Injuryboard Commentary - Automobile Accident

Deadly Accident Appears To Have Been Preventable

Bret Hanna — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:12:32 GMT

E. Dale LeBaron, 75, a retired Brigham Young University professor, was killed last week after he, his wife and a friend were struck by a car on an Orem street. The 21-year-old driver of the vehicle that struck the trio said that he did not see them because the sun was reflecting off of frost on his windshield as he made a turn. City prosecutors have the case under review for possible charges against the driver.

This accident is certainly a tragedy for all involved, but it appears that it could have been prevented. The winter driving season is upon us and as I've written in the past, drivers must be prepared. One aspect of such preparedness is to make sure that you have a clear field of vision at all times while driving. Frost and snow pile up on cars when they sit outside and it is very easy to simply clear a small area to see through and be on your way. It may be easy, but it is also very dangerous. All drivers must take the time to fully clear and defrost all windows before heading down the road. And the sun can easily blind drivers when it is rising, setting, or is otherwise reflected toward vehicles. If you are temporarily blinded, slow down or stop immediately if you can do so safely and then wait until you can proceed with full visibility.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Weather, Speed, And Holiday Cheer: Time To Be Extra Safe On The Roads

Mike Bryant — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:26:41 GMT

The first week in December has again seen an increase in highway deaths. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of what is coming for the rest of the month. It is important with so many people rushing around and holiday parties starting up, that we all keep a little better look out.

Saturday night, a truck went the wrong way on the 49th Ave. Ramp on I-94 and hit a mini van head on. A passenger in the van lost her eight month old unborn child. She and her 10 year-old son are in critical condition, and four other children, ages three to nine, were also hurt. The truck driver is suspected of being drunk according to the Minnesota Sate Patrol.
Friday afternoon, a 23-year-old Watkins man died when his 1996 Saturn was hit by a 1995 Jeep Cherokee in Meeker county. The jeep failed to yield at 642nd Avenue and 365th Street in Forrest Prairie Township, according to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office.
Thursday afternoon, A pickup truck and sedan collided at the intersection of County Road 45 and County Road 9 in Farden Township , according to the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office. The driver of the pickup truck and a passenger in the car were each ejected. Both were pronounced dead on the scene. The Hubbard County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the accident.
Tuesday afternoon, a 78 year old Roseville woman died in a seven car chain-reaction crash on County Road C at Snelling Avenue. Six eastbound vehicles were at a red light on County Road C when a westbound minivan hit the woman's vehicle at high speed, pushing it into the next vehicle and so on, the Roseville police said.

The 2009 numbers have continued to drop. Weeks like this still cause concern. With the holidays and winter type conditions, hopefully people will be careful. More will be found out over the coming weeks as to the causes of each of these collisions, so it's to early to tell if the common causes of speed and alcohol were involved in any of the incidents. In all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are many issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed on the same topic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Driver Dies After Causing Multiple Accidents on Interstate 15

Bret Hanna — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:37:42 GMT

Sheldon Taylor, 54, of Sandy, died yesterday afternoon after triggering a series of 3 accidents that snarled the afternoon commute on southbound Interstate 15. The first accident occurred at about 5500 South and the second one occurred at about 7800 South. Six vehicles were involved in these accidents as other drivers tried to get out of Taylor's way.

Witnesses said that Taylor had been driving erratically before and during the accident sequences. He was observed speeding up and then slamming on his brakes and darting back and forth across lanes of travel. The final accident occurred at about 8500 South and involved Taylor and one other driver. Taylor's small SUV struck a white car and both veered into a concrete barrier. Taylor's vehicle then went back into traffic lanes where it rolled onto its top, killing Taylor who was not wearing a seat belt. No one else was seriously hurt in the accidents which occurred over a 5 minute period. Investigators are looking into whether a medical condition caused Taylor's erratic driving.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

EMSA Sirens Helping Reduce Automobile Accidents at Intersections

Jeremy Thurman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:54:28 GMT

Have been in that quagmire where you are listening to your too loud or talking on your cell phone all the while being oblivious to an emergency vehicle approaching with its sirens on. I will personally plead the fifth but I have seen accidents and near misses involving ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency services at Oklahoma City intersections. Luckily, EMSA seems to have purchased a solution that is having a pronounces statistical lessening of accidents involving their ambulances on Oklahoma City streets.

A newsok.com details new “sirens” added to EMSA Ambulances that emit a low-frequency hum making unsuspecting motorists aware that an ambulance is in the area.

Ten-inch subwoofers called Howlers were installed in EMSA ambulances statewide beginning in November 2008, said spokeswoman Lara O’Leary. They emit a low-frequency hum that can cause vibrations up to 200 feet away, and EMSA officials credit the Howlers with cutting in half the number of crashes involving ambulances. “You can literally feel it, just like anyone that pulls up next to a car that has their stereo bumping extremely loud,”

The article goes on to provide data showing the effect the sirens are having on intersection car accidents involving ambulances

In the first 10 months of last year, EMSA ambulances were involved in 16 wrecks at Oklahoma intersections, O’Leary said. But only eight were reported from January to October in more than 4.3 million miles of driving. Crash figures for earlier years were not available.

As to its applicability, we encourage all drivers to avoid distractions such as cell phones and loud music. Ambulances responding to or from life threatening situations need to get their patients to a health care facility as soon as possible. Lets all be partners on the road and assist these paramedics who are trying to save a life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeremy Thurman

The First 8 Things to do After an Auto Accident

Bret Hanna — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:17:20 GMT

Auto accidents are a fact of life and knowing what to do when you are involved in one is critical. Of course, doing anything at all assumes that you are physically and mentally able to do so. If you are not, you will have to rely on emergency personnel and family or friends to step in and act on your behalf - perhaps sharing the information in this post with those close to you will help prepare them in the tragic event that they will need to act to protect your interests.

