A scary Ventura County accident that sent an SUV spinning out of control on wet roads claimed a woman’s life Friday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said it took place along Highway 126 east of the Pyle Road intersection. That’s west of Fillmore.
The VC Star reports it happened just after noon on February 24, 2023. Investigators determined that a 30-year-old woman from Santa Paula lost control of her Dodge Durango while traveling east. Her SUV flew into the westbound lanes to collide with the front driver’s side of a Honda Civic.
The 48-year-old woman driving the Honda had to be rescued from the vehicle. Sadly, she was then pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities identified her as a resident of the Valencia neighborhood in Santa Clarita.
The Dodge Durango overturned in the accident and the woman driving had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was rushed to Ventura County Medical Center with major injuries. She was expected to survive.
CHP officers continue their investigation into the accident. They don’t think drugs or alcohol played a role in what happened.
Ventura County Traffic Dangers in Stormy Weather
Rain-soaked highways can make tires lose their grip on roadways and easily send vehicles out of control. These accidents may seem like the work of mother nature, but it’s often a careless driver that’s found responsible.
Drivers must slow down when the weather gets bad and travel at “speeds safe for conditions.” When they don’t travel at reasonable speeds during rainy or icy conditions, they can be found responsible for any accidents they cause when they lose control of their vehicles.
In 2021, Ventura County Law Enforcement Officers recorded at least 3,484 accidents involving injuries. Over 100 of those accidents also involved adverse weather conditions.
Wild weather is often a factor in Ventura County Accidents, but that doesn’t mean a driver who didn’t slow down when they hit wet or iced-over roads will escape blame for what happened. Everyone should slow down when skies get overcast and roads get slick. This gives every traveler a better chance to arrive home safely.
A note about Ventura County and Santa Clarita car accidents…
According to Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, “In rainy or stormy conditions, drivers are always legally responsible for slowing down to speeds that are safe for conditions. This means that drivers must reduce their speeds in wet or icy weather enough to guarantee they won’t lose control and slide into another vehicle. When they fail to slow down properly and cause a crash, they can be held liable for the hardships victims and their families face.”
