Remembering James Dean: The Tragic Car Crash of 1955 at Highway 41 and 46

We cannot let September 30 pass without pausing to remember the 24-year-old actor, who died on that day in 1955 in a remote part of San Luis Obispo County.

To this day, the intersection of Highway 41 and 46, where the crash occurred in the late afternoon, is something of a shrine “where people go and wonder what might have been,” remarked Southern California author Chris Epting.

Details of the wreck remain unclear. Glare from the late afternoon sun greatly reduced 23-year-old California Polytechnic State University student Donald Turnupseed’s visibility, probably causing him to turn in front of Dean and his passenger. Dean, who was behind the wheel of a $7,000 Porsche Spyder convertible, which he’d christened Little Bastard, may or may not have been speeding. The actor died at the scene.

We should also remember Rolf Wütherich, the other victim in this crash. Dean’s mechanic, who apparently blamed himself for the crash, attempted suicide multiple times in the 1960s. During one of these attempts, he stabbed his wife seventeen times in an apparent failed murder-suicide. A drunk driver killed Wütherich in 1981.

Donald Turnupseed, who was mostly uninjured, also died relatively young. He succumbed to lung cancer in 1995.

Kinds of Negligence

Bad weather never excuses bad driving. In fact, weather-related wrecks are simply another kind of negligence, as follows:

• Environmental: Most drivers have a duty of reasonable care. Much like a defense reacts to an offense in football, the duty of reasonable care changes in response to adverse weather conditions. When the sun is in a driver’s eyes, or similar bad conditions exist, drivers must slow down and drive more carefully.
• Operational: Excessive speed may be the most common kind of operational negligence. Speed increases the risk of a wreck and the force in a collision. Other kinds of operational negligence (aggressive driving) includes tailgating, running a stop sign, and changing lanes unsafely.
• Behavioral: This final kind of negligence has nothing to do with driving. Instead, it has everything to do with drivers. Alcohol misuse may be the most common kind of behavioral negligence. Alcohol distorts reality and affects motor skills. Other kinds of behavior negligence include excessive fatigue, substance abuse, and distraction.

Today’s cars and trucks are much safer today than they were in 1955. However, vehicle collisions still kill or seriously injure millions of Americans every year. 

These victims need specialized medical attention, as well as compensation for their injuries. Our Car Accident Lawyers in Beverly Hills cover both bases. We connect victims with top-notch doctors who, in many cases, charge nothing upfront. Then, when these cases go to court, our team fights for the compensation you need and deserve.

Emotional Injuries

Based on his symptoms, it appears that Wütherich suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is very common among car crash victims.

Many people, including many doctors, believe PTSD is a little like situational depression. Once victims process their trauma, their PTSD disappears, according to many. That may be true for some very mild forms of PTSD.

Moderate and severe PTSD, the conditions which often affect car crash victims, is different. Extreme trauma alters brain chemistry. This chemical imbalance explains hypervigilance, anger, and other extreme symptoms which Wütherich and other similar victims often experience.

This brain injury may not be a visible injury. However, it’s a tangible injury, which means compensation is available.

This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Vehicle collisions usually cause serious injuries. 

Get A Free Consultation With Our Car Accident Injury Lawyers!

For a free consultation with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney, contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim. Our lawyers connect victims with doctors, even if they have no insurance or money.