Car Crash Deaths Decreased in 2017: SUV is Most Deadly Vehicle
The annual report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released last month showed that 2017 had a slight decrease in traffic fatalities over 2016 but it was small comfort when crash deaths were up 6.5 percent in 2016 and 8.4 percent in 2015. In addition, evidence keeps mounting that the SUV, which is America’s most popular vehicle, is becoming more and more deadly on the roads. Traffic deaths decreased by 1.8 percent in 2017; the first drop since 2013. The one type of vehicle that saw an increase in fatalities was SUVs.
(more…)
Read MorePrevent an SUV Accident with Top 8 SUV Safety Tips
There is a learning curve for drivers switching from a car to an SUV. With SUVs now representing 60 percent of new vehicle sales in the US and making up 12 percent of all vehicles on the road, it’s time to acknowledge the jump in SUVs involved in deadly motor vehicle accidents and help prepare drivers to drive safely in an SUV.
Read MoreHow to Drive Safely through a Flash Flood
The U.S. National Weather Service looked at a 30-year national average in 2005 and found that about 127 people die every year in floods in the United States; much more than the number who die in tornadoes, hurricanes or by lightening. A Zevin 1994 report found that 80 to 90 percent of flood deaths are caused by flash floods. About 40 percent of flash flood fatalities were pedestrian accidents or motor vehicle accidents as the person or vehicle attempted to cross the flooded area.
What is a flash flood?
A flash flood is an intense flooding of low-lying areas over a period of six or less hours. In the Pacific Northwest flash floods are generally caused by a severe rain or thunderstorm.
Read MoreCommon Carrier Injury Claims: Limousine Personal Injury Case
A common carrier is a person or company that transports goods or passengers on regular routes at set rates. People traveling in a rented limousine, sightseeing bus, taxi, train, airport shuttle, cruise ship, airplane or any form of private group transportation are using a common carrier to get where they need to go.
Common carrier injury claims are filed when a passenger is injured while traveling on one of these types of transportation.
(more…)
Read MoreAm I Entitled to Pain and Suffering as Part of my Car Accident Settlement?
Yes, typically a car accident settlement includes compensation for lost wages, medical expenses for injuries sustained in the accident and pain and suffering.
The best way to figure out what your car accident claim is worth is to speak to a car accident lawyer as soon as you are able after the accident. He or she can discuss your legal rights and negotiate with the insurance agency with no up-front cost to you.
(more…)
Read MoreBellingham Woman Charged with Vehicular Assault After Causing Head-On Crash near Lake Padden
A two-car, head-on crash near Bellingham’s Lake Padden on the evening of Monday, July 23rd sent both drivers to St. Joseph’s Hospital with injuries. The causes of the accident have been ruled alcohol and reckless driving; and led to a charge of vehicular assault.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) head-on crash report
At 7:58 p.m. on July 23, 2018, 19-year old Selena L. Pool of Bellingham, WA tried to turn left onto southbound Samish Way in her white 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. Her car crashed head-on into a red 2000 Ford Ranger driven by 60-year old David E. Evans, which was heading northbound on Samish Way at the time.
Read MoreBlaine Woman Dies in Suspected DUI Crash on Mount Baker Highway
An 18-year old Blaine woman died in a suspected DUI crash on the Mount Baker Highway just after midnight on Wednesday, July 4. A report by the State Patrol details that a car driven by 20-year-old Christopher A. Lundquistgust of Custer hit a guardrail near Marshall Hill Road east of Deming, causing it to spin around and hit another guardrail before rolling over. State troopers report that Lundquistgust was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash and charges were expected.
(more…)
Read MoreSelf-Driving Uber Car Kills Pedestrian
As we grapple with the inevitable transition to more computerized and driverless cars on the road, the public was given the news that a self-driving Uber car killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. The 49-year old woman, who was crossing Mill Avenue at its intersection with Curry Road on Sunday night, March 18, 2018, was struck and killed by a self-driving Uber vehicle. It was believed to be the first pedestrian death caused by a self-driving vehicle. The company quickly suspended testing of their driverless vehicles in Tempe as well as in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto, Canada.
(more…)
Read MoreAvoid Bike Accidents with Cars this Spring
With spring weather comes more bikes on the roads and sidewalks. The reality is that sometimes bike accidents with cars occur and they are particularly common at intersections. This could be because of misunderstandings about the way that cyclists are required to behave in intersections. Laws vary from state to state so it is important for both drivers and cyclists to be aware of the rules of the road in the places they drive. With that said a cyclist is more vulnerable to injury in a car accident with a bike and should take care to behave in expected ways to avoid confusing motorists.
Read MoreWho Pays for Medically Unnecessary Services for Injury Victims in WA State?
When a person is injured badly they typically seek medical treatment from a qualified medical care provider. Imagine if you are injured in an accident through no fault of your own and you seek and receive medical care but when you try to recover damages, the defendant’s attorney or insurance company claims that you received unreasonable or medically unnecessary services. What if they are right? Should the injured victim now be responsible to pay for that medical care even though it was not their fault that they were injured and then received unnecessary procedures/services? No they should not but who pays?
Read More