A solo vehicle accident in Fallbrook killed two people on Old Highway 395 on Sunday, Feb. 16. The accident happened about 2:11 p.m.
The driver, identified as a Rico Burley, 42, headed his car southbound on Old Highway 395 near Reche Road. The driver allegedly lost control of the 2005 black Ford Mustang at the intersection. It veered off the west side and careened down a 30-foot ravine, ultimately crashing into a large tree.
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The impact ejected both occupants, including April DawnWigand, 39, of Oceanside. First-responders pronounced both dead at the scene.
Authorities closed both directions of the highway until about 6:30 p.m. They continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), most drivers are afraid of other drivers when it comes to dying in a vehicle crash. However, most fatal car crashes are single vehicle in nature.
Rollovers can be the deadliest when it comes to the fatality rate. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, only 2.1 percent of nearly 9.1 million crashes involved a rollover, but, conversely, rollovers delivered nearly 35 percent of all deaths from vehicle crashes. Only head-on crashes killed more people.
Many rollovers occur when the vehicle’s tires hit something, such as soft soil or a bump, putting a hiccup in the car’s forward motion. Nearly all single-car rollovers occur in this manner, according to the NHTSA.
Consumer Report studies indicate that rollovers don’t need to be this deadly by adding “rollover-avoidance technology, better vehicle design, enhanced safety systems, stronger government regulations, and increased use of safety belts.”