Category: Car Accidents

Rollover accidents can be deadly wherever and whenever they occur. The forces involved in a rollover crash are often extreme and can lead to buckling of the frame of a car. A rollover can be triggered by a number of forces including debris in the road, a poor road design, a blown or failed tire, or an initial impact with a vehicle, like a sideswipe collision.

In Arizona, rollover accidents make up a small portion of the overall traffic collisions that occur every year but they are disproportionately responsible for a large number of fatalities. While improvements have been made to modern vehicles to greater protect occupants in the event of an impact, there is still limited protection for a driver and passengers in the event that the side of a vehicle or a roof strikes the ground.

When a rollover accident happens and people sustain injuries as a result, the laws in Phoenix apply to give the victims the right to seek a recovery. This can help an injury victim obtain relief to cover medical and surgical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering as well as other expenses that result from the crash. Speaking with a lawyer who practices personal injury law may help you understand whether you are entitled to relief if you have been hurt in a rollover crash.

Authorities in Tonopah received notice of a single vehicle accident this morning that left a driver and a passenger dead. When they arrived on the scene, officials determined that a vehicle was traveling westbound near the intersection of Wickenberg and Baseline Roads when it is believed that the car crossed the center line, overcorrected and began to roll.

A man and female were inside the vehicle at the time of the rollover. Both were ejected as the car rolled and both were killed in the crash. Their ages and identities have not been disclosed pending notification to next of kin.
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As the population in Phoenix has skyrocketed over the last few decades, the number of drivers has increased, as have the number of vehicles in the state. This all has led to greater traffic, greater congestion, and a greater risk of car accidents as a result. If you live in or work in the Phoenix area, odds are that you, a family member, a friend, or a coworker you know has been involved in a car crash at some point during a lifetime.

The word “accident” often is not an accurate way to describe a collision because in most cases, a crash happens because one or more individuals involved made a mistake. When a driver acts in a negligent or reckless manner and causes a collision, the laws in Phoenix can hold that driver responsible for any injuries that result to the victims involved. This means that a victim of a car accident may be entitled to recover for damages including any medical and surgical bills incurred, pain and suffering, permanency of injuries, and time missed from work. Speaking with a lawyer who handles personal injury claims for victims may help you understand whether you have a valid claim if you have been involved in a crash.

After many accidents, it can be difficult to determine exactly what factors combined to lead to the impact. Police and investigators often look into whether a driver violated a traffic or criminal law when a crash occurs. Officials in Surprise are still looking into a vehicle-related incident that took place on Tuesday night and that left one person injured.

Authorities have reported that a pickup truck in the area of Litchfield Road and Waddell Road was exiting a parking lot when something went wrong. The truck allegedly crossed a sidewalk, drove through landscaping and a block wall before entering a private residence’s backyard. The truck did not stop until it struck the house where at least one person was home.

The individual in the home reportedly was sleeping and was injured as a result of the collision. The extent of the individual’s injuries are not clear at this time and it is unknown whether the individual was also the owner of the home.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 26 percent of adults ages 16 and older will be injured in a car accident at some point in their lives. Many of those injuries stem from collisions that take place in Phoenix, other areas of Arizona, or that involve residents of the area. Those who are fortunate enough not to be involved in an accident likely know someone who has been hurt in a crash, or worse, who lost their lives in a motor vehicle collision.

In a city as large as Phoenix, multiple car accidents happen every day. They range anywhere from a minor collision where no one is injured to fatal accidents where one or more individuals are killed. Often, the person hurt in the crash is not the one responsible for causing the accident and is merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When an accident is caused by negligent conduct on the part of someone involved, whether it is a driver, owner of a car, or company or city entity operating the vehicle, those injured victims may be entitled to legal relief for their damages. Speaking with a lawyer who handles personal injury cases may help you understand the legal ramifications of your accident and whether you have a valid claim. Often, relief is possible even if no traffic tickets were issued following the accident or if an at-fault driver flees the scene, never to be located.

But in the worst cases, no amount of relief can properly compensate a family for the damages they sustain. This is always true when a crash turns fatal which unfortunately is far too often in Phoenix. Two people lost their lives after a wrong-way accident on Sunday night, leaving friends and families to mourn them and a community to be reminded of the dangers associated with driving.

