A woman and her mother found themselves in a terrifying situation on Highway 99 in Tulare County, California. They were driving from Oxnard to the Central Valley when they became trapped in a massive 59-car pileup early Saturday morning.
Yamel Angel described the chaos that unfolded. “I had no shoes. I just ran out. We ran to the grass as fast as we could,” she recalled. A video taken inside their car captured the moment of the crash.
The pileup left a scene of destruction. Many people tried to help the injured as they gathered in the center divider, confused and frightened. “There were people screaming, and it was just chaos,” she said.
Both Yamel and her mother were hospitalized. Yamel suffered injuries to her head and hip, while her mother had a back injury. The mental toll was immense; she said, “My heart was racing. Everything flashed by, and my head went blank.”
Dashcam footage revealed a second pileup as a truck lost control due to the dense fog. The visibility that morning was dangerously low, causing several accidents. “It was just a lot of screaming. People were sad and confused,” said Andres from Kern County Crime Streams.
Photos showed the severity of the crash, including one striking image of a tire wedged between two semi-trucks. Towing crews worked throughout the day to clear the wreckage.
Accidents like this can be attributed to a combination of factors like poor weather conditions and high traffic. According to recent data, fog-related accidents account for a significant percentage of roadway incidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that such weather conditions contribute to nearly a dozen fatalities each year.
For Yamel, the memories of that morning will stay with her forever. “I’ll never forget the screams and the chaos,” she said. These statistics serve as a reminder of the need for caution, especially in foggy conditions.
If you want to read more about traffic safety and the impacts of weather on driving, check out the NHTSA’s official report here.
Source link
Video captures chaos inside 59-car pileup on Highway 99 in Tulare County, timely, 18518838
