Traffic between Santa Clarita, Fillmore, and Santa Paula on Highway 126 can build throughout the day. High speeds and treacherous conditions along this busy route often combine to cause careless drivers to lose control of their vehicles and send other motorists into crashes.
Drivers can neglect to slow down when roads get wet and end up colliding with the vehicles alongside them or risk a collision with oncoming traffic. The consequences of such an impact are often devastating and victims can face life-threatening injuries.
Deadly Rainy-Day Accident on Highway 126 Near Fillmore
A tragic accident claimed a Valencia woman’s life in Ventura County Friday Afternoon. The VC Star reports it happened west of Fillmore on Highway 126 near Pyle Road on February 24, 2023.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the scene shortly after noon. Their investigation revealed that a 30-year-old Santa Paula woman driving a Dodge Durango eastbound lost control on a wet roadway. Her Dodge SUV then traveled into oncoming traffic to strike a Honda Civic in a T-bone-like impact. The Dodge then overturned. Both drivers had to be extricated from their vehicles.
Tragically, the driver of the Honda, a 48-year-old woman from the Santa Clarita neighborhood of Valencia, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Dodge SUV driver was taken to Ventura County Medical Center with major injuries that weren’t considered life-threatening.
CHP investigators continue to work to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident. They don’t believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
Support for Victims and Families After a Ventura County Accident
After an accident in rainy conditions, victims and their families might be convinced that mother nature is to blame. They may fear they won’t be able to ask for support after a tragic accident. But this isn’t usually the case. Careless drivers can still be held liable for injuries caused in a collision involving bad weather.
In rainy or stormy conditions, drivers are always legally responsible for slowing down to speeds that are “safe for conditions.” This means that drivers must reduce their speeds in wet or icy weather enough to guarantee they can’t lose control and slide into another vehicle. When they fail to slow down properly and cause a crash, they can be held liable for the hardships victims and their families face.
Families who have lost a loved one in a collision can ask for the money to pay for a funeral through a wrongful death claim. They must also seek reimbursement for future years when the victim won’t be able to provide financial support to close relatives through weekly income.
Victims injured in accidents must file a claim asking for money to pay all present and future medical bills. They are also justified in asking for money to make up for the paychecks they must forfeit while missing work.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Serving Ventura County and Santa Clarita Families
After you’ve been hurt or you’ve lost a precious member of the family in an accident, don’t trust insurance companies to treat you or your family fairly. Discuss your options with a skilled car accident lawyer serving the victims of Ventura County and Los Angeles County accidents.
Contact Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC for a free consultation and case analysis. We want to learn more about how a careless driver’s mistake has impacted your life. If you retain us to represent you for your wrongful death case, our goal will be to obtain the maximum compensation available for what you’ve been through.
You also don’t need any money if you want to hire us to represent your case. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for your family.