Drunk Driver Ran Away in Fatal Crash

A multiple car crash in Santa Ana has taken the life of an 18-year-old Anaheim woman who was riding on a vehicle hit by a drunk driver who fled the scene after the accident.

The 36-year-old Robert Charles Serrano was later arrested at a relative’s house while the teen, Corbin White, died at a hospital a day later after the crash.

Reports indicate that after leaving a bar, Serrano hit a Toyota Scion, where White was a passenger, which was stopped by the traffic light. The impact caused the Scion to hit a Chevrolet Malibu that was making a turn to the southbound lanes of Main. The BMW driven by Serrano then spun and hit the vehicle at the back of the Malibu.

The driver of the Scion, including White were both taken to the hospital to be treated for serious injuries. The other two drivers were unharmed while Serrano was apparently well enough to flee the scene on foot.

Serrano is detained and faces felony charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and fleeing an accident scene.

A young life is once again senselessly taken away because of the negligence of a drunk driver who doesn’t care enough to just take a cab home after drinking so as not to endanger other motorists.

“A New Design for Safety Features In Vehicles”

I just read the news article, “Car Crashes: Fatigue, Slippery Roads, And Inexperience More Critical than Thought”, posted in November 2 which I find very interesting. The article was based on a study conducted in Sweden by researchers of the International Journal of Vehicle Safety.

The study revealed that other causes of car accidents must be considered in designing the safety features of new cars. While drunk driving and excessive speeds are often blamed for most car crashes, the study also pointed out that other causes of car accidents can be just as important as factors in designing the new car.

To arrive at this conclusion, the research group studied the cases of 38 car accidents in Gothenburg. Based on the findings of the group, the causes of car crashes may be grouped into four scenarios:

• First scenario – the driver drifts off road into oncoming traffic due to fatigue, sleepiness or distraction.
• Second scenario – the driver loses control of vehicle because of poor traction caused by slippery road
• Third scenario – the driver loses control in a bend due to excessive speed
• Fourth scenario – the driver panics when vehicle gets out of control and fails to steer out of trouble

These findings are correct and I support the idea that the new design for safety features in vehicles must take in consideration the new information about car crashes. I think car manufacturers should look into this and find ways to compensate for the causes enumerated. Then perhaps in the future, incidents of car crashes will decrease when the new safety features are finally put in place.