Five People Injured in Santa Ana Car Accident
A car accident in Santa Ana resulted in injuries for five people including two men and three children. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at Santa Clara Avenue and Wright Street the afternoon of November 8, 2016. Police said the men were transported to an area trauma center and the children were taken to Children’s Hospital of Orange County for treatment of injuries. None of the injuries is considered to be life threatening. No arrests or citations have been reported. The investigation is ongoing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this car accident. We wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Traffic Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 24 fatalities and 1,632 injuries reported as a result of car accidents in the city of Santa Ana. In Orange County as a whole, 165 people died and 13,837 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.
What Caused This Crash?
Based on this news report, it appears that this accident occurred at an intersection that is monitored by a two-way stop sign. While traffic going on Santa Clara doesn’t have to stop, vehicles traveling on Wright Street must stop before turning on to Santa Clara. It is not clear if one of the vehicles failed to stop at the stop sign.
According to California Vehicle Code section 21802 (a): “The driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection shall stop as required by Section 22450. The driver shall then yield the right-of-way to any vehicles which have approached from another highway, or which are approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to those vehicles until he or she can proceed with reasonable safety.”
Liability Issues
We trust officials are also looking into whether one of the drivers was under the influence, distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent. In such cases, the at-fault driver can be held financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer who will stay on top of the investigation and help ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.