Driver Dies, Male Passenger Hospitalized after Van, Sedan Collide on Highway 18 in Apple Valley
Apple Valley, California (June 10, 2022) – A driver died, and a passenger was hospitalized in critical condition after a van collided with a sedan Thursday afternoon in Apple Valley, as per a local news source.
The deadly crash was reported at about 3 p.m. on Highway 18 near Rimrock Road.
Authorities said a black four-door sedan collided with a dark-gray van under unknown circumstances. Both vehicles acquired major crash damage.
Apple Valley Fire Protection District firefighters responded to the scene.
The firefighters pronounced one person dead and transported another to the hospital in critical condition. According to a witness at the scene, the deceased was the female driver of the sedan and the patient was her male passenger. The witness also said a small puppy in the car also died in the crash.
The driver of the van suffered minor injuries.
The collision forced the closure of eastbound Highway 18. Traffic was being diverted off at Rimrock Road.
Traffic Collision Fatalities Reached a 16-Year High in 2021, Early Estimates Show
Newly released estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that fatalities reached a 16-year high last year.
According to the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2021 report released by NHTSA, about 42,915 people were killed in traffic collisions in 2021. This shows a 10.5% increases from the 38,828 fatalities reported in 2020.
NHTSA says the projection is the highest number of traffic deaths since 2005 as well as the largest percentage rise in the history of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
The NHTSA report indicates that the traffic fatalities in the following categories showed relatively large increases in 2021, as compared to 2020:
Fatalities in multi-vehicle collisions went up 16%
Fatalities among drivers 65 and older up 14%
Pedestrian fatalities up 13%
Fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck up 13%
Daytime fatalities up 11%
Fatalities on urban roads up 16%
Motorcyclist deaths up 9%
Bicyclist deaths up 5%
Fatalities in speeding-related mishaps up 5%
Fatalities in police-reported, alcohol-involvement collisions up 5%
Did you Lose Your Loved One in a Traffic Accident? Contact Pacific Attorney Group for Legal Help
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