A 72-year-old man was killed in a San Bernardino car accident involving a head-on collision, the morning of January 4, 2012. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, the fatal crash occurred along Highway 18 near Caughlin Road in Victorville. Officials say the man, who was driving a 2008 Ford Focus, crossed the double yellow lines and entered into opposing lanes of traffic, before hitting a Toyota Corolla driven by 31-year-old Ronald Lee Cuellar. The driver of the Focus was killed at the scene of the collision, while Cuellar suffered head injuries and a possible broken right ankle. It is unclear at this time why the Ford drifted into oncoming traffic.

My heart goes out to the friends and family of the man killed in this tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers are also with Ronald Lee Cuellar who has suffered head trauma here. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

San Bernardino Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 16 people were killed and 261 were injured in Victorville car accidents. Throughout San Bernardino County, 223 fatalities and 7,870 injuries occurred as a result of car crashes, during that same year.

Head-On Collisions

Based on this news report, it is not entirely clear as to why the Focus veered into oncoming traffic. Did a dangerous roadway condition or a defective auto product contribute to the crash? Was the driver suffering from a medical condition at the time of the accident? Was the driver impaired, distracted, fatigued or otherwise negligent at the time? I trust investigators are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.

According to California Vehicle Code Section 21651 (a): "Whenever a highway has been divided into two or more roadways by means of intermittent barriers or by means of a dividing section of not less than two feet in width, either unpaved or delineated by curbs, double-parallel lines, or other markings on the roadway, it is unlawful…to drive any vehicle over, upon, or across the dividing section."

Liability Issues

In this particular case, if the driver of the Focus is determined to have been at fault, the injured victim (Cuellar), can seek compensation through the at-fault driver's estate or liability insurance. If an auto defect caused this crash, then the family of the deceased victim and the injured victim can seek compensation from the automaker or manufacturer of the defective product. In such cases victims or their families would be well advised to seek the counsel of a skilled San Bernardino personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all aspects of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable.