Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

Police are looking for a suspect who shot and killed a man during a dispute following a Phoenix car accident. AZ Family reported that a 35-year-old man was killed Saturday afternoon after the Chevy Suburban he was riding in collided with a Nissan Sentra. Both vehicles were westbound on Southern Avenue near 19th Avenue when the Nissan stopped, causing the Suburban to run into it. The Nissan drove away but was followed by the Suburban until both vehicles stopped and an argument ensued. The Suburban’s passenger was apparently shot. His son was in the back seat but was not injured. The Suburban driver was also uninjured. The Chevy drove to the South Mountain Police Station, where the victim was transported to the hospital. He died as the result of a gunshot wound to the head. Police are searching for a white Nissan Sentra, with a possible partial Arizona plate number of “052.” The vehicle may also have rear-end damage as a result of the collision. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Phoenix Police Violent Crimes Bureau at 602-262-6141. For Spanish, the number is 480-TESTIGO. The Arizona Republic report is available here. The Channel 13 report is available here.

Arizona law enforcement will be out in force looking for speeders, drunk drivers and other traffic violations as they aim to reduce the number of serious and fatal Arizona car accidents this Memorial Day weekend, according to ABC15. While New Year’s is the holiday that frequently gets the attention when it comes to the dangers of traffic accidents, the summer holidays of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day are the deadliest in Arizona.”We’re going to have a lot of officers out here working the streets, the highways, the back ways, and the interstates,” said Department of Public Safety Officer George Gregor. The Glendale Star reports police will be conducting sobriety checkpoints in an effort to reduce the danger of Arizona drunk driving accidents. A total of 343 of the 937 fatal Arizona car accidents in 2008 involved a drunk driver; accounting for more than one-third of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And the Arizona Republic reports that the West Valley DUI Task Force will be out in force in a effort to reduce Peoria car accidents. Fatal Arizona car accidents during 2008 holidays New Year’s: 3 Memorial Day: 11 Fourth of July: 11 Labor Day: 11 Thanksgiving: 5 Christmas: 2 Nationwide fatal holiday traffic accidents New Year’s: 141 Memorial Day: 370 Fourth of July: 437 Labor Day: 423 Thanksgiving: 439 Christmas: 364

Thousands of motorcycle riders took to the streets over the weekend to raise awareness in an effort to reduce the number of serious and fatal Arizona motorcycle accidents, according to The Daily Courier. As we reported earlier this month on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, authorities nationwide are preaching motorcycle safety during the month of May, which is Motorcycle Awareness Month. A horrific Phoenix motorcycle accident that killed four people and injured five others is being used in the fight to get motorists to pay attention as the summer riding season gets underway. That accident occurred when a dump truck failed to stop at an intersection and drove through a group of motorcycles waiting at the light.A total of 98 riders were killed in Arizona motorcycle accidents last year, according to preliminary estimates. While motorcycle accidents are projected to decline nationwide for the first time in more than a decade, that is not the case in Arizona, where 98 riders were also killed in accidents in 2008. Saturday’s ride included the Phoenix Motorcycle Riders Group and Phoenix MC Kruzers. The bikers rode from Mesa to Apache Junction. Those killed in the Phoenix accident were members. “This tragic accident has motivated us to action that we hope will result in safer roads for everyone,” said John Fox, organizer of the Phoenix Motorcycle Group. Safety Tips – Signal. Use your mirrors. Check lanes before changing lanes. – Don’t tailgate. Stay at least two seconds behind a motorcycle or other vehicle. – Avoid distracted driving. Including using a cell phone while behind the wheel. – Don’t speed. – Tap your horn to alert drivers to your presence when necessary. – Use hand signals as well as turn signals when riding a motorcycle. – Use flashers when approaching slower traffic to warn drivers behind […]

