Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

As recently reported by ABC15, a man from Golden Valley was caught driving too slow in a 35 mph zone. The driver was a 64-year-old man who was first sighted around 2 a.m. at a truck stop. The employees of the truck stop called the authorities and reported the slow-running vehicle and the possibility of an intoxicated driver. Shortly after, the man was caught in the 600 block of Beale St. as he was driving 5 mph in the 35 mph zone. Deputies tested the man and found that he had a BAC of .201%. Officials also found that the man had a suspended license.

Arizona Drunk Driving Statistics

In Arizona, there are 137.19 people injured each day and 2.09 killed every day due to drunk driving crashes. Out of all 2010 crashes in Arizona, 5.16% were alcohol-related.

Arizona Drunk Driving Law

When a driver’s BAC (blood alcohol level) is above 0.08, they will receive penalties for driving under the influence. Alcohol blood content of 0.15 or 0.20 and above will receive even heavier penalties.

Arizona Liability for Driving Drunk

In Arizona, people who are caught with a BAC of 0.15 or higher will be categorized as ‘Extreme DUI’ and will likely be convicted of a criminal misdemeanor. Aside from an extreme DUI, penalties will also be increased with the presence of other factors, such as driving over or under a certain speed, as well as having a suspended license. It was a fortunate thing that the driver was caught by the police before he could do further harm to himself or cause serious injuries to others.

Contact an Experienced Arizona Car Accident Lawyer

In this case, we are lucky to report that a drunk driver did not do any physical harm to himself or anyone else. Many times, however, this is not the case and a drunk driver can cause serious injury to himself and others. As experienced drunk driving accident attorneys in Kingman, we have handled many cases where a drunk driver has caused serious injury to our client. People should never drive drunk, and when they make this choice and injure an innocent individual they should be punished and have to pay for all medical expenses and any other costs incurred by the victim. If you have been hurt by a drunk driver, call Alexis and Mark Breyer of Breyer Law Offices, P.C. They can help you and offer a free consultation. Call state wide at 602-457-6222 for your free consultation and to have your legal questions answered.

AZCentral reported a possible impaired driving accident in Glendale involving a vehicle crashing into a popular hot dog shop on September 14, 2011. According to report, the crash happened at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as the 20-year-old driver was headed east on Glendale Avenue.

The driver lost control and veered off into a dirt field across from the hotdog shop and then came crashing into the west side of the store. A gas line was damaged, but crews were able to control the situation and evacuate the area.

Police suspect alcohol to be a factor in the Glendale accident and are waiting for blood test results. The driver sustained serious but non-fatal injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. No one else was reportedly hurt in the crash.

Impairment has always been a major concern in road safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 30 people die each day because of alcohol impaired driving in the U.S. Aside from the injuries and deaths, impaired car accidents have an economic impact as well; CDC estimates that the annual cost of alcohol related accidents exceeds 51 billion US dollars.

As Arizona DUI crash victim attorneys, we urge everyone to be an instrument in the fight against impaired driving accidents by avoiding alcohol when driving and by not allowing a friend or a loved one to drive when impaired.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Arizona drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses associated with your injuries. Contact the Glendale auto accident attorneys at the Breyer Law Offices, P.C. at (623) 455-6603 for a free consultation. You can also follow us on our Arizona Law Team Twitter account for additional topics of interest.

It is never safe to be driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Either those involved comes out of it injured or worse, killed. Alcohol is a contributing factor in almost half of all traffic fatalities. During 2009, according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), those in DUI cases accounted for 10,839 out of a total of 33,808 fatalities. This was a 7.4% decrease compared to the year 2008. Among the alcohol-impaired drivers, passenger cars involved were 4,242; slightly lower than that of 2008 of 4,679.

In recent news, a 19-year-old ex-UA golfer was issued an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on the 19th of May for drunk driving in Tuscon. She was a native of Zurich, Switzerland and a former member of the University of Arizona women’s golf team. Reports say her license was said to have been suspended because she failed to pay for a speeding citation that happened last November 2010.