If you are in an accident and are able to act, do the following in order if you can:

Call 911 and make sure that first responders are contacted and that everyone involved is receiving appropriate medical care.
Do what you can to make sure that involved vehicles are not posing a hazard to those involved in the accident or others.
Work with police or other investigators to make sure they have all critical information concerning the accident and that it is accurate.
Make sure that you have accurate contact and insurance information for all involved in the accident.
Contact your insurance agent immediately and pass along all relevant information to initiate the claims process.
Do NOT communicate with representatives of anyone else involved in the accident without first speaking with your insurance agent or those authorized by your insurance company to assist you.
Follow through on all medical care prescribed until your care plan has been completed.
Consult with a qualified attorney if you have significant physical or economic injuries as a result of the accident to make sure you protect your rights.

As the saying goes, accidents happen. Just make sure you are prepared if you are involved in one.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Reidsville Rush Hour Lands Two in ER

Pierce Egerton — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:15:44 GMT

A two vehicle collision on NC 14 in Reidsville put two men in the hospital this morning. The News & Record is reporting that Maurice Cooper, Jr., was injured when a Lincoln Town Car reportedly drifted across the center line and collided head on with his Isuzu pick up.

Mr. Cooper was taken to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. The driver of the Town Car, Freddie McCain, was also injured and taken to the hospital.

The accident report has not yet been released, but in my experience driver distraction and driver fatigue are the primary culprits in rush hour accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pierce Egerton

More Dangers of Distracted Driving

Ed Normand — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:38:14 GMT

A client of mine was forever maimed in a recent car crash, but she wasn’t even driving. Jane was walking in her neighborhood, in broad daylight, when a car veered off the road, and mowed her down. Jane now has a broken hip, a collapsed lung, and two broken legs, a fractured spine and may never walk again. What is even more sad is that this was all completely preventable. Jane’s husband is the Home Owners Association President in their neighborhood, and has witnessed countless reckless drivers for months. In fact, he’s been trying to get help from anyone to improve safety in his neighborhood, but to no avail. Drivers have hit everything from light poles and fences, to even homes. Jane’s husband set up multiple surveillance cameras in the area before his wife’s accident, and was able to catch the entire accident on video.
Jane faces months of recovery, and most likely will never be the same. She’s in critical condition at a local hospital, with severe injuries. The video shows the terrible accident, and clearly shows how the car in question ran Jane down. The driver admitted to being distracted when he ran off the road.
I’ve blogged previously about the dangers of distracted driving. For my previous article, please visit: orlando.injuryboard.com/automobile-accidents/dangers-of-distracted-driving.aspx
It is about time the Florida Legislature does something to stop driving while texting and other forms of distracted driving. Studies have confirmed that distracted drivers are less safe than drunk drivers! Lets fix both, perhaps we need a Mothers Against Distracted Drivers group before the carnage stops.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand

Halloween Night Hit-and-Run puts 3-Year-Old in Hospital

Bret Hanna — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:25:41 GMT

A 3-year-old boy from Provo was hit by a dark vehicle, a pickup truck or SUV, as he was getting ready to trick-or-treat. The accident happened in the parking lot of a condominium complex in Orem at about 7:20 p.m. Saturday night, just as he was exiting a vehicle driven by his parents.

The vehicle struck the boy and the driver stopped about a half a block away and appeared to be assessing the situation; then he took off. The little boy suffered critical injuries including a broken leg and facial fractures. He was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and was the flown to Primary Children's Medical Center where he has been listed in serious condition.

Why would a driver do such thing? Was he drunk or high? Was he driving distracted - talking on a cell phone or texting perhaps? With luck, the little boy will fully recover and there will be an explanation for what happened and why. Police are looking for the driver - if you have any information, please contact them immediately.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

RI Hit and Run Automobile Accident - Part II

David Bazar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:23:14 GMT

This discussion began with the story of a Providence man who hit three people with car and drove off with one of the people impaled in his windshield. The same issues could have been raised by the story reported by NBC10 of the West Greenwich man who hit a State Police cruiser while text messaging.

I left off with the issue of uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage. In Rhode Island if the driver of the hit and run vehicle is never identified or is uninsured, then you can pursue a claim for your personal injury damages against the uninsured motorist portion of your insurance policy. Interestingly, if the driver is not identified you will not be able to pursue an uninsured motorist claim for property damage.

If the driver who caused the injuries has insurance, but not enough to fully compensate the injured party for their damages, then underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage will apply. In Rhode Island an injured person is entitled to the full value of their damages and can collect the difference between the damages and the coverage available from the hit and run driver's (liability) policy. For example if you sustain damages in the amount of $100,000 and the liability policy of the other driver has a limit of $25,000, then you can collect up to $75,000 on your UIM policy as long as your policy limits are sufficient.

The moral of the story: Be careful and attentive when you get out of a car on the side of a highway and make sure you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Bazar

RI Hit and Run Driver impales victim in windshield

David Bazar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:54:35 GMT

Early Sunday morning was not kind to three people who were standing on the side of Route 95 exchanging information after a minor accident. While on the side of the road, a Providence man hit all three impaling one of the people in his windshield. According to ABC6, The driver was later found hiding in a closet.

This accident raises several interesting issues. Rhode Island has mandatory liability insurance which requires drivers to have at least $25,000/$50,000 coverage. This means that a driver must have coverage that provides at least $25,000 per person with a total of $50,000 per accident for any injuries caused by his negligence. Assuming the driver had the minimum insurance coverage required and the three victims have damages far in excess of the required coverage, they may have recourse against their own inusrance company.

Check in tomorrow when we discuss uninsured/underinsured coverage in Rhode Island.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Bazar