Category: Car Accidents

The forces involved in a car accident do not care if a driver is famous or average, young or old, rich or poor. In fact, accidents do not discriminate in any manner and can kill or injure a passenger at any time and in any place in the nation, including Chicago. Even famous actors and royalty have been the victims of car accidents over the years.

Unfortunately, the list of celebrities killed in car accidents grew by one on Saturday when actor Paul Walker lost his life in a single vehicle crash in California. Walker, best known for his starring role in the Fast & Furious franchise, was a passenger in a Porsche Carrera GT at approximately 3:30 p.m. with a friend behind the wheel. Walker had been participating in a charity event north of Hollywood when the two individuals were riding in the Porche and the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.

The car carrying Walker left the road surface and struck a light pole, causing a violent collision that led to the car becoming engulfed in flames. Police are still investigating but believe that speed may have been a factor and noted that there were tire marks in the area of the crash that suggested a driver was attempting to turn Figure 8s, though it has not been confirmed that these tire marks were related to Walker’s crash.

Walker’s death by car accident seems ironic to many as his most famous role was that of Brian O’Connor, a cop-turned-outlaw who engaged in street racing and, later, heists involving car racing in the Fast & Furious franchise. Though his character starred in five of the six films and was planned to be a focus of the seventh entry in the franchise, in the end, Walker may have been the victim of a speed-induced accident in real life.
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There are many types of car accidents but some of the most deadly involve rollover crashes, or accidents where one car leaves the ground and falls to its side or roof, potentially rolling all the way over one or more times and landing on any surface of the car. Phoenix drivers in these types of collisions often suffer serious or life-threatening injuries and some never make a full recovery.

The reasons these accidents are so dangerous are compound and complex but include the fact that advances in safety design in cars rarely focus on the roof of the vehicle. Instead, recent decades have seen manufactures focusing on adding crumple zones to the front and rear of cars which keep the areas occupied by passengers intact and therefore safer. There have also been advances in the placement and design of airbags with many new vehicles now utilizing side curtain or even divider airbags between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat to limit the impact experienced by a passenger in the event of a crash.

Injuries are common in rollover crashes because few of these innovations have focused on the roof area where there is little protection between a passenger and the steel frame of a car. In fact, rollover bars may be one of the better known safety approaches to a car’s roof but they are relatively uncommon and generally are only found in all-terrain vehicles.

This means that when a car strikes the ground or another object with its roof, the roof is likely to cave in and can trap or injure passengers, making it more difficult for them to escape after a collision. Rollover crashes can also present a hazard to those who are not wearing seat belts as the force in the crash may throw a passenger against the roof as the vehicle rolls.

Unfortunately a rollover collision occurred in the San Tan Valley on Monday and it left the driver of the SUV involved dead. Police are not sure what happened at this point but they believe the 68-year-old male driver began to leave the road surface when he tried to veer back onto the road. It appears that the driver may have overcorrected his car’s path of travel and caused the SUV to roll over, leaving the man with injuries that claimed his life.
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Police believe that a serious car crash on Saturday started when two vehicles were drag racing in Phoenix and at least one driver lost control of his car.

The incident took place near 35th Avenue and Greenway Road between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and began with two cars that were racing one another. One of the racing cars collided head-on with a third car that was in the area, causing significant damage to both vehicles and forcing one of the cars to roll over onto its roof. Inside the third car were a man and three children who ranged in age from three to eleven, all of whom were critically injured.

The racing car was reportedly driven by a young male and had a second young male as a passenger. Both sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals but were expected to survive. The driver of the third car was also injured but was described as sustaining minor injuries when compared to the children. It is not yet clear whether the undamaged car involved in the street race remained at the scene or left prior to the arrival of local police.

