There’s new information on a tragic multi-vehicle accident that happened in May in Kern County. KGET-TV reported on the accident on May 31, 2023 along Highway 119, southwest of Bakersfield.
The California Highway Patrol responded to the early morning accident near Coles Levee Road and determined that three pickup trucks had been involved. They found that the driver of an eastbound 2019 GMC Sierra had entered the westbound lanes where it struck a Ford F250 pickup truck. The Ford truck then continued on to collide head-on with a 2005 GMC Sierra.
The woman driving the 2005 GMC pickup was tragically killed. In an update from KGET-TV on June 12, 2023, she was identified as a 56-year-old woman from Bakersfield.
The two drivers of the other trucks were badly hurt. They were rushed to Kern Medical in Bakersfield with what were described as major injuries.
The California Highway Patrol continues to look into the circumstances surrounding the accident. They don’t believe drugs or alcohol played a role in what happened.
Head-On Accident Dangers in Kern County
Highways through rural sections of Kern County can be safe to travel when everyone is paying attention to the road ahead. When drivers begin to get drowsy or allow themselves to become distracted, they can suddenly create deadly hazards for other motorists.
Drivers can veer off the road or over the yellow lines into oncoming traffic, leaving safe motorists little time or space to avoid a major collision.
Head-on collisions can result in some of the most traumatic injuries because the speeds of the vehicles involved are both factored into the impact force.
California transportation experts keep track of these devastating accidents in Kern County each year. In 2021, there were 226 head-on accidents involving injury, leading to at least 32 fatalities in the county.
In 2022, those tragic figures fell only slightly. There were 181 serious head-on collision accidents recorded with at least 27 deaths reported.
California Highway Patrol Officers can do their best to keep drivers alert and focused on traffic hazards, but they can only help so much. Drivers throughout Kern County must do a much better job of paying attention to their driving and avoid making reckless decisions that can cost innocent people their lives.
A note about Kern County car accidents…
If you or a loved one were the victims of a Kern County collision, 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 all hospital bills.
Families who have lost a loved one must also be able to depend on car insurance support for funeral costs and the loss of income the victim can no longer provide to a spouse or children.
You can read more about earning insurance support on my page about car accident claims in Bakersfield.