A little known fact about drinking under the influence is that getting drunk reduces a person’s depth perception--- an essential when driving and without it will bring in some awful circumstances. Young drinkers ages 20 to 30 comprise more than half of all impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes and have been shown to have the highest average blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Drunk drivers are a risk to themselves and to others, so think twice again if a friend or an acquaintance is out having a bit of fun.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident involving drunk driving in Arizona, our Tuscon drunk driving accident victim lawyers offer free consultations. Just call these numbers (602) 457-6222, or (480) 389-2463.

Every year, about 1.3 million people are killed globally from motor vehicle crashes, while 20 – 50 million more are seriously injured (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention). In 2009, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That's less than one percent of the 147 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.

In Arizona, fire fighters pulled a driver from a pickup truck (AZCentral 06/10/2011) after an intersection crash in Mesa between a van and the pickup truck, where the van collided with the pickup truck’s door. The van reportedly ran a red light before hitting the pickup truck that was trying to make a turn at the intersection. The victim was taken to the hospital with broken ribs, while the driver of the van was said to have been impaired.

Driving after drinking or taking drugs whether they are prescribed or illicit is illegal in Arizona and every other state. In Arizona there is a zero tolerance for drugged driving. Every day, lives are lost because of people who drive while under the influence. Therefore, it is important to report any suspected drunk or drugged driver by calling 911.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Arizona accident due to an impaired driver, then you may call our Mesa drunk driving victim lawyers for a free consultation at (602) 457-6222.

Head-on collisions are serious type of road traffic accident. The nature of the collision itself is dangerous enough to result to fatal injuries. Did you know that there are a total of 126,000 head-on collision accidents that took place in 2009 alone? This is according to the national statistics of NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It sums up to a 2.3 % of the total crashes that had happened on that year, where 3,007 incidents had resulted to fatality.

A head-on collision took place in San Manuel, Arizona, where a 74-year-old man died and three other people were injured. The fatal auto accident in Arizona was between an all-terrain vehicle Polaris Ranger and a Ford Bronco. The Ranger was heading north on Water Tank Road while the Ford Bronco heading southbound when they collided as they reached the hilltop.

The Ranger’s driver died on the scene and three other people involved in the accident were injured. The Ranger had rolled over because of the force of the impact of the collision.

The Ranger driver’s wife, a 61-year-old woman and a 17-year-old passenger of the Ford Bronco was airlifted to the University Medical Center in Tucson due to some serious injuries, but were expected to survive. The driver of the Ford Bronco was taken to the hospital by an ambulance.

According to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, alcohol and drug impairment are factors in the car collision.

Head-on collisions like this one exemplify the importance of safe driving. Distracted and negligent driving can often lead to fatal injuries and worse, death. However, there are other factors that may contribute to head-on collisions for instance if there are obstructions on the road that may prevent the driver to see what’s ahead, which is why it is always important to keep your eyes on the road at all times.

If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident, call our drunk driving crash victim attorneys in Arizona at (602) 457-6222 for your free consultation.

Impaired drivers kill almost 30 people in the United States every day, which would make an estimated one death every 48 minutes. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The government has measures in place to guard against these drivers, and yet, accidents still happen all the time.

A teenage girl sustained life-threatening injuries in a pedestrian accident in Phoenix (ABC15 05/06/2011). The 17-year-old girl was waiting at a bus stop when a female driver drove her vehicle up on the sidewalk, hitting the girl. Witnesses say that the vehicle continued to run for a short distance before it stopped. The female driver was then held down by bystanders until the police arrived, to keep her from leaving the scene. Police say that the woman, 54, may have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The 17-year-old victim was taken to a hospital for life-threatening injuries.

The life of that teenager will forever be changed and impaired driving caused her misfortune. Drinking and using drugs cannot be combined when driving. When drinking, let a sober person drive the car instead. If no sober person can be found, it would be better to ride the bus or a taxi home. When hosting a party where alcohol will be served, be responsible by reminding guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, or better yet, offer alcohol-free beverages.

