Woman dies in fatal highway accident

A Honda Civic was involved in a fatal accident in California on July 17. One woman died in the crash, and two males were injured near Bass Lake.

The accident happened around 2:56 p.m. on Highway 50 when a Toyota Tacoma rear-ended a Honda Civic driving approximately 20 to 25 mph with hazard lights in the right lane, according to a California Highway Patrol representative. The driver of the Toyota pickup, 56, attempted to brake, but the brakes locked, and he could not reduce his 65 mph speed. The Honda driver, a 79-year-old Rancho Murrieta man, could not control his vehicle, veered across all lanes and hit the center barrier. The driver of the Toyota pickup also lost control and hit a rail on the shoulder of the roadway.

A 76-year-old female passenger in the Honda, from Rancho Murrieta, died at the scene. The driver of the Civic was airlifted to a hospital after suffering critical injuries. The driver of the pickup, who lived in Placerville, had minor injuries, authorities said.

A fatal car accident can be caused by many reasons. In this case, questions concerning the reason why the pickup driver was unable to slow down in time might be asked. If his brakes locked up due to a lack of appropriate maintenance that a prudent driver would do, then he might be held accountable and liable. However, the driver of the Honda might be partly responsible for the accident since he was traveling at a speed not normally reserved for highway travel.

The family of the woman killed in the crash might incur financial hardship related to the accident. After reviewing all aspects of the accident, an attorney may assist the family prepare a wrongful death suit to cover compensatory damages.

Source: KCRA, "Woman killed in Highway 50 crash near El Dorado Hills ", Michelle Schultz, July 18, 2014