Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Drunk drivers cause thousands of accidents every year, resulting in hundreds of injuries and deaths. As Arizona car accident attorneys, we assist many victims of drunk driving in getting the compensation they deserve.

A national insurance company did a study and found Phoenix to be fourth in the U.S. with the highest percentage of drivers with alcohol-related driving convictions (ABC 15 9/29/10). San Diego, San Jose, and Charlotte are the top three cities. Reasons for larger percentages may be due to more drinkers or less public transportation. Another reason for more DUI convictions may be due to stronger enforcement. Phoenix is known for having strict DUI enforcement and repercussions, but also is home to a large college student population.

The city may not be able to decrease the number of drivers with impairment convictions that currently exist, but there is an easy way individuals can prevent that number from increasing. Taking advantage of the numerous safe ride programs across the city will not only prevent drivers from being convicted of impairment but will also keep other drivers safer by keeping drunk drivers off the streets. For those impaired drivers that still make it on the streets, we can be proactive in avoiding them instead of waiting for them to be caught by the authorities. Driving defensively is key in avoiding accidents.

Continue reading " Phoenix Ranks in Top 5 of U.S. Cities for Most Drunk Drivers " »

We all have those times when it seems as though our “To-Do” list is only getting longer. There are the tasks you complete routinely, every day, and there are the tasks that are atypical, occurring only once in a blue moon. Those infrequent tasks usually are the ones we worry about, but in reality, it is the routine ones, such as driving your children to school, that should take the most of our attention. It is a scene we see too often as car accident attorneys—accidents close to home.

On Tuesday morning, an accident involving 3 cars left one person seriously injured while three others were unharmed (ABC 15 9/28/10). A sedan and an SUV collided in an intersection at which police officers on the scene stated that both cars had either a yellow or red light. It is not known how the third car was involved but no occupants were injured. The only injuries sustained were by the driver of the sedan.

We have written numerous times about the dangers of intersections and yellow lights. Unfortunately many drivers still try to “beat the light” in their rush to get to their destination. Many times drivers think they “know” the light because they travel through it often. It is these routine intersections that then become the most dangerous.

A study done by Progressive Insurance in 2001 found that 52% of car accidents occurred within 5 miles from home, and 69% were within 10 miles of home. Because drivers frequent the same routes every day, they may be less aware of their surroundings due to the familiarity. However, as the statistics show, it is within this small radius of home that most accidents occur.

Continue reading " Early Morning 3-Car Accident Injures 1 " »

As Arizona car accident attorneys residing locally, we pass through Gilbert frequently. The recent upsurge of deadly accidents around Higley and Guadalupe roads has reminded us to drive more carefully. We support the police in their efforts to make their town safer for all travelers.

Over the past year, Gilbert has seen an increase from three car accident deaths a year to five (Arizona Republic via AZ Central 9/25/10). The Higley and Guadalupe intersection seems to be the most dangerous spot in the town for accidents. Police have taken up the issue by increasing patrols in the area between Tuesday and Friday afternoons. They issued 48 citations on Tuesday, and 40 more on Wednesday, including seven arrests across the days for suspended licenses and DUI.

Many accidents are caused by a combination of inattention and speeding. Distractions increase reaction time just when speeding demands it to be faster. Police encourage drivers to avoid talking on cell phones and never send text messages while driving. Hopefully the crackdown in the area will make drivers slow down and focus more on driving to prevent accidents.

Continue reading " Gilbert, Arizona Increases Patrols as Accident Fatalities Rise " »

Distracted driving is the cause of many accidents. Drivers may be texting, talking on a cell phone, eating a cheeseburger, or looking at another accident. No matter what it is, it is taking drivers’ eyes off the road and risking the lives of everyone else as well as themselves. As Arizona car accident attorneys, we can’t stress enough the importance of making the road in front of you the only thing you keep your eyes on.

A study done by U.S. researchers found that texting is responsible for 16,000 deaths from 2001 to 2007 (Reuters 9/23/10). Texting has become by far one of the most popular ways of communication over the past few years, and its growing prevalence means people are texting while doing many different activities, including driving.

