California Car Accident Attorney's Blog

Temecula Fatal Car Accident Caused by Reckless Driving Involving Alcohol

Alcohol and recklessness was believed to be a factor in the fatal car accident that happened early afternoon last Saturday at Temecula, California.

According to news reports, the accident involving two cars killed one person and left the three others with personal injuries.

Police officers who investigated the said accident said that a white Toyota Tacoma pickup with three male passengers traveling along east of Rancho California Road failed to stop for the red light, causing the white Toyota Tundra pickup with one male driver to hit broadside.

The four casualties were brought to the Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murietta, Riverside County, California. The three men were said to be in stable conditions after the minor to serious personal injuries they sustained. The other one, the driver of the Tundra, was declared dead at the hospital.

It appeared on the investigation that alcohol and the Toyota Tacoma pickup driver’s reckless driving caused the accident.

Under the California Vehicle Code 23103, Reckless Driving Involving Alcohol or Wet Reckless, any person driving a vehicle in a highway in intentional or reckless disregard for other person’s safety or property is guilty of reckless driving. And under the Reckless Driving: Bodily Injury Vehicle Code 23104, whenever a reckless driver of a vehicle causes physical injury to any person aside from the driver, the vehicle driver shall be punished by either fine or imprisonment or a combination of both.

Apparently, the driver of the Tacoma is facing a serious penalty for his reckless driving involving alcohol since there weren’t only injuries involved but the accident also resulted to the death of one driver. Maybe now that reckless driver had learned his lesson.

Pregnant Woman Injured in a Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident

As the saying goes, pregnant women are lucky. However, this 29-year old pregnant woman from Tyler, Texas is not so lucky enough to avoid a pedestrian accident.

According to reports, a pregnant woman named Latosha Little was crossing the North Palace Street from east bounded to west when she was struck by a northbound vehicle that was about to make a left turn into Bow Street. As a result, she was thrown into the vehicle’s hood and then fell to the ground.

Little was able to get up and walk towards a nearby grocery to use a telephone and call the police. Meanwhile the vehicle driver, after pulling over into the parking lot, abruptly left the scene upon learning that the pregnant woman was calling the authorities.

Under the federal law, leaving a victim immediately from the scene of the accident scene will definitely mean a hit-and-run accident which is considered a very serious crime in most jurisdictions.

Respondents who rescued Little transported her to a nearby hospital through an ambulance. Fortunately, Little only sustained minor injuries and both she and her unborn baby are now in stable condition.

The Tyler police are now in pursuit of the hit-and-run suspect who was an elderly black man, according to Little.

Once the authorities found the hit-and-run driver, Little may file for a personal injury claim to make him pay for being an irresponsible driver. Little deserves a compensation claim since she almost lost her baby from the said accident.

2012 Top 115 Safety Pick - IIHS’ Campaign Against Fatal Car Accident

An alarming number of car accidents each year are recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accidents occur unexpectedly like a natural disaster. However, it could be avoided with proper management and precautions.

As their campaign to avoid car accident, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety launched its own competition for automakers to provide the safest vehicles.

In order to qualify for the IIHS’ 2012 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must pass many safety categories first. Vehicles are assessed through a series of test crashes to determine its strengths and weaknesses.

All leading automakers have at least one winner this year. The automaker with the most number of winners is the Toyota with 15 winners, General Motors is the second in line with 14 winners, next is the Volkswagen with 13 winners. and then followed by Ford and Honda with a tie of 12 winners.

A total of 115 winners were chosen by the administration. The car industry’s best selling – Toyota Camry and Honda Accord qualified in the safe vehicle ranks for the first time.

However, it is noticeable in the winning line up that trucks are not included. This is probably because trucks and buses are the most often causes of fatal injuries not only to a single individual  but in most cases, it also victimizes groups of people.

A detailed list of the 2012 Top 115 Safety Pick Winners can be seen at the IIHS’ news page on their official website.

The IIHS has launched a very good competition. This will definitely make the automakers to be more inspired in producing safe cars in the future in order to at least lessen vehicle accidents.

Amateur Boxer’s Sister Dies from a Chain - Accident

A simple car accident which occurred at the Westbound Cross Bronx Express Way last Sunday morning ended in a tragic chain accident.

Based on the investigation, a thin sheet of ice or the so called “black ice” covering the over pass road was the cause of the accident. The chain accident started from a single accident involving Pedro Luis, the 20–year old amateur boxer and her 19–year old sister, Jennifer Sosa. As the two got out in their Chewy Venture, they were struck by a 1999 Toyota Corolla traveling recklessly at high speed which sent them both flying over a wall and resulted into a 75–foot drop into a sand pit of a construction site at the corner of Bruckner Boulevard and Brush Avenue in Unionport in New York. 