If you are injured in a drunk driving accident, you should be aware of your legal rights and options. Call us at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation. We may be able to help.

Motor vehicle crashes involving a drunk driver kills nearly 30 people every day. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that more than 2.3 million people injured from fatal car crashes were treated in emergency departments. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics in 2009 also revealed that 32 percent of about 34,000 car accident fatalities involve impaired driving.

Unlike last year's Memorial Day Weekend, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office revealed that DUI arrests this year's celebration were much lower. The lower rates of DUI’s were met with an increase in cab company business. These results implied that most of us are getting the “Don't drink and drive” message and becoming even more responsible when it comes to drinking and driving in Arizona.

In pursuit to establish a safer weekend holiday, 30 sheriff deputies were sent to lookout for impaired drivers from Friday night to Sunday night. In fact, the number of DUI arrests went down to 14 between Roosevelt Dam and Lake Pleasant.

Meanwhile, other reports from last weekend holidays are:

• 135 underage drinking were issued tickets from Friday to Sunday, almost the same as last year
• 460 people were arrested during heightened enforcement of drunken driving laws over the holiday weekend statewide.
• 462 arrests from Wednesday through Sunday as per the statistics released Monday for Arizona's statewide DUI enforcement program
• 11,000 traffic stops were made by officers and also recorded 330 designated drivers behind the wheel

If you have been injured in a car collision due to impaired driving in Arizona, call our Mesa drunk driving accident lawyers at (602)-457-6222 to schedule your no-cost consultation. Breyer Law Offices P.C. has a long and successful track record of protecting our injured clients’ rights and securing them fair compensation for their injuries, damages and losses.

Did you know that in 2009, there were ore than 2.3 million drivers and passengers who were treated in emergency rooms and over 30,000 killed due to motor vehicle accidents? This overwhelming number is the factor why motor vehicle accidents are considered to be the leading cause of death among people ages 5 to 34 in the United States.

In the recent CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) fact sheets, it revealed that the state of Arizona has crash-related death costs adding up to $1.10 billion each year.

Alcohol-impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving, and sleep-deprived driving are just some of the many causes of fatal car accidents. In the United States, about 30 victims die in fatal car crashes which involve drunk drivers making the annual costs of alcohol-related crashes to $51 billion nationwide.

In Glendale, an intoxicated driver caused a van wreck early Tuesday morning (5/24/11). Police officers received a call about a minivan that had crashed into an apartment complex wall at 75th and Glendale Avenues.

According to the witnesses, the minivan had three occupants, two adult women and a 2-year-old girl. By the time the police arrive, only the passenger with non-life threatening injuries was inside the van. Meanwhile, the driver of the van had left the scene to take the toddler into the apartment complex.

Police searched the apartment complex and eventually found the girl unharmed. However, paramedics had to check the condition of the child and then took her to the hospital.

Intoxication at time of the Glendale accident is believed to be the reason of the wreck since the two adult women has been out drinking before it happened.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action on Road Safety. Thus, if you cannot avoid drinking, here are some safety tips from the Center for Disease Control and Road Safety (CDC).

Whenever your social plans involve alcohol, make plans so that you don’t have to drive after drinking. For example:

• Prior to any drinking, designate a non-drinking driver when with a group.
• Don’t let your friends drive impaired. Take their keys away.
• If you have been drinking, get a ride home or call a taxi.
• If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver; offer alcohol-free beverages; and make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.

For victims of drunk driving accidents in Arizona, ourGlendale drunk driving accident lawyers are available at (602) 267-1280. Call us now for your free consultation; we may be able to help you. As Arizona accident lawyers, we believe that one way to help stop these accidents is by holding alcohol impaired drivers responsible for their actions.

Every day, people die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. This number accounts for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. In the same year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That’s less than one percent of the 147 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.

