Fatal California accident blamed on illegal street racing

Police in California say that the scene of a deadly accident on Nov. 14 is a known as a popular illegal street racing venue. Three bystanders were killed and two others seriously injured when a vehicle thought to have been involved in a street race struck another vehicle near the intersection of Telegraph Road and South Malt Avenue in the City of Commerce. A representative of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that the accident occurred at about 1:00 a.m.

Those who work in the mainly industrial area say that street racing is a persistent problem and auto accidents are common. They have asked for speed bumps or traffic lights to be installed to slow traffic down and deter racing. While police concede that street racing gatherings draw up to 100 vehicles and large crowds, they point out that measures designed to slow down traffic will merely lead to the racers meeting at a different venue.

The According to police, the accident occurred when a speeding car struck a vehicle that had been performing a stunt. Responding emergency services personnel pronounced a 27-year-old man, a 29-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy dead at the scene. The three were related according to media reports. Two other spectators were rushed to area medical facilities with critical injuries.

Pedestrians stuck by motor vehicles while on the sidewalk may pursue civil remedies. A personal injury attorney may file a lawsuit on their behalf if the identity of the driver involved is known, but this is often not possible in a hit-and-run situation. When a reckless driver leaves the scene, injured pedestrians may still be able to file a claim under the uninsured motorist clause of their auto insurance policy or receive compensation from the California Victim Compensation Program that covers vehicular manslaughter.