With the goal of reducing injuries and fatalities in Arizona car crashes, Monday marked the start of a new campaign for vehicle safety in Mesa and Tempe, according to azcentral.com. Police in both cities received a $20,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to begin project “Click it or Ticket, Next Generation.” The two week project will utilize seat belt enforcement zones to promote seat belt usage as well as the use of child safety seats. Drivers who choose not to wear seat belts or use child safety seats will be fined. Mesa has a $99.25 fine for failure to wear a seat belt and a $168.25 fine for failure to use a child safety seat. Neighboring Tempe fines drivers $75 for failure to wear a seat belt and $149 for failure to use a child safety seat. Extra police officers will staff the seat belt enforcement zones where they will issue citations without warning. The grants from the Governor’s Office will pay for the extra staffing expenses as well as operational costs. Mesa used a similar seat belt campaign last year and issued 356 fines for failure to wear a seat belt. Last year’s campaign was only one week long. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) states that seat belts save more than 13,000 lives each year. NHTSA also notes that seat belts are the most effective protection for automobile occupants in a crash.

An Arizona pedestrian accident sent a Peoria man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries on Monday afternoon, the Republic reported. AZ Family reported that the 30-year-old man died overnight after being struck by a truck while stopping at the side of the road to help a friend load a disabled bicycle into his car. The victim stopped on the outside eastbound lane of Cactus Road to pick up a friend whose bicycle had a flat tire. A pickup truck driving eastbound rear-ended the vehicle, striking the man at about 3 p.m. The accident pinned the victim beneath the truck. The victim’s friend and the truck’s driver were not injured. Cactus Road was closed for about three hours between 67th and 71st avenues. An investigation into the accident is ongoing and charges are possible. A total of 124 people were killed in Arizona pedestrian accidents in 2008, compared to 157 killed in 2007, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. More than 1,300 pedestrian accidents were reported in urban areas, while just 140 were reported in rural areas. In Peoria, a total of 2,462 traffic accidents were reported in 2008, killing 18 people and injuring 1,003. Arizona traffic statistics for last year are due out in the coming weeks.

A police cruiser collided with a Mercury sedan carrying 9 people on Sunday. The Phoenix car accident occurred about 7 p.m. at the intersection of Central Avenue and Alta Vista Road, the Arizona Republic reported. The Mercury was driven by a 36-year-old woman; eight children, ages 4 to 17, were riding as passengers. All nine passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment; no life-threatening injuries were reported, according to police. Although no passenger vehicle contains nine seat belts, police report all nine passengers were properly restrained. The officer was not injured and remained at the scene to assist with the investigation. The police department’s vehicular crimes unit was charged with investigating the accident. The officer was responding to a domestic violence call at a restaurant near Central and Southern avenues at the time of the accident. Police had received a report of a man assaulting a woman at that location, ABC15 reported. Police report that the officer was proceeding through the intersection against a red light when the sedan failed to yield and collided with the cruiser. Elsewhere in Phoenix on Sunday, one person was killed and three injured in a Phoenix car accident on Interstate 17, the Arizona Republic reported. Police report that three northbound vehicles collided near Pinnacle Peak Road at about 10 a.m. A 24-year-old woman was taken to John C. Lincoln Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries. A 36-year-old man in the same vehicle was also hospitalized. A second vehicle, a Ford Explorer, carried five passengers, including three children. Two teenagers, ages 13 and 16, were also transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

A Phoenix area car crash has seriously injured a woman on Friday afternoon, according to AZCentral.com. The three vehicle accident occurred when a car rear-ended another vehicle, causing that vehicle to hit an SUV. The rear-ending car traveled around 100 yards after the collision and hit some trees off the road. The car accident took place at Higley Road and Arrowhead Trail in Gilbert. The injured woman was transported by helicopter to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center. Others involved in the collision denied medical attention. Traffic was limited to one lane after the crash. The accident investigation is being handled by the Gilbert Police Department. Rear-end collisions are very common in our State. In 2005 there were over 112,000 multi-vehicle accidents in the State of Arizona and almost 50,000 of those accidents were rear-end collisions, according to ADOT.

