National Teen Driver Safety Week: Teen Driving Accidents
It’s National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 18-24, 2020. Sadly, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States. Teenage brains are still developing and as a result, teens tend to be impulsive and use poor judgment. Poor decisions often include drinking and driving or texting and driving; two of the riskiest behaviors when getting behind the wheel.
In 2017, 2,247 people were killed in car crashes involving a teen driver; 755 deaths were the teen driver. While young people aged 15-19 represented 6.5 percent of the U.S. population in 2017, injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle accidents involving teenage drivers represented about $13.1 billion – or almost eight percent – of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries.
Read More
Challenges in Multi-Car Accident Claims
Anyone who has been injured in a car accident and attempted to get compensation for their medical bills and pain and suffering can tell you that it can be a long and difficult process. This is true for fairly clear-cut accidents involving two vehicles but it’s even more true in multi-car accidents.
(more…)
Read More
The Rainy Season is Here. How Much Does Rain Affect Car Accidents?
The rainy season is here in the Pacific Northwest if our five-day weather forecast is any indication. We don’t get the most rain of all the states in total inches but we sure have a lot of drizzly days that keep our roadways wet. We know that weather plays an important role in road conditions and the accident rate but the question is, how much does rain affect car accidents?
If you were injured in a wet weather accident because of the negligence of another driver, you should speak to a car accident attorney as soon as you have received appropriate medical care. The injury lawyer can assess the details of your accident and injuries and discuss your legal rights. If your case is taken on, the lawyer will fight for a fair settlement on your behalf.
(more…)
Read More
How Many Car Accidents Will You Get in Over Your Life?
Let’s face it: getting into a car accident isn’t fun. We all hope to avoid them and yet almost no driver will go their entire life without being in a collision. But how many car accidents will you get in over your life? According to data from the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, the average driver will file a claim for a motor vehicle crash about once every 17.9 years. This means that over your driving life from say, age 16 to age 85, you are likely to experience three to four accidents.
Read More
When Road Hazards Cause Car Accidents
There are many causes of car accidents, including distracted driving and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Today we’re going to talk about road hazards and how they can cause car accidents. Motorcycles, in particular, are vulnerable to road hazard accidents and must pay particular attention to road conditions but this is an important topic for all drivers.
What are road hazards? Road hazards are any object or debris, including fallen cargo, animals, construction materials or tools, loose gravel, fallen trees or electrical wires, very rough roads, uneven expansion joints, standing water, snow or ice, etc. that is on the road unexpectedly.
(more…)
Read More
Options for Injured Uber and Lyft Car Accident Passengers
Ridesharing apps such as Uber and Lyft have seen their fortunes grow and decline over the years. Still, thousands of Uber and Lyft rides happen every day and that means there is a risk of car accidents while riding as a passenger. A person injured as an Uber or Lyft passenger may be wondering how they can get a settlement for their injuries. Uber and Lyft drivers are not employees of the companies they drive for so would you sue them directly or the company they contract with? A car accident attorney will be able to help you determine liability, discuss your options and get the compensation you deserve.
(more…)
Read More
Do Airbags Save Lives in Car Crashes?
Air bags are designed to provide protection for drivers and passengers in the event of a car accident alongside the use of seat belts. Frontal air bags have been standard in all passenger vehicles since 1998 and side air bags are offered as standard or optional equipment on many new passenger vehicles on the market.
Since air bags were installed in vehicles, they have saved thousands of lives in moderate to severe car crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), frontal air bags saved 50,457 lives between 1987 and 2017. In 2017 alone, they saved 2,790 lives. Air bags save lives by decreasing the chance that the head or upper body will crash against the vehicle’s interior during a crash.
(more…)
Read More
Despite Pause in Coronavirus Phased Reopening, Puget Sound Traffic is Back
Anyone who lives in or visits the greater Seattle area knows that you’re likely to hit a traffic jam at one of several times throughout the day and sometimes, even into the night. This congestion increases the chance of getting into a car accident such as a rear-end accident, multi-vehicle accident or road-rage accident.
Read More
Car Accidents Caused by Brake Failure
Without brakes, a vehicle cannot stop until it crashes into another vehicle or stationary object such as a curb or building. We know that modern brakes are very reliable for the most part, but brake failure is absolutely possible. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey says that two percent of all car accidents are caused by brake failure.
Read More
When a Car Accident Leads to Burn Injuries
It’s every driver’s worst nightmare to have their vehicle erupt in flames. Sadly, there are 171,500 highway fires in the United States each year, according to a report on highway vehicle fires conducted between 2014-2016. Of those fires, 83 percent happened in passenger vehicles, resulting in an average of 345 deaths annually, 1,300 injuries; and $1.1 billion in property loss. And this is good! Passenger vehicle fires were much more common before car manufacturers made design changes in the 1970s and 1980s. While most car accidents do not end in a fire, those that do can lead to severe burn injuries or even death.
Read More