A frightening head-on Highway 34 collision in Ventura County hospitalized two victims on Friday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene east of Oxnard sometime after 5:15 p.m. on July 21, 2023.
According to KTLA-TV, the tragic accident happened east of the Wood Road intersection. Investigators found that two vehicles had collided head-on in the westbound lane. One vehicle, a 1995 Nissan, was driven by a 70-year-old man from Van Nuys. He was found with major injuries and flown to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura.
The other vehicle was a 2021 Jeep driven by a 32-year-old man from Searcy, Arkansas. The victim suffered what were thought to be moderate injuries and was taken to St. John’s Hospital. There’s been no update on the condition of the two patients.
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the events leading up to the collision to determine what caused such a devastating accident.
Collision Dangers on Ventura County Highways
Ventura County’s narrow highways provide little to no protection from oncoming motorists. A tiny veer across a yellow line or an overcorrection by a driver can put two vehicles on a collision course for a devastating frontal impact. These crashes combine the speeds of the two vehicles to put occupants at increased risk of traumatic and life-threatening injuries.
Law enforcement, along with transportation officials, tracks the number of accidents in Ventura County each year. In 2022, there were 3,496 accidents involving injury recorded across the county. Those accidents caused at least 48 tragic deaths. Of the total accident figure for the year, at least 233 Ventura County crashes involved a head-on collision.
These shocking numbers will only come down when drivers commit to avoiding careless and reckless behavior on our rural roads. They must resist the temptation to look at cellphone screens or any other distraction that takes their focus off the lanes ahead. They must also avoid speeding so that they have the time and room to avoid terrible impacts.
A note about Ventura County car accidents…
According to Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, “California law allows victims or their family members to seek support after a terrible accident. Surviving victims trying to recover from injury are encouraged to file insurance claims to demand help with their hospital bills. Car insurance companies should take responsibility for these bills and the bills for any care needed in the future.”
