A preliminary investigation into the incident found that a white Honda CR-V was traveling westbound on Avenue 13 when the driver failed to stop for a stop sign and was broadsided by a Freightliner semi-truck heading north on Road 23
Madera County, CA – Two people were killed and three others were hospitalized after a two-vehicle rollover crash in Madera County on Wednesday morning.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred at around 11 a.m. December 31, on Avenue 13 and Road 23.
A preliminary investigation into the incident found that a white Honda CR-V was traveling westbound on Avenue 13 when the driver failed to stop for a stop sign and was broadsided by a Freightliner semi-truck heading north on Road 23.
The impact of the accident caused the Honda to roll over. The Honda was carrying five people and four of them were ejected from the vehicle.
The California Highway Patrol officers and firefighters responded to the scene and two people were declared deceased at the scene. Three others were transported with major injuries. The identities of the deceased victims were not immediately released.
The operator of the big rig, which was hauling sand, was uninjured in the incident.
It wasn't immediately determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash. Authorities reported that four occupants of the Honda were not wearing their seatbelts.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the deadly collision.
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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