A Drunk- Driving Accident Kills 4 Passengers Involved

On the night of April 6, 2013, a crash near Kingsburg involving two vehicles left four people dead – of the three were teenagers. A 24 year-old drunk driver drove his Mazda pickup truck through a stop sign and slammed into a Mercury sedan. The sedan did not have a stop.

Consequently, the crash caused two people to be thrown from the Mercury. Two 16 year-old girls, a 19-year old man and a 21 year –old woman were killed while three others were left injured. The driver was also in critical condition along with a 33 year-old passenger.  The 24 year-old driver of the Mercury sedan was the only survivor in the Mercury and suffered only minor injuries.

Drunk-Driving Statistics

Unfortunately, drunk-driving accidents like the one described above occur quite commonly and result in fatal injuries. According to the organization, Mothers against Drunk Driving, also known as MADD:

•          Every 53 minutes, a person is killed in a drunk-driving crash.
•          In total, that is 9,878 people for the year of 2011.
•          Every 90 seconds, a person is injured because of a drunk-driving accident.
•          About one-third of drunk-driving problems (arrest, deaths, crashes, injuries) occur due to a repeat offender.
•          On average, one in three people will be involved in a drunk-driving crash in their lifetime.
•          An average drunk-driver has drove impaired 80 times before their first arrest.

How to Prevent Drunk Driving

Hopefully, the above statistics will prevent many drivers from driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Several ways to prevent drunk driving is to designate a person to drive while sober or by taking a cab. If you must drive, you should wait an hour for every drink you consume before getting behind the wheel. Know your limit and educate yourself. Remember to eat before drinking and beware of mixing alcohol with medication.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

Unfortunately, thousands of people are severely or fatally injured due do a drunk-driver. If you or someone you know was recently harmed in a drunk-driving accident you should speak to a personal injury attorney today.

A skilled personal injury attorney will work to earn you monetary compensation for any physical pain or financial suffering resulting from a drunk-driver. Do not fall victim to a drunk-driver’s irresponsible actions. Take the necessary legal actions in acquiring the benefits you deserve after being injured from drunk-driver. 

Wrong Way Crash Kills Two People

On March 31, 2013, a wrong way crash took the lives of two men near Beaumont, California around 1:22 AM. A Highland man was fleeing a hit-and-run accident when he drove in the wrong direction on Interstate 10. The 23 year-old driver drove into oncoming traffic as he was driving west on the eastbound lanes. The driver collided head on into a pickup truck causing a fiery crash, where he was killed. Both vehicles burst into flames and the other driver was killed as well. The third person involved sustained major injuries.

Hit and Run Accidents

Unfortunately, the story described above occurs quite frequently. A driver involved in a hit-and-run accident causes another vehicle collision while endeavoring to quickly flee the scene. Hit-and-run accidents and the resulting aftermath can lead to tragic and fatal consequences for all parties involved.

Committing a hit-and-run is a very serious crime and can be considered a felony if anyone is seriously injured by your actions. If you have been involved in a car accident, do not flee the scene unless you are given confirmation by the State Highway Patrol. After an accident, you should check to make sure all involved parties are okay, exchange contact and insurance information, and contact the state highway patrol. You should always follow the effective steps after an accident to best resolve the situation rather than flee the scene.

Consequences of Hit-And-Run Accidents

 If you leave immediately without offering information you can be accused of committing a hit-and-run. There are severe legal consequences for this crime including, but not limited to:

•          Suspensions or cancellation of driver’s license
•          Depending on the situation, punishment by imprisonment
•          Void of insurance policy of the driver by an insurance company

Hit-And-Run Accident Injuries

It is estimated that more than 11 percent of all vehicle collisions in the United States each year are hit-and-run accidents. Many of these accidents result in severe injuries for the parties involved. Often times, victims of these accidents can be left with the financial and physical burden of their injuries.

If you were recently injured after a hit-and-run accident you should speak to a personal injury attorney. With vast resources and legal experience, a personal injury attorney may be able to earn you monetary compensation for your injuries. If your injuries required medical treatment or affected your ability to earn income, you should consider filing a personal injury lawsuit in order to recover any losses caused by the hit-and-run accident.  

Pedestrians are at Serious Risk of Pedestrian Accidents

When you renew your license at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), they like to remind you that driving your automobile is a privilege, not a right.  They also like to remind you that you need to be diligent in order to prevent auto accidents.  In order to prevent accidents, we place the blame squarely on drivers who are operating these machines that weigh tons. But do pedestrians have a duty to take certain steps to protect themselves from accidents as well?

