Arizona motorcycle accidents are a continuing cause for concern as the Governors Highway Safety Association reports the state was the 9th deadliest in the nation for motorcycle accidents in 2009. While final statistics will be released in the coming weeks, the association reports that 98 riders were killed in Arizona during 2009 — no reduction over the 98 killed in 2008 — even as a significant decline occurred nationwide for the first time in more than a decade.Nationwide, motorcycle accidents are forecast to decline to 4,762 deaths, compared to the 5,290 deaths reported in 2008. After 11 years of increases, officials say more needs to be done before the decrease can be considered part of a sustainable decline. “We will need to see three to five years of decline before we are ready to say that a positive trend has developed,” Association Chairman Vernon Betkey said. Recently, a Phoenix motorcycle accident killed four people and seriously injured five others after a large dump truck plowed into eight bikes stopped at a traffic light in North Phoenix near 27th Drive and Carefree Highway. The accident was so shocking that the American Motorcycle Association offered a public apology and condolences to the families. Witnesses reported the dump truck ran over the motorcycles and collided with an SUV that had originally been stopped at the light in front of the bikes. Some of the motorcycles burst into flames as bikes and riders were dragged 50 to 75 yards. “I have never seen such a horrific accident involving so many motorcycles,” Phoenix Public Safety Manager Jack Harris told reporters at the scene. Local newspapers reported that the 46-year-old truck driver has two pending speeding citations, both issued within the last month.
An ASU student who sustained severe injuries in a Tempe, Arizona car crash last Saturday has died. Here 19 year old passenger is in critical but stable condition, according to ABC News 15. The accident happened when the 20 year old student lost control of her vehicle and hit a construction barricade on McClintock Drive in the area of Loop 202 around 3 a.m. She was not using her seat belt and was thrown from the car in the accident. She was rushed to an area hospital, but later died on Monday. Her passenger, also an Arizona State University student, was wearing a seat at the time of the Tempe auto accident. Tempe police say alcohol may have been a factor in the crash, according to AZCentral.com.
Un pedestre de Arizona vs. accidente de autobús escolar ha reclamado la vida de una mujer en Glendale el miércoles por la mañana, según el Arizona República. La víctima, una mujer de 39 años, estaba cruzando la calle en el área de la Avenida 47 y la Avenida Peoria. La mujer iba caminando hacia el norte por una luz verde cuando el autobús escolar, que también iba hacia el norte, giró a la derecha y no se dio cuenta del pedestre en el cruce peatonal. Las Noticias de ABC informan que el pedestre estaba en un cruce peatonal cuando fue atropellada. El Departamento de Policía en Glendale esta manejando la investigación del accidente. Ningunos niños fueron heridos. La víctima fue trasladada al Hospital Valley, donde murió poco tiempo después. En el año 2008, 124 pedestres murieron 1,423 resultaron heridos en Arizona según el Departamento de Transporte de Arizona. Ochenta y nueve de los accidentes pedestres fatales ocurrieron en áreas urbanas. Bajo la ley de Arizona, los conductores están obligados a ser cuidadosos para evitar chocar con un pedestre en la via. Aún más, los conductores tienen que ceder el paso a los pedestres en un cruce peatonal.
An Arizona pedestrian vs. school bus accident has taken the life of a woman in Glendale on Wednesday morning, according to the Arizona Republic. The victim, a 39 year old woman, was crossing the street in the area of 47th Avenue and Peoria Avenue. The woman was walking northbound on a green light when the school bus, who was also northbound, turned right and failed to notice her. ABC News is reporting that the pedestrian was in a crosswalk when she was hit. The Glendale Police Department is handling the crash investigation. No children were injured. The victim was rushed to Valley Hospital where she died a short time later. In the year 2008 alone, 124 pedestrians were killed 1,423 pedestrians were injured in Arizona according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Eighty nine of the fatal pedestrian accidents occurred in urban areas. Under Arizona law, drivers are required to “exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian on any roadway”. Further, drivers have to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
Abogados de accidente de carro en Arizona de Abels & Annes les recomienda a todos que disfruten el Cinco de Mayo en una manera responsable y hacer su parte para permanecer seguro y evitar accidentes de conductors borrachos. Como informamos esta semana en nuestro blog de Abogado de Herida en Phoenix, 324 personas fueron matadas y más de 4,700 fueron heridos en accidents de conductors borrachos en Arizona en 2008. Cinco de Mayo, Español para el “quinto de Mayo”, ha crecido en popularidad en los Estados Unidos en los últimos años y ha llegado a ser una celebración de herencia mexicana en la misma manera que el día de San Patricio celebra la cultura Irlandesa. La fiesta del 5 de Mayo 1862,celebra la victoria del ejército Mexicano sobre soldados Franceses en la Batalla de Puebla. Las autoridades a través de Arizona y a través de la nación han anunciado aumentos de patrullas, a partir del miércoles y durara hasta el fin de semana, en un esfuerzo por reducir el número de accidentes graves y fatales causados por conductores borrachos. El NHTSA le ofrece a la comunidad hispana literatura de prevención en conducir borrachos. Programación de la prevención borracha está disponible en ingles. Si usted o un ser querido está en un accidente de carro en Arizona, los abogados de herida en Phoenix de Abels & Annes ofrecen citas gratis y confidenciales para hablar de sus derechos. Llame a (602) 819-5191
The Arizona car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge everyone to enjoy Cinco de Mayo in a responsible manner and to do your part to stay safe and avoid drunk driving accidents. As we reported this week on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer blog, 324 people were killed and more than 4,700 were injured in Arizona drunk driving accidents in 2008. Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for the “fifth of May,” has grown in popularity in the United States in recent years and has become a celebration of Mexican heritage in much the same way that St. Patrick’s Day celebrates Irish culture. The holiday celebrates the May 5, 1862 victory of the Mexican army over French soldiers at the Battle of Puebla. Authorities across Arizona and throughout the nation have announced increased patrols, beginning Wednesday and lasting through the weekend, in an effort to reduce the number of serious and fatal traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers. The NHTSA provides the Hispanic Community with drunk driving prevention literature, available by clicking here. English drunk-prevention programing is available by clicking here.