Luis and Sosa were immediately rushed to the hospital where Sosa was pronounced dead while her brother Luis is critical condition.

The chain accident involved a total of nine vehicles and left one – dead and fifteen injuries. People who sustained personal injuries are expected to survive soon.

Last November, the city of New York begun implementing its first 20mph Slow Zone and said limit applies into few areas of Bronx since it has the highest vehicular accident and death rate in the city.

According to statistics from 2006 to 2010, 46 people have been reported injured from vehicle accidents in the Bronx area. This new slow speed limit aims to reduce accidents in the area. To some motorists, the area serves as a short cut. It is often taken by motorist to reduce their time and effort in driving. Hopefully, they would consider obeying this new slow speed limit even though they are in a hurry for their own safety.

Claiming Your Car insurance Without the Insured’s Knowledge – Possible?

For an example, a teenager from a family or the wife had got into an accident and doesn’t have the courage to tell the primary insured. Do you think they are possible to claim the car accident insurance without the knowledge of the main person insured?

To tell the truth, many car accident insurance companies have done a lot of serious mistakes in allowing other family members of the insured to file the car accident insurance claim.

An insurance expert explained that, when a person driving the insured car has the permission of the person named in the insurance, then they have the right to file for a personal injury claim or property damage claim in behalf of the insured.

However, the main fact here is that though insurance claims can be filed by other family members, it can never be processed nor released without the knowledge of the main person insured. 

Most car accident insurance companies have a strict compliance regarding third party claims. They usually contact the main person named in the insurance to confirm if they really had given the driver who is filing the claim an authority.

Assuming that the primary person insured wasn’t informed about the car accident, in some other ways, the news will definitely reach the policy holder’s knowledge, like through a phone call or an e-mail.

Now, there’s no sense of hiding the incident since it will soon be disclosed to the main policy holder of the car accident claim.

Hybrid Cars Have Lower Chances for CAR Accidents

From the recent report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it reveals that the chances of getting involved in a car accident is twenty – five percent (25%) lower compared to the common fuel – powered car.

Nowadays, fuel prices are pretty high. Therefore, people are seeking for alternative ways to avoid using too much fuel. In addition, as an answer to their prayers, hybrid cars were made.

A hybrid car is a vehicle that uses two or more different power sources to power its engine and over all technical system. It is commonly referred as hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) because it is powered by electricity wherein no fuel is required.

Initial studies agree that hybrid cars are economically refined.  However, the big problem they determined about this is that it is smaller and lighter than the non – hybrid ones making it less safe.

On the other hand, in a new study conducted, hybrid cars’ high - tech batteries are too heavy. Researchers found out that though hybrid cars are smaller, they are ten percent (10%) heavier than non – hybrid ones. That extra – weight of the hybrid definitely means that they can stand up better in car accidents.

A member of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that the chances of being injured in a car accident in hybrid cars is twenty – five percent (25%) lower than those which are not.

That’s quite a good news for hybrid car owners. However, if there is good news, there would always be a corresponding bad one. The bad news here is that because hybrid cars are less noisy than the non – hybrid cars, people often do not hear them coming, so there is a huge possibility of hitting a pedestrian.

This means that if hybrid cars are twenty – five percent (25%) safer and causes less personal injuries from car accidents, on the contrary, they are twenty percent (20%) more dangerous to pedestrians.

The Department of Transportation is now working to find ways on how to make hybrid cars a little bit noisier to be safer from both car accidents and to pedestrians.

Pit Bull Owner Sentenced 90 Days in Jail for Letting Their Dog Run Loose

The pit bull’s owner, Heather Marie Pruett, 33 years old from North Hamilton Drive on the Western Fringe in the small town of Niles has been sentenced of 90 days in jail and will be under probation for 18 months. In addition, she is required to do 180 hours of community work at an animal shelter within the area. She was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,360 plus the court fee up to $30,000 in yet to be resolved restitution at the Berrien County Trial Court. The woman’s sanctions are due to her negligent act of allowing her pit bull to run free around the Buchanan area.

According to court documents, three Buchanan residents were attacked by the woman’s pit bull all at the very same day.

The first victim of the dog is Doyle Vergon. According to Vergon, he was walking his dog when they were attacked by the pit bull, Vergon and his dog both suffered from serious injuries, his dog’s veterinary bills already exceeded to $400.

