Colorado Personal Injury Blog - Automobile Accidents

Texting Law Goes Into Effect In Colorado

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:33:00 GMT

New laws involving cell phone use while driving go into effect in Colorado tomorrow banning texting for all drivers and cell phone use for drivers under 18.

The new law will make it a primary traffic offense, which gives law enforcement the authority to cite any driver seen texting while driving. And it’s illegal for 16 and 17-year-olds to use a cell phone – even with a speakerphone or headset - while behind the wheel.

For an initial offense, drivers can be fined $50. Repeat offenders will be fined $100.

Unlike some new laws that allow for a grace period to help educate drivers about the new law before citations are issued – officers with Fort Collins police and the Colorado State Patrol will be handing out citations immediately upon the law taking effect, according to spokespersons from each agency.

The legislation was introduced after 9-year-old Erica Forney was hit and fatally injured Nov. 25, 2008, by a woman who police said had just finished talking on a cell phone.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Six Teens Injured In Rollover Accident In Grand Junction

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:57:00 GMT

Three teens are in critical condition at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction following a single-car accident on Wednesday.

In total, six teenagers, all from Glenwood Springs, were injured.

It appears a westbound Nissan Sentra driven by a teen, 17, veered off the roadway and through a deer fence, according to Colorado State Patrol troopers.

The vehicle then went airborne over a dry creekbed before hitting the side of an embankment and rolling over.

The kids range in age from 15 to 19. Four of them were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected from the car.

Speed is being investigated as a possible contributing factor, but alcohol and/or drugs are not thought to be involved. The investigation is ongoing.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Colorado Teen Ticketed For Careless Driving After Hitting A Parked Vehicle

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:46:00 GMT

A Colorado Springs teen was ticketed for careless driving after he allegedly struck a parked vehicle that two men were working on, according to authorities.

The accident happened on Sunday afternoon on the 2800 block of Richmond Drive, near Constitution Ave. and Peterson Road.

The teen reportedly told authorities that his cell phone rang, but when he tried to pick it up, it fell. When he tried to grab the phone gain, he lost control of his vehicle and struck the parked car.

Both men, which were working on the car, were taken to the hospital with injuries that don’t appear to be life-threatening.

In December, a new Colorado law will prohibit anyone under the age of 18 from using their cell phones while driving.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Denver Airport Traffic Snarled Following Accident

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:56:00 GMT

Traffic was snarled Thursday afternoon following a car accident which involved a Denver Police car.

The accident happened early afternoon, near the toll plaza and wait area approaching Denver International Airport.

The officer was reportedly responding to a two car accident when another vehicle rear-ended the officer’s parked cruiser, according to police.

No one was injured in the crash. Following the accident, Pena Boulevard was closed for about two hours and later re-opened.

In a separate accident on Friday night, a Denver Police officer was injured when his patrol car was struck by a suspected drunk driver.

The officer was taken to the hospital but treated and released for minor injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Rollover Accident Kills One In Grand Junction

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:36:00 GMT

A truck rolled over into a median on I-70, in Grand Junction, on Thursday night, killing one.

The accident happened just before 8 p.m. about a mile east of the 24 Road exit. According to State Patrol, there were no other vehicles involved in the accident.

At this time officials are still working to piece together the cause of the accident and it is unknown how many people were occupying the truck when it crashed. But State Patrol did confirm one person died.

Patrol verified the truck had California plates but no further information was available The investigation is ongoing.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury in a car or truck accident, use the form to the right to contact one of our lawyers for a free and confidential consultation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Woman Survives Five Days In the Wilderness After Crash

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:56:00 GMT

A Colorado woman survived five days in the wilderness with no food or water by drinking rainwater from her hair, after crashing her vehicle.

Cynthia Blair-Hoover, 52, swerved to avoid a deer when her car ran off the road and plunged down a hillside, landing on its top. She suffered 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung among other injuries.