In Mesa, a man was killed when he crashed his car into a wall after driving the wrong way on Arizona 51 (AZCentral 05/16/2011). Officers say they received a 911 call about a man who was driving north on a southbound lane of the freeway. When authorities arrived, the man had already crashed into the wall at the southbound on-ramp of Arizona 51 at Highland Avenue. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Police say they recovered opened alcoholic beverages inside the car. Both lanes of the Arizona 51 were closed for two hours.

This tragic Mesa drunk driving accident is a reminder for all drivers to never drink and then get behind the wheel. Being a responsible driver does not only apply to those who are driving, but also to those who recognize the fact that they shouldn’t drive due to circumstances such as drinking. Alcohol impairs a person’s thoughts, judgement, and reaction time making it a risk for injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash related to alcohol-impaired drivers, then you should know your legal rights and options. Call (480) 753-4534 now for a free consultation with one of our experienced Arizona drunk driving crash attorneys.

Jury trial is mostly used in the United States and in Canada. There are few other countries that require juries for trials. Depending on the common law of the land, jury trials are allowed for the different cases such as incidents involving drunk driving that go to court.

The Arizona Legislature has approved a bill wherein DUI defendants will no longer get a jury trial for their first offense (KPHO 04/22/2011). Having a jury trial was a flat right of DUI defendants before the approval of this bill.

With this, the judge will be the one to decide whether to approve a request for jury trial or for the judge to hear the case. The bill also gives judges new discretion on sentencing these offenders.

The use of ignition interlock devices was also lessened in the punishment for these first-time offenders.

In a jury trial, juries are chosen by the judge or the parties involved in the case. After the jury is chosen and sworn in, the parties give opening arguments, present their evidence and give closing arguments. The jury then deliberates; when it reaches a decision, it returns to the courtroom and announces the verdict.

While light drinking of certain alcoholic beverages are considered good for the heart, there are still people who abuse this privilege and outweighing this benefit with greater risks. Drinking too much increases a person’s chance of being injured or killed. Alcohol is a factor, for example, in about 60% of fatal burn injuries, drownings, and homicides; 50% of severe trauma injuries and sexual assaults; and 40% of fatal motor vehicle crashes, suicides, and fatal falls (Rethinking Drinking).

If you or a loved one were victims of an Arizona drunk driving accident, know your legal rights and options. You can call the experienced Phoenix DUI accident attorneys for a free consultation at (480) 753-4534.

Every day, hundreds of people in the United States die due to crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. The CDC has said that 1 person dies every 48 minutes from impaired driving accidents, and 1 person is injured every minute from an alcohol-related crash.

Drinking alcohol impairs the senses and ability to make judgments. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the way to measure the amount of alcohol in the body of a person. This is usually determined through a breathalyzer test. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has published a breakdown of what effects each BAC level will have on a driver (2011).

Typically, a BAC of .02 will make a person relaxed with some loss of judgment. At .05, most people will feel good, but will exhibit impaired judgment and lowered alertness. At .08, judgment, reasoning, self-control, and memory are impaired. Muscle coordination is already poor and this would lead to loss of speed control and concentration, and reduced information processing ability, which may lead a person to miss signal lights. Perception is also impaired. At a BAC of .10 and .15, reaction time, control, coordination, and balance will continue to decrease, making it even more dangerous for this individual to drive.

Again and again, the government and officials have repeatedly warned the citizens against drunk driving. It is the cause of many personal and child injury cases across the United States. Not only that, it is the cause of many deaths as well.

Alcohol-related crashes cause a lot of suffering and pain, and a dramatic cost to the general public. If you or a loved one is involved in an Arizona impaired driving accident, you may consult with us for free at (480) 753-4534. We may be able to help.

Statistics show that vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among American teens. Most of these fatalities were caused by reckless driving, drunk driving or distracted driving. Teens are unfortunately at a higher risk of being involved in a car accident. The National Young Driver Survey found that 20 percent of 11th graders have had at least one crash for the past year and 3 percent have had about 2. The fatality rate of drivers age 16 to 19 is four times higher than that of drivers age 25 to 69.

