Ricardo Perez, of Montclair, (Full Name: Ricardo Gomez Perez) Died In Kern County Freightliner Truck Accident Along Interstate 5 In Lost Hills Area About 45 Minutes From Bakersfield
LOST HILLS, CALIFORNIA (July 14, 2022) – A 44-year-old truck driver identified as Ricardo Perez has died in a Lost Hills semi-truck accident on Interstate 5.
Kern County officials are saying that the head-on collision took place around 3:35 p.m. on Monday. A 54-year-old man in a 2014 Freightliner truck crossed into the southbound lanes of Interstate five and collided with a 2009 Kenworth truck driven by Ricardo Gomez Perez.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the accident south of Twisselman Road in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, Ricardo Perez died due to the severity of his injuries.
Police shut down multiple southbound lanes of traffic in order to conduct an investigation. It remains unclear what caused the driver of the Kenworth truck to veer into opposing lanes of traffic.
A full investigation into the crash that killed Ricardo Perez remains ongoing.
Liability In Lost Hills Semi-Truck Accidents
Commercial trucks are absolutely essential for the economy. The vast majority of goods that are bought every year spend some amount of time being transported in a truck. But driving a truck remains one of America’s deadliest jobs. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 843 truck drivers were killed in accidents in 2019 alone. Tens of thousands more are seriously injured in collisions. There are a number of steps that can be taken in order to keep truck drivers safe on the road.
- Improving road infrastructure can go a long way in preventing many truck accidents.
- Forward collision avoidance systems can help prevent collisions by automatically applying the brakes.
- Lane departure warning systems can alert truck drivers when they are leaving one lane of traffic.
- Truck drivers should also be properly trained and given adequate time to get familiar with their rig.
Driving a truck can be very stressful. In fact, nearly one in ten truck drivers involved in fatal collisions reported feeling under pressure from work. Truck drivers are supposed to be allotted adequate rest before the start of their shift. They must also take periodic brakes, but this does not always happen. Many truck drivers are pushed to work until they become dangerously fatigued. In fact, the CDC estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours reduces a person’s driving ability equal to driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.05%.
Truck drivers will typically need to get a commercial license and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. They must exercise due care to avoid collisions. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21460, no person shall drive to the left or right of a pair of double yellow lines unless such a movement is permitted by the statute. If a truck driver crossed into opposing lanes of traffic and collides with another vehicle, they can be held at fault through a civil claim. Their employer could also potentially be held at fault if the truck driver was working as an employee at the time of a crash.
A city or municipal entity could also potentially be liable for an accident if it was caused by a dangerous condition on public property under California Government Code 835. When a city is given actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on public property, they must take action to correct that dangerous condition. For example, a dangerous condition could arise if an interstate lacks sturdy median barriers to prevent cross-traffic collisions when there is a history of cross-traffic collisions in a particular area. This was the basis of a lawsuit against Caltrans following a deadly 2001 head-on semi-truck collision. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any semi-truck accident.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- The at fault truck driver’s event data recorder should be examined.
- The at fault truck driver’s logbook records should be reviewed.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
The family of any truck driver that died may have legal recourse through worker’s compensation if they were an employee at the time of the crash. They may also be able to seek support through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Sadly, truck companies will often fight extremely 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 Lost Hills Semi-Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ricardo Perez. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. This was a totally preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. There needs to be a thorough investigation for the sake of the victim’s family.
Do you need more information about a Lost Hills semi-truck accident? Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
