their responsibility to make sure their employees have the training and good judgment to keep every other motorist safe.
A word for victims and their families after a Santa Barbara County big rig accident…
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a car accident, you should be aware of the benefits available to you through an insurance claim. Financial support should be expected to help with every hospital bill and the income victims lose while missing time at work. Support is also available to families who have lost a loved one due to a truck driver’s mistake.
You can read more about these cases on my page about truck accident claims in Santa Barbara County.