Debris dropped on the freeway caused an Orange County car accident on November 13, 2009 which involved three vehicles. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, someone dropped a weed trimmer in traffic lanes on the southbound 57 Freeway near Katella Avenue in Anaheim. The object on the freeway caused three cars to collide with each other as the drivers tried to avoid the weed trimmer.

Nhu Trong, who was driving a Honda Accord, suffered facial injuries when his car rear-ended a Chevy pickup truck. The trimmer was on the number two lane when a white van stopped on the freeway. The Chevy truck came to a stop behind the van. Trong tried to stop his car but it was too late, California Highway Patrol officials said. He slammed into the Chevy.

It's indeed a relief that no one was seriously injured in this car accident. It could have had far deadlier consequences.

Orange County Car Accidents

According to the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 30 fatalities and 2,006 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents in Anaheim, In Orange County as a whole, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.

Based on this news report, it is not clear who dropped the weed trimmer on the traffic lanes. A number of devastating car accidents in California have been caused by loads that have not been properly secured and have been dropped on the freeway either severely injuring or killing other drivers. Motorcyclists have been severely affected by roadway debris as well. According to the California State Department of Transportation (Caltrans), 155 traffic accident deaths can be attributed to highway debris just over the last two years.

Liability in Roadway Debris Accidents

California law prohibits anyone from throwing or dumping debris on the highway. California Vehicle Code section 23112 (a) states: "No person shall throw or deposit, nor shall the registered owner or the driver, if such owner is not then present in the vehicle, aid or abet in the throwing or depositing upon any highway any bottle, can, garbage, glass, nail, offal, paper, wire, any substance likely to injure or damage traffic using the highway, or any noisome, nauseous, or offensive matter of any kind."

If the debris causes injury or death to others, these negligent individuals can be held civilly and criminally responsible. Injured victims in such cases would be well-advised to consult with experienced Orange County personal injury lawyers who have successfully handled many injury and fatality accident cases caused by highway debris. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will be able to explain their legal rights and options as well as how the victim's car insurance policy would apply to a roadway debris accident.

We are 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 a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

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