Because of this, the Arizona Highway Patrol Association (AHPA) in collaboration with Impact Teen Drivers, arranged a public awareness program that aims to educate teens on the dangers of drunk, reckless, or distracted driving. These sponsors are in charge of giving educational materials not only to teens, but to parents, teachers and members of the community as well. The program also let teens experience real-time driving scenarios. The experience is kept in a controlled, safe environment at a track at Avondale Toyota/Scion.

Indeed this event is helpful in educating teens about the dangers of distracted driving to help reduce these incidents in Arizona. Another effort to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving is the American Lawyer Academy’s Viral Video Scholarship contest, for which the Husband and Wife Law Team is the Southwest regional sponsor. Students were instructed to create a video enforcing safe driving habits to enter for a chance to win up to a $10,000 scholarship. Videos are open to public voting today! Cast your vote every day to help your favorite video!

Continue reading "Preventing Teens from Distracted Driving" »

The United States reported 5.5 million car crashes in 2009 and 32 percent of them were due to impaired drivers. Drunk driving haunts thousands in every nation each year and leaves many people killed or injured. April is Alcohol Awareness Month, so please take a minute to remind yourself and others about the dangers of drunk driving—you could just save a life.

In Phoenix, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and various police agencies arrested 48 people with outstanding warrants regarding drunken driving offenses under the fifth multi-agency driving under the influence warrant roundup last Thursday.

The DPS, Phoenix, Surprise, Scottsdale Police and Maricopa County Adult Probation Department participated in the said event.

The officers went to homes and businesses to arrest the DUI suspects. However, if the DUI suspects don’t want to be arrested, they can submit themselves voluntarily at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

Based on the report, Department of Public Safety arrested 33 suspects, Surprise Police Department has 8, Phoenix Police Department has 3, Maricopa County Adult Probation has 3 and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Constables 1 suspect arrested.

This pursuit of the authorities regarding DUI is such a big thing to do to stop the increasing incidence of fatalities in car crashes. Drunk drivers must not be allowed to drive and drink because it just triples the risk of having a fatal crash which could kill and injure million of innocent people. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has found that the average drunk driver is not caught for the first time until they’ve driven drunk approximately 87 times. The sooner these drivers are taken off the road, the less destruction they can wreak.

Continue reading "48 DUI Suspects Arrested: April is Alcohol Awareness Month" »

More than 1,300 people suffer serious injuries and 16 people are killed every day due to accidents caused by distracted drivers (CDC). Distracted driving is taking one’s attention away from driving due to preoccupation with something else, such as using a mobile phone. In 2009, about 5,500 people were killed due to distracted driving in the U.S. alone (AZfamily 3/7/2011).

In a recent poll conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Consumer Reports on distracted driving, it was found that 63% of those aged below 30 were guilty of distracted driving, being on their mobile phones or texting while driving. The rates were lower for those who were 30 and above. Only a small percentage of the younger population felt that driving while using a mobile phone was actually dangerous (AZfamily 3/7/2011).

Being distracted while driving increases the chance of crashing into another vehicle, resulting in injured people, or even death. Teens have the highest proportion of distracted driving (CDC). Researchers say the reasons are the teens’ lack of experience behind the wheel as well as peer pressure. Socialization plays a big role in distracted driving, as teens are becoming more conditioned into the habit of immediate responses to text messages and phone calls, even while driving.

The U.S. government is currently taking steps to halt this rampant problem by enacting laws, which are geared towards reducing this problem. Also, proper education through the family and school is being encouraged by the government.

Continue reading "Distracted Driving Accidents" »

Teenagers are three times more likely to be involved in fatal car crashes than any other age group. A recent poll about distracted driving from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Consumer Reports Magazine revealed that 9 percent of people over thirty years old have admitted to sending text messages on the road, while this number is 30 percent for people below the age of thirty.

More shockingly, the poll stated that 41 percent of people above thirty years old have made calls as they were driving, while for people below thirty, this number was a staggering 63 percent.