Street racing is illegal in Arizona and it poses a serious threat to public safety, yet some drivers still engage in the activity regardless of the consequences. If street racing results in an accident that seriously injures or kills another, a driver may face a felony charge and, if convicted, may serve serious time behind bars. Additionally, anyone caught street racing may lose his or her driver’s license, be forced to pay fines, be required to perform community service, or face other penalties.

In addition to those punishments instilled by the state of Arizona, a drag racing driver who causes another to become injured may also be held financially liable for any damages caused in an accident. This can include having to pay for the medical bills and lost wages of those who are hurt in an accident as well as any other financial expenses that may be incurred by victims.
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Spurred by safety concerns, Honda is recalling approximately 400,000 North American vehicles due to the possibility of airbag deployment at random times as opposed to only upon impact as intended. The recall affects 2003 and 2004 Honda Odysseys and the 2003 Honda Accura MDX that were sold in the United States and Canada.

Honda claims that the defective unit has not caused any collisions at this point but acknowledges that there have been several reports of non-crash airbag deployments, prompting the move to recall the affected units and to install an electrical noise filter, which is believed to prevent electrical interference that is causing the malfunctions.

An improper airbag deployment can be a very dangerous situation as an airbag deploys at a high rate of speed and occupies much of the area where a passenger resides. In the case of a driver, an airbag located in a dashboard or steering wheel is designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, cushioning the driver and preventing the driver’s body from striking a hard surface at the front of the vehicle. To ensure this occurs, an airbag takes up most of the free space between where a driver sits and the steering wheel, meaning that a fully deployed airbag almost always obscures a driver’s vision and ability to see the road. Preventing a driver from the ability to see traffic is inherently dangerous and likely to cause a crash, even if one has not yet occurred.

Owners of the recalled vehicles should contact their local dealerships for more information and to learn about the procedures to follow for obtaining a proper fix to this issue, including whether it is safe to continue driving your vehicle at the present time. Honda has stated that all registered owners of the recalled cars and SUVs will be notified in writing of the issue as well.
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As the Arizona Cardinals prepared for their game Sunday, many fans prepared as well, some of them making the trek to New Orleans to watch the Saints host the Cardinals in what was expected to be a tough football game. The family of Cardinals nose tackle Dan Williams planned to make the trip as well from their home in Tennessee to Louisiana to watch their son and brother face the Saints but unfortunately they never got the chance.

The car carrying the father, mother, and sister of Williams crashed somewhere near Jackson, Mississippi at some point before the Sunday game. The exact day and time of the crash, as well as the precise location, are not known at this time but authorities have confirmed that the father of Dan Williams was killed in the accident. Williams’s mother and sister were taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries but at this time, both are expected to survive and to recover from the crash.

Williams reportedly learned of his father’s death at some point before the Cardinals were scheduled to travel to New Orleans for Sunday’s game and he was excused from the trip due to his loss. He did not play on Sunday and it is not clear when he will return to practice.

Williams was a 2010 first round draft pick by the Cardinals and has had a lot of playing time since then. Fans are likely to recall an interception Williams made against Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams in early September, returning the interception for a touchdown.

Nationally, car accidents continue to claim thousands of lives every year. In 2011, more than 32,000 people were killed in automobile accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and of those killed, 754 died in Arizona. Car accidents affect motorists of all ages, genders, and those living in all states; anyone can be a car accident victim at any time. While it is important to follow all rules of the road while driving, the fact remains that if another driver engages in reckless conduct on the road, your safety as a motorists is threatened and you may be the victim of an accident.
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A woman was driving her SUV in Mesa yesterday morning when she was involved in a collision that claimed her life. Police report that the driver was traveling on westbound US 60 in the early morning hours when a pickup truck began approaching her vehicle. At this time, authorities believe that a male driving the pickup truck fell asleep behind the wheel, causing him to lose control of the truck and causing a collision with the SUV.

