Alani Aguilar Died In Santa Rosa Car Accident With Safeway Delivery Box Truck On Highway 12 By The Southbound Highway 101 Onramp —> You Can Help Support The Family of The Victim Through GoFundMe
SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA (August 11, 2022) – A woman identified as Alani Aguilar died in a Santa Rosa Safeway delivery truck accident on Highway 12.
Sonoma County officials are saying that the accident took place around 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Alani Aguilar was in a Nissan Versa and in slowed traffic on Highway 101.
The driver of a Safeway box truck was going about 55 mph and failed to notice that traffic was slower ahead before rear-ending the Nissan Versa.
The force of the impact caused a chain reaction crash with four other vehicles which then caused the truck to overturn. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims.
Alani Aguilar was extricated from her Nissan and taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Sadly, she was pronounced dead after being admitted to the hospital.
It remains unclear if the driver of the Safeway delivery truck will face any charges for the fatal crash. In an update to this crash, a GoFundMe has been created in order to help the victim’s family with funeral expenses.
According to the online fundraiser, “[Alani Aguilar] was kind, gentle, and funny but also no-nonsense; she brought joy and light to all who knew her and always knew how to make people feel welcome. She was dedicated to her family, helping them in any way she could.”
Liability In Santa Rosa Delivery Truck Accidents
Driving a commercial truck is substantially more difficult than driving a passenger vehicle. Truck drivers are also put under a lot more pressure than other drivers. According to William Harris who published in Vigilance, “Most truck accidents occur because of driver error, and many likely are the result of failures in vigilance performance. […] Truck drivers often drive for long hours and at all times of the day and night, conditions that expose them to the effects of fatigue and circadian rhythms.” There are many steps that truck drivers should take in order to avoid accidents.
- Truck drivers must not work beyond a 14-hour driving window on any given day. They must also not work more than 11 hours in that driving window.
- Truck drivers should be well rested before the start of their shift.
- Truck drivers should abstain from any drugs or medications that could potentially disrupt their ability to drive safely.
Truck drivers will typically need to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL). This requires them to get specialized training so that they can operate their vehicle safely. A good truck driver should know how long it takes for them to be able to stop their vehicle safely. They should also constantly monitor the traffic ahead of them. By far, fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours reduces a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%.
All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care in order to avoid causing collisions. The vast majority of rear-end collisions are due to drivers that are speeding or following the lead vehicle too closely. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21703, the driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and safe given traffic and the prevailing conditions of the roadway. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that rear-ends a vehicle in their own lane.
When a truck driver is negligent and causes an accident, the company that they work for could potentially be held at fault. In general, companies like Safeway are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a Safeway driver may have been transporting groceries when a crash occurred. However, companies will often try to evade liability for crashes by hiring their drivers as “independent contractors.” There are many steps that should be taken after any accident with a delivery truck.
- The employment status of the truck driver should be determined.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- The truck’s event data recorder (EDR) should be examined.
- Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
The family of any victim that died in a truck accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and funeral expenses. In order to win any civil claim, plaintiffs will have to demonstrate negligence. Unfortunately, companies will often fight hard to deny liability for any collision. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Santa Rosa Delivery Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of Alani Aguilar. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. This was a highly preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Was this truck driver properly licensed? Were they distracted? Did they have logbook violations?
Do you need more information about a Santa Rosa truck accident? Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the information and resources that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
