July 12–One woman died and two teenage girls were taken when two cars collided at a Sunnyvale intersection Sunday morning.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, a white pickup traveling south on Bernardo Avenue was hit by a sedan that had been traveling west on Remington Drive, as reported by Capt. Douglas Moretto of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. The pickup rolled over and its driver was killed as a result of a partial ejection.
Paramedics responding to the 11:20 a.m. crash pronounced the driver of the pickup dead at the scene. Her two passengers, who police believe were wearing seat belts, were transported to Stanford University Hospital. The driver of the sedan was not injured, according to the police.
Police did not release the identities of the drivers or passengers, and the condition of the injured victims was not immediately known.
At the site of the collision, Remington has a stop sign while Bernardo traffic had the right of way. Police closed both streets at the collision site for several hours Sunday afternoon.
Investigators believe that possibly speed and a right-of-way violation contributed to the crash, Moretto said.
In simple straight forward terms, the driver of the sedan, who survived the crash, “blew” the stop sign.
However, not wearing a seat belt could have caused the fatality, police believe. “Potentially, this could have been a survivable collision,” Moretto said.
As a practical matter, whenever a pickup truck or SUV rolls, the occupants are commonly caused to suffer severe head and spinal cord injuries.
Anyone with information about the crash was asked to call Sunnyvale Police Investigator Fabian Monge at 408-730-7131.
Our hearts go out to the victims of this accident. We hope for a speedy and complete recovery for the survivors.
Rollover Accidents and Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report in March 2007 showing the true deadly nature of SUV and other vehicle rollover accidents. According to that report, in 2004, the latest year for which data is complete, 2.7% of occupants in rollover accidents were killed, while only .2% of the occupants in vehicles that crashed, without rolling over, were killed.
While less than 3% of all vehicles involved in crashes rolled over, 33% of all deaths occurring as a result of these crashes were in rollover accidents.
The rate of occupants suffering fatalities or incapacitating injuries in a rollover was a substantial 11% in passenger cars, pickups and SUVs, and 8% in vans.
As we all know from daily traffic reports, the number of rollovers is astounding. In 2007 275,637 passenger vehicles rolled in the United States.
In 2004 alone, 10,553 people were killed in SUV and other vehicle rollovers, up 17.5% from 1994.
This stands in stark contrast to the fact that the number of people killed in crashes where there was no roll over was down 3.6% during the same time period.
Car drivers and their passengers are more safely protected than those riding in pickup trucks or SUVs for several reasons.
First, the roofs of passenger cars are designed under National Highway Traffic Safety Standards to withstand heavy impacts, especially in rollovers and to protect occupants from injury. The roofs of SUVs and pickups, because they are trucks, are not required to meet the safety standards mandated for passenger automobiles. As a result pickup trucks and SUVS are not designed or manufactured to be as strong as passenger cars, even though manufacturers know exactly what they are building and selling.
Products Liability: Determining Fault for Injuries Caused by Defective Products in Rollover Accidents
Manufacturers of vehicles and their parts, as well as others in the distribution chain, including wholesalers and dealers, are responsible for ensuring that all passenger cars, pick-ups, vans and SUVs and their component parts are safe and do not pose an unreasonable risk of harm to the public in expected traffic events, including rollovers.
Injuries in a rollover accident that result from a defective manufacture of a car or SUV, or their parts, can subject the manufacturer to damages under the law of products liability. A court can find a manufacturer in a rollover crash liable under any one of three product liability theories: negligent manufacture and design, breach of warranty or strict liability for failure to provide a product that did not meet the reasonable expectation of consumers.
If you or a loved one has been injured or a family member was killed in a rollover accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages.
With more than 30 years of experience litigating all aspects of personal injury claims for accident victims and their families, contacting the adept trial firm of Alexander Law Group, LLP, LLP, may help you obtain the recovery you deserve.
Call 1.888.777.1776 or email us for a free consultation about your potential case.
Onward,
Richard Alexander
Alexander Law Group, LLP, LLP personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us at 1.888.777.1776. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.
