Police in California has reported that one individual was killed and three others injured in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate Highway 580 in the early morning hours of Nov. 27. Police responding to the scene did not immediately report what may have caused the accident. The incident occurred in the vicinity of Golf Links Road in Oakland at approximately 12:30 a.m.
According to a California Highway Patrol report, the driver of a Toyota Corolla lost control of his vehicle as it traveled westbound on Interstate 580 east of 98th Avenue at speeds estimated to be between 75 mph and 85 mph. The sedan is then said to have left the roadway after striking a curb. The car then came to a rest in an embankment separating the highway’s eastbound and westbound lanes.
Emergency medical personnel arriving at the car accident scene found the badly injured driver still inside the vehicle secured by a seat belt, but two passengers had been ejected from the vehicle. The individual who had been traveling in the car’s front passenger seat was pronounced dead at the scene. Cutting equipment was required to free the 21-year-old man who had been behind the wheel. His injuries were described as major. The 29-year-old woman and 23-year-old man ejected during the crash were also transported by paramedics to area hospitals.
While the cause of this accident may still be under investigation, many single-car accidents are caused by distracted, impaired or otherwise negligent drivers. Vehicle occupants have few options when drivers fall asleep or stop paying attention to the road ahead, and the resulting accidents often occur at high speeds and cause catastrophic injuries. Personal injury attorneys may seek civil remedies for car accident victims by filing lawsuits against the negligent drivers responsible. Such litigation could seek compensation for the lost income of those injured in auto accidents as well as their medical bills.