The CHP reported that a Honda Civic lost control and made a turn into the path of a big rig on southbound Highway 99. The operator of the big rig attempted to brake but was unsuccessful
Madera County, CA.- The two people who were killed in a collision that happened on Highway 99 in Madera County Thursday evening have been identified as Lucas Ramirez Santiago, 37, and Catalina Monjaraz Santiago, 29.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the deadly incident took place in the southbound lanes, just south of Avenue 11 at about 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 11.
The CHP reported that a Honda Civic lost control and made a turn into the path of a big rig on southbound Highway 99. The operator of the big rig attempted to brake but was unsuccessful. The rig crashed into the side of the Civic.
Both Lucas and Catalina were killed in the accident. Authorities reported that the two victims are not related. No other injuries were reported.
At least one lane remained closed as authorities performed cleanup at the scene of the crash.
No additional details were immediately released. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.
Madera County is one of California’s mid-sized counties but has been expanding in population, and as its population continues to grow, so has the number of traffic accidents. According to California Office of Traffic Safety reports, in 2022 the county recorded 1033 injuries and fatalities due to traffic-related accidents and this was slightly lower than 2021 when 1128 people fell victim to road accidents. Drunk drivers continue to be a risk in Madera County as seen in the OTS records with almost 14% of all accidents in 2022 being DUI-related. Other major causes included distracted-driving, unsafe passing, and speeding. Highway 99 is notably one of the highways regarded dangerous in Madera County due to the frequency of accidents occurring yearly. These accidents are mostly blamed on the high volume of traffic on the highway including large trucks. However, driver discipline can play a major role in improving road safety on Highway 99 and other roadways within Madera County.
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