An accident that involved 10 vehicles, 5 of them being semi-trucks, killed 3 people. Additionally, rescuers took 2 victims to the hospital. One person’s injury was described as serious.
The accident happened on a busy California highway, and authorities had to keep the road closed for hours while they cleaned up and investigated.
Police initially said that a dense fog may have contributed to the accident. Reports suggested that fog in the area had reduced visibility considerably. The accident happened in the early morning hours.
Authorities did not rule out that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the accident and also asked for any witnesses to come forward.
California drivers must observe the basic speed limit
Like other states, California has a law which says that motorists must observe what is called the basic speed limit. In summary, the basic speed limit requires drivers to adjust their speeds for weather and road conditions no matter what the speed limit sign says.
In foggy conditions, which can happen frequently especially in more mountainous areas of this state, drivers have an obligation to slow down and make sure they leave plenty of room to stop. Not driving especially carefully in the fog or other bad weather can cause a tragic car accident like what happened in this case.
Police are still investigating this accident, and given the number of vehicles involved, it could take weeks if not months to fully sort out exactly what happened and why it happened. Still, those who lost loved ones or who suffered serious injuries should consider filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.