The responders found four to five vehicles involved in the crash near the entrance to Camp Whittier.
Santa Barbara, CA – Four people were injured, one critically, in a multi-vehicle collision that happened Sunday evening near Lake Cachuma and Camp Whittier in Santa Barbara, authorities reported.
The California Highway Patrol, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and American Medical Response responded to Highway 154 near Lakeview Drive after receiving reports of the crash around 6 p.m. January 18.
The responders found four to five vehicles involved in the crash near the entrance to Camp Whittier.
Firefighters extricated one person from the wreckage.
Four people were injured in the crash. One victim suffered critical injuries, two others sustained moderate injuries, and one had minor injuries.
Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 154 were closed during the rescue operation and as authorities investigated. All lanes were back open by 7:30 p.m.
In the 2023 California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) crash rankings, Santa Barbara reported 492 victims killed or injured in traffic collisions, ranking 14th out of 103 similarly sized California cities, indicating a relatively high level of serious crashes compared to peer cities. Alcohol-involved crashes accounted for 67 victims (16/103), while motorcycle incidents involved 32 victims (4/103). Pedestrian collisions resulted in 41 victims (9/103), and bicyclist collisions were particularly high, with 131 victims, giving Santa Barbara the top statewide ranking in that category among cities of similar size. Speed-related collisions numbered 46 (49/103), nighttime crashes also totaled 46 (22/103), and hit-and-run incidents reached 47 (12/103). The city recorded 197 DUI arrests in 2023 (72/103), showing ongoing enforcement efforts. These OTS figures highlight areas of concern—especially for vulnerable road users—that local agencies address through safety initiatives and traffic enforcement.
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