Citizens began making calls of a wrong-way driver on the Loop 101 at Cactus. They reported a driver operating northbound in the southbound lanes. Police were alerted and officers attempted to stop the driver before a collision occurred; unfortunately, though, they were unable to stop the driver who allegedly merged onto 51, merged onto 10, and then collided with a second car on an on-ramp.
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Texting while driving and other forms of phone-based distractions have become a serious issue in Phoenix and across the rest of the nation. To combat the dangers posed by cell phones, many cities and states have passed legislation restricting or banning their use by drivers. Other areas have launched public awareness campaigns and many areas are beginning to address the issue with teenagers going through driver’s education training.

In the past decade, some Arizona state officials have tried to introduce new legislation that would institute state-wide restrictions on hand-held phone use as well as a ban on texting while driving, all with the hope of decreasing the number of distracted driving car accidents in the state. The measure has failed to take hold thus far with some believing that the state’s current laws give a broader definition to distracted and dangerous diving and enable police officers to enforce the laws. Those who currently text behind the wheel may be guilty of a traffic offense and may be cited for their actions. If cell phone use causes an accident, the potential punishment may be more severe.

But some counties do not feel the current state of the law is descriptive enough or limiting enough to clearly state which behaviors are banned. Coconino County officials passed a new ordinance on Tuesday night significantly limiting the legal use of a cell phone by drivers in that area. Once the ordinance takes effect on May 22, drivers will be prohibited from texting while driving and also from making calls with a hand-held device. Calls with a hands-free device will remain legal and exceptions will apply in the case of an emergency. A driver will be authorized to call the police department, emergency services, an ambulance, hospital, or a doctor’s office even if a hands-free device is not available.

The believe in Coconino is that reducing the ability of drivers to operate a car, truck, or van while on distracted will lead to a decrease in the number of distracted driving accidents that occur annually. This in turn will decrease the amount of financial damages caused by these accidents including property damage to vehicles, personal injuries sustained by victims, and time missed from work by those who are injured in these crashes.
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Experts believe that speed plays a factor in approximately 50 percent of all car accidents across the nation, including those that happen in the Phoenix area. One reason is that speeding is a fairly common event among a large number of drivers; many give into the temptation to travel faster than legally allowed because they are in a hurry, want to catch a green light, or simply because they like to drive fast. But being common does not make it legal and those who choose to drive in excess of posted limits risk not only a ticket but also being at-fault for a car crash.

Drivers who act in a negligent or reckless manner and cause a collision may face a number of penalties. Traffic tickets can lead to fines, loss of a driver’s license, or even incarceration. If the accident causes anyone involved to sustain an injury, those victims may be entitled to seek compensation for their damages against the at-fault driver, including fair and adequate payment to cover medical bills. These claims are separate and distinct from any charges brought by the State of Arizona and can be available to injury victims even if an at-fault driver never receives a ticket for the crash. Speaking with a lawyer who has experience representing victims of car crashes may help you understand your legal rights and your legal options if you have been injured in an accident.

Police in Phoenix responded to the scene of a one car collision on Monday afternoon near the northbound ramp from State Route 51 to the eastbound Loop 101. When they arrived, they found the vehicle on its roof with five teenage passengers inside. Police believe that a 17-year-old male was driving the car but that the driver did not have a valid license and did not own the vehicle. Authorities believe the male was speeding and lost control of the car, sending it into one wall and then bouncing off the first wall before striking a wall on the opposite side of the road. At some point after the initial impact, one of the vehicle’s tires blew and officials believe that the blown tire started the rollover process in the crash.

In addition to the driver, two 14-year-old females and one 15-year-old female were in the car as was another teen whose age and gender are not clear at this time. It is believed that the passengers in the vehicle may have been drunk at the time of the impact but there is no indication that the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Continue reading “Speed a Suspected Factor in Phoenix Rollover Accident”

Summertime in Phoenix often brings more than just sunshine. Dust storms make a seasonal appearance most years, decreasing visibility and making it difficult to drive a car. The lowered visibility is a primary reason that car accidents in Phoenix and the rest of the Valley increase when dust storms are present.