Every year, there are thousands of auto accidents across the United States.  Of those, when a car tangles with a pedestrian, it can cause devastation for a pedestrian.  Pedestrian accidents can be horrific, life altering, and even fatal.  Despite this harsh reality, many pedestrians take a cavalier attitude about their safety, assuming that they won't experience a pedestrian accident.  Unfortunately, the reality is that they could potentially experience a pedestrian accident at any moment that could end their life. 

The Danger of Pedestrian Accidents

As pedestrians, we often stride confidently into intersections, secure in the knowledge that we have the right of way.  But ask yourself if having that right of way will save your life and protect you from a pedestrian accident.  We do not live in a protective bubble and cannot protect ourselves adequately from distracted drivers who may run a light, gun their car, lose control of the vehicle, or worse. When pedestrians experience an accident with a vehicle, they could experience the following injuries:

• back and neck injury
• spinal cord and disc injuries
• severe burns
• amputation
• internal organ damage
• internal bleeding
• broken bones, fractures
• paralysis, paraplegia, quadriplegia
• death

Pedestrian accidents can be horrific.  Often, these injuries could grow worse over time as well. In order to protect oneself, pedestrians are encouraged to be smart and try to protect themselves by not taking unnecessary risks, to watch where you're walking, wear light clothing at night, and to follow the rules of the road. 

If you have suffered a pedestrian accident, your entire life could have been forever altered.  Your injuries could be severe and lasting. You should seek immediate medical care and talk to a skilled personal injury attorney.  When you consult with a personal injury attorney, you can trust that your pedestrian accident will be treated with the sensitivity and care that it deserves. Obtain the relief you need from your pedestrian accident. 

Avoid Injuries in Poor Weather Conditions

Last night in Orange County, a driver died in Santa Ana when his car struck a tree.  His injuries were severe because he lost control of his vehicle in the rain.  Unable to recover on this wide 3 lane road, the driver struck a tree, finally succumbing to his injuries and dying. 

As the rains begin in Spring showers in the Southland, it's important to be aware of the impact that weather such as rain can have on road conditions.  Weather could account for poor road conditions, limited visibility, and hinder your ability to operate your car safely.  In poor weather, it's important to know how to protect yourself from injuries and car crashes. 

Avoid Injuries and Drive Safely in Poor Weather

When the weather is poor, it's important to drive safely in order to prevent any potential injuries. Since most drivers in Southern California aren't used to driving in terrible weather, we must be careful to take extra precautions.  This includes the following attempts to prevent injury and stay in control of your vehicle:

• keep your vehicle's safety equipment in service and up to date
• remember to wear your seatbelt at all times
• keep your view unobstructed by obstacles in your vehicle
• reduce your speed in poor weather to ensure you keep control of the vehicle
• use your turn signals so you don't cut off drivers who are also experiencing poor visibility
• use your bright lights to see through the darkness caused by dark rain clouds or fog
• brake early and often to keep in control

If you feel yourself losing control of a vehicle and crashing, keep calm.  If you are injured, call 911 to obtain medical attention for your injuries.  And wait for the police to help you and to investigate. Collect as much evidence as you can about witnesses and road conditions.  If you feel your accident was the fault of another person's negligence or carelessness, call a skilled personal injury attorney for help today.

Honda Announces Major Recall of US Vehicles

The folks over at Honda have been busy. Last October, they issued a massive recall of over half a million Honda Accords due to concerns over fire risks in engines.  Now, Honda has announced another massive recall wherein they plan to recall over 871,000 vehicles for a potential parking security defect.  According to Honda, there's a potential that when people place the car in park, it may still roll away.

To Honda's credit, they have responded with quick recalls after only 2 minor reports of injuries associated with these potential car defects.  But does this kind of response indicate prior knowledge of the problems?  Or is it indicative of a car company who is consumer focused despite what will be a hefty price tag for the car maker? 

Recall Details- Affected Vehicles

Honda is recalling nearly a million cars world wide.  This includes:

• 347,244 Honda Odysseys
• 276,850 Honda Passports (years 2003-2004)
• 247,179 Acura MDX's (years 2003-2006)

According to the car maker, 807,000 of these vehicles are located in the United States and the rest are located in Canada.  Car owners are encouraged to call their dealership for more information about the recall and to see if their vehicle is included in the recall list. 

Based upon the car maker's investigation, this issue could be potentially serious.  Honda released information which stated when the car's transmission wasn't in park, the interlock device could become worn enough where the key could be removed. Therefore, if the transmission was not parked and the driver had not put up the parking break, the vehicle could potentially roll into the street and cause a car crash. 