The SUV turned sideways after the impact and was still on the road when a third oncoming vehicle struck the side of the SUV in a t-bone collision. After all the vehicles came to a rest, emergency crews responded to the scene and provided medical assistance to the injured. The driver of the SUV died as a result of her injuries and it is not clear whether the driver of the truck or the driver of the third vehicle were hurt.

Automobile accidents continue to pose a significant threat to drivers in Arizona. While a car crash can be caused by any number of factors, in this case it appears that one driver was too tired to drive yet chose to do so anyway. Recent studies have shown that a tired or sleepy driver is just as likely to cause an accident as a drunk driver because tiredness prevents a driver from exercising sound judgment and caution while behind the wheel.

It is against Arizona state law to drive without paying proper attention to the road and without exercising due care for others. Driving while being so tired that you fall asleep falls into this category and is not only against the law but also against the public interest. No matter how safe of a driver you are, when you are on a public street, you are always at risk of an accident due to another driver’s negligence.
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Tempe police are reporting a crash that occurred on Monday night near the intersection of Apache and Rural. At this early point in the investigation, it appears that the male driver of a passenger vehicle lost control of the car while attempting a turn, causing the car to strike a light pole and a palm tree. After impact, the car burst into flames large enough for at least one bystander to see.

Two people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Police have reported that the male driver died as a result of his injuries and that a passenger was seriously injured. Fortunately for a passenger, a bystander heard the collision and saw the fire, prompting that bystander to pull the passenger from the burning vehicle. Police believe that if the bystander had not intervened, it may have turned out much worse for the passenger.

While police have not definitively determined what caused the crash, at this time they believe that speed may have been a factor and they are trying to determine whether alcohol was involved. The current condition of the passenger is not known nor were the extent of the passenger’s injuries.

Automobile collisions are one of the largest causes of death across America. In fact, automobile collisions claim more lives than homicides yet the threat posed by auto crashes if often underplayed. Statistically, most people will never engage in anything more dangerous than driving an automobile during their lives. While behind the wheel, it is each driver’s responsibility to act with due care and caution towards the safety of those within their car and others on the road. Yet it only takes one careless driver to cause a multi-car collision that can lead to serious injuries or even death.

Technological advances have made cars and other passenger vehicles safer over the decades. New cars today have dozens if not hundreds of safety designed devices to protect occupants, from seat belts to anti-lock brakes to air bags. But even the most advanced car with the best safety devices can be involved in a fatal accident at any time.

Many people acknowledge that other drivers pose a threat to their safety while they are riding in a car but fewer people consider the driver of the car they are riding in as a threat. Regardless of whose car you are in, when you become a passenger in a vehicle, you assign the control of your personal safety over to the driver and you trust that the driver will act with care towards you. Most of the time, this is exactly what happens and a passenger is transported safely. On occasion, though, a driver is negligent and may cause an accident, injuring his or her passenger.
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A new survey conducted by AAA shows that Americans are becoming less concerned about distracted driving techniques among other motorists on the road, even as the number of fatalities caused by such behavior is increasing annually.

The survey shows many Americans identifying certain behaviors, including texting and emailing while driving, as very dangerous or even unacceptable, yet many of those same Americans admit to engaging in identical activities within the last month. The overarching theme seems to be that drivers are able to recognize dangerous behavior but that drivers believe that they should be allowed to engage in those actions anyway. The current thought among the majority of those on the roads is that it is acceptable for them personally to be distracted but that other drivers should always avoid distractions.

Nationally, traffic deaths in 2012 increased by about 5.3 percent, the first increase in seven years. Despite this increase, the number of drivers that considered drunk driving to be a serious threat decreased 11 percent between 2009 and 2012. During the same three year period, the number of drivers that said driving after drinking was completely unacceptable decreased six percent, from 95 percent to 89 percent. With 89 percent of drivers surveyed responding so negatively to driving under the influence, it may surprise some that 14 percent of those same drivers admitted to getting behind the wheel within the previous month when their blood alcohol levels were likely at or above the legal limit.

