Phoenix Car Accident Attorney Blog

Statistics show that millions of people are injured every year because of car accidents; many of these injuries are serious ones. Accidents are often caused by drivers who speed or have blood alcohol concentration levels above the legal limit of .08. In 1999, 38% of traffic fatalities were caused by alcohol.

It was early morning of November 22 when a car-wreck occurred in Phoenix involving four cars. It was reported that three people were injured and sent to the nearest local hospitals. Another three injured victims were treated on the accident scene. This car-wreck occurred in Bethany Home Road at about 15th Avenue.

Of the four cars involved in the wreck, one of them hit a wall, the second hit a pole, and a third ended up in the front yard of a home. According to the investigator from the Phoenix Fire Department, the scene sprawled for about fifty yards. Due to this wide accident scene, traffic was affected, resulting in the temporary closure of Eastbound Bethany Home Road between 13th and 16th Avenues.

Although it was not confirmed that alcohol is the main reason of the 4-car wreck accident which happened early Monday morning, one thing is for sure- careless and distracted driving is a main reason why road accidents happen. The avoid this; drivers must pay more attention on the road while driving. Take a moment to put away your phone and refrain from other distractions when you’re in front of the steering wheel.

Continue reading " 4-car Wreck in Phoenix, Three Injured " »

Did you know that nearly one in six fatal accidents involves a drowsy driver in Arizona (ABC 15 11/8/10)? Signs of drowsy driving include excessive blinking, staring, and difficulty recalling preceding events.

Similar to distracted or impaired driving, drowsy drivers will often drift across lanes, have slower reaction time, or tailgate the car in front of them. If a driver nods off to sleep, even if they wake up a split second later, their eyes are off the road long enough to cause serious accidents.

41% of Arizona drivers report having fallen asleep or nodding off while driving, and 55% of those individuals reported this happening on a high speed divided highway (Traffic Safety Culture Index, AAA Arizona)!

There will be 854,000 people traveling more than 50 miles this holiday weekend (KPHO 11/22/10). This means there will be more drivers on the roads who have been traveling for a long period of time, they may be drowsy. Please take a few precautions when traveling this weekend: Plan ahead, get at least six hours of sleep before any big trips, and don’t rely on caffeine.

Continue reading " 55% of Arizona Drivers Report Falling Asleep at the Wheel " »

After seeing so many hit and run accidents recently, we started a new statewide hit and run tipline awarding up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest and felony conviction of drivers who flee the scene of an accident. We hope this tipline brings more drivers to justice, especially in situations that do not allow for the victims to report any information themselves.

On Friday in Scottsdale, a hit and run driver fled the scene of a pedestrian accident (KPHO 11/19/10). Luckily the pedestrian was not seriously injured, just seriously upset. He and a few other witnesses quickly jumped in their own cars and followed the hit and run driver to the Loop 101. The police were called to both scenes, but it is not known yet if any arrests have been made.

Not all hit and run victims are lucky enough to be in a condition to catch their own suspects. Most victims are left seriously injured and without witnesses around for immediate help.

We established the Hit and Run tipline in Arizona because we are ranked 8th in the nation for the worst pedestrian fatality rate—many of these deaths are caused by hit and run drivers. Hopefully with the increased chance of being caught will encourage drivers to remain at the scene instead of fleeing.

For more information about our hit and run tipline, click the link below:

Continue reading " Pedestrian Fights Back After Scottsdale Hit and Run Accident " »

Fatal accidents claimed 807 lives in Arizona in 2009 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System). While this statistic is lower than 2008’s 938 deaths, it is still a large number of people dying on Arizona’s roadways (NHTSA, FARS 2009). As Phoenix car accident attorneys, we hope someday we will witness this number dropping more and more each year.

On Wednesday in Phoenix, a 63 year old woman ran a red light and hit a turning city bus (AZ Family 11/17/10). There were no passengers on the bus, but the woman was killed from her injuries and the bus driver suffered minor injuries. The police are still investigating the accident.

Did you know the leading unintentional cause of death for all ages is car accidents (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2007)?

There are many factors going into traveling safely. With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner this week, there will be many more individuals on the roads, traveling to see family now and throughout the rest of the holiday season. We are urging all drivers to take your time, put away the distractions, and obey traffic laws so you can get to your destinations and back safely.

