Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

An Arizona car crash has caused injuries to six teenagers in Avondale on Tuesday, according to the Arizona Republic. The accident involved 2 cars and occurred at Indian School Road and 99th Ave. The teens were reportedly in serious condition. According to fire and rescue officials, a silver car t-boned a black car at around 12:15 p.m and there was heavy damage to the vehicles. The 6 teens were all taken to area hospitals. Four of the injured went to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix and the other two went to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, also in Phoenix. The Arizona car accident is being investigated by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the collision, or whether any tickets were issued, has not yet been reported. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, in the year 2008 alone 28 teen drivers were killed in Arizona motor vehicle accidents and over 3,500 were injured. During that same year, 39 teen passengers were killed and over 2,800 were injured. Click here to read the story as reported by Fox News.

Five people were hurt in an Arizona truck accident on Interstate 8 west of Gila Bend, AZ Family reported. The accident reportedly involved at least two semis and closed eastbound I-8 between Citrus Valley and Route 85. The semis apparently collided and burst into flames — a passenger vehicle was also involved. Four people were airlifted to area hospitals while a fifth victim was taken by ambulance. ABC 15 reported that the road was blocked for hours as crews worked to clear the wreckage. Cause of the trucking accident remains under investigation. Arizona accidents involving semis and other large commercial trucks typically result in very serious or fatal injuries to motorists. In 2008, a total of 103 people were killed and 1,563 people were injured in accidents involving semis, tractor trailers or other large commercial trucks, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Earlier this year, the Arizona Republic reported that the Arizona Highway Patrol’s Department of Public Safety unit would no longer make “administrative stops” on large trucks. The stops are aimed at ensuring the safety of the motoring public by stopping trucks to check for safety violations and review compliance with driving hours, log books and other safety regulations. Nationwide, an average of 5,000 motorists a year are killed in accidents with large trucks, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The change in Arizona enforcement is meant to allow authorities to concentrate manpower on trucks that are overtly violating the law, rather than stopping trucks that are committing no apparent violation. “Here’s what I told our officers: if you have a vehicle that goes by with a poor safety rating, but they’re not currently committing a traffic violation or any other obvious violation of regulations, then let’s go find one that is,” said Lt. Col. Jack […]

The Arizona School Boards Association and Phoenix area principals are pushing teenagers and parents to talk about prom safety, ABC 15 reported. The Arizona car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge parents to help make sure teens have a safe and memorable prom season by having an open discussion about the dangers of drinking and driving and unsafe driving habits.In Parker, Arizona, a mock crash scene was set up to illustrate the dangers of drunk driving to high school students, according to the Parker Pioneer. A total of 1,194 people were killed in Arizona car accidents involving teen drivers in the five-year period ending in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition to Arizona, states that reported more than 1,000 teen driving deaths were Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Texas. MADD is also promoting “The Power of Parents: It’s Your Influence” to promote safe teenage driving. Parents can help teenagers make the right choices by: – Establish clear rules, monitor your child’s behavior, and talk to your child about the consequences of underage drinking. – Understand that the choice to be drug and alcohol free takes courage, and is often not easy. – If using a limo, instruct the driver to notify parents if alcohol is present. – Permit only registered passengers to ride in a limo. – Do not serve alcohol to an underage person.

Drunk driving, speeding, failure to yield and distracted driving are among the leading causes of Arizona car accidents, according to statistics from the Arizona Department of Transportation. A motorist is injured every 10 minutes and someone dies every 9 hours in an Arizona traffic accident. -One-third of Arizona car accidents are caused by drunk drivers. -8 out of every 10 Arizona drunk driving accidents occur in an urban area. -7 of 10 Arizona car accidents occurred during daylight hours, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. -33 children under the age of 14 were killed and 4,510 were seriously injured in Arizona car accidents. Overall, the number of serious and fatal Arizona traffic accidents has declined in the past 5 years. 2004: 138,899 crashes, 1,159 fatalities, 73,693 injuries. 2008: 119,588 crashes, 937 fatalities, 56,009 injuries. However, as we reported recently on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, authorities believe some of the decrease is the result of the downturn in the economy and record high gas prices in recent years. The state will release accident statistics for last year in the coming weeks. Arizona Car Accidents -Nearly half of all multiple-vehicle Arizona car accidents — 43,738 of 95,427– involved a rear-end collision. A T-bone collision was the next most likely cause, accounting for 17,848 accidents. Leading causes of Arizona car accidents Speeding: 41,567 crashes killed 304 motorists and injured 13,653. Failure to Yield: 21,370 crashes, killed 87 motorists and injured 8,097. Distracted Driving: 14,252 crashes killed 55 motorists and injured 3,724. Unsafe Lane Changes: 6,601 accidents killed 7 motorists and injured 963. Following too Closely: 4,568 accidents killed one motorist and injured 1,245.

