Santa Ana On-Ramp and Off-Ramp Accident Lawyers
Vehicle Accidents on On-Ramps and Off-Ramps in Orange County
The freeways in Orange County are heavily traveled by drivers operating commercial trucks, cars, pickups, SUVs, vans, and motorcycles. On-ramps and off-ramps are particularly dangerous, and the location of many serious and fatal accidents. Freeway entrance and exit ramps are designed to allow drivers to enter or leave a roadway safely but are also a common location for drivers to make mistakes, and accidents that injure or kill innocent people.
Traffic Flow on Major Orange County Freeways
The freeways in Orange County are among the most heavily traveled in the nation. These freeways allow access to all areas of the OC, and have countless freeway exits. Those who are familiar with driving the area are comfortable with the complexity of the Southern California freeway system, but visitors to the region are often confused when a lane disappears, or when trying to exit on a street or connecting roadway.
- I-5: Over 410,000 vehicles travel the 5 on any average day, with the peak at what we call the “Orange Crush,” where the 5, the 22, and the 57 come together, and where the 5 meets Main Street in Santa Ana, where the daily traffic flow is 398,000. The on-ramps and off-ramps in these locations can be confusing to unfamiliar drivers or pose a serious risk if any vehicle operator is speeding, miscalculates, or is intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
- I-405: The 405 has a daily traffic flow of 325,000 vehicles, with the heaviest flow at Seal Beach Blvd, where 385,000 vehicles pass every day. When a driver fails to safely use a freeway exit or entrance, other drivers can sustain serious or fatal injuries.
- Route 91: The 91 has a daily traffic flow of 339,000, with peak daily traffic at Lakeview Avenue in Orange County. The on-ramps and off-ramps on the 91 are the location of very serious and fatal collisions, and multi-vehicle accidents caused by speeding, confused, drunk drivers, or those who make unsafe lane changes or other acts of negligence.
Negligent Driving and Accidents on Orange County On-Ramps and Off-Ramps
All personal injury cases, including Santa Ana on-ramp and off-ramp accidents, must establish the four elements of negligent driving:
- Duty of Care: Drivers have a “duty of care” when operating a vehicle. This duty of care requires the driver to exercise reasonable care when driving to protect others from harm, including following the rules of the road, staying alert to road conditions, driving at a reasonable speed, and maintaining good control of their vehicle.
- Breach of Duty: A driver may breach (violate) the duty of care by operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner, failing to drive with a reasonable level of caution to protect others, failing to use turn signals, speeding, driving drunk or other act that endangers others.
- Causation: The breach of duty of care was the cause of the damages suffered by another party, such as a speeding driver causing a serious injury accident while entering or exiting the freeway on an on-ramp or off-ramp.
- Damages: The injuries sustained by a victim can lead to several types of damages, including loss of income from work, the costs associated with medical care, reduced or lost earning capacity, emotional anguish, pain and suffering, and others.
Who is Liable in an Accident on an On-Ramp or Off-Ramp?
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident on one of Orange County’s many freeways on or off ramps, your case must be fully evaluated to identify the liable party. In some cases, liability is clear, as a driver was drunk or drug intoxicated, and the police report reveals the party at fault. In others, it may require a deeper investigation into the facts to find the evidence needed for a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
To determine liability may require gaining access to video, interviewing eyewitnesses, evaluating the damage to the vehicles, skid marks at the crash location, and other data to determine liability. In some rare cases, the claim may be filed against a city, the county, or the state for dangerous road design. The first step, in any case, is to connect with Santa Ana car accident lawyers you can trust to do everything possible to pursue fair compensation for all damages.
Contact Our Santa Ana Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Case Consultation Today
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident on a Santa Ana freeway entrance or exit, contact HN Injury Lawyers as soon as possible after the accident. We offer a free consultation, with no time limit. When we take on a case, we are focused, professional, and take every legal action to assist our clients to achieve justice. Call us at (657) 333-5726 to discuss your case.
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