Head-On Crash Kills One Woman in North County

  • Nov 27 2015
  • Gilleon Law Firm, APC

crashA woman died and two men were injured in a head-on collision on Old Highway 395 in North County, according to recent reports.  A 45-year-old Quail Valley man apparently crossed the double yellow line and collided head-on with a 2005 Volvo station wagon driven by a Fallbrook man.  His 68-year-old wife, who was riding in the passenger’s seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.  The Volvo’s driver was taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the Nissan driver was airlifted to a local hospital with major injuries.

Authorities believe that the driver who caused the crash may have been drinking.

Head-On Collisions Often Deadly

Head-on collisions are some of the most deadly of all types of vehicle crashes.  Although only two percent of all car crashes involve head-on impacts, these crashes account for nearly 10 percent of vehicle fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Head-on crashes are particularly deadly for drivers or passengers who are not using seat belts.  Statistics show that more than half of all traffic fatalities involve unrestrained drivers or passengers.  About 27 percent of these fatalities involve occupants who are ejected from the vehicle.

Ejection is a very real concern in all crashes.  When a car hits another vehicle, the car’s speed decelerates from its traveling speed to zero very quickly.  Momentum continues to carry the occupants forward, however.  If the occupants are unrestrained, it is very possible that they will be thrown around inside the car or ejected due to fast changes in the direction of force.

Even if occupants are restrained, however, they can still be seriously injured or even killed in a head-on crash.  Therefore, avoiding wrong-way or head-on crashes is one of the primary safety concerns of traffic planners.  To this end, many major highways now have sensors that notify authorities immediately if there is a car traveling the wrong way against traffic.  However, surface streets and smaller highways usually do not have this technology available.

If you have been the victim of a wrong-way crash, it is important to protect your rights by discussing your case with a personal injury attorney like Daniel M. Gilleon of San Diego.  Dan Gilleon has been representing the victims of all types of accidents for many years and helping them recover compensation for their injuries.  Call today for a free consultation about your case.


Free Initial Consultation

Contact