Despite claims of hands-free devices to be safer alternatives of communicating while driving, the study found that they only make the dangers more widespread and accepted due to many states’ laws requiring hands-free devices. Researchers Wilson and Stimpson also estimate that for every 1 million new cell phone subscribers, there will be an associated 19% rise in distracted driving deaths (Reuters 9/23/10).

Continue reading " Deadly Accidents Caused by Texting " »

Sometimes we don’t realize the dangers we actually face when we are on the roads. We take risks every time we get behind the wheel and put a lot of trust into our fellow drivers that they will stay in their lane, signal when turning, and stop when required. Unfortunately when a driver is impaired, they can not be trusted to obey traffic laws, which puts everyone else in danger. As Arizona car accident attorneys, we hope these drivers are taken off the roads as quickly as possible.

Police in Mesa were alerted to a driver who appeared intoxicated on Monday night while pumping gas (AZ Central 9/22/10). Luckily, they were able to stop the driver before any accidents occurred. The driver was a minor, 17 years old, with a history of several arrests, prior convictions of drug charges, a suspended license, even assault and theft. He failed the sobriety test and had evidence of drug use on his arms. The police also found him in possession of drugs.

The history of this Mesa teen is very sad. Hopefully this latest arrest will be a wakeup call for him to get sober. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2005, 28% of 15-20 year old drivers killed in car accidents had been drinking. As parents, we understand how important it is to teach our children about safe driving. Even if our children don’t drink and drive themselves, the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance reported in 2009 that nearly 30% of high school students have ridden in a car with an impaired driver. It may be other drivers that a parent has to worry about, so children should be taught early of the signs of an impaired driver.

Continue reading " Mesa, Arizona Teen Arrested for DUI " »

While it may be our nature as humans to be curious about things we see, we must keep our curiosity in check for our own safety. The old saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat,” but it can also injure a person. As Arizona car accident attorneys and drivers on the state’s highways ourselves, we hope we all can curb our curiosity on the road enough to keep us out of harm’s way.

One Mesa woman’s curiosity got the best of her, causing her to hit a police car (ABC 15 9/20/10). The police officer was responding to a multiple car crash and was trying to find a place to park his vehicle when the woman rear-ended him. She admitted to being distracted by the original accident and not watching the road. Luckily no one was injured in the accident she caused, but the results could easily have been different.

This accident just goes to remind us again of the importance of Arizona’s Move Over law. When you see an authority on the side of the road, it is the law that you must change lanes away from the scene or at least slow down if you can not move. We may not be able to help our curiosity to see what happened, but we can prevent causing an accident ourselves by putting space between us and the scene.

Continue reading " Rubbernecking Causes Mesa, Arizona Car Accident " »

Many Arizona highways are not well lit because they seldom have a lot of traffic. Driving at night on these smaller highways that are sometimes only two lanes wide can be very dangerous. While driving on a poorly lit road, we advise, as Arizona truck accident attorneys, to use high beams as much as possible to see further ahead of your car.

On a minor highway in Buckeye on Sunday night, a semi-truck hit a passenger car (ABC 15 9/20/10). Four sustained injuries, including three children. The cause of the accident and ages of the children are not yet known. The road remains blocked for investigation.

A poorly lit road combined with high speed and trucks can be very dangerous if drivers are not careful. At highway speeds, it only takes a small miscalculation to cause a big accident. It is important to keep even more distance between other cars when traveling on a poorly lit road. Truckers driving on the highways are another dangerous variable. With so much cargo weight, the powerful trucks can be very deadly machines should they be involved in an accident because they are more difficult to stop. Some truck drivers put themselves and others at risk by driving fatigued, the effects of which are similar to driving under the influence.

Continue reading " Four Seriously Injured in Buckeye, Arizona Truck Accident " »

Did you know that you could possibly have two cases after a worker’s compensation accident? As Arizona personal injury attorneys, we want to make sure you understand your rights after being in an accident.

Worker’s compensation is awarded for injuries sustained on a worksite. There are very strict statutes surrounding worker’s compensation. You can not sue your employer or co-worker if you receive worker’s compensation.

