We have all seen either an accident occur or the immediate aftermath of a crash, and it’s a natural human tendency to slow down and take a look at what’s happening. In common parlance, it’s known as ‘rubber-necking,’ which describes the manner in which drivers will stop or slow down their own vehicles to peer into the accident nearby. While it is common, it’s also extremely dangerous, especially in crowded traffic conditions.

Such appears to have been the case with at least some of the crashes that tied up Highway 99 on Thursday morning. According to the Sacramento Bee:

“CHP officer Michael Bradley said that a car headed southbound on Highway 99 hit the center divider several times, bringing traffic to halt. The accident caused collisions in the northbound direction as well, as drivers saw the southbound vehicle strike the center divider.

Several people were taken to the hospital, Bradley said.”

While it appears that, thankfully, no one was killed in this multiple-crash occurrence, it should underscore one of the foundations of defensive driving and ultimately injury prevention – do not allow yourself to become distracted by what’s happening around you in your car if it does not affect your driving. Those who fall prey to these distractions create danger not only for themselves but also for everyone around them, which can easily include hundreds of people if it’s done on a crowded highway during the morning or afternoon commute.

If you or someone you love has suffered injuries as a result of rubber-necking or for any other reason, contact the Sacramento personal injury lawyers at Demas Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.