Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Within the span of one year, 30,797 people in the U.S. died due to car crashes–6,770 of these victims being passengers (NHTSA-FARS). This information, collected in 2009, was a decrease compared to the 34,172 deaths, 7,441 of which were passengers, that occurred in 2008. But within the state of Arizona, it is noted that within the same year, arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) increased by more than 3,500—from the 10,500 arrests made in 2008 to the 14,000 in 2009.

A sports car was pulled over last Monday night after police noticed its irregular driving in Mesa. The 23-year-old driver had been found to have a 0.16 % alcohol level in his blood, double the limit allowed by the state. The passengers of his car at first seemed to be four kids packed into the backseat, and a mother who did not wish to reveal her name. However, an older child passenger told the police that there were in fact three more children squeezed into the trunk of the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Both adults are now being accused of child endangerment. Moreover, this was not the driver’s first brush with the law, but his sixth, and he had been arrested for DUI already before.

Sometimes the simplest of actions can prevent the most disastrous of outcomes. Did you know a person typically drives drunk about 87 times before being caught? Luckily for the parents of these children, this drunk driver was caught before any lives were lost. Please always look for the signs of impaired driving—swerving, tailgating, drifting lanes, or speeding—and report any suspicious drivers to the police. Being even the least bit proactive can prevent a child from losing his mother, or a person from losing his life.

Continue reading " Mesa Repeat Drunk Driver Endangers Seven Children " »

Did you know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found an estimated 2.6 million passenger vehicle occupants are injured every year as result of traffic accidents? From these injury accidents, 7 percent were injured in pickup trucks.

In 2009, 2,306 compact pickup trucks and 6,104 standard pickup trucks were involved in fatal crashes (NHTSA-FARS). In Arizona, the percentage of pickup trucks involved in fatal crashes is almost the same as the nationwide percentage. In the same year, Arizona had 1,008 total vehicle types which were involved in fatal accidents. Of these, 60 compact and 124 standard pickup trucks were involved in fatal accidents.

In Glendale, an 18 year-old man slammed his truck into his own home near 68th Avenue and Bethany Home Road last Monday night (KPHO 02/21/11). Glendale police are investigating the cause of the accident and fire-fighters on scene said that there were three more people inside the truck; the driver's 5-year-old sister, his mother, and his father. Meanwhile, a 14-year old girl was inside the home when the incident happened. Fortunately, no one was injured according to fire-fighters.

As per the investigation conducted by the officers, the crash was not due to impaired driving. It was likely that the driver accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. These kinds of driver errors cause a majority of accidents on the roads today, so it is very important to be completely aware while driving, as a distraction is likely to lead to an error.

Not everyone is lucky enough to get out of a vehicular accident alive and unharmed. In the cases that we deal with every day, lives of innocent people involved in accidents can be changed in an instant, forever. Unexpected things can happen in a blink of an eye. Thus, it is always important for us drivers to remind ourselves to stay alert and become even more responsible while driving.

Continue reading " Glendale Home Slammed by Truck " »

Fatal pedestrian accidents totaled 120 in 2009 (NHTSA). The pedestrian fatality rate in Arizona as a result is the eighth worst rate in the nation. Those most at risk include adults aged 65 or older, and children between 5 and 9 years of age.

Time of day plays a large part in the frequency and severity of pedestrian accidents. Early morning hours and dusk to evening time are some of the most deadly times of day for pedestrians sharing the road with vehicles. The position of the sun may hinder the visibility of approaching cars, and as most pedestrians do not carry lights with them, they can be very hard to see.

One recent fatality in Flagstaff killed a 50 year old man (ABC 15 2/22/11). He was crossing the street early in the morning and he was hit by a commercial van. Witnesses say he was wearing dark clothing and the driver said he appeared so quickly she didn’t have time to stop. He passed away from his injuries shortly afterwards at the hospital. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the accident but it is still under investigation.

To keep yourself and your loved ones safe as pedestrians, it is always helpful to wear bright or light-colored clothing, reflective gear such as shoes, pants, or vests, and carry a flashlight if in the early morning or dusk hours. When crossing the street it is imperative to never assume an approaching driver sees you. Wait for traffic signals before crossing the street and even when it is your turn, look both ways for approaching cars. You never know who could be distracted at that same moment you step foot in the road, so as a pedestrian you should always be on alert.

Continue reading " Another Arizona Pedestrian Death " »

For parents, school buses are a wise option of sending their kids to school. The level of safety as well as convenience offered by school buses is the primary reason why parents favor them as compared to other means of transportation. Moreover, research has shown that American students are nearly eight times less likely to be involved in traffic accidents when riding a school bus (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2002). However, despite this impressive reputation, recent finds in 2008 revealed that there were 1,409 fatal accidents involving school buses and 1,564 people lost their lives (NHTSA).

