Historic Winter Storm Brings Blizzard Warning & Accidents to SoCal

Punxsutawney Phil wasn’t joking when he saw his shadow on Groundhog Day, 2023, predicting 6 more weeks of winter weather, according to the legend. Southern California, along with much of the nation, was blasted with a wild dose of winter weather during the last week of February. A series of frigid winter storms pummeled the region beginning Tuesday evening, February 22nd, and lasting through Wednesday, March 1st. The storms triggered historic blizzard warnings in Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties, as well as rare snowfall, severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, flooding, hail, and a rash of injury accidents across the region.

Southern California is known for its temperate climate year-round; residents of the area are not accustomed to driving in extreme weather conditions, such as rain-saturated roadways — nevermind snowy or icy conditions. With the recent winter storms, the snow level dropped to 1,500 feet — the elevation of the famous Hollywood sign — and the region’s accident rates increased, as anticipated. Some of the storm-related accidents and travel impacts in Southern California included:

• A 20-car pileup involving cars, tractor-trailers, and at least one tanker truck on the 10 Freeway in Yucaipa, approximately 70 miles east of Los Angeles, resulted in 8 people being hospitalized with severe injuries, as reported by KTLA.

• An accident on Highway 189 in Crestline, in the San Bernardino mountains east of Los Angeles, left 16 drivers stranded in the snow, according to NBC4 Los Angeles.

• CalTrans closed Interstate 5 through the Grapevine on Friday, February 24th, due to dangerous conditions associated with the powerful winter storm, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

• The FAA issued a ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on February 24th, due to severe thunderstorms in the area, preventing planes from landing for a time and snarling air traffic in the area, according to CBS News. 

With the dangerous winter road conditions created by the recent winter storms lashing the state of California, as well as much of the nation, it is critical to understand potential winter road hazards and to review safety tips for driving in winter conditions. 

The law firm of Carpenter & Zuckerman has been helping car accident victims for over 27 years. We understand the devastating impact a car accident can have on your life, and the lives of your loved ones. If you have been involved in a winter storm-related accident, or an accident of any kind, turn to the experienced and compassionate personal injury lawyers at CZ Law for help. 

With offices throughout the state of California, as well as Washington State, our veteran accident attorneys can guide you through your car accident ordeal — shouldering the burden of the insurance claims process and fighting on your behalf to secure the maximum compensation possible in your case — so you can get back to living your life.

Call 310-273-1230 or contact CZ Law online today for a FREE consultation.