A devastating multi-vehicle crash claimed three lives in northern Sunnyvale early Monday morning. The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene in the north and southbound lanes of Highway 101 on May 22, 2023.
KGO-TV reported the collision happened just south of Fair Oaks Avenue sometime around 12:30 a.m. Investigators determined the initial accident was a single-vehicle wreck involving a truck that lost control. That led to chain-reaction impacts involving at least five other vehicles.
Three men who exited their vehicles were struck by cars and tragically killed. Five other victims hurt in the pile-up were rushed to a local hospital.
The investigation into how the accident unfolded continues. Highway Patrol Officers don’t believe drugs or alcohol played a role in what happened.
Highway 101 Accident Dangers in Sunnyvale
Highway 101, also known as the Bayshore Freeway, is the scene of hundreds of accidents in Santa Clara County each year. The speed of cars, SUVs, and trucks using the lanes and the extreme levels of traffic at times contribute to the number of frightening collisions.
These accidents can cause chain-reaction impacts that leave motorists who crash at risk of additional collisions caused by motorists coming upon the scene unaware.
California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) recorded 725 accidents involving injury on Highway 101 through Santa Clara County in 2022. Those accidents led to at least 10 tragic fatalities.
In 2021, there were fewer accidents documented along the Bayshore Freeway, but a higher percentage were deadly incidents. There were 557 serious accidents along Highway 101 in 2021 in Santa Clara County. Sadly, at least 18 people lost their lives in those accidents.
Highway 101 is a major artery for traffic across San Jose and Sunnyvale, but that doesn’t mean it has to be such a dangerous place to travel. Drivers should be reminded to slow down to speeds safe for the conditions. That means traveling slow enough to be able to stop when an obstacle or a crashed vehicle suddenly appears up ahead.
A word for victims and their families after a Sunnyvale car accident…
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a careless driver in Sunnyvale, 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 assist surviving victims with every medical bill.
Families who have lost a loved one must also be able to depend on support for funeral costs and the loss of income the victim can no longer provide to a spouse, children, and others.
You can read more about earning insurance support on my page about car accident claims in Santa Clara County.
