Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

Did you know that there were 17,902 fatal light truck accidents in 2009? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS), this number is equivalent to 39.4 percent of the total crashes by vehicle type. In Arizona, 395 light trucks or 39.2 percent were involved in fatal crashes.

Such a staggering number of fatalities is not something to be neglected. Despite efforts to avoid or prevent accidents, they unfortunately still happen, just like one incident in Avondale last Wednesday when a 32-year old male pedestrian was struck by a Dodge pickup on Wednesday (AZ Central 01/26/2011). The victim was hit on Avondale Boulevard near Roosevelt Street.

The man was seen standing on the raised median before he stepped into traffic. The first vehicle successfully maneuvered and went around him but, the Dodge hit him.

The woman who was driving the car stated that she did not see the man crossing until he was right in front of her. The impact of the crash was so great that the victim was thrown into the air and landed around 40 feet away.

The man was breathing but unresponsive. He was airlifted to a Phoenix Hospital in critical condition where he remains still. He suffered severe injuries on the right side of his head, right arm, leg, and torso.

Traffic authorities always remind us to follow speed limits, traffic rules, and to refrain from distracted and impaired driving to prevent such tragic accidents. These reminders are not only for drivers but for pedestrians as well. Sometimes pedestrians may feel like oncoming drivers see them and acknowledge them, when in actuality they do not. Please take extra caution when you are both the pedestrian and the driver to watch out for each other.

Continue reading " Man in Critical Condition after being Hit by Pickup Truck in Avondale " »

Did you know that drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely to crash per mile driven than older drivers? Teen drivers are at a very high risk every time they’re on the road. So high in fact, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, that fatal car accidents have become the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.

In recent news, another teen driver has been involved in a west valley accident Tuesday morning (KPHO 01/25/2011). The 17-year-old driver, for reasons yet to be known, veered his SUV into the westbound lanes of U.S. 60 and sideswiped two cars just before crashing into another in the far left lane.

The accident left three people injured including the teen driver who suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. Hurt victims were transported to nearby hospitals.

While investigations continue to pinpoint the exact cause of the accident, witnesses told authorities that speeding could have been a factor.

The wreck caused Eastbound U.S. 60 to be closed and was not available until 8:30 a.m.
In 2009, eight teens ages 16 to 19 died every day due to injuries acquired from motor vehicle crashes (CDC). Factors such as driver inexperience and distracted driving, cell phone use in particular, play a big role as to why teen drivers are at the greatest risk.

Continue reading " Teen Driver and 2 Others Hurt in Surprise Car Crash " »

There are a number of contributory factors that can lead to a car crash, two of the most common offenses are habits that many drivers unfortunately do without hesitation. Distracted and impaired driving cause thousands of fatal accidents every year. Distracted driving is engaging in another activity that decreases focus on the primary task of driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has divided distraction into three main types:

Visual – taking attention off the road;

Manual – taking your hands off the wheel; and

Cognitive – taking your mind off what you are doing (in this case, driving).

Texting has been recognized as one of the most dangerous forms of distraction as it combines all three types of distractions, visual, manual, and cognitive.

Impaired driving, as well as distracted driving, is a staple problem in road safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 10,839 deaths recorded in fatal vehicle crashes that involved a driver with blood alcohol concentration equal to or greater than .08 in 2009. This accounts for 32 percent of the year’s recorded fatal crashes.

Fatal car accidents continue to live up to their notoriety as being the number one killer of people between the ages 1 to 34 as another casualty was recorded in a car crash in Phoenix last Thursday morning.

The West Valley accident happened around 7:25 am on eastbound Interstate 10 near the state Route 85 junction, taking away the life of a woman and seriously injuring three more, including two children (KPHO 1/20/2011). Responding crew requested a helicopter to help transport the victims.

Continue reading " West Valley Car Crash Kills 1, 3 Others Seriously Injured " »

A Phoenix man driving a stolen vehicle went into the hands of the authorities after being involved in a Mesa car accident last Thursday.

The 30 year old driver crashed in the area of 19th and Glendale avenues after being chased down by police (AZ Central 1/14/2011). Before the vehicle crash, an officer ran the car’s license plate and found out it had been reported stolen. The suspect was prompted to pull over but refused, and instead sped up, through several red lights and stop signs. The driver attempted to flee the vehicle but fell down on the scene. He was sent to a local hospital after sustaining injuries.

Officers found a screwdriver in the front seat and the car keys were missing. They also found drugs and drug paraphernalia in his pockets and field sobriety tests showed he was impaired. Further investigations reveal that he was also driving with a suspended license. The suspect will be charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, theft, and unlawful flight. Fortunately, no others were injured due to this negligent driver’s choices.