Continue reading " Bus Accident Kills Phoenix Woman " »

Did you know that nationwide, the fatality rate for passenger vehicle occupants is only 10.57 for every 100,000 registered vehicles (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2008)? Yet it seems as though someone in Arizona suffers a wrongful death nearly every other day in a car accident. There were 807 traffic fatalities in Arizona last year, which is a drop from 2008’s 938 deaths (NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System 2009). As Phoenix car accident attorneys, we hope to see these numbers drop even more in the future.

Unfortunately a Phoenix man’s life was lost last Thursday night in a two-car accident (AZ Central 11/12/10). The man was traveling on the highway when his sedan hit a small pick up truck. No other injuries were reported, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Additional details regarding the cause of the accident have not been released.

There are situations that can be prevented and others that are impossible to predict. However, the negligence of another party is often to blame when accidents happen. Safe drivers do all they can to get from point A to point B safely, such as refraining from using a cell phone, eating, or participating in some other kind of distracting activity while driving, and of course obeying all traffic laws. Not all drivers are this aware while on the road, and their negligence often leads to these deadly accidents. We hope all drivers make the conscious choice to drive safer to prevent injury or death to themselves and others.

Continue reading " Phoenix Man Killed in Two-Vehicle Crash " »

With all these pedestrian accidents as of late, it sounds like Arizona may be moving up from 8th in its ranking for worst pedestrian fatality rate. A teen was killed on a sidewalk by a hit and run driver, another woman was left for dead in the road, and now yet another pedestrian’s life has been lost. Arizona drivers, please look out for others on the roads and sidewalks!

An elderly man, 96 years old, was hit in a crosswalk and killed on Tuesday morning (ABC 15 11/16/10). The man was in a marked crosswalk when a pick up truck failed to yield the right of way to him and ran him over. Impairment does not seem to be a factor.

For every 100,000 residents, 1.82 will face a wrongful death in a pedestrian accident in Arizona (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2009). Elderly adults aged 65 years and older are the most at risk population, accounting for 18% of all pedestrian deaths, followed by children ages 5 to 9 and pedestrians under the influence of drugs or alcohol (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 6/17/10).

Continue reading " Yuma Pedestrian Killed at Crosswalk " »

In 2009, 630 bicyclists died, and an additional 51,000 were injured due to traffic accidents (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). As Arizona bike accident attorneys, we know this statistic too well.

On Sunday in Phoenix, a 53 year old man lost his life when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle (AZ Family 11/15/10). The driver then fled the scene but was found about a block from the accident and arrested. She is suspected to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the fatal crash.

Thankfully this woman was apprehended after fleeing this deadly accident or the family of this unidentified older man would be left with no one to hold accountable and no source for compensation of this tragedy unless they had uninsured motorist coverage. We encourage all families and drivers to purchase additional uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage because it will protect you in cases like this, when a driver flees the scene, or if you are hit by a driver without insurance or with inadequate insurance.

We also encourage witnesses to speak up to authorities when they witness a hit and run accident. We have started to sponsor a statewide hit and run tipline and will award up to $1,000 for information leading to a felony arrest and conviction of a hit and run driver. The line is completely confidential. For more information, check out our website:

Continue reading " Bicyclist Killed by Hit and Run Driver in Phoenix " »

Fleeing the scene of an accident is a serious crime. Any injured persons are left unassisted, and precious time is wasted if the authorities are not called immediately. Every time we hear about a hit and run accident it disgusts us. That’s why we’ve decided to do something about it to help bring these cowardly drivers to justice.

Just this past Sunday, a driver fled the scene of a roll-over accident in Glendale (AZ Central 11/9/10). His SUV hit a minivan with three passengers and rolled over. Luckily nobody was injured. The driver climbed out of the wreckage and ran from the scene. The authorities still have not been able to identify him. He is described as an adult male wearing a red hoodie sweatshirt.

If you were in the area and witnessed this accident, or you know someone who was, please help bring this driver to justice by calling our sponsored Hit and Run Tip Line. You could receive a reward up to $1,000 if your information leads to the felony arrest and conviction of the driver!

It’s an easy-to-use, anonymous tip line that relays your information to the appropriate authorities. No one, not even us, will know who it was that provided the information.

If this driver is not found, the passengers of the minivan may be left to pay the damages on their vehicle themselves. It is because of situations like this that we also encourage everyone to add underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage to their auto insurance policy. The extra coverage would protect you in situations of being hit by a hit and run driver, or one with inadequate insurance coverage.

