The vehicles collided head on and blocked both lanes of traffic for over an hour. Three of the four passengers in the Honda Civic sustained minor to major injuries (one of the passengers received a broken leg) and were airlifted to area trauma centers. The driver and passenger of the Mini Cooper suffered minor bruising and abrasions. CHP Officer Romine is currently investigating the accident but it is not believed alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident.
Mariposa Area CHP Public Information Officer, Steven Lewis said “This is another example that seatbelts save lives. Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way for people to reduce fatalities and injuries in traffic collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that over 1,200 Californian lives are saved every year due to regular seat belt usage.”