Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham

Speeding Increases Risk of Deadly Crashes

Speeding increases the risk of deadly crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers a crash to be speeding-related if any driver involved in the crash was charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicates in their accident report that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the collision. A speeding-related fatality is any death that occurs in a speeding-related crash – including drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.

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Washington Ranked Second Worst State to Drive in WalletHub’s 2023 Report

Driving in heavy traffic is no fun. Whether you’re stuck because of rush hour or a car accident, it’s a recipe for frustration. Anyone who has driven in Seattle knows how crowded and slow driving in Washington State’s largest city can be. Apart from traffic levels, there are other factors that go into whether a state is good to drive in, including the cost of car insurance, weather, condition of the roads, population density, property crime, and rural versus urban makeup. These factors affect road safety and traffic accident rates, commute times, and affordability. Each year, WalletHub takes these factors into consideration to rank all 50 states from the best to the worst for drivers.

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Top 5 Common Causes of Car Accidents

Almost 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021, the highest number recorded in 16 years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While motor vehicle accidents have decreased since 2020, traffic fatalities have risen due to an increase in negligent driving behaviors such as drunk-driving, speeding, talking or texting while driving, and driving too fast in dangerous weather conditions. By learning about the most common causes of car accidents, we can avoid these behaviors and reduce our risk of being involved in a collision.

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Why Aggressive Driving Increases the Risk of Car Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says aggressive driving has occurred when “an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offences so as to endanger other persons or property.” Moving traffic offenses are driving offenses committed while a vehicle is moving. Racing, hit-and-run, and failure to yield the right-of-way are all examples of moving traffic offenses in Washington State. Aggressive driving increases the risk of car accidents because it leads to behaviors that don’t take the safety of others on the road into consideration.

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8 Lesser-Known Causes of Car Accidents

We know that drunk driving, distracted driving, and speeding are three common causes of accidents. Many public messaging campaigns have been done over the years to help prevent these dangerous driving behaviors. In this article, we’re going to share some of the lesser-known causes of car accidents because it’s important to keep them in mind too if you want to reduce your chances of being in a motor vehicle crash.

If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligent behavior of another driver, contact a local car accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights and possible next steps.

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Fatal Hit and Run Crash in Bellingham Leads to Arrest

A hit and run adds to the stress and trauma of a car accident, especially when someone is seriously injured or killed in the collision such as a fatal hit and run crash. When the person who may be responsible for the crash flees the scene without exchanging information with the other driver or staying to talk to first responders, there is a legitimate fear that the driver may not be held responsible for the accident and injuries they caused.

As car accident lawyers, we have seen an increase in hit and run accidents since 2020. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), deaths in hit-and-run crashes jumped by 26 percent in 2020. If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a hit and run crash, contact a Bellingham car accident lawyer for help.

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10 New Year’s Resolutions for Drivers

It’s January and that means it’s time for New Year’s resolutions. While most people think about getting healthier or spending more time with family, we are proposing that drivers make resolutions to keep themselves – and everyone else – safe on the roads. When you consider that 98% of motor vehicle accidents are caused by driver error, it just makes sense. If all drivers committed to our top 10 resolutions, so many accidents and injuries could be avoided.

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NSC Predicts 2023 New Year’s Day Holiday Period Traffic Fatalities

The National Safety Council estimates that 408 people may die in traffic accidents on U.S. roads this New Year’s Day holiday period and an additional 46,500 will suffer an injury severe enough to require medical attention; these numbers represent a small decrease over last year’s estimates. The vast majority of people who choose to celebrate with others for New Year’s get there by driving – which is the most dangerous way to travel – especially with the alcohol involved with most New Year’s parties. More people traveling on the roads combined with more people consuming alcohol, leads to increased traffic accident deaths year after year.

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How the Cold Affects Tires and Increases the Risk of Car Accidents

It’s bitterly cold in the Bellingham area this week and with plenty of snow in the forecast, we are dealing with icy and snowy road conditions. We all know that snow and ice increases the risk of car accidents and the statistics bear this out. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), 24 percent of all weather-related crashes happen because of snowy, icy roads. Additionally, more than 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 people are injured in motor vehicle accidents on roads covered in snow, slush or ice each year. What many do not know is that the cold can also affect tire performance and therefore increase the risk of a collision. This is especially true when tires are already worn down.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident caused by a driver who was driving on worn down tires, you have a right to seek compensation for your losses. As drivers we owe a duty of care to all other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on the road and this includes a responsibility to keep our vehicles well maintained. Contact a local car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights.

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Single-Vehicle Accidents High Risk When Drunk Driving Involved

Single-vehicle accidents occur when only one vehicle is involved in an accident. Often, a single-vehicle crash happens when a vehicle leaves the roadway and moves onto the shoulder, median, roadside or parking lane, etc. and then crashes into an unmoving object like a tree, pole, wall, or fire hydrant. In some cases, a pedestrian is hit. In a single-vehicle accident, property damage and personal injuries are the typical outcome. You might be surprised to hear that motor vehicle accidents involving only one vehicle have a higher fatality rate than head-on or side-impact collisions. More than 8,000 people die in single-vehicle rollover crashes in the United States each year.

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