Three Injured in Newport Beach Crash

Three people were injured in a Newport Beach car accident involving two vehicles. According to a news report in The Daily Pilot, a green Honda CRV was traveling west on West Coast Highway the morning of November 16, 2013 when the driver lost control and went over the raised center median. The Honda entered opposing lanes of traffic and crashed head-on with a white BMW near the Arches Bridge. A passenger in the BMW and the driver and passenger in the Honda were taken to an area trauma center with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this crash. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Car Crash Statistics

According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 450 were injured as a result of traffic accidents in Newport Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 100 fatalities and 13,368 injuries were reported due to car crashes during the same year.

What Caused This Head-On Collision?

Based on this news report, officials say that the driver of the Honda CRV lost control of the vehicle and entered oncoming traffic. I trust investigators are still looking into what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Was he speeding? Was the driver distracted or inattentive? Was there a mechanical malfunction in the vehicle? Did alcohol or drugs play a part in the collision?

California Vehicle Code Section 22350 (Basic Speed Law) states: “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic and on surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.”

Fault and Liability

If the driver of the Honda is determined to have been at fault, he can be held financially responsible for the injuries and damages caused. Injured victims can seek compensation to cover damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries and pain and suffering. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Newport Beach personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable.