According to the investigators, a gray Honda was traveling northbound in the southbound side of Highway 101 when it collided with an oncoming vehicle
Santa Maria, CA – A driver traveling the wrong way on Highway 101 in Santa Maria caused a crash with injuries on Wednesday evening, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Emergency crews responded at around 6 p.m. January 28, to the collision just north of Highway 166.
According to the investigators, a gray Honda was traveling northbound in the southbound side of Highway 101 when it collided with an oncoming vehicle. It’s unclear why the driver was traveling the wrong way.
CHP and emergency personnel rendered aid to the involved parties.
There were reports of minor injuries in the incident. The number of those hurt was not specified in the report.
According to the CHP, driving under the influence of alcohol was suspected to have been a factor in the incident.
Both lanes of the highway were temporarily shut down as authorities investigated the incident and the vehicles were moved to the side. The highway was reopened by 7:15 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the collision.
Recent crash data for Santa Maria indicates a mixed but generally challenging trend in car crash statistics, with a notable focus on vulnerable road users and alcohol-involved incidents. In 2021, Santa Maria recorded 523 total fatal and injury collisions. The city faced specific challenges with alcohol-involved collisions (77 victims killed and injured), earning a high ranking (5th worst out of 60 comparable cities) in California for this category. Pedestrian and bicyclist safety also remains a concern, with 26 pedestrian and 21 cyclist victims, suggesting an ongoing risk to these groups despite statewide efforts to improve conditions. Statewide trends suggest that while overall fatalities saw a decline in 2023 after a post-2020 spike, the number of deaths has been a persistent road safety crisis, with high rates of alcohol-impaired and drug-involved fatalities being significant factors. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) works with local partners, including those in Santa Maria, to implement programs addressing these issues, leveraging data to focus enforcement and safer street design to ultimately reduce serious injuries and deaths on the road.
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