Within quite close time frames of each other, Mountain Pointe High School suffered a traumatic loss from the deaths of two of their most brilliant and remembered graduates. A wonderful student described as exemplary for both her academic achievements and her heart, was killed on February 18 shortly after moving to California. She was a Mountain Pointe High School graduate of 2007 and was killed in a car crash on the 405 freeway near LA.

Almost immediately following this young woman’s death, a second blow was dealt when another former female student, a track and field legend in both her school and the state, was killed in a Maricopa street intersection while riding her bike. She was hit by a pickup truck and died at the age of 27.

Today, teens are killed by car crashes more than any other cause of death. And according to the Department of Transportation in 2009, traffic accidents were responsible for the deaths of 5,500 people in the U.S.

Continue reading "2 Former Mountain Pointe High School Students Killed in Car Wrecks" »

Every 50 minutes, a life is lost due to a drunk driving accident in the U.S. (NHTSA, 2009). In Arizona, the Department of Public Safety and police departments reported that 7,756 car crashes every year involve a pedestrian or a drunk driver with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .01 or more (AZfamily, 3/15/11).

While a BAC of .01 may seem insignificant, individuals can react at different levels to alcohol, so even at this low level, some users can actually become significantly impaired.

As the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day approaches tomorrow, the Scottsdale Police Department has placed safety as a top priority during the event. Police officers will be out on DUI inspections at a checkpoint at Palm Lane and Scottsdale Road, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. The police will be paying special attention to drivers going southbound on Scottsdale Road, heading from Old Town bars and nightlife.

For every impaired driving fatality, Arizonans pay approximately $3.3 million in monetary and quality of life losses. If alcohol-related crashes in Arizona were reduced by even 10%, it would save $50 million annually in insurance costs.

If only to spare the financial implications of a drunk driving accident, please drink responsibly during your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. AAA Arizona is again offering their free “Tipsy Tow” service starting at 6pm Thursday night through 6am on Friday. You don’t even have to be an AAA member—just call 1-800-AAA-HELP and say you need a “Tipsy Tow” and an AAA truck will provide a free one-way ride home within a 10 mile radius of the starting location.

Continue reading "Scottsdale Drunk Driver Checkpoint Planned for St. Patrick's Day" »

Almost 250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years (U.S. Dept of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Added to that is the 11,773 drunk driving deaths that were recorded by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2008. 41 % of drivers involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.8 and above. Every 20 minutes, one life is lost in a vehicular crash.

The recent forced closure of the Carefree Highway in North Phoenix rooted from the serious head on collision between two cars that happened early this morning. The accident left two injured people.

Accordingly, just before 1 a.m., the 22-year-old female driver of the 2005 Kia Spectra was heading east along the Carefree Highway when suddenly another car hit her head-on.

Police have identified the 39-year-old female driver of the Black 2005 Mitsubishi Montero who hit the Kia, she was traveling the wrong way on the road leading her to crash into the other car. Investigators believe that the driver of the Mitsubishi was under the influence of the alcohol.

The two drivers were immediately brought to Valley Hospital. The driver of Kia was severely injured and in critical condition while the driver of Mitsubishi suffered only non-life threatening injuries.

To gather evidence and investigate properly the accident, the police officers of Phoenix had to close both lanes of Carefree Highway from 7th to 23rd Avenues for about 12 hours.

The high incidence of alcohol-related collisions has been of high concern for many years. Not only does it cost lives, but it also increases the cost of hospitalization. That’s why so many advocacy groups try to keep these drunk drivers off the road. Remember, even one drink is enough to impair your driving skills, so please don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking.

Continue reading "Head on Collision Injured Two People in Carefree Highway, North Phoenix" »

Despite persistent awareness campaigns and advocacy groups, alcohol continues to be a main reason for fatal car accidents. All over the world, fatal car accidents are said to be caused largely by alcohol influenced-drivers. In the U.S. alone, alcohol related car crashes comprise 22% of all major causes of car wrecks. Drivers in these situations are reported to have had the alcohol content of at least 0.8 in their blood stream.

