Biopathics Resources

The Angeles Crest Highway officially reopened after closure to traffic for two years to the delight of local motorists.  The Station Fire in 2009, the worst recorded wildfire in Los Angeles history, had caused serious damage to the highway necessitating repairs.  The structure of the roadway had been seriously impaired by washouts that resulted from the complete scorching of plants that normally support the soil on either side of the highway.  Gaps in the road were enormous with one washout measuring 200 feet deep.

The new of the reopening thrilled many Los Angelenos who had been hoping to have this popular and often-used roadway through the mountains reopened for their convenience.  The roadway was touted to have new safety features according to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).  However, the Angeles Crest Highway has recently been the site for a recent rash of accidents.  Some are wondering whether this newly rebuilt and supposedly safer highway might actually be more dangerous despite its new design.

Three motorists lost their lives on this stretch of highway within weeks of its reopening.  All three accidents were single-vehicle accidents:  two automobile accidents and one motorcycle accident occurred.  Within mere months, there were two more collisions resulting in fatalities.  Again, both accidents were single-vehicle accidents.  In one, the driver hit the side of a mountain while drive around a curve.  In the second accident, the driver of an automobile drove off the side of a cliff.  Within two months, this stretch of roadway had a death toll of five.  One of these accidents did involve alcohol.

While the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans state that accidents occurring on this roadway have been the fault of the drivers, the roadway will still be assessed for safety issues.  The investigation is standard procedure with the occurrence of a deadly accident.  While it is easy to assume that the driver is at fault in this type of accident, too-often there are environmental factors and road conditions contributing if not causing the accident.  Safety features, however well researched, sometimes fall short of the protection they are supposed to provide.  Guardrails in particular should be investigated in accidents where the vehicle left the road.  While they look sturdy, guardrails may sometimes be too low or contain too few posts to actually retain an automobile as intended.

The governing organization responsible for the roadway may be held responsible if the investigation shows that the condition or design of the roadway contributed to the accident.  Victims of such an accident may have a cause of action against that organization, including Caltrans if applicable.  Possible victims should contact Los Angeles personal injury attorneys to inquire whether or not their accident might be attributable to such conditions as a dangerous road.  The truck accident attorneys at Ehline Law Firm PC will be providin updates as the investigation continues. To learn more, call 213.596.9642.