The West Valley DUI Task Force was out in force over the NASCAR weekend, making 39 arrests in the fight to reduce the number of serious and fatal Arizona drunk driving accidents. Nationwide, someone dies in a drunk-driving accident every 45 minutes, according to government statistics. “People that are impaired, it’s imperative to get them off the roadway,” Goodyear Police Officer Kory Miyazato told the Arizona Republic. “It’s just like someone that commits murder. I see it the same way. It’s someone behind the wheel, crashing into someone, killing someone.” About one-third of all fatal Arizona traffic accidents involve a drunk driver, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. In 2008, 294 alcohol-related crashes killed 324 and injured more than 4,700. The West Valley DUI Task Force is comprised of most West Valley law enforcement agencies, which team up and descend on a chosen city with 40 to 60 officers for a night of saturation patrols hunting for impaired drivers. Participating police departments include Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Peoria, El Mirage, Glendale, Phoenix, Tolleson and Surprise, as well as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety. The agency was formed in the 1990s and receives funding from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to pay for overtime, training and equipment. Arizona law permits someone to be arrested for DUI even if their blood alcohol limit is below .08. In 2008, another 63 fatalities in Arizona were caused by drivers with a blood-alcohol level of .01 to .07, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. DUI arrests by the task force increased to 4,827 in 2009 from 3,788 in 2008, according to the Office of Highway Safety. Nineteen similar task forces operate statewide, including in East Valley, northern Arizona and southern Arizona. Nationwide, drunk drivers killed […]
In 2008, the statewide economic cost of car accidents was $2.85 billion. The Arizona Department of Transportation will release statistics for last year in the coming weeks. Statewide, a total of 119,588 Arizona traffic accidents, injured 37,180 motorists, including 842 fatal accidents that claimed 937 lives. Economic Cost of Arizona Traffic Accidents Fatal Accidents: $1.07 billion Critical Injuries: $353 million Other Injuries: $421 million Possible Injuries: $376 million Property Damage: $624 million Average cost per Arizona Traffic Crash: -Fatality: $1.1 million -Serious Injury: $66,300 -Other Injury: $21,420 -Possible Injury: $12,138 -Property Damage: $7,650 Arizona counties with the highest cost for motor vehicle crashes -Maricopa County: $1.5 billion -Pima County: $444 million -Pinal County: $149 million -Mohave County: $121 million -Coconino County: $118 million -Yavapai County: $105 million -Yuma County: $74 million -Cochise County: $68 million -Apache County: $66 million -Navajo County: $63 million Arizona Traffic Crashes by County: -Maricopa: 78,034 -Pima: 18,218 -Coconino: 4,311 -Yavapai: 3,479 -Pinal: 3,249 -Mohave: 3,025 -Yuma: 2,879 -Cochise: 1,883 -Navajo: 1,286 -Gila: 1,063
Phoenix area motorcycle rider seriously injured in accident
April 30, 2010 |A Tempe, Arizona motorcycle vs. car accident has resulted in severe injuries to a biker, according to AZ Central.com. The Motorcyclist lost his right let below his knee after he was hit by a driver on Saturday morning.The Tempe accident occurred at University Drive and State Route 143 around 2:30 a.m. The Tempe Police Department is reporting that a driver from Phoenix was westbound in a Toyota when he hit the motorcycle that was stopped for a red light. The at fault driver was allegedly going more than 60 mph and witnesses told police he looked like he had been drinking alcohol. The police are reporting that the defendant fled the scene on foot, without helping the injured biker. He was tracked down at his home the next morning, and he admitted his involvement in the crash and that he left the accident site with no intention of alerting police of the accident. He also said he had no intention of alerting the police about the accident. He was charged with aggravated assault and leaving the scene of a serious injury accident. The Tempe Police are still investigating. In this case, I can’t help but wonder if the defendant left the accident because he was intoxicated, or uninsured, or both. Either way, the motorcycle rider should have a policy limits case, whether it is against the defendant’s insurance carrier, or an uninsured / under-insured motorist claim against his own insurance policy.
While the number of Glendale auto accidents has declined with the downturn in the economy, the number of fatal accidents has increased, the Arizona Republic reported. Police department statistics show accidents have decreased by about 23 percent since 2005, from 6,403 to 4,910 reported last year. In 2008, Arizona traffic accidents totaled 119,588, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The number of fatal traffic accidents in Glendale increased from 4 in 2006 to 14 in 2009, according to the Glendale Police Department. The number of accidents had been increasing each year until 2007, when traffic accidents began to decline. Authorities attribute some of the decline to targeted enforcement of problem areas, like red-light enforcement at intersections with high numbers of collisions, including 59th and Olive avenues, 83rd Avenue and Bell Road and 51st Avenue and Camelback Road. But traffic experts also cite the economic downturn, high unemployment and low numbers of tourists as primary causes for the reduction in Arizona car accidents. AAA Arizona also cites high fuel prices as a reason for reduced travel. “Across the nation, it has contributed to a drop in vehicle crashes,” AAA spokeswoman Michelle Donati, said. “The people who are driving are driving fewer miles than they were. You also have people taking fewer leisure trips.” As we reported recently on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer blog, Glendale’s numbers mirror statistics statewide. Arizona traffic accidents have declined during the downturn, while the number of fatal accidents has increased in many areas.