[09-18-2022] Los Angeles County, CA – Wrong-Way Driver Triggers Lane Crash and Traffic in Sherman Oaks

A driver traveling the wrong way northbound in the southbound lanes of the San Diego (405) Freeway caused a crash that caused miles of traffic backups on Sunday evening, September 18, 2022.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision occurred around 5:00 p.m. in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood south of Burbank Boulevard.

Several witnesses claimed to have observed a car swerving, making a U-turn on the freeway, and driving the wrong way in the carpool lane before the collision.

The California Highway Patrol looked into whether the driver might have been having a medical emergency.

The cleanup and investigation were still going on as of 6:00 p.m. Drivers were urged to stay away from the area.

It was not immediately known how many vehicles were involved in the collision, whether anyone was hurt, or if anyone had been taken into custody.

Wrong-Way Crash Statistics

Thousands of drivers and passengers are murdered each year in car accidents on the roads of the United States. A total of 36,560 persons died in fatal car accidents in 2018, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of the United States Department of Transportation.

In this case, a wrong-way collision occurred. Accidents caused by drivers traveling the opposite way in a car are exceedingly infrequent, but they can be disastrous. On an exit or entrance ramp to the highway, on a highway median, or on a one-way street, cars can get into a collision by driving in the wrong direction.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety data shows that wrong-way crashes killed more than 2,000 people on split roads between 2015 and 2018. Between 2010 and 2014, there has been a 34% increase in deaths.

A wrong-way driver should cause you to move over to the right lane. It would help if you immediately reduce your speed. Rather than focusing solely on the vehicles in front of you, keep an eye on the road ahead.

If you must make a right turn to avoid a driver driving in the wrong direction, do so. When you come across a wrong-way driver, you should be on the lookout, slow down, and move to the right.

Los Angeles County Car Accident Lawyers

The victim’s family may find it difficult to deal with the sudden loss of a close family member. This traumatic experience may haunt them for the rest of their lives.

An accident of this magnitude can have devastating economic repercussions. If a family loses its sole breadwinner, they may be unable to pay for necessities like rent and food because of the mounting medical bills and burial expenses.

Wrong-way accidents can be traumatic to the victims regardless of how they occur. Our Los Angeles County car accident lawyers at Arash Law might be able to assist you if a loved one was killed in a head-on collision.

Call Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 or complete our online form to schedule a legal case evaluation with our legal team.