Dust storms by themselves do not usually cause car accidents. Generally, the poor weather condition combines with drivers who are speeding, ignoring traffic signals, or otherwise acting in a negligent manner and the combination of all factors results in a collision. The laws in Phoenix are designed to protect accident victims in the event of a crash, allowing victims who are injured the right to seek a recovery for their damages. Often, these recoveries can provide compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation needs, and even lost wages that were unable to be earned while an accident victim recovered. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who represents car accident victims is a good place to learn about your legal right and legal options after a collision.

In an unusual turn of events, a dust storm hit the Phoenix area yesterday, months before the summer monsoon season sets in and months before dust storms usually happen in the Valley. The storm began in the area of I-10, south of Phoenix but quickly traveled north, covering many highways and city roads in dust. It is unclear whether any car accidents are being blamed in whole or in part on the storm, but as the season progresses, it is likely that similar storms will contribute to at least some collisions.

Experts all agree that when a dust storm occurs, the safest thing is to avoid it if possible. Do not drive if you do not have to and if you are already driving when a storm begins, pull over if necessary. Also, reduce your speed and anticipate the presence of other vehicles on the road, even if the dust makes it difficult to see them. If you have young children or pets outside, consider bringing them inside the house until the storm passes to make sure they are not injured if a collision does occur on your street.
Continue reading “Early Dust Storm Brings Potential for Car Accidents”

The majority of car accidents that occur in Phoenix are due to negligence on the part of at least one person involved in the crash. In many cases, a driver will fail to operate in a safe manner, leading to a collision. In others, though, someone involved in designing a car or a tire may have erred, leading to an issue that makes a vehicle prone to crash. Regardless of how an accident occurs, if negligence is involved, the victims of a crash likely are entitled to seek relief for their damages.

Determining if negligence played a role in an accident can be incredibly difficult for the average driver to ascertain. Speaking with a lawyer who handles claims on behalf of car accident victims may be a good place to start if you want to learn about your legal rights and legal options following a crash.

In a large number of accidents, multiple vehicles are involved but only one driver acted in an erroneous manner. This can happen if a driver runs a red light or a stop sign, fails to yield the right of way, or even drives to fast for conditions and places his or her car in the same spot as another vehicle that is being driven in a safe manner. At this point in time, officials are trying to determine if that is what caused two SUVs to collide this weekend in Phoenix.

Police have reported that two SUVs were in the area of Central and Broadway when the two vehicles collided for reasons that have not yet been determined. One vehicle held a family of five while a female driver was the sole occupant of the second. The force of the collision caused both cars to slide into a Phoenix Fire Department truck that was stopped at a red light at the intersection, waiting to proceed towards the truck’s home station. The second impact caused several of the doors on the fire truck to become pinned shut, forcing the firefighters on board to escape through the cab of the truck. They began immediately assessing those inside the SUVs for injuries once they had freed themselves from the truck.

Two front-seat adults and a 16-year-old back-seat passenger in the first SUV were injured and were transported to hospitals for treatment. Two other children, aged 8 and 10, did not appear to be injured and were not in need of medical help. The sole occupant of the second SUV, a 28-year-old woman, was seriously injured and was transported to a trauma center for assessment and treatment of her injuries. Her current condition remains unknown.
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Car accidents happen every day in the Valley and they range from minor fender benders to more severe accidents where people are injured, or worse, killed. Nationally, more than 32,000 people were killed in car accidents across the nation in 2011 alone. In Arizona, more than 100,000 accidents occurred and more than 33,000 people were injured. A large number of those accidents happened in Phoenix and the surrounding cities, leaving many Valley residents the victims of auto accidents.

When authorities arrive on the scene of a collision, it can be difficult to determine what caused a collision in the first place. Some accidents are the result of negligent driving while others can be blamed on a faulty design or manufacturing of a vehicle. In some cases, even the authorities cannot clearly establish fault in a crash. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who is experienced with car accidents can help you understand the legal significance of your accident and whether you may be entitled to relief for your damages.

