Highway 78 Accidents
Highway 78 traverses nearly the entire width of the state in Southern California. The route begins at Interstate 5 in Oceanside, in San Diego County, and ends at Interstate 10 near Blythe in Riverside County. Major junctions along the 215-mile stretch of roadway include Interstate 15 in Escondido, State Route 79 in Julian, and State Route 86 in Brawley. Highway 78, maintained by the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), consists of 95.3 miles in San Diego County, 80.7 miles in Imperial County, and 16.1 miles in Riverside County. Portions of the highway are built to freeway standards, while others the route remains a two-lane highway. Accidents resulting in serious injury or death occur frequently on Highway 78.
History of Highway 78 Accidents
Some of the accidents on Highway 78 in recent years include:
• An elderly man died on February 12, 2011, the day after he was struck by a pickup struck on State Route 78 in Ramona at Main Street and Seventh Street.
• A motorcyclist suffered major injuries in a motorcycle accident on Highway 78 near Borrego Springs on January 29, 2011.
• A 53-year-old Borrego Springs woman was killed in a rollover accident on Highway 78 in Borrego Springs on January 22, 2011.
• A 67-year-old Valley Center man died in an accident involving a trailer and a motorcycle on Highway 78, just east of Scissors Crossing in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park on January 16, 2011.
• A motorcyclist was severely injured in a head-on collision with an AT&T utility truck on SR-78, east of Wynola Road on November 16, 2010.
• Four people were hurt in a suspected drunk driving crash on westbound Highway 78 near Sycamore Avenue in Vista on September 28, 2010.
• Three people were killed in a suspected DUI crash on westbound Highway 78 just west of Sycamore Avenue on August 13, 2010.
• A 52-year-old San Marcos man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on westbound Highway 78 near Vista Village Drive on July 10, 2010.
• One person was injured in a car vs. boulder crash on Highway 78 in Ramona on April 4, 2010.
• A 53-year-old Julian man died in a collision between two pickup trucks on Highway 78 near Ramona on November 20, 2009.
• A 60-year-old Borrego Springs man died in a solo-vehicle crash on Highway 78 on August 14, 2009.
• A 75-year-old man and his 45-year-old son were pinned against the center divider of Highway 78 when a vehicle struck their motor home on Highway 78 on July 15, 2009.
• A 22-year-old Vista woman died in a suspected alcohol-related accident on eastbound Highway 78 near El Camino Real on June 6, 2009.
• A woman was hurt in a hit-and-run collision on Highway 78, just west of Melrose Drive on June 2, 2009.
• A 20-year-old man suffered massive head injuries and later died following a street racing crash on eastbound State Route 78 near the Mar Vista Drive exit in Vista in May, 2009.
• A 45-year-old man who was a passenger in a Toyota 4-Runner died when the driver of the vehicle lost control of the car on West Vista Way and the SUV came to rest on westbound Highway 78.
• Two people were injured when a big rig jackknifed on westbound Highway 78 near the Woodland Parkway exit on February 2, 2009.
• A 23-year-old Oceanside man died in a motorcycle accident on Highway 78 near Sycamore Avenue on January 19, 2009.
The California personal injury lawyers at Estey Bomberger have represented dozens of victims of Highway 78 crashes in San Diego, Imperial and Riverside Counties. We have represented victims of virtually all types of accidents on Highway 78, including drunk driving accidents and drug-related crashes. If you have been injured or if someone you love has died in a car accident, motorcycle accident, SUV rollover, truck accident, or pedestrian accident, contact us to discuss your situation and legal rights. If the negligence of another driver, a defect in your vehicle, or a dangerous road condition caused your injuries or family member’s death, you may be able to recover compensation in a personal injury claim. To learn more, contact us for a free, no obligation consultation with a knowledgeable lawyer.