If You've Been Injured and Need Legal Info

In a country with strict product liability laws, these recalls seem prudent.  In the United States, our product liability laws allow for unlimited liability damages whereas many Asian countries like China and Japan have strict liability laws limiting the amount of compensation an injured victim may receive.

If you've been injured by this potential defect, call a skilled personal injury and product liability attorney.  An experienced lawyer can help you to determine whether or not you have a case and what you might be able to expect from your lawsuit.  

Survey Finds Drugged Driving Doubles the Risk of Drunk Driving

California Highway Patrol officers are worried.  A recent voluntary survey concluded that 1 in 7 drivers tested positive for drugs, including marijuana, in their system.  In comparison, only 7.3% of drivers had any measurable amount of alcohol in their system.  This voluntary test offered drivers $20 to blow into a breathalyzer and give a saliva sample to police offers.  Over 1300 people were voluntarily pulled over during the course of 2 weekends this summer during the late night hours. 

In the wee hours of the morning after the bars close and before motorists get home, it's no surprise that officers caught more than they hoped for.  But it is surprising that 14% of motorists were on at least one drug, with many having 2 or more in their system while they were on the road.

The director of the Office of Traffic Safety, Chris Murphy, concluded "These results reinforce our belief that driving after consuming potentially impairing drugs is a serious and growing problem."

How Dangerous Is Driving on Drugs?

Many activist groups in favor of legalization for drugs such as marijuana argue that their substance of choice is not harmful to others, or that it is somehow less harmful than alcohol. But if this many motorists are driving around late at night with toxic chemicals in their system, their driving is impaired enough that they could potentially kill someone.

Drivers with drugs in their system are driving impaired.  Whether this drug is a narcotic or a prescription drug, drivers can experience slowed reactions or fall asleep at the wheel.  These drivers can cause serious and life threatening accidents for not only themselves and their passengers, but to other motorists as well.

If You've Been Injured in an Impaired Driving Accident

If you've been injured in an accident where the other driver was impaired, your entire life could have changed.  Not only could you be in pain, but your financial health could be suffering as well.  Driving while impaired is illegal and you could be entitled to equitable relief.  You should call a skilled personal injury attorney today to discuss how you can obtain relief. 

Governor Brown Signs Autonomous Vehicle Law at Google

It’s a dangerous world out there and it may get a little more dangerous on the roads as of today.  CA’s Governor Brown visited Google on September 25^th to sign SB1298, a bill that creates a legal framework and operational safety standards for the testing and operation of autonomous vehicles on state roads and highways.  If your heart just stopped thinking about getting into an accident with a car that’s driving itself, so did mine.

The new legislation makes California the 3^rd state in the United States to allow autonomously driven vehicles on its roads.  Last year, Nevada and Florida became the first and second.  The new law, which our legislature voted in last month, outlines a number of rules for operating autonomous vehicles on the California highways and roadways.

These include:

• Only designated operators may operate an autonomous car.  Therefore, if the operator steps away from his controls, someone else who isn’t designated isn’t allowed to legally step in and take it for a joy ride.
• There must be a person in the driver’s seat who could potentially take over control of the car if something were to go wrong.  That means you can’t just fix yourself a sandwich and fall asleep here. You do have to keep your eyes on the road in case the car isn’t doing its job.
• The California DMV has until 2015 to draft specific guidelines which may further tighten controls. I’d love to be a fly on those walls. 

What Autonomously Driven Cars Might Mean to the Field of Personal Injury

I can already hear the chorus of excuses that will come from an accident with an autonomously driven vehicle.  “It wasn’t my fault; it was my car!”  “It can’t be my fault, my car was driving!” Personal accountability will be the first item on trial.

Autonomously driven cars are a cool invention if we can get it right.  But experience teaches us that technology has a significant life cycle wherein we have to work the bugs out.  Look at the steep learning curve for cellular phones.  If we can’t get turn by turn directions on our navigation applications, what chance do we have to control a vehicle from a computer application? We’re in the early bug testing phases it seems, and you get to share the roads with these test vehicles. 

Google’s last stunt was to stick a blind driver in an autonomously driven car.  Perhaps this time they’ll comply with the new laws and stick someone in the car that might be less of a shock to other drivers on the road. Nevertheless, I would expect some initial shock that may be accompanied by accident spikes as a result. 

If you’re struck by an autonomously driven vehicle, you could be making history here. Comb your hair to look good for the cameras. And do call a personal injury specialist to discuss your rights in this changing area of law.