However, even if you receive worker’s compensation, you could possibly have a second suit to file depending on who was negligent in your accident. If a third party was responsible for your accident, you could pursue them for negligence.

For example, if you work in a production plant and you were hit with a forklift driven by a distribution company that had came to pick up an order, you could be awarded both worker’s compensation and then follow up with a suit against the distribution company. Worker’s compensation would be awarded because the accident occurred while you were clocked in and working. A secondary suit could follow because it was actually the fault of the distribution company, a third party, who has caused your accident.

Continue reading " Dual Suits in Worker’s Compensation " »

Evening time in Arizona typically means cooler weather as the sun goes down, and more people are out walking. It is also the most dangerous time to go walking on the streets because shadows on the road along with the brightness of the sun in drivers’ line of vision can be distracting and/or blinding. As pedestrians, it is important to wear reflective clothing and be extra cautious while walking during this time to avoid a serious accident.

One Gilbert woman’s walk on Wednesday was not enjoyable at all. She was hit by a car, sustaining head injuries at Higley and Houston (Arizona Republic 9/16/10). She was conscious at the scene but taken to the hospital for treatment. The accident happened at 6:30pm, at which time the sun is still setting. It is not yet known if she was crossing a street or hit on a sidewalk, or what caused the crash.

There were 69,000 pedestrian injuries in 2008, and another 4,378 pedestrian fatalities (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Pedestrian Safety Fact Sheet 2008). These numbers are far too high for our most basic form of transportation. Those 65 and older and children between 5 and 9 years old are the most at risk for a pedestrian injury. To have a safer walk, the CDC recommends carrying a flashlight and wearing reflective clothing at night, being extremely cautious in intersections, and using a sidewalk if available, or walking facing traffic.

Continue reading " Woman Suffers Head Injuries after Gilbert, Arizona Car Accident " »

It is well known that the legal blood alcohol level is .08. It is better not to drive after any number of drinks, but especially once the legal limit is met. As car accident attorneys in Arizona, we advise to always have a designated driver or plan to stay over if you have been drinking, to keep us all safer.

Monday night was a destructive night for one man in Washington. He has been charged with three counts of driving under the influence after he crashed both of his family’s cars and returned to tow them home with his own tow truck (KGMI 9/15/10). The two cars were wrecked on the same road and luckily no one else was hurt, although the driver suffered minor scratches. The situation could have been much worse had anyone else been on the road or in the cars at that time.

Before having a few drinks, it is important to have your transportation home already figured out and set in stone. Nominating a designated driver is a great option. If none of the people you are with are willing to be a sober driver, there are many other options available to get you and your friends home safely. Not only are taxis, buses, and light rails running at all hours, but there are also designated driver services for hire. You can find a shuttle, a tow truck, or some services that even drive your car home for you. A simple search before you go out to drink can be the difference between coming home at night and never coming home again.

Continue reading " Man Charged with 3 DUI Counts in Same Night " »

The responsibility of the police is to enforce the law, and as car accident attorneys, we recognize the dangers that a high speed chase presents.

On Monday in Flagstaff, police spotted a man driving a stolen car at high speeds and started pursuing him, but traffic was too heavy to initiate a high speed chase after him (KPHO 9/13/10). Luckily the driver didn’t get away, but he did end up hitting two pedestrians and a wall. The pedestrians went to hospital with minor injuries, along with the driver, who was pulled out of the wreck right before it engulfed in flames.

Police chases can be very dangerous, as this accident shows. Luckily no one was seriously injured, but had the police ruled the situation safe to follow the car at similar high speeds, the situation could have been deadly.

So many factors are involved in a safe road trip, whether it is down the street to get gas or across the country. Individual variables must be calculated and avoided, such as a high speed chase, someone texting and driving, or even an animal crossing the street. It only takes a small miscalculation to cause an accident. At high speeds, reaction times can be increased because everything passes so quickly. The pedestrians who were struck by the stolen car were an uncalculated factor in the drivers’ mind who was compromised by the high speed at which he was traveling. He may have lost control of his car due to a preventative move to avoid the pedestrians in the first place, but his speeding made the move happen too late.

