Crash Overview

Location Description 

Highway 20, or State Route 20, runs through Nice, California. At the collision location near Benton Avenue, Highway 20 runs alongside Clear Lake and is situated against multiple residential neighborhoods. This particular highway runs from the Nevada state line to Fort Bragg on the Pacific coast. The crash location is nearby multiple bus stops, retail stores, and residential communities. A sizable segment of the population in Nice is retired. 

Crash Summary

• The crash at this location occurred at 7:38 p.m. on February 14, 2024. 
• Dawn Marie Johnson (56 y/o) was driving a 1995 Buick eastbound at approximately 40 miles per hour along Highway 20. 
• The pedestrian (67 y/o) walked into the eastbound lane and was struck by the Buick. 
• Preliminary information tells us the pedestrian was walking northbound across Highway 20 from the south side of the road. 
• The pedestrian succumbed to her injuries and died on the scene. 

Why was this crash nominated? 

• The month of February saw several deadly crashes in this area - a few of which were along Highway 20. This was the third pedestrian death in Lake County in the month of February.
• The motorist was driving at the speed limit as they were traveling eastbound on this roadway; this points to the danger of designating lethal speeds as acceptable speed limits. 
• This highway clearly runs through multiple neighborhoods, yet lacks necessary infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and non-motorist users. 

What additional information is available? 

• A diagram to assist you with visualizing and understanding the measurements of the crash location.
• A folder containing the speed study and processed speed data.

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