The CHP reported that a 27-year-old was driving a white Dodge Dakota eastbound on Avenue 7 1/2 when he swerved into the westbound side and collided with an oncoming white Chevrolet Cobalt
Madera County, CA – The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal accident that claimed the life of one person in Madera County on Tuesday morning.
Just after 5 a.m. December 23, authorities responded to a report of a collision on Avenue 7 1/2 near Road 9.
The CHP reported that a 27-year-old was driving a white Dodge Dakota eastbound on Avenue 7 1/2 when he swerved into the westbound side and collided with an oncoming white Chevrolet Cobalt.
The Chevrolet was driven by a 47-year-old man who tried to drift to the right to avoid the Dodge but the front of the Dodge hit the left back of the Chevrolet.
Both vehicles then crashed into a light pole and overturned. The driver of the Dodge was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.
The Dodge driver was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The Chevrolet driver was wearing a seatbelt and sustained minor injuries.
It’s unclear whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the incident. The investigation is ongoing.
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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