Four people, including three teenagers, were seriously injured in an Arizona car accident early last Friday morning in front of Desert Ridge High School, the Republic reported. Teenagers are at high risk for traffic accidents; almost 1,200 young people were killed in Arizona traffic accidents involving young people during the five-year period ending in 2008. And motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In this case, the teens were not at fault; their vehicle was eastbound on Madero when it was struck by a car that ran a red light while traveling south on Crismon Road, according to the Mesa Police Department. Two 17-year-old boys were transported to local hospitals with spinal and head injuries; one of the teens, seated in the back seat, was thrown into the front of the vehicle by the impact of the collision. A 17-year-old girl in the front passenger seat was airlifted to the county hospital with a lacerated forehead. The adult male driver of the other vehicle was taken to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital. In 2008, a total of 4,130 Arizona car accidents were caused by a driver who disregarded a traffic signal, including red-light runners. Another 977 were caused by stop sign violations. A total of 32 people were killed and 2,300 were injured, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Cuatro personas, tres de ellos adolescentes, fueron heridos gravemente en un accidente de carro en Arizona el viernes por la mañana adelante del Colegio secundario Desert Ridge High School, informa la República. Los adolescentes están en riesgo alto para accidentes de tráfico; casi 1,200 jóvenes fueron matados en accidentes de tráfico en Arizona que implican a jóvenes durante el período de cinco años terminando en 2008. Accidentes automóvilisticos son la causa principal de muerte entre los adolescentes 15 a 20, según la Administración Nacional de la Seguridad del Tránsito de Carretera. En este caso, los jóvenes no tuvieron la culpa; su vehículo estuvo hacia el este en Madero cuando fue atropellado por un carro que corrió una luz roja mientras viajaban hacia el sur por Crismon Road, según el Departamento de Policía en Mesa. Dos muchachos de 17 años de edad fueron transportados a hospitales locales con heridas de espina y de cabeza; uno de los jóvenes, sentado en el asiento de atrás, fue tirado al frente del vehículo por el impacto del choque. Una chica de 17 años de edad en el asiento delantero de pasajero fue aerotransportada al hospital del condado con la frente lacerada. El conductor adulto varón del otro vehículo fue trasladado a Scottsdale Memorial Hospital. En 2008, un total de 4,130 accidentes de carro en Arizona furon causados por un conductor que desatendió un señal de tráfico, incluyendo corredores de luz roja. Otros 977 fueron causados por violaciónes de señal de pare. Un total de 32 personas murieron y 2,300 fueron heridos, según el Departamento de Transporte en Arizona.

A teen has past away from injuries received in a Arizona car crash, according to AZCentral.com. The driver of the other car involved in the accident was allegedly intoxicated, almost three times the legal limit of .08. The collision took place last Thursday on Ray Road in Chandler, Arizona. The victim, a high school senior, was flown to an area hospital due to the severity of his injuries, AZFamily.com has reported. The teen was on life support until he passed away on Saturday evening. At the time of the accident, the defendant was westbound on Ray Road in a Chevy pickup truck around 10:15 p.m. He was traveling around 80 mph in a 45 zone when he struck the victim’s van on the passenger side as the van was turning left. Lab work taken later at the hospital showed the DUI driver had a blood alcohol level of .227. The driver has reportedly been charged with manslaughter and his bond has been set at $250,000. He is scheduled to appear in court next on May 17. In the year 2008 alone, there were 6,757 alcohol related auto accidents in the State Arizona. 324 people were killed and 4,733 were injured in those crashes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Over 78 percent of the alcohol related accidents took place in urban areas.

Two teens are still in the hospital as of Tuesday after sustaining serious injuries in an Arizona motorcycle accident on Saturday, according to the Arizona Republic. The accident took place around 8:30 p.m. at 92nd and Cholla Street in Scottsdale. Police are saying that they believe the accident was caused when a 19 year old motorcyclist ran a red light while heading southbound on 92nd. He hit a Honda minivan that was eastbound on Cholla turning left onto 92nd. He had a 17 year old female passenger riding with him at the time of the crash. The motorcycle driver was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare-Osborn and the passenger was taken to John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital. The Honda driver was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare-Shea for an injured arm, and was treated and released. It is being reported that the motorcyclist had alcohol in his system, but his exact BAC level has not been disclosed. The Scottsdale Police Department is handling the accident investigation. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, in the year 2008 alone there were over 3,500 Arizona motorcycle crashes, and over 3,000 people were hurt in those accidents. Seventy percent of the crashes occurred in urban locations. 140 people were killed.

The Associated Press reports that Arizona will end its controversial traffic camera program, aimed at catching highway speeders and reducing Arizona car accidents. As we reported last month on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, authorities in Mesa credit red-light cameras with a decline in Mesa car accidents. Such cameras in use by local governments will not be affected by the state’s decision. Gov. Jan Brewer announced her intentions to end the state program earlier this year. Last week, a non-renewal letter was sent to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the private company that operates the state cameras. The state’s 36 fixed cameras will be turned off and the 40 vans will be taken off the highways on June 16 when the state contract expires. The cameras were introduced in September 2008 and all 76 were running by January 2009. The cameras captured images of speeders going 11 mph or more over the limit and sent tickets in the mail. The state had estimated $90 million in revenue during the first year, although that proved optimistic and revenue fell short as many motorists simply ignored the notices sent by mail. The Arizona Republic slammed the decision as a mistake, citing reports of a nearly 20 percent drop in Arizona traffic fatalities, which equates to two dozen lives saved. The paper noted the cameras brought in $63.5 million and motorists had ample warning with signs warning of camera placement. “When the cameras come down, the state might as well remove speed-limit signs, too,” the Republic wrote. “They’ll be roadside decoration, with no more effect on drivers than the designs on the sound walls.”

A Phoenix area car crash has lead the he death of an eighty-one year old woman, according to the Arizona Republic. The accident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday in the area of 1600 S. Crismon in Mesa, and involved a police cruiser. The elderly victim was being driven by her 58 year old daughter who attempted to make a left turn from southbound Crismon onto the on ramp of U.S. 60. While making the turn she reportedly failed to yield to oncoming traffic and was hit by an unmarked police car that was headed northbound. The police officer was not seriously hurt. He was taken to Desert Vista Hospital with neck injuries and bruising and was later released. The 81 year old had to be cut from the car by the Mesa Fire Department and was then taken to Desert Vista Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. Drugs and alcohol reportedly did not play a role in the accident. This is the second fatal car accident involving a Mesa police officer over the last month. As we reported in April on the Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, a police officer hit and killed a pedestrian that was laying in the street.