An accident involving a pickup truck during the California 200 off-road race in the Mojave Desert has left 12 injured and 8 people dead, including 4 men from San Diego. According to a news article on NBCSanDiego.com, the off-road truck lost control during a jump and slammed into the crowd, trapping spectators beneath it and causing others to be thrown to the side. Since the event was held in a secluded location in the Mojave Desert’s Soggy Dry Lake Bed near the city of Lucerne Valley, it took rescue teams over half an hour to assist injury victims.
The California Highway Patrol reported that hundreds of spectators attended the off-road racing event, including children. Various off-road vehicles careen around obstacles and take jumps, reaching speeds of more than 60mph on the 50-mile course. While alcohol has been ruled out as a contributing factor, it is not clear at this time why the driver lost control of the pickup truck.
This tragic accident has brought to light the many dangers that surround these types of events, mainly due to the fact that there are no rules for spectators to follow and there are rarely any safety barriers or guardrails used to separate the race track from the crowd. The spectators at the Mojave Desert race were watching the event within 10 feet of the track with no barriers between them and the speeding large vehicles.
While state vehicle codes do not apply in relation to this accident since it was a sanctioned racing event held under the federal Bureau of Land Management’s approval, liable parties may still face consequences for the lives that have been lost and for those who have been injured due to a lack of safety precautions and an absence of regulations to monitor the event and those attending.
No one can prepare for the sudden loss of a loved one, which can bring about tremendous grief, especially when an unexpected accident is responsible. As a San Diego wrongful death lawyer, Steven Elia has assisted family members of wrongful death victims in holding negligent parties legally accountable for their oversight or reckless actions. While no amount of money can replace a family’s loss, compensation can help offset the strain of funeral costs and other expenses as well as help prevent similar tragedies from happening again. To learn more about how skilled attorney Steven Elia can help, please call 619-444-2244.
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