24 Accidents in One Month on an 11-Mile Highway Stretch
Posted on August 10, 2012 Written By: iadminlaw
(Photo credit: WSDOT)
An 11-mile stretch of a road has been the cause 24 car accidents in one month alone. In the month of July of this year, the Emigrant Gap construction zone of Interstate 80 has been the location of various personal injuries and even one fatality. California High Patrol and construction workers are encouraging drivers to be safe and to obey the speed limits of the road.
The 11-mile area of interstate 80 is being carefully watched by highway officers in order to prevent any car accidents. However, officers are not able to monitor the road at all times. During these times, negligent drivers zoom through this stretch without thinking about the possible consequences their driving may cause. For example, just in the last ten days alone, there have been five car crashes in this construction zone. Two of which were truck drivers who had fallen asleep on the wheel. Both trucks had crashed and overturned. One was a result of a tire blowing out.
Another dangerous incident which has recently occurred was a driver going 81 mph in the construction zone on Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. Not only was he speeding, he was also driving under the influence with a suspended license. To make the matters even worse, he had driven into a coned off lane and almost hit a Caltrans employee. When the driver was caught, he was arrested with a DUI charge.
This type of situation is the most dreaded kind. Not only could the driver have injured himself, he could have injured—even killed—innocent construction workers. It was very fortunate that he did not strike another vehicle or run into a group of workers.
Just 11 feet wide, the Emigrant Gap construction zone has lanes which are a foot narrower than regular lanes. Other drivers may not be used to this compacted space and are probably not used to driving in construction zones. These situations add on to the difficulty of driving on the stretch of road. The speed limit has been reduced to 55 mph because of the construction zone, down from the regular 65 mph. Yet, many drivers do not pay attention to these safety precautions imposed on the highway.
While some drivers may obey the road restrictions and chose to drive carefully, other drivers are aggressive. These drivers may tailgate other automobiles, bullying and pressuring them to go faster. Aggressive driving causes car accidents and personal injury. Highway patrol is encouraging all travelers to be precautious and to not pressure other drivers to drive quickly through aggressive behavior.
Construction workers are also weary of fast cars and are asking motorists to please slow down for the cone zone. They remind drivers that they are human too and can easily be victim to automobile accidents, just like passengers in other cars.
If you have been involved in a car accident, do not hesitate to contact a Sacramento personal injury lawyer who can help you with your case.
