A fatal car accident happened mid-morning on Friday, June 7, at Folsom-Auburn Road, near Hillswood Drive. The accident left at least one person dead.
Folsom police report the crash happened at around 10:45 am and involved two cars. Officers believe that a BMW was attempting to turn left onto Hillswood Drive when it turned in front of an oncoming Ford.
The passenger of the BMW was killed in the crash. The driver of the BMW was taken to the hospital with major injuries.
It was reported the driver of the Ford only suffered minor injuries.
Drugs and alcohol were not considered factors in the crash. As of Friday evening, no other details have been released.
Distracted Driving is a Top Cause of Car Accidents
Distracted drivers have taken over as the number one cause of car accidents in the United States. A distracted driver is one that has anything take their attention away from the road. This includes not just texting or making a phone call, but also eating, reaching for an object, changing the radio or heat/AC, using the GPS, applying makeup, and can even include talking to passengers.
To avoid distractions, make sure that anything other than actual driving is completed before your trip or pull over if it is an emergency. For example, if you’re traveling 45 mph, you are traveling 66 feet per second. That means if you take your eyes off of the road for 5 seconds, you’ve traveled 330 feet. For example, that is the distance of a home run fence to right or left field in many professional baseball stadiums. It’s quite a distance.
While the law does allow for hands-free usage of your phone, this is not risk free
Speeding is Also a Top Cause of Car Accidents
This is something you see probably every day. Many drivers will go 10, 20, or even 30 mph over the speed limit. There is a reason that there is a saying, “speed kills.” Speeding will drastically reduce the driver’s reaction time. If a driver is in a hurry and speeding, they may be stressed and focused only on what is right in front of them and not letting their mind process the surroundings.
If there are other drivers on the road, especially the highway, they could be going varying speeds and this will limit the ability to stop or avoid.
Running Red Lights and Stop Signs Lead to Fatal Accidents
Avoiding stop signs and running red lights are both causes that usually will lead to car accidents. If the driver doesn’t slow down, this can lead to major injuries or death. Even if you have a green light, it is important to try to look both ways for oncoming cars as you approach the green light.
Plan to Leave Early With Enough Time to Arrive
A big reason that will lead to distracted driving, speeding, and running red lights or stop signs is being in a hurry. The best way to avoid this is to plan to have enough time to make the trip and obey traffic laws. If for some reason you’re running behind, call ahead to let them know you’re running late and will get there as soon as you can. Most people are very receptive to those calls and it is a sign of respect to who you’re meeting. No one wants someone to put themselves or others in danger to arrive 5-10 minutes early.
If you have questions about car accidents or need help to evaluate your case, please feel free to give us a call at (916) 619-5452 or fill out our case evaluation form online.