Police in Scottsdale were called to respond to the scene of a collision on Sunday afternoon that left two people dead. At this time, police believe that the driver of an SUV, traveling on Scottsdale Road near McCormack Parkway, lost control of the vehicle and left the road’s surface where the SUV collided with a tree. No other cars are believed to have been involved in the accident.

The driver of the SUV was fatally injured in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Three passengers inside the SUV were transported to area hospitals for treatment but unfortunately, one of the passengers, a 63-year-old individual, died at the hospital. The conditions of the two other passengers are not known at this time.

Police have not yet determined what caused the driver of the SUV to lose control and to strike a tree but their investigation continues. The scene of the crash was closed for approximately five hours while crews cleared away the debris and investigators reviewed evidence from the accident.
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Studies routinely show that drowsy or tired drivers can be extremely dangerous on the road. They are more likely to run stops signs and red lights, fail to yield to oncoming traffic, and cause a collision than drivers who are properly rested. Despite all the risks, tired drivers are on the roads of Phoenix every day, posing a risk to themselves, their passengers, and others on the road.

Often, a tired or sleepy driver makes mistakes that result in violations of traffic laws. Any of these can lead to a ticket issued by police or even charges brought by the State of Arizona. In addition, though, a driver who causes an accident may be held liable for any damages that result. That can include the medical bills and pain and suffering endured by anyone hurt in an accident, regardless of whether that victim was in the same car as the negligent driver or another vehicle. Speaking with an injury lawyer who handles cases in Phoenix or the surrounding areas is the best way to understand your legal rights after a crash.

Though still early in the investigation, Yuma County Sheriff Officers believe that a three car collision may have been caused by a driver who fell asleep behind the wheel on Saturday. Officials believe that a 35-year-old man driving a Honda was traveling northbound on Highway 95 when he approached an area blocked off by Cocopah police officers who were investigating a prior fatal accident. The Honda driver reportedly stated that he fell asleep behind the wheel before he collided with a marked police vehicle and pushing it into a second police vehicle. A volunteer in the area had been directing traffic when the collision occurred. His leg was pinned between two of the vehicles involved and he needed emergency medical treatment. One of the officers involved was also injured but both victims are expected to survive.

The driver of the Honda has been cited for his role in the collision and may face additional charges depending on the outcome of the investigation. He refused medical treatment at the scene.
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When buying a new or used car, most drivers believe that the car they are purchasing will be safe and free from defects, and often, that is exactly what happens. But sometimes, a car may be designed with a flaw or an error that can lead to a serious complication or even a crash. When these issues are discovered, often manufacturers issue a recall, or a notice to all owners that the car should be serviced to eliminate the issue. These recalls can save lives but often they do not happen until after some drivers have been involved in car accidents, either sustaining injuries or even losing their lives.

Flaws in manufacturing or in design can lead to single or multi-vehicle accidents and can cause serious injuries. When a crash is due to the negligence of a manufacturer, local and federal laws may hold that automobile manufacturer liable for the damages that result, including the medical bills any victims are forced to incur and the pain and suffering they must endure. These claims can be complicated so it is best to speak with a personal injury lawyer in the Phoenix area who understands car accidents and will be able to help you realize whether you may be entitled to relief.

General Motors recently recalled nearly 800,000 of its automobiles for problems that can cause the airbags not to deploy in a collision. The recall covers Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s with model years 2005-2007. Over 600,000 of the recalled vehicles were sold in the United States with the remaining recalled models having been sold in Canada or Mexico.

GM has acknowledged that 22 collisions have occurred where the airbags in the vehicles recalled did not deploy, with five of those accidents resulting in six fatalities. According to GM, all of the incidents occurred when the vehicles were being driven in an off-road manner, either across dirt or rough terrain, and GM notes that the vehicles were not intended to be off-road cars.

The ignition switch will be replaced in the recalled vehicles because currently, anything dangling from the key in use can be enough to trigger a shift in the ignition position from running to off, meaning that a key chain could cause the engine to turn off if the car hit a large enough bump. When the engine turns off, the airbags are nonfunctional, and therefore in any resulting crash, the airbags would not deploy. GM intends to switch the ignitions in the affected vehicles so that a bump would not trigger a switch in ignition position and therefore could not turn off the engine and other electronics.
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