Continue reading " Police Chase Ends in Firey Crash, Two Pedestrians Hit " »

An Arizona native, rising hip-hop musician Emcee Abay Lattin, was killed in a Tempe car accident on Saturday morning (AZ Central 9/12/10). As accident attorneys and Arizona residents, we are saddened to see young, local talent lost to such a tragic incident. His car was hit by an SUV driven by a minor who is suspected of DUI. A motorcycle hit the wreckage shortly after it happened, the 19 year old driver of which died later at a nearby hospital as well.

Lattin, also known as Carnegie, was half of a hip hop duo called Silver Medallion, who was recently on tour and had returned to Arizona for a few shows this past weekend. He had been drinking that night and had a designated driver to escort him home. It is not known yet if the motorcyclist was impaired at the time of the crash, but the SUV driver is suspected to have been under the influence.

Nominating a friend to be a sober driver is always a great option for a safe ride home, but they may not always be depended upon. Designated driver services are available at various rates throughout Arizona. Some services drive your car home, others provide a shuttle, and some have tow trucks. There are also numerous taxi services in the metro area, available at any time. Check out Got a Ride? Got a Choice, a local grassroots organization founded by a survivor of a fatal DUI accident, for more information on driver services. There is no excuse for driving under the influence, especially when so many services are available to get you home safely.

Continue reading " Fatal Car and Motorcycle Accident in Tempe Kills Two, Including Rising Musician " »

While our sports loyalties may lie elsewhere, we are happy for the New England Patriots in that their quarterback, Tom Brady, was not injured in the two-car accident he was in Thursday morning (AZ Central 9/9/10). As car accident attorneys, the incident reminds us that everyone is at risk of being in an accident. Unfortunately the other driver did sustain serious injuries. There currently is no determination as to the cause of the crash or who is at fault.

Car accidents are just that—accidents. But many can be prevented. Distractions can be eliminated or at least quelled. Drivers can refrain from drinking and driving. Following the speed limit, driving with the road conditions in mind, and stopping for yellow lights are all ways to become a safer driver.

In Arizona, yellow lights must all be at least three seconds long to warn drivers of an upcoming red light. Many intersections are equipped with photo radar to capture drivers who cross a red light, and the three-second yellow is designed to adequately prepare drivers to stop and prevent blowing a red light. It was thought that some cities were actually toying with the length of the yellow light to make more revenue from red light citations, so the legislature moved to standardize the length of the yellow light in fairness to drivers.

Continue reading " Two-car Accident Leaves Quarterback Unharmed " »

As parents and Arizona car accident attorneys, we are strong advocates of sober driving. If you choose to drink alcohol or become otherwise impaired, always have a designated driver and/or do not leave your location.

Over the Labor Day weekend in Indiana, a woman was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol with seven children under 16 in the car with her (Indianapolis Star via AZ Central 9/8/10). Luckily she was stopped before any accidents ensued, as the result could have been very tragic. The relationship of the children to the driver is not known at this time. We’re sure the families of the children are very grateful to the police officer who spotted her driving erratically, and thank them kindly ourselves.

Drunk driving causes thousands of accidents and deaths every year. Driving alone under the influence is extremely dangerous as cars and trucks become thousand-pound weapons, but when children are present the dangers are escalated even more. No parent should have to suffer through the loss of a child.

Continue reading " Woman Drives under the Influence with Children in Car " »

As Arizona residents and car accident attorneys, we are excited to hear this news. The Arizona Republic reported that although there was a slight increase in the number of arrests for driving under the influence over the Labor Day weekend, it was not as high as expected (Hensley 9/8/10). There was only a 35% increase in arrests despite a 400% increase in the number of officers (Hensley 9/8/10). More people were nominating designated drivers and/or not driving after having a drink.

