Latest Car Accident on Patterson Pass Typical for Dangerous Road
Patterson Pass, unquestionably one of the most dangerous roads in Alameda County, has added yet another accident to its tally. 34-year-old Socorro Lopez was killed last Tuesday night when she was struck by Lewis Quezada’s Ford F-450 as he sped recklessly around the curves somewhere west of Midway Road. Quezada was arrested and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter; CHP officer Steve Creel said it was simply a case of “aggressive driving.” http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_6349758?source=most_viewed
Unfortunately, even in the absence of aggressive driving, Patterson Pass Road still poses a serious risk to those who drive it. The most dangerous portion of the road runs over the Altamont Pass between Livermore and I-5 and is a favorite shortcut for a handful of Central Valley commuters who use the Pass to skirt the heavy traffic on Interstate 580. As a result, the road’s traffic is predominantly westbound in the morning and eastbound in the evening. The danger is that, for about three miles, the road narrows to one lane wide and includes several completely blind corners. Additionally, for a short distance the road is bordered by a steep wall on one side and a cliff on the other, limiting oncoming drivers to either a head-on collision or a 40-foot tumble. There are sections of the Pass where, if two cars happen to be coming from opposite directions, they will not see each other until their bumpers are fifteen feet apart.
A number of extended East Bay drivers have contacted us about accidents that occurred on this road—the twenty minutes saved by taking the Pass home do not outweigh the risk of serious injury. If you must drive this road, please use extreme caution and remain alert for speeding or aggressive drivers.
For more information, contact our office.