A recent occurrence that attests to this fact happened in Phoenix. Carefree Highway, between Seventh and 23rd avenue, was closed off to westbound drivers last Wednesday morning due to a two-car collision.

At 12:40 a.m. a 39-year old woman was driving her 2005 Mitsubishi west in the eastbound lanes of the divided highway, when it clashed with a 22 year-old woman’s 2005 Kia Spectra.
The woman in the Kia was reported to have been immediately airlifted to a local hospital upon obtaining life-threatening injuries from the collision. She continues to be under extremely critical condition. The woman driving the Mitsubishi also suffered serious injuries, luckily they were not life threatening.

Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department reported that investigators believed alcohol to be a major cause of the collision. Aerial footage of the wreck showed badly smashed cars and scattered debris blocking the roadway.

Did you know that even one drink is enough to impair your driving ability? While the legal blood-alcohol concentration level is .08, even a BAC of .04-.06 can result in impairment of reasoning, memory, and lower your cautiousness (Brad21.org). Behavior is also intensified at this BAC level, resulting in exaggerated actions. When behind the wheel, drivers must have complete control over their reasoning and behaviours—anything less than complete control can result in a deadly mistake.

Continue reading "Drunk Driver Causes Serious Injury Crash on Carefree Highway" »

A man was arrested earlier this week after endangering the lives of seven kids. In what could have led to another Mesa accident, the 23-year-old suspect was stopped and is accused of drunk driving with seven kids with ages ranging from 6 to 13 on board (AZ Central 02/22/11).

Mesa police say the person looking after the kids asked her good friend to drive them all home. Unfortunately, the driver was drunk. Further investigations revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was two times over the legal limit.

According to one of the kids, four of them sat at the backseat while the other three were stuffed inside the trunk of the drunk driver's sports car.

Luckily, the suspect was apprehended by police near Mesa Drive and Broadway Road and the terrified children were saved.

The person originally looking after the kids was present the whole time and was in fact the mother of two of the kids that were inside the trunk of the car.

Police added the suspect had been involved in a number of traffic incidents, one of which was a fatal hit-and-run accident and has previously been cited for DUI.

The driver faces seven counts of child endangerment and DUI and is now locked behind bars while the other adult faces child endangerment.

Continue reading "Mesa man arrested for DUI, 7 kids on board" »

20 percent of crashes in the United Stated are caused by drugged driving (Stop Drugged Driving). This accounts for roughly 8,600 deaths, 580,000 injuries and $33 billion in damages every year. In a national survey conducted by the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, it was reported that drugs were present more than 7 times as frequently as alcohol among weekend nighttime drivers in the U.S., with 16% testing positive for drugs, compared to 2% testing at or above the legal limit for alcohol. .

Drugged driving or driving under the influence of any drug, whether illegal, over-the-counter or prescription medications, poses dangers on the same level as drunk driving because there is always a risk that they may be misused and as a result, impair the normal brain functions. In fact, the elimination of drugged driving on the highways is deemed to be a national priority.

In Buckeye, four Hispanic males were taken into custody by the Department of Safety officers after a high-speed chase Wednesday morning (AZ Family 02/23/11). The chase began near the Buckeye area when the officer attempted to pull-over a white Pontiac due to a traffic violation. But the driver of the car did not stop. The pursuit ended on eastbound I-10 just east of Dysart Road.

The officers also recovered an estimated 150 pounds of marijuana inside the car. Further investigations are being conducted to know whether the driver was on drugs at the time of the chase, and the exact amount of the narcotics.

One effective policy to effectively prevent drugged driving is the “per se” standard. Approximately one-third of the states have adopted this policy, which says that any detectable amount of a controlled substance in a driver's body fluids constitutes per se evidence of a violation of "drugged driving."

Continue reading "150 lbs of Drugs Found After Vehicle Chase" »