In 2008, approximately 32 people died each day due to drunken driving accidents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), making up 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. More than 1.4 million drivers were also arrested for driving under the influence during that year. This goes to show that despite the obvious danger and increased awareness, impaired driving is still a prevalent problem in traffic safety.

Aside from alcohol, drugs such as marijuana and cocaine also play a major role in fatal vehicle crashes, accounting for 18 percent of recorded cases.

Continue reading " Man Faces Theft, DUI in Mesa Car Crash " »

Phoenix car accidents for this year are already starting to rise as a woman and her two kids were struck by a car last Sunday night (AZ Family 01/10/2011). The mother, said to be in her mid twenties, remains in critical condition while the two children, a boy and a girl between 16 and 18 months old, are in serious condition.

The woman was reportedly hit near 26th and Roosevelt streets at around 8 p.m. while crossing with the children in a stroller. According to reports, the driver, who was a nurse, did stop and remained at the scene after the pedestrian accident. Investigations are yet to reveal the exact cause that led to the collision and whether the family was in a crosswalk when they got hit.

According to a research made by Safekids.org, approximately 630 children aged 0 to 14 die due to pedestrian accidents in U.S roadways each year. That’s almost two fatalities every day. A more recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals over four thousand pedestrian fatalities in all age groups were recorded in 2009. There are also thousands more victims who get injured due to such accidents each year.

To keep you and your loved ones safe from pedestrian accidents, be sure to follow some simple yet often overlooked pedestrian safety precautions:
• Always use crosswalks and obey traffic signals when crossing the street.
• Look both ways before crossing even if it is a one way street, or if you believe to have the right of way.
• Use sidewalks or paths, and walk against the flow of traffic to see incoming vehicles if no sidewalk is available.
• Wear light or reflective clothing to increase your visibility to motorists.

Continue reading " Phoenix Pedestrian Accident Leaves Mother and 2 Children Seriously Injured " »

In 2009, Arizona was ranked 8th for the worst pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population among other states (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). The 120 pedestrians who died in Arizona fatal car accidents that year show that risks to pedestrians are very serious and concerning. The elevated level of pedestrian vulnerability in traffic accidents can also be seen by the 12 percent of all traffic fatalities last year that were identified as pedestrians, and the 3 percent of all injured in car crashes were pedestrians.

The number of pedestrian injuries continue to rise in this new year after an accident in Old Town Scottsdale ( AZ Family 01/11/2011). According to reports, a vehicle struck four pedestrians in the Old Town section of south Scottsdale around 4:30 p.m. The four adult pedestrians were in the crosswalk when they were struck by the vehicle. The injured victims were taken to the nearest hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Police reported that the driver of the car was an adult woman. She was turning from Main Street to Scottsdale Road when the accident happened. The authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.

This incident only shows that even in crosswalks, pedestrians are still at risk to be victims in traffic accidents. Intersections are actually the location of most fatal accidents, so these victims are lucky in that they are expected to all fully recover. Please be wary whenever you are sharing the road, whether it be with a car, motorcycle, truck, or pedestrians.

Continue reading " Four Pedestrians Injured after being Struck on a Crosswalk " »

Rollover accidents can be some of the deadliest and ugliest car accidents seen on the roadways. Over 10,000 lives were claimed by rollover accidents in the past year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is more deadly than frontal, rear, or side crashes and can cause major head injuries or worse, death.

A Tempe rollover accident last Monday caused part of Loop 101 to close. AZ Central reported that the driver and her 4-year old boy wrecked their four-door Kia sedan for unknown reasons. The rollover details have not yet been released, but luckily, the woman was taken to the hospital with only some non-life-threatening injuries while the 4-year old boy was not injured.

In most cases, the instability of a vehicle while turning is the primary reason for a rollover. Thus, latest models of SUV and minivans have counter measures such as rollover stability control systems installed in them which help prevent roll-over accidents. Moreover, regardless of which type of vehicle you are driving, basic safety procedures should always be practiced, like wearing your seatbelt, since these procedures can minimize injuries. For parents, it is vital and it is the law to have child safety seats for children and to ensure that they are properly installed. It is likely that this young toddler was uninjured because his safety seat kept him secured when the car rolled over.

Continue reading " Tempe Rollover Accident Injures 1, Child Unharmed " »

Every year, over 630 children die in pedestrian accidents (Safe Kids USA 2009). Nearly 40,000 additional children suffer injuries as pedestrians every year as well. While 83% of fatal child pedestrian accidents occur at non-intersection locations, crosswalks, parking lots, and driveways are very common injury locations and are where most children ages 0-2 years old suffer pedestrian injuries (Safe Kids USA 2009).

