A power outage is said to have been the cause of a five-car accident around 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 30. The accident occurred in North Austin at the intersection of West Rundberg Lane and Collinfield Drive.
Out of the five-vehicles involved in the accident, there were five injuries reported, including Javier Elijah Garcia. Garcia was transported to Dell-Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas for treatment of his injuries. However, due to the extent of his injuries, he died around 10:54 a.m., almost an hour after the accident.
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Three other teenagers and a child were also taken to the hospital and were hospitalized with injuries that have been deemed as non-life threatening.
Garcia is the 11th person to be killed in an accident on the roads in Austin in 2020. Police report that in 2019, the number of traffic-related deaths was only four at this time.
The investigators for the accident do not believe that any other contributing factors are at play in the accident. There has been no evidence of driver impairment and the weather does not seem to have played a significant role.
After an accident like this one, it makes people rethink the basic principles that they were taught when learning to drive. It is easy to forget these things, so sometimes a refresher can help avoid accidents such as this from happening.
If there is no power on a traffic signal, the intersection should be treated as if it were a four-way stop.
Flashing yellow light is to alert drivers to be aware and cautious of surroundings. Slowing down is a good idea around areas with yellow flashing lights.
Flashing red lights mean the same thing as a stop sign. You stop when you reach the intersection and then proceed when you have the right-of-way.
These rules are in place to help keep pedestrians, drivers, and others on the roadway safe. It is easy to forget what they mean. Brushing up on these skills, especially when you don’t come across these situations that often can save a life.