Sometimes, a vehicle will end up in the opposite lane on a highway due to a factor out of the driver’s control, such as mechanical failure or impact from another vehicle. Some California drivers may have encountered such an experience. Likely, though, most often in this type of situation, the driver is at fault. He or she may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol or distracted by a cellphone, for example. Whatever the reason, wrong-way drivers can cause car accidents, often involving at least one fatality, as was the case recently in West Los Angeles.
The incident happened very early on a recent Sunday morning. According to California Highway Patrol, a driver in a pickup truck was traveling southbound in the northbound lane on the 405 Freeway. The truck collided head-on with a sedan. Reportedly, both vehicles sustained serious damage, and the sedan was completely destroyed.
Police have said the sedan driver died from his injuries. The pickup driver was transported to a hospital with unspecified injuries. It appears the crash is still under investigation, and authorities are unsure whether drugs and/or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
Unfortunately, car accidents of this nature often end tragically, as this one did. Although investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash, the evidence may indicate the pickup driver is at fault. If that is the case, the victim’s family members may choose to pursue legal action through the California civil justice system. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can review the case details and inform them of their options moving forward.