School buses are still vulnerable to road crashes. Recently, a school bus was involved five-vehicle crash in Phoenix. The crash occurred on Friday morning and was caused by a hit-and-run by a semi-truck in Interstate 17 (AZ Central 02/18/11). According to reports, the semi-truck struck a Lincoln sedan near Glendale Avenue. The truck didn't stop and continued south of I-17 while the Lincoln sedan spun, hit the barrier and finally stopped in the HOV lane. The driver of the Lincoln was injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the authorities are still looking for the driver of the semi-truck.

The school bus on the other hand was unable to stop in time for the traffic caused by the Lincoln. It then hit another vehicle in a collision which involved five more vehicles. It was carrying 48 students and 10 adults when the collision happened.

Most if not all schools in the country have specific standards in hiring school bus drivers. This is to ensure the safety of the kids going to school. However, it is often other drivers on the road that cause worry. Unfortunately, the only preparedness for those unpredictable situations is to be 100% aware while on the road—whether as a driver or passenger.

Continue reading " School Bus involved in a five-vehicle collision " »

Based on the 2009 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Encyclopedia, there were 4,595 motorcycle crashes, accounting for 10.1 percent of the total number of fatal crashes in the United States. Fatalities in 2009 due to motorcycle crashes were 814 less than the previous year’s 5,409 deaths. In Arizona, deaths due to motorcycle crashes have likewise declined from 146 in 2008 to 126 in 2009.

This decline shows that more and more motorcyclists are starting to become aware of the risks involved in motorcycle accidents, and more drivers are watching out for riders on the roads.

In a motorcycle crash, serious head injuries are the main cause of death. Many motorcyclists choose to protect themselves from these injuries by wearing helmets and other safety gear while on the road, but many others find them too cumbersome. Motorcycle helmets are helpful in protecting motorcyclists from severe head injuries, but the right to choose whether to wear one or not is a right held dearly in Arizona. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that from 1993 to 2002, helmets were 37 percent effective in preventing fatalities from motorcycle accidents (FARS).

Another motorcycle accident happened on the westbound I-10 at Baseline Road in late January (AZ Central 01/24/2011). Other than the motorcycle, three more vehicles were involved in the collision. Fortunately, the motorcyclist only suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the collision. Further information regarding the cause of the accident remains unknown. We encourage all drivers out there to be aware that we share the roads with many motorcyclists that want to get home to their families too; keep your eyes and ears open for motorcyclists and try to avoid distractions that could lead to another disastrous accident.

Continue reading " Motorcycle Involved in 3-Car Accident " »

Did you know that fatal crashes decreased by 3.6 percent from 2006 to 2007 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System)? As a result of this, the fatality rate also dropped to 1.36 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2007.

In Arizona, out of 807 fatalities in 2009, 195 passengers and 27 unknown occupants were killed in car crashes, a decline of 40 fatalities from 2008.

Another vehicle occupant, a grandmother, was killed in a fatal crash just past 8:00 p.m. at the intersection of Higley Road and Southern Avenue last week (KPHO 02/07/11). According to the investigators, three cars were involved in the incident. The drivers of the first and third vehicles were unconscious after the crash and were taken to the hospital by the firefighters who responded to the incident.

For the second car, although the driver was not hurt, her grandmother, who was with her during the accident in the passenger seat, died because of the injuries she acquired. Police say that impairment was not the cause of the crash.

Many of us have become more aware of how dangerous the roads are, and have become much more safety-minded. Evidence of this can be perceived in the slight decline of the number of car accidents and fatalities from recent statistics. Wearing seat belts is one of the most effective ways to stay safe while on the road and inside a vehicle. Most government and private sectors have continued to advocate the benefits of this in order to further reduce car accident fatalities.

Continue reading " Grandmother Killed, 2 Unconscious in a 3-car crash " »

Did you know that the majority, 68 percent, of fatal truck accidents occur in rural areas during the daytime and on weekdays? In 2009, tractor trailer trucks accounted for 2,131 or 4.8 percent of the total vehicles involved in fatal crashes while 82 or 0.2 percent of farm equipment vehicles other than trucks were involved on fatal accidents on the same year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the state of Arizona, 52 tractor trailer trucks and 2 farm equipment vehicles other than trucks out of a total of 1,008 vehicles were involved in fatal accidents. Although the number is not as high as compared to other types of vehicles involved in crashes, the dangers of large truck accidents should not be neglected. In fact, statistics show that one person is either killed or injured every 16 minutes in accidents which involve 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers or semi-trucks.

On Sunday, a San Carlos Apache officer died due to a collision involving a stray trailer and his vehicle around 3:30 p.m. along U.S. 70 near milepost 279 (AZ Central 02/13/11). The victim was on his way to a mandatory meeting that afternoon when his car was struck by a detached trailer from a vehicle. Further investigations are currently being conducted by the authorities to gather more information about the accident.

Continue reading " Apache Officer Killed in a Collision " »

Alcohol impaired driving continues to take its toll on the lives of Arizonans as two cars hit head-on earlier this week, leaving one dead and two others seriously injured in Mesa (AZ Central 02/07/2011). The 26-year-old passenger of a white Chevrolet Malibu was pronounced dead on the scene.

