After a Freeway Accident, Remain in Your Vehicle Until Emergency Personnel Arrive on the Scene

On November 6, a 27-year-old Pomona man died when he was struck by a car on the 10 Freeway after he exited his own vehicle following a prior crash. The accident occurred just east of Fairplex Drive in Pomona in the eastbound lanes of the freeway. The victim had been involved in a collision with a UPS big rig, and, as a result, his car was stuck in the carpool lane. So, he exited his vehicle and was standing on the roadway when another vehicle heading east collided with his car, which, in turn, struck him. The impact threw the victim over the center divider and into westbound traffic lanes. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Read on for more information about freeway accident safety and how to avoid a tragic accident like this one.

Freeway Accident Safety

Freeway travel is a way of life in Southern California, so it’s not uncommon for Southern Californians to be involved in a freeway accident at some point in their lives. But do you know what to do after a freeway accident, for your own safety, the safety of others, and to support any personal injury claims for compensation you may have? First, unless your life is in imminent danger, do not get out of your car if you can’t move your car off the freeway. You have absolutely no protection if someone hits you, and if you are stopped, chances are much higher that you will get hurt than if traffic were moving normally.

Also, if you are out of your car focused on exchanging information with another driver, you aren’t paying 100% attention to what might be approaching behind you or beside you, decreasing your chances of reacting quickly and getting out of the way if a vehicle is coming toward you. Failing to get the other driver’s information or being the victim of a hit-and-run motorcycle accident is unfortunate, but losing your life is worse. Wait until the police and/or emergency personnel arrive to reroute traffic, so you can safely exit your vehicle.

If you can move your car after being involved in a freeway accident, signal the other driver to pull off the freeway at the next exit, and then exchange information. If the other driver doesn’t want to do that, exit the freeway yourself and call the police, providing all the information you have about the other driver’s vehicle. But again, never get out of your car on the freeway. The driver in the freeway accident described above would likely still be alive if he had stayed in his car.