Continue reading " Driver at Fault for Roll-Over Accident Flees Scene " »

In 2008, older drivers accounted for 15% of all traffic fatalities and 18% of pedestrian fatalities (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration). The bulk of accidents happened on weekdays during daytime hours, and involved other vehicles.

Older drivers are actually found to be one of the safest driving groups, according to AAA because they tend to not drink and drive or text and drive, but there are other risks that older drivers do face (ABC 15 11/9/10). With age, reflexes may slow, and judging speed or distance becomes more difficult. Although there may be difficulties in physical abilities, there are ways to work around or with them to continue to be a safe driver (Courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and AARP):

• Is your vision is declining? Always wear your glasses with your most current prescription, sit high in the seat to provide you with at least 10 feet of visibility in front of you, and keep your windshield clean to prevent glare.
• Is your physical fitness is impairing your ability to look around? Talk with your doctor about physical therapy or a walking program, and eliminate the blind spot in your car by repositioning the mirror. Lean your head against the window and move it outwards so you can barely see the side of your car on the inside edge.
• Is your reaction time slower? Try sticking to familiar roads, avoid rush hour, and drive during the daylight hours. Also keep extra distance between you and the car in front of you.

AAA Arizona is sponsoring a free Senior Driver Expo on Saturday, November 13th in Peoria for older drivers to learn more tips and tools to become safer on the roads, and enter for a chance to win a $500 gift card.

Continue reading " 1 in 10 Drivers will be over 65 within 15 Years " »

As parents we hate to hear of children being hurt in any car accident, especially when the injuries could have been prevented. There has been a fatal car accident recently in Peoria where one woman died and two children ages four and six were hospitalized with minor injuries. The children were in the back seats and were unfortunately not buckled into car seats.

The recommendation from the NTSB in 1996 states that children must ride in booster seats from the time they are 40 pounds up until they are eight years old or 4 ft, 9 in tall. Without a car seat, children are at risk of more serious injury should there be an accident. The seat is designed to raise a child so the seatbelt fits them properly.

Some tips to remember while your child is buckled into a car seat are to be sure that the seats are properly installed. You can refer to the owner’s manual if you are not sure. Also remember to place the seat in the center of back seat and never use the front passenger side especially when there is an airbag.

Continue reading " Fatal Peoria Car Accident " »

One out of every three people will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime, according to MADD (2010). Drunk driving is a completely preventable offense that puts everyone on the road in danger.

Four people are injured today as a result of a suspected drunk driving accident (AZ Family.com 11/5/10). The driver, in a small sedan, was speeding around a curve, lost control, and hit a semi-truck head-on. The truck driver is unharmed, but the driver and all 3 passengers were transported to the hospital with broken bones and other injuries. The accident is still under investigation.

Last year in Arizona, 807 people were killed in car accidents—59% of those accidents involved a driver with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System 2009). If nearly 60% of all accidents are caused by drunk drivers, imagine how many more drunk drivers are on the roads not getting caught. Please, as a courtesy to all drivers and all families in Arizona, do not let someone get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.

Continue reading " Suspected Drunk Driver Hits Semi Truck, Injures 4 " »

As Avondale area car accident attorneys, we see many car accidents in which drivers are rear-ended while sitting at a red light, stopped in traffic, or a multitude of other situations. Depending on the speed of the oncoming car, injuries can range anywhere from nonexistent to serious. We advise to always be alert, even while stopped, by keeping an eye on your rear view mirror for other drivers who may not be doing the same.

On Wednesday morning in Avondale, a police officer was completing a common traffic stop on the side of I-10 when a woman struck his patrol car (KPHO 11/3/10). The officer had been in the car and suffered minor injuries, but both he and the female driver were taken to the hospital. The exact cause of the accident is not yet known.

Rear-end accidents are the most common type of car accident, accounting for 31% of all collisions in the U.S. (Science Daily 5/1/08). Scientists have found that following drivers have a difficult time perceiving the urgency of the need to brake when the car in front of them begins to slow down. Drivers are unable to detect when the car they’re follow is traveling slower unless the speed is a difference of 8-10 miles an hour, which is a fast enough speed difference to lead to an injury collision. The best tip for avoiding rear-end accidents is to keep your distance.

Continue reading " Avondale Police Officer Injured in Rear-end Car Accident " »