Keeping impaired drivers off the road is safer for everyone else on the road, and it seems like it is catching on. Drunk or impaired driving is the cause of thousands of accidents every year.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident that possibly involved impaired driving, it is important to know that you may deserve compensation. Impaired drivers may be subjected to punitive damages if they are at fault in an accident. Punitive damages are only awarded if certain conditions are met, such as proving the driver acted with an “evil hand and evil mind.” They are designed to penalize the wrongdoer and prevent them from committing it again in the future.

Continue reading " Labor Day Arrests not as high as Expected " »

As Arizona truck accident attorneys and parents ourselves, this story really saddened us. Two infants were killed when a semi truck hit their mothers’ car (AZ Family.com 9/4/10). The accident precipitated after a car slowed down to view another accident, causing the semi to lose control and hit the family’s car. The mother is currently in serious condition as well.

It is hard to believe such a horrific accident stemmed from what seems to be an innocent act of rubbernecking. Obviously there are serious consequences to taking your eyes off the road, whether it is to yourself or other drivers.

Everyday brings a new distraction to drivers, whether it is a text message, a movie on the drop-down television, a passing fender-bender, or even children in the backseat. While frequently things of importance arise while we are driving, it is even more important to focus on the road in front of you, as well as on both sides and in back of your vehicle.

If you must answer a phone call while driving, try using a hands-free device or have a passenger answer for you. Make sure children know the importance of keeping quiet in the car for their own safety; try making it into a game so it is more fun for them—who doesn’t love the quiet game? Providing rewards for everyone involved will ensure a good competition, maybe even some success.

Continue reading " Fatal Semi Accident on I-10 " »

As Arizona car accident lawyers we handle claims for car accident victims every day. Recently, there was a high speed crash in Maricopa that ended in a fatal crash that left one passenger dead, two others injured as the driver and a fourth passenger fled, reports AZFamily.com on 9/6/10. The two that fled are suspected to be human smugglers, paid to drive the passengers from Mexico to Los Angeles. As Arizona car accident attorneys, this story reminds us yet again of the unpredictability of others on the road.

Driving on the freeways is scary enough with other law-abiding drivers on the road, but when someone committing an illegal act initiates a high speed chase, it puts increased risks in the mix. Not only is the driver then speeding excessively, but is being followed by speeding police officers as well. Luckily the accident only involved the one car but one can imagine the results if it had stuck another passenger vehicle. It is important to always pull over for oncoming police and emergency vehicles.

Continue reading " Fatal Crash after High Speed Chase in Maricopa " »

AZ Family news reported that AAA Arizona will be offering a free “Tipsy Tow” this Labor Day Weekend, starting Sunday evening and stretching into the morning of Sept 6th. Available to those who have become impaired after drinking alcohol, the service is designed to reduce the number of cars on the road with drunk drivers behind the wheel. We appreciate the message AAA Arizona is sending to valley residents and stress that even when this service is not available, never have a drink of alcohol when you plan on driving.

There are too many drivers who think it is okay to drink and drive. Even one drink is enough to influence a driver, and they may not even be conscious of the effect. If you are driving and notice another driver showing signs of possible intoxication, including swerving, speeding, changing lanes without signaling or even driving excessively slowly, try to keep your space from them. If it is severe enough, you may want to notify the authorities. Visit MADD for more information and statistics about drunk driving.

Continue reading " Arizona Tow Company Offering Free Service to Prevent Drunk Driving " »

As the summer weather cools into a lovely Arizona fall, more residents will be enjoying some outdoor exercise. An evening or morning walk is typical practice for many Arizona residents during this time of year, but recently, for one San Tan Valley family, was cause for tragedy.

AZ Family reported on 8/26 that a woman and her adult daughter were walking nearby their house when the mother was struck by a truck backing out of a driveway. She unfortunately passed away at the scene. Such a tragic accident is a scary reminder of the everyday dangers present in our habits.

While enjoying an outdoor activity such as walking, jogging, or riding a bike, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. When traveling past a driveway or alleyway, always peek around the corner before proceeding to cross to check for cars. Also remember to use a flashlight and/or wear reflective clothing at night to remain visible to cars driving past.

Continue reading " Nice Weather and Outdoor Activities Require Caution " »