After few hours, Margaret Desenberg, who was outside her house was also attacked by the same pit bull. When her brother saw that she was being attacked by the dog, her brother rushed to rescue. As a result of which, Desenberg and her brother both suffered from injuries and needed to undergo skin grafting.

Police reports said that the pit bull has been missing from Pruett’s residence for a couple of days before the consecutive animal attacks occurred. Eventually, the dog has been seized by the Berrien County Animal Control Department and demolished following an isolation period.

Though the pit bull owner didn’t mean to free her dog, it’s still her liability being the owner and considering that the dog is in her custody.

Several Motorists Injured in 134 Freeway Chain Crash

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 40,000 cases of car accident occur in the United States each year. Most of the crashes cause secondary collision resulting to aggravated injuries of victims.

Consider the chain car accident on Monday at Burbank where a three-car pile up caused fender bender crashes among nearby vehicles.

According to reports, a SUV rolled over on the westbound lane of the 134 Freeway near Hollywood Way. The crash site caused two vehicles to collide, injuring several motorists. The three-car accident also caused fender bender collision among drivers near the scene.

Paramedics arrived and transported the injured victims to a local hospital, reports said.

Reports said Burbank and Los Angeles City Fire officials resumed operations on the westbound lanes of 134 Freeway around 7:00 p.m.

When a car is pushed forward by another vehicle at the rear, the car driver may not avoid causing a secondary collision. This may result to series of fender bender crashes or worse, a car fire. The scene is a source of catastrophe for vehicle drivers who pass the accident site.

To avoid getting involved in a chain crash, maintain sufficient distance from the car in front according to both of your speed levels and the road condition. Further, make it a habit to survey the intersection before entering it. By all means, check your auto parts before heading the freeway to prevent fixing it in the middle of the highway.

However, if your car got rear-ended by a reckless driver, you may file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. Your attorney will help you assert compensation for your medical expenses and property loss.

 

Suspected Drunken Driver Arrested after Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Anaheim

Drunk driving is a traffic violation which can be easily avoided by drivers, if only they take their own safety into consideration. But sometimes, they realize the drastic effects of drunk driving only after they are forced to face them and it is too late to correct the mistakes they have committed.

A suspected drunken driver had been arrested by police after he struck and killed a male pedestrian who was crossing Rio Vista Street in Anaheim.

According to reports, the 59-year-old male driver was moving southbound along the No. 1 lane of Rio Vista at around 5:30 p.m. when his white Ford Econoline van suddenly hit a man who was crossing the road 30, which is around 30 to 40 feet away from Hempstead Street.

The victim was crossing a part of Rio Vista which is boarded by an apartment complex on one side and a shopping center on the other.

Authorities said the pedestrian appeared to be in his 50s. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died after a short time.

The unidentified driver failed a field-sobriety test and was then arrested at the accident area.

Authorities were forced to close Rio Vista between Lincoln Avenue and Hempstead Street in order to give way for the investigation.

They are asking witnesses to come forward so that they will know all the facts that are related to the fatal accident.

This accident could have avoided if only the driver was able to control himself, especially his cravings for alcoholic beverages. He should have refrained from drinking if he is going to travel afterwards.

Hopefully, authorities will be able to finish the investigation immediately so that justice will be given to the pedestrian’s loved ones.

Is the Anti-Texting Law Effective?

A large percentage of all car accidents in California are caused by distracted driving and one of the most common distractions is… you guessed it, cell phones.

This led the state government to implement a law that prohibits texting while behind the wheel almost two years ago.

But somehow, I think most California motorists have forgotten that the law even exists.

A recent test conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California among 4,000 motorists in

Orange County revealed that 2.7 percent of those motorists were texting while they were driving.

You may say that 2.7 percent is not that big a number but we are talking about a small sample size of 4,000 people and is limited in Orange County only.

But if you think about it, out of nearly 4,000 motorists you encounter in Orange County more than 100 of them text while driving.

So the question remains, is the anti-texting law effective?

Data show that it is not very effective as there was even an increase in the number of texting related crashes in California after the law was passed.

The problem is that the law does not really punish drivers who violate the policy.

The current penalty is a $20 bill for a first offense and there’s not even a point added to the driver’s record.

Instead of fearing the penalty, motorists might even feel emboldened to violate.

Hey, it looks like if I have $20 I can text while driving as long as I don’t do it again when I am caught.

As a car accident law firm we should not even be complaining about it (hey more clients for us right?) but road safety should be everyone’s concern and if we see a problem, we should aim to fix it before it gets worse.