Burlingame, CA (July 28, 2026) — A collision involving five vehicles blocked multiple lanes of southbound Highway 101 at Broadway in Burlingame on Monday afternoon, July 27, according to dispatch records. It was initially reported as involving four vehicles, then updated to five.
Dispatch information indicates a black Cadillac Escalade had attempted to merge into the far-left lane shortly before the vehicles came together. A black Ford Expedition ended up facing the wrong direction afterward, blocking two lanes.
A white Toyota Corolla and the Cadillac Escalade both had front axle damage and needed to be towed. A gray Rivian’s airbags deployed, though its occupant declined further assistance and arranged a tow independently.
Injuries in the wreck were classified as minor, according to dispatch information. Descriptions of the vehicles involved varied slightly between callers, and the full sequence of events was not entirely clear from dispatch records.
The exact cause of the accident remained under review as this report was filed. We hope everyone involved recovers quickly.
How May One Merge Attempt Cascade Into Multiple Vehicles?
A single lane change on a busy highway can set off a chain reaction involving several vehicles, even if the original move was fairly minor. When one driver merges too closely in front of another car, they have to brake or swerve suddenly, which can force the driver behind them to react as well.
Merging into a far lane rather than the one immediately next to a driver’s current position adds extra risk to this pattern. It usually means crossing more traffic and judging gaps at a greater distance, which leaves less room for error if a gap turns out to be smaller than it looked.
Drivers are generally encouraged to signal well before merging and to check blind spots more than once, rather than relying on a single mirror glance. If a gap looks tight, waiting for a clearer opening is usually safer than forcing a merge and hoping surrounding traffic adjusts in time.