Two toddlers, less than 2 years old, and their mother, all suffered very serious injuries when they were hit by a car on Sunday evening (Arizona Republic via AZ Central 1/9/11). The mother was pushing the children in a stroller across the street when a driver, who claims to not have seen the family, hit them. Authorities do not suspect the driver to have been impaired. Additional details surrounding the accident are still being investigated.

It is possible that this negligent driver was distracted at the time he or she hit this young mother and her babies. Did you know that distracted drivers take an additional 100 feet to stop (Safe Kids USA 2009)? That is an extremely large distance and could cause very serious injury or death! But 100 extra feet is only if the driver is distracted for 3 seconds before an obstacle arises. Add an extra second or two and the possibility for serious injury rises significantly. Please keep this in mind as you drive on Arizona’s roadways, or walk on the sidewalks. A text is not worth taking your own or someone else’s life.

Continue reading " 3 Pedestrians, Including Two Children Seriously Injured in Phoenix " »

Did you know that distracted driving is one of the top factors in causing car accidents? In 2009 alone, fatalities in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted driving reached 5,474 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2009 Traffic Safety Facts). This makes up 16 percent of fatal crashes for that year. Distracted driving is one of the reasons why car accidents are the number one killer of people aged 1 to 34 in the US.

Simply put, distracted driving is engaging in any activity that could affect driving skills therefore increasing the risk of traffic accidents to happen. Among many distractions; sending text messages, calling, or using a cell phone while driving are unfortunately quite common. NHTSA reports that 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved cell phone use as a distraction.

In an effort to stop Arizona car collisions due to distracted driving, an insurance company held an event called "X the TXT: DSGN8 Before You Drive" featuring Arizona Native and 2007 American Idol winner Jordin Sparks earlier this week (via KPHO 01/03/2011).

Sparks led her fans to take the pledge against texting while driving by appearing at Tempe Marketplace last Tuesday afternoon and to help get the word out on driver safety. She is advocating for drivers to designate a texting passenger so drivers are not tempted to respond to text messages that arrive while they are driving.

Continue reading " American Idol Star Comes to Phoenix for Campaign to Reduce Distracted Driving Accidents " »

Did you know that everyday 32 people in the United States die because of alcohol impaired driving accidents according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? An in depth look into the history of vehicle crashes involving alcohol impaired drivers reveals that although the numbers are steadily decreasing in the recent years, the families that lose their loved ones every year can tell you that they are never low enough. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety administration recorded a total of 10,839 deaths involving drivers with blood alcohol concentration exceeding the legal limit of .08 – 32 percent of traffic accident fatalities in the US.

Despite being one of the most common causes of car accidents, many people seem to ignore the dangers that go with drunken driving. As reported by KPHO (01/03/2011), more than 3500 DUI arrests were made in Arizona in only a span of several weeks; a clear statement that alcohol involved traffic accidents are still a major problem.

This statewide effort to arrest drivers suspected of DUI began during the Thanksgiving holiday and ended New Year's Day. Exact numbers reached 3,534 DUI arrests, more than a thousand less compared to last year.

Continue reading " Over 3500 Arizona DUI Arrests Made Statewide " »

Rollover accidents are by far the deadliest risk being faced by car drivers and occupants of SUVs, minivans, and trucks. SUVs are more prone to rollover accidents than typical sedans because of the higher center of gravity. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in the past, there were more than 280,000 rollover accidents which claim about 10,000 lives each year.

Rollover accidents are oftentimes caused by the instability of vehicles in turns. An SUV which has a high center of gravity for instance, can become unstable in narrow tracks especially during fast turns or if there is a sharp change of direction. Rollover crashes are more deadly for the vehicle occupants than frontal, rear, or side crashes. These can cause severe head injuries or even death to the vehicle's occupants.

On Wednesday morning (12/29/10), Loop 303 was temporarily closed due to a Peoria vehicle rollover. Although the cause of the rollover was not stated by AZ Central, the accident happened past 5 a.m. near Happy Valley Road. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the nearest hospital by a medical helicopter with serious injuries.

Many SUVs have roll-stability control systems that prevent rollover accidents. The use of roll cages, like those used in race cars, would also make cars safer, but these cages are very costly and they reduce the living space of the vehicles. Airbags and the stability control systems help make these vehicles safer but SUVs were originally designed as off-road vehicles. Thus, if you are an average consumer, it is important to recognize the design problems before purchasing a sports utility vehicle. If you know the strengths and weaknesses of your vehicle, it is easier for you to avoid unsafe situations and prevent being involved in rollover accidents.

Continue reading " Peoria Roll-Over Accident Causes Highway Delays and Severe Injuries " »