Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham

Car Accidents: Failure to Yield

When a driver turns on their vehicle and proceeds into the roadway, they automatically owe a duty of care to their fellow drivers and pedestrians on the road. This means that a driver has a legal duty to operate their vehicle with reasonable care and to follow the rules of the road while driving. This includes following all traffic signals, rules of roundabouts, etc. but also driving safely for current traffic, road, weather and visibility conditions. An important rule of the road is yielding to other drivers and pedestrians when appropriate. If there is a failure to yield the right of way when it is legally required to do so, that driver may be legally liable for any traffic accident that happens as a result.

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Proving Fault in Chain Reaction Accidents

The most common type of chain reaction accidents are multi-vehicle accidents where a car at the end of a line of cars rear-ends the car in front of them and the car that was hit rear-ends the car in front of them because the momentum pushed them forward and so on. In some cases, there are six plus cars involved.

Proving fault in chain reaction accidents

You may think it’s obvious that the driver who caused the initial collision is responsible for the crashes but with so many cars, drivers and passengers involved in a chain-reaction crash; there may be more than one driver found negligent for the accident. There may be situations where the driver who caused the first rear-end collision is found to be intoxicated or was using their cell phone at the time of the crash, making it easier to assign 100% liability. In many accidents like these, however, bad weather, poor road conditions, tailgating or malfunctioning brake lights may all play a part.

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When a Medical Emergency Causes A Car Accident

There is a whole range of common issues that cause car accidents. When car crashes happen, there is usually one driver to blame but sometimes both play a role. Distracted driving and drunk driving get most of the attention and deservedly so, but today we’re going to take a look at what happens when medical emergencies cause car accidents. When accidents happen because of an unforeseen medical emergency or disability, the at-fault driver may not be considered negligent because of the sudden medical emergency defense available in many states.

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Am I Entitled to Disability Benefits If a Car Accident Left Me Permanently Disabled?

People who are injured in car accidents are entitled to a car accident settlement through a personal injury claim that typically compensates them for property damage to their vehicle, medical bills, and pain and suffering. Those who become permanently disabled in a car accident may be eligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits too. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine eligibility based on qualifying disabilities.

If you or a loved one was injured and permanently disabled in a car accident, contact an experienced car accident attorney who can review your case and discuss your legal rights.

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How Car Modifications for People with Disabilities Makes Driving Safer

According to census.gov, there are an estimated 40 million people in the U.S. who have a disability. An additional 30 million have a functional limitation that makes daily life more difficult, including activities such as driving.

Can a disabled person get a driver’s license?

Yes, disabled people can get a driver’s license as long as they can pass the written and practical tests and make all appropriate special modifications to their vehicle. Disability vehicle modifications may include special steering wheel hand controls for steering and signaling, pedal extensions to help with braking, left-foot accelerators and adaptive ignition controls, raised roof or dropped floor, wheelchair lifts and ramps and many more. The downside is that these modifications can be expensive and they are not an option for every vehicle.

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What Employers Need to Know about Being Held Liable for Cell Phone Crashes Involving their Employees

In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined that driving a vehicle while texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. Texting while driving causes over 3,000 deaths and 330,000 injuries every year according to a study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis. Talking on a cell phone while driving is very dangerous too because our brains are not capable of focusing our full attention on the road while talking on the phone. Overall, drivers are four times as likely to crash their vehicle when using a cell phone while driving. The risk of cell phone crashes needs to be taken seriously by drivers and their employers.

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NSC Estimates Memorial Day 2020 Traffic Fatalities

Every year, the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates traffic fatalities for holiday periods throughout the year by comparing fatality data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the holiday in question to similar length periods. The period assessed for Memorial Day is from 6 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday. This year’s estimate is based on data from 1995 to 2018 for comparable weekends.

When analysts compared the deaths over Memorial Day weekends from 1995-2018 to comparable weekends, they found that over the last six years, Memorial Day had a 9.4% higher than average number of traffic deaths. This is considered statistically significant.

Using a time series model built on 48 months of traffic deaths recorded from April, 2016 through March 2020, the NSC forecasts an estimate of 366 total traffic deaths for Memorial Day weekend, 2020.

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Despite Steep Drop in Traffic Amid COVID-19 Orders, Motor Vehicle Accident Fatality Rate Spiked By 14% In March

Motor vehicle traffic has been dramatically reduced since stay at home orders have swept across the nation, beginning in March. While motor vehicle accidents are down dramatically overall, a shocking reality has emerged: A National Safety Council (NSC) report has found that the motor vehicle accident fatality rate* spiked by 14 percent in March, 2020 over the March, 2019 rate. But, how can this be?

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May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 4,985 motorcyclists killed in collisions in 2018. While this was a five percent decrease in motorcycle fatalities, motorcyclists still made up a disproportionately large portion of traffic fatalities; 14 percent of all traffic-accident fatalities, while representing only three percent of all registered motor vehicles. Motorcycle riders are about 28 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than passenger car occupants. During Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May, the NHTSA reminds motorcyclists and drivers to help keep everyone safe by sharing the road. They also advise motorcyclists to remain alert at all times, to make themselves as visible as possible, to use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets, and to never drink and ride.

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Head on Crash Kills Little Women: Atlanta’s Ashley ‘Minnie’ Ross

As reported by people.com, Little Women: Atlanta’s Ashley ‘Minnie’ Ross is dead at the young age of 34 after a horrific head-on car crash in Georgia. South Fulton police told PEOPLE that Ms. Minnie’s vehicle crashed into another car that was driving in the opposite direction after she collided with the curb. Ross’ publicist shared that Ross was seriously injured when the car that she was in crashed into another vehicle near Old National Highway in Atlanta around 11 p.m. on Sunday, April 24. She died Monday night at a local area hospital. The other driver had minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

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