Six Injured in Orange County Car Accident Involving Elderly Driver
An Orange County car accident left six people injured in an Anaheim Hills restaurant, after an elderly driver plowed through the storefront the afternoon of December 28, 2009. The Orange County Register reports that this car accident occurred in the 700 block of South Weir Canyon Road at a Subway Restaurant. A 79-year-old man apparently stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes crashing his Honda Accord into the restaurant and causing injuries to six people, including customers and employees. The Honda's driver was uninjured. However, four of the injured victims were taken to local hospitals.
My heart goes out to the injured victims. It must have been a horrible shock to customers and employees alike at the restaurant. I hope and pray that none of the victims sustained major injuries and wish them the very best for a quick and full recovery. They will be in my prayers.
Car Accidents in Orange County
There were 30 deaths and 2,006 injuries in Anaheim due to traffic accidents in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries occurred involving traffic accidents in 2007. In Orange County, 41 people died and 726 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.
Liability Issues in Car Accidents
If the details of this news report are accurate, it seems to me that the elderly man was not paying attention to what he was doing. He mistook the gas pedal for the brakes. This is not the first among recent accidents in Southern California where senior drivers have made this mistake. I'd be very interested to find out whether this man should have been driving in the first place and whether he had a valid driver's license. In accidents that involve senior drivers, officials should look into the driver's skills and abilities to continue driving. If the driver is lacking those cognitive and physical abilities, they should not be allowed to drive, period.
In any car accident case where negligence is suspected, injured victims would be well-advised to seek the counsel of a reputed Orange County personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled similar cases and secured fair compensation for victims and their families.
We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
