At least two people were injured in a pileup on I-5 Wednesday afternoon. The crash occurred in the Northbound lanes and wreaked havoc on the roadways well into rush hour, according to California Highway Patrol. The crash began as any fender bender when the driver of a Dodge rear-ended a Nissan in the Northbound lanes. Both vehicles were traveling in the fast lane according to officials. The Nissan was catapulted into oncoming traffic in the adjacent lane and collided immediately with a Mercedes.
The Nissan contained six occupants from the Los Angeles area, all of which were immediately rushed to nearby Mission Hospital for treatment. Two of the vehicle’s occupants reportedly suffered major injuries and two others were treated for minor cuts and contusions.
The Dodge vehicle responsible for starting the accident was occupied by four individuals from San Antonio, Texas. All four were treated for minor injuries at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
Lastly, the driver of the Mercedes escaped the crash uninjured.
California Highway Patrol believes this ten-victim pileup was caused by inattention at the hands of the San Antonio driver in the Dodge. Evidence suggests that the Nissan and Mercedes were slowing in response to changing traffic patterns while the driver of the Dodge did not make any effort to slow or recognizing the change in traffic flow.
Thankfully, there was no evidence of alcohol or drugs at the scene of the accident. The accident scene caused the northbound lanes 1, 2 and 3 to close for nearly one and one-half hours.
Residents of Southern California lament that many recent accidents in this area are caused by chaos around the Vista Hermosa on/off ramps were recently added.
Inattentive driving can be caused by a wide multitude of factors and is generally defined as “failure to pay proper attention to the road while driving.” Not only is inattentive driving attributed to handheld devices and text messaging, but also talking, eating, putting on makeup and attending to children or pets. What are seemingly quick tasks can sometimes reap unbelievably harmful benefits, especially upon fast-moving interstates during times of heavy traffic.
Never operate your vehicle while distracted. Everything that may seem important at the time can usually wait until the car is safely to its destination. If it cannot wait, take the 30 seconds and pull over to the side of the road. We understand that emergencies sometimes happen, especially with children or pets. It is not worth it to risk your safety and the safety of others to try and operate a vehicle at the same time as helping a child in the car.
If you have recently experienced a vehicle accident due to the inattentiveness of the other drivers, contact our offices today at (800)-300-0001.