Fewer drivers believed that running a red light was completely unacceptable when the driver had an opportunity, from 77 percent in 2009 down to 70 percent in 2012. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed admitted to running a red light within the last month. Surveyed drivers reported that speeding more than 15 miles an hour over a posted limit was more likely to be unacceptable in a residential area than on a highway, showing a difference in attitude depending on the type of road driven. One of the biggest decreases reported was in the dangers perceived by drowsy drivers. While 71 percent of those surveyed reported drowsy driving as a serious threat in 2009, only 46 percent thought the same in 2012.
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A fire truck was responding to a call when it was hit by an SUV in Phoenix, according to local police. The incident occurred early Friday morning in the area of 7th Street and Indian School Road and sent several people to area hospitals with accident-related injuries.

Police say that the fire truck had its lights and sirens activated as it traveled towards a fire in the area of 13th Street and Devonshire Avenue shortly before 4:00 a.m. The fire truck was traveling eastbound on Indian School and had a red light at 7th Street. With its lights and sirens activated, the fire truck had the right-of-way at the intersection even though it had a red light and it proceeded eastbound. An SUV approaching the intersection had a green light and entered the intersection at the same time as the fire truck, causing a collision between the two vehicles.

The impact of the collision caused the fire truck to roll over on its side, injuring four firefighters inside. At least one person inside the SUV was injured as well and all five victims received medical treatment at area hospitals. Police do not believe that anyone suffered life-threatening injuries in the accident and believe that all victims will recover.

Police are still investigating the incident and at this time, it is not clear whether any citations will be issued as a result of the crash. Automobile accidents involving emergency vehicles can be more complicated to review than other crashes because the traffic rules that apply to these drivers are different.

Generally, a driver with a green light has the right-of-way at an intersection which allows that driver to proceed down the road. A driver with a red light must yield to traffic with a green light. However, an emergency vehicle with its lights and sirens activated has the right-of-way regardless of what color traffic light is facing the vehicle. All other vehicles are required to pull to the right of the road and allow emergency vehicles to pass so that those vehicles can respond to an emergency as efficiently as possible.
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A Glendale police officer was patrolling near a construction zone near 43rd Avenue and Grand Avenue on Wednesday morning when he heard a motorcycle approaching. The officer aimed his radar gun at the bike and was shocked to realize that the motorcyclist was traveling at 114 miles per hour, more than twice the legal limit in the area.

The officer pulled over the motorcyclist who is being described as a 21-year-old male after he caught up with the biker at Grand Avenue and 35th Street. The motorist reportedly did not know the legal speed limit in the area or how fast he had been traveling. According to the police officer, the biker did not seem to care that he had been traveling at more than twice the legal limit and did not seem surprised by the information.

The biker reportedly used a lane that is currently closed for construction to speed past cars that were waiting for a red light, enabling him to reach a high speed without traffic blocking his path. When questioned about his speed, the man informed the officer that he was late for work and therefore in a hurry.

The motorcyclist was arrested at the scene and charged with numerous misdemeanor traffic violations, though the specific charges are not clear at this time. Police have also stated that the man did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his driver’s license, a requirement to operate a motorcycle in the state of Arizona.

Fortunately this motorcyclist was stopped before he had a chance to cause an accident, but traveling at 114 miles per hour through a construction zone and in an closed lane was a serious and imminent threat to all other drivers in the area. Often, motorcyclists are the victims of accidents because drivers in cars and trucks do not see a biker and cause an accident. However, as this incident illustrates, motorcyclists can also be responsible for reckless conduct on the roads, and this can lead to serious or even fatal accidents. In some crashes, a motorcycle receives the majority of the force of the impact, leading most of the damage to be inflicted on the motorcyclists and the bike. However, when a biker hits a pedestrian or a bicyclist, the opposite is often true. If the negligent conduct of a motorcyclist causes injuries to another, the biker can be held financially liable for any damage caused.
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