Earlier this summer, a gravel truck crashed into the home of a Santa Barbara family, killing three family members. The accident occurred after a big rig lost control of its brakes while traveling down Highway 154 from San Marcos pass.
This truck accident wasn't the only one this year on the pass. 111 crashes involving trucks have occurred already this year, 7 of them fatal. Other dangerous roads for trucking and car accidents include Route 17, which runs across Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Its narrow shoulders, sharp turns, blind curves and dense traffic, make Route 17 one of the most dangerous California highways.
In general, the roads that are most dangerous are those with severe curves that make it difficult to see far in front of you and narrow lanes with little margin for error. Steep inclines and declines often place an additional burden on worn or faulty brakes, especially where big rigs are involved.
In the Santa Barbara accident, it is likely the combination of faulty brakes and driver error, along with a dangerous stretch of road led to this tragedy. According to the Santa Barbara Noozhawk, primary cause of accidents on this stretch have been unsafe speed or unsafe turning movement.
For more information, or if you or a loved one has been injured in a California trucking accident, contract Frederick J. Sette, dedicated to helping accident victims for more than 15 years.