Armed with only a golf club, she faced the threat of wild animals, rain, freezing temps and no food, but she managed to stay alive by draining water from her hair into her mouth.

Eventually she was able to crawl 450 yards to a mine where she cried out for help and was heard.

She is recovering in a hospital in Denver.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Crane Removes SUV From Backyard Following Crash

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:33:00 GMT

Thankfully no one was injured when a Grand Junction woman crashed her SUV through her garage and into her neighbor’s backyard.

Following the accident, the big question was how to remove the vehicle from the backyard without causing more damage.

The woman hired a crane to lift the SUV up and over her neighbor’s house. The action -- which took a little more than an hour -- drew the attention of several onlookers.

The home, where the SUV came to rest, has no structural damage, according to the home owner. A freezer from the drivers' garage stopped the Jeep from driving through their neighbor's house.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Two Car Accident on F Road Leaves Three Injured

Margaret Embry — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:05:16 GMT

On July 23^rd a two-vehicle accident occurred at the F Road and Meander Drive intersection in Grand Junction, leaving three people hospitalized, as reported by The Daily Sentinel. According to the Grand Junction Police Department, a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck struck a Ford passenger car when turning in front of the Ford. The Ford was traveling west and the Dodge was trying to turn north onto Meander Drive.

The driver of the Ford was hospitalized with several injuries, including multiple broken bones. The passenger of the Ford was also treated for injuries. The driver of the Dodge suffered minor injuries. He will face charges related to the accident.

Grand Junction Police closed one westbound lane of traffic on F Road for several hours while investigating the accident.

Below are road traffic accident statistics for Grand Junction in 2008, according to City-Data:

Fatal accident count: 6
Vehicles involved in fatal accidents: 13
Fatal accidents caused by drunken drivers: 3
Fatalities: 7
Persons involved in fatal accidents: 19
Pedestrians involved in fatal accidents: 0

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

50 Year-Old Man Killed After Three Car Collision Near Fairplay

Margaret Embry — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:04:34 GMT

On July 27^th, a three car collision on U.S. 285 south of Fairplay, CO killed a 50 year-old man and injured two others, according to The Flume. The crash caused U.S. 285 to be closed for almost five hours while crews worked on the scene.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, a 2001 Ford F-350 was traveling southbound on U.S. 285. The driver of the F-350 failed to keep his vehicle, which had no passengers, in the southbound lane as he met a 2001 Chevy Suburban hauling a trailer. The F-350 subsequently collided with the trailer.

Following this collision, the 2001 Suburban traveled off the east side of the road where the vehicle came to rest. The Ford F-350 continued into the northbound lane where he collided with the driver’s side of a 2005 Chevy Suburban, driven by a 50 year-old man and carrying his wife and mother.

Both vehicles traveled off the east side of the road, causing the 2005 Suburban to roll onto its passenger side. The driver of the 2005 Suburban was killed and his wife and mother were taken to a Denver hospital with serious injuries. All others involved in the crash were uninjured.

No charges have been filed yet.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Two Car Collision Closes I-25 for Four Hours and Leaves One Critically Injured

Margaret Embry — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:22:39 GMT

On Saturday, July 25th in Colorado Springs, a two car collision on I-25 caused a part of the interstate to be closed for four hours, according to KOAA, NBC Channel 5. An investigation by the Colorado Springs police revealed that:

a station wagon was going southbound on the Interstate, when the driver lost control and crossed the center median striking a pickup truck going northbound, pulling an enclosed trailer.

An 18 year-old girl was the driver of the station wagon. There was also an 18 year-old female passenger in the car. A 62 year-old man was driving the truck involved in the accident. The passenger of the station wagon and the driver of the truck were taken to a nearby hospital, but had no serious injuries. The driver of the station wagon remains in critical condition.

The police believe alcohol may have been a factor in the accident. Charges will be determined upon completion of the investigation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry