Two men were killed and one woman was injured in a two-car accident in California on Feb. 20. Police said that one of the deceased men was traveling in the wrong lane and struck another vehicle.

The accident occurred at about 12:50 p.m. on Highway 101 just north of Santa Maria. A Chevrolet Silverado reportedly driven by a 57-year-old man was traveling north in the southbound lane, having entered the highway from the Broadway southbound exit. After crossing the Santa Maria River Bridge, the Silverado collided head-on with a Ford Fiesta driven by a 71-year-old Nipomo man. One of the vehicles caught fire as a result of the collision. Emergency crews had to extricate a person involved in the accident from one of the vehicles.

The 57-year-old man died at the scene of the accident. The 71-year-old man suffered major injuries and was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he later died. His passenger, a 70-year-old Nipomo woman, suffered serious injuries and was also taken a hospital. No information about her condition was included in reports on Feb. 23.

People who cause fatal car accidents because of their negligence often die as a result of these collisions. The family members of other deceased victims sometimes consider filing wrongful death suits against the estates of deceased negligent drivers. Settlements resulting from wrongful death claims may be sufficient to cover the costs of deceased victims' medical treatment, burial expenses, lost income and other damages.

Source: The Tribune News, 'Two killed in Hwy. 101 crash caused by wrong-way driver," Matt Fountain, Feb. 20, 2015

Source: The Tribune News, 'Men killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 101 are identified," Matt Fountain, Feb. 23, 2015