59-vehicle crash forces temporary closure of Highway 99 in Central California, CHP says

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TULARE COUNTY, Calif. — A Saturday morning crash involving nearly 60 vehicles in Central California’s Tulare County forced the temporary closure of Highway 99 in both directions at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP received several calls about the incident shortly after 8:15 a.m. Authorities say the crash happened in northbound and southbound lanes near Avenue 24, about 40 miles north of Bakersfield.

Ten people were taken to a local hospital for injuries. Updates on their conditions were not immediately available. All others involved in the crash were transported by bus to the International Agri-Center in Tulare.

In a post on Tulare County’s official Facebook page, officials initially estimated that 150 vehicles were involved in the crash. The CHP disputed that number, saying there were 59 vehicles in the pileup.

CHP investigators believe fog was a factor, estimating there was between 100 to 200 feet of visibility at the time of the chain-reaction crash.

Highway 99 fully reopened by 2:30 p.m., according to the CHP.

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What California law says after a car accident

Reporting requirements after a California collision

California imposes reporting duties on drivers that are separate from any insurance claim.

A report must be filed with the DMV on form SR-1 within ten days of a collision that caused any injury, any death, or more than one thousand dollars in property damage to any one person. This duty applies regardless of fault, applies even when police responded and wrote their own report, and is not satisfied by notifying an insurance company. With current repair costs, most collisions that involve a body shop meet the damage threshold.

A separate rule covers collisions causing injury or death. The driver must make a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the collision happened in a city, within twenty four hours. The statute states this duty for every injury or fatal collision. In practice, where officers responded and completed a report at the scene, that report generally satisfies the agency’s need, but a driver who assumes this without confirming it is relying on practice rather than on the text of the law.

Missing the DMV deadline can lead to suspension of driving privileges, an outcome unrelated to who caused the collision.

California filing deadlines for injury and death claims

In California, a lawsuit for personal injury caused by another person’s negligence generally must be filed within two years of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A claim for a death caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect runs under the same two-year period.

Shorter deadlines apply in specific situations. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim must normally be presented to that public entity within six months. Claims involving minors, injuries that are not discovered right away, and certain defendants can follow different timelines.

Which deadline applies depends on the facts of each situation, and the standard two-year period does not govern every claim.

Your Rights After a Car Accident in California

A collision like this one raises questions about fault, insurance and medical costs, usually before anyone has had time to think about them. These guides explain how California handles them.