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Trucks Banned from Highway after Los Angeles County Accident

In April this year, a tractor trailer crashed into several vehicles in La Canada Flintridge, killing two people. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that permanently bans large trucks from entering the highway where the accident occurred.

There was a temporary ban imposed on large commercial trucks on the Angeles Crest Highway after the fatal accident. The ban was set to expire on the 6^th of August. With the signing of the permanent ban, commercial vehicles with three or more axles, or those that weigh in excess of 9,000 pounds, are prohibited from traveling on the highway. The route stretches between Big Pines Highway and Interstate 210. The bill, AB1361, imposes a minimum fine of $1,000 for tractor trailer drivers who drive their trucks on the road in violation of the new law. Earlier, drivers who exceeded the weight limit by 1,000 pounds or less, faced a fine of about $20.

The accident occurred when truck driver, Marcos Costa, lost control of his truck as he exited the Angeles Crest Highway and into a busy intersection. The runaway truck plowed into several cars before finally coming to a stop inside a bookshop. Jorge Posca and his 12-year-old daughter Angelina were in one of the cars that were struck by the tractor trailer.  They died at the scene of the crash. Several others were injured, and many vehicles were smashed. Last month, Costa pleaded not guilty, and is currently in jail on $600,000 bail.

Sheriff deputies have alleged that Costa’s truck began to experience a brake failure as it exited the highway, and into the intersection. The driver had apparently also ignored warning signs, cautioning drivers about the minimum weight limit for trucks.

The tragic accident also brought into focus a long standing tussle between La Canada Flintridge authorities and the California Department of Transportation. The area where the accident occurred earlier had an escape lane for trucks. However, the escape lane had been closed down by Caltrans about a decade ago after the agency decided that Angeles Crest Highway was safe for truckers to use. Last year, another tractor trailer accident at the same site had involved a similar runaway truck that plowed into several parked cars in a parking lot. There were no serious injuries in that crash, but there was significant property damage. After that accident, city authorities had requested additional safety measures from Caltrans, including warning signs for truck drivers. Caltrans had failed to respond to those pleas. After the accident that killed the Poscas however, the agency worked quickly to enforce a temporary 90-day ban on large commercial trucks entering the highway.

It’s unfortunate that it’s taken two deaths and several injuries for Caltrans to wake up to the dangers of truckers using that particular area.  Now that a permanent ban is in place, California truck accident lawyers will be hoping that the route becomes safe to use, and that we see no more such tragic loss of lives.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of truck accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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