Thursday, June 11, 2009

Canjon Road Chain Car Crash

Just recently, a 30-vehicle pile-up happened on the I-15 near the summit of the Cajon Pass which caused a number of injuries as well as closing the northbound lane for hours.

Officials had placed a sign warning of fog, but people were just driving too fast that when a big-rig lost control, everyone else slammed into him.

According to the California Highway Patrol, when the driver of a big rig tried to hit his brakes because the traffic in front of him slowed because of the reduced visibility, he swerved his vehicle causing it to jackknife. All the other vehicles from behind, as a chain reaction, piled into the big rig.

At least 15 people were injured. One victim had major injuries and nine had moderate injuries. 10 patients were being taken to hospitals and paramedics assessed five others who declined medical treatment.

The road was completely shut down for several hours. After all the vehicles and debris were removed, some 150 gallons of diesel fuel were removed from the road to prevent another accident.

California law mandates that "No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable... and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property."

Thus, even if the speed limit of the highway is 50mph, in certain conditions such as the fog in Canjon Pass, drivers are required to drive more slowly.

The high speed increases the drivers’ stopping distance. Thus, in case of a motor vehicle crash up ahead, drivers who are speeding are more prone to end up in the same crash—it would sometimes be too late for them to stop the momentum.

The faster you go, the less time you have to avoid a hazard or accident. Drivers should take the accident at Canjon Pass as a reminder, to drive at a reasonable speed because a little less speed could prevent such a huge accident like a chain reaction crash.