A grandmother and six children were injured a week ago Thursday, along with several bus passengers, after a Phoenix car accident involving a Valley Metro bus, ABC15 reported. The Phoenix fire department reported that the accident happened at the end of the off ramp from northbound Interstate 17 at Rose Garden Lane. A 54-year-old woman and her six grandchildren — including two infants and children ages 2,3,6 and 9 — were all injured after the van rolled onto its side. Cause of the accident is under investigation. Several passengers on the bus were also injured and were treated at the scene. The Arizona Republic reported the woman and children were wearing their seat belts and are expected to recover from their injuries. The accident closed southbound I-17 at the Rose Garden ramp and Eastbound Rose Garden at 27th Avenue. A total of 1,020 Arizona bus accidents occurred in 2008, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Seven people were killed 207 were injured. As we reported last month on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, six people were killed in an Arizona bus accident in March. An investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety found numerous safety and maintenance violations could have been partially to blame. The driver was also believed to have been speeding at the time of the accident and may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

A man and his 7-year-old son were found dead from injuries sustained in a Phoenix car accident, nearly three days after the victim called 911 to report the accident, CBS 5 reported. The victim reportedly told a Yavapai County dispatcher at 12:30 p.m. Friday that he had run off I-17 and was severely injured. He said he was with his 7-year-old son and that they were five miles south of a rest area. The dispatcher contacted the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which reported that it sent officers to try and locate the crash. “We sent five DPS officers to the area,” said Sgt. Kevin Wood. “They were looking for evidence of anything that would be recent in the way of a collision. They just didn’t find anything.” Wood said they also tried to return the 911 call to the caller’s cell phone. He said they did not launch a helicopter to assist in the search. “We just cannot send the helicopter every time DPS gets a single call about a possible collision somewhere in Arizona,” he said. A Chandler police officer was investigating the disappearance of the father and son on Sunday when he heard about the 911 call. He alerted the DPS and asked that a helicopter be dispatched. The bodies of the man and his son were found in a 200-foot ravine near Black Canyon City. Both had been ejected from the vehicle. Investigators now say they are looking at whether the call was made before the crash, as survival seemed unlikely. They have verified through phone records that he is the one who placed the 911 call. The 911 tapes were released on Wednesday, which recorded the victim’s pleas for help. The victim’s wife reported he was struggling with tax issues, according to the Arizona Republic. […]

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is warning drivers about the dangers of aggressive driving this summer in an effort to reduce the number of serious and fatal Arizona car accidents. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that at least 1,500 motorists, including children, are injured or killed each year in the United States by aggressive driving. Aggressive driving includes speeding, improper lane changes, failure to use signals, tailgating, aggressive gestures and improper passing. There is a difference between aggressive driving and road rage. Aggressive driving is a traffic offense while road rage is a criminal offense. Road rage is “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon” involving the driver or passenger of a motor vehicle or regarding a dispute that occurred on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the majority of drivers view aggressive driving as a serious safety threat and support the use of increased sanctions, photo enforcement and other means of combating aggressive driving and enhancing public safety. Tips from the Arizona Department of Public Safety -Avoid frustration while behind the wheel. -Avoid distracted driving, including eating, drinking and talking on the phone. -Don’t tailgate. -Avoid making frequent lane changes. -Never run a red light. -Maintain a proper speed for the posted speed limits and the weather and road conditions. -Concentrate on the task of driving. -Relax. -Plan ahead and use alternative routes to avoid congestion. -Consider using public transportation. -When all else fails, just be late. Advice when confronted with an aggressive driver -Get out of the way. -Don’t let pride get in the way, avoid challenging a driver by maintaining your speed or lane or by speeding up or become confrontational. -Avoid eye contact, which can provoke an aggressive driver. -Ignore hand gestures. -Report aggressive drivers to […]