The fatal Mesa accident happened Monday around 10:50 a.m. The Malibu was reportedly speeding west on McKellips Road and hit an SUV head on when the driver tried to move to the middle lane to turn left near Center Street and McKellips.

The strong impact of the collision threw the driver and the passenger out of the Malibu and while on the street, a third vehicle hit one of them, according to the responding officer.

Drivers of both vehicles were rushed to a nearby hospital and continue to remain in extreme critical condition.

Police believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash after discovering empty cans of alcohol and one still with alcohol in it in the Malibu.

This and many more car accident deaths will occur if impaired drivers are allowed to get on the road. Involved in 32 percent of total collision fatalities in 2009 (NHTSA), drunken driving has always been a big factor in fatal car crashes. Unfortunately, it is impossible for authorities to be present at every instance of impaired driving. But it is possible for the peers and others around these drivers to stop them before they get in the car.

Please, if you spot any suspected impaired drivers, report it to the authorities. The life you save could be your own.

Continue reading " 1 Dead, 2 Others Critical in Mesa Drunk Driving Crash " »

Reports of vehicle crashes are starting to pile up as we are already nearing mid-February which, statistically speaking, is quite normal given the millions of car accidents reported each year. In 2009 alone, 5,505,000 crashes were reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; More than thirty thousand of which were identified as fatal crashes.

A car crash was recently reported involving a red coupe and a sedan at the intersection of West Bell Road and North Cotton Lane in Surprise Friday evening (AZ Central 02/05/2011). While further investigations are still being conducted, initial reports reveal that the southbound red coupe on Cotton Lane from Bell Road hit the other car that was headed eastbound on Bell.

The wreck left both drivers hurt, one suffering a head injury, possibly a skull fracture, and the other suffering pain and seat belt burn. The drivers were rushed to separate hospitals for treatment.

Though 5.5 million crashes a year may sound too much for a country with 300 million people, figures were actually lower compared to 2008, posing a -5.3 percent change. Fatal crashes have also been declining as of recent, in fact 2009’s roadway fatalities were the lowest since 1950 (33,808 fatalities as opposed to 33,186 in 1950).

Continue reading " Surprise Car Accident Results in Multiple Injuries " »

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that light rail is a much safer means of travel as compared to other forms of motorized transportation. The United States Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that in 2007, light rail accidents only accounted for 0.00008 percent of all fatalities, or 18 deaths (Transit Safety Data by Mode for all Reported Accident Fatalities).

The Transit Cooperative Research Program stated that most light rail collisions are between light rail trains and motor vehicles. The most common causes of these collisions are motorists making improper turns or running red lights. Making illegal turns in front of approaching trains cause the greatest percentage of light rail collisions.

In Phoenix, a man was driving his truck when it collided with a light rail train and rolled over on 19th Avenue south of Bethany Home (KPHO 02/03/11). The driver suffered some minor injuries and had to be extricated from the truck. Luckily, no passengers were inside the train when the collision happened.

It is largely upon motorists to drive appropriately around light rail trains. Most light rail accidents are due to collision by motor vehicles. Light rails are confined to the tracks, therefore they obviously can not move to avoid an accident, and stopping a train takes a much longer distance due to the added weight behind them, so it is rarely possible for a train to stop in time to avoid an accident. The Administrator of the Federal Highway Traffic Administration in 2002 reported that passenger injuries per million passenger miles have declined by almost 24 percent while light rail fatality rates have still remained stable at 0.008 deaths per million passenger miles. Hopefully drivers will pay closer attention around tracks to prevent future light rail accidents.

Continue reading " Light Rail Train-Truck Collision Leaves 1 Injured " »

Did you know that in the United States, 3,215 large trucks and 17,902 light trucks were involved in fatal crashes in 2009? Out of these total figures, 67 large trucks and 395 light trucks were involved in fatal crashes in Arizona. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS) also reported an additional total of 422 large trucks in fatal rollover crashes.

Rollover accidents are unfortunately a common cause of accidents with many vehicles such as trucks, SUVs, minivans, and pick ups. In most cases, the abrupt turns of trucks and SUVs are the main cause of rollovers. This is due to the vehicles' high center of gravity.

It is suspected that a sharp turn caused one recent accident in Tempe last Thursday. A semi-tanker filled with 6,200 gallons of milk rolled over near Priest Drive and Baseline Road. Investigators said that the rollover happened when the driver was turning left from Baseline Road to Priest Drive, and since he was turning too fast, the milk shifted from the inside, which caused the rollover.

In order to release the driver from the tanker truck, fire-fighters had to pry its cab open. The driver sustained some minor injuries while half of the milk was wasted, spilled onto the roadway.

Unlike recent model SUVs, most large trucks do not have counter measures which will protect its drivers and passengers from rollovers. Thus, drivers of these kinds of vehicles are required to take extra courses and certification to become licensed to drive them. The additional weight load, wide turning radius, and blind spots are all obstacles that must be accounted for and overcome in order to be a safe truck driver.

Continue reading " Milk Truck Rollover Traps Driver Inside, Trashes Roadway in Tempe " »