A fatal collision that shut down the westbound lanes of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Tuesday was caused by a driver distracted by his cellphone and looking away before crashing into a stalled vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At about 2:45 p.m., a Ford Transit van was in the number two lane heading west when the driver looked away from the road. When he returned his attention to the road, he saw a stalled Kia directly in front of him but was unable to avoid the crash, according to CHP.
The passenger of the van was taken to Stanford Hospital with major injuries. The driver of the Kia was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CHP. She was identified by the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office as Mary Esther HurtadoDuran, 54, of Fremont.
All westbound lanes of the bridge were closed until about 7:45 p.m. No alcohol or drugs were suspected but the investigation is ongoing, according to CHP.
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For context, ~3,300 Americans die every year due to distracted driving.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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