Deadly Crash Near Elk Grove, 1 Woman Dead, 2 Infants Survive Uninjured
A deadly single-vehicle car crash occurred last Saturday, April 24 near Elk Grove. The accident started on I-5 and ended in a field. One woman, apparently the driver of the vehicle, died in the crash. Fortunately, the two infants also in the car survived physically uninjured. The identity of the victim remains unknown at this point. According to California Highway Patrol, around 7:30 P.M. a reckless driver was reported multiple times on I-5 near Laguna Boulevard. Soon thereafter, reports of a crash came in further south near Hood Franklin Road.
At the scene, authorities found a white SUV upside down in a field on the east side of the freeway. Upon investigating, officers concluded the driver, described as a 32-year-old woman, lost control of her vehicle, a Mercedes Benz SUV. The vehicle swerved across the center median and through the northbound lanes on the I-5 before crashing into a field. Just why the driver lost control of the vehicle is also unknown.
Authorities pronounced the woman dead on the scene. The two infants in her custody at the time of the crash were taken to the U.C. Davis Medical Center. Fortunately, both infants were uninjured and later released to their father, according to law enforcement. The drivers’ loss of control is still under investigation. Officials are looking into all factors, including drugs or alcohol as factors in the crash.
On Accidents & Driver Safety
The actual cause of the crash remains unknown and under investigation by California Highway Patrol.
However, as more Americans hit the roads for the first time since the start of COVID-19, the risk of accidents could rise. In addition, the end of lockdowns and the start of the summer driving season could add to accident risk.
In the United States, about 38,000 people die every year in automobile crashes.
https://www.ddlawtampa.com/resources/car-accident-statistics-you-need-to-know-in-2021/
The NHTSA study found that drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving, and lack of seatbelt usage were the major causes of injuries and deaths in motor vehicle crashes.
https://accidentdatacenter.com/topic/accidents/data-and-statistics
NHTSA estimates that in the first nine months of 2020, which includes about six months of data during the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic fatalities rose 4.6 percent from the first nine months of 2019. At the same time, vehicle miles traveled fell about 14.5 percent. This led to an increase in the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled to 1.35, up from 1.10 in the same period in 2019. According to Triple-I Chief Actuary James Lynch the increase in traffic fatalities per 100 vehicle miles traveled in the second quarter of 2020 was likely caused by faster driving and the trend seems to be continuing in the third quarter of the year.
Preliminary data from the National Safety Council (NSC) show that an estimated 42,060 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020, up 8 percent from 2019. The death rate based on mileage soared 24 percent over the prior year, marking the highest annual increase that the NSC has recorded in 96 years. In addition, 4,795,000 people were injured in 2020 and the estimated cost of deaths, injuries and property damage totaled $474 billion.
https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-highway-safety
Elk Grove Tribune sends our deepest sympathies and our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
