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Car Accidents
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Posts Tagged ‘fatalities’

Understanding Washington Motorcycle Safety

fatalities, helmet laws, Washington motorcycle accident attorneys, Washington motorcycle accident lawyers, Washington motorcycle safety

November 3rd, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Motorcycle safety is an issue in Washington that continues to be seen as a problem by those charged with protecting the safety of all motorists on the state’s roads. When looking at the statistics, it’s no wonder to find that the state government continues to make every effort to promote safety in regards to these vehicles, as Washington motorcycle accident lawyers are constantly fielding inquiries and calls for help when someone is injured or killed in such an accident in Washington.

Specifically, the statistics that are kept by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) show that the number of fatalities that occur as a result of motorcycle accidents continues to hold steady. Consider the fatalities recorded in Washington in previous years:

  • 2005 – 74
  • 2006 – 80
  • 2007 – 68
  • 2008 – 81
  • 2009 – 62 (through September)

As a result of these records, the government is working to provide information for all motorists designed to protect those who ride motorcycles. This information includes every type of data imaginable, including the months in which the highest number of motorcycle accident fatalities occur, which is in the summer months as well as the time of day in which these tragedies tend to unfold. Almost 75% of fatality-causing motorcycle accidents occur between the hours of 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Aside from general awareness that’s occurring in the form of publicity campaigns, literature dissemination and seminars around the state, the legislature has also gotten involved by enacting tougher motorcycle helmet laws that require all riders on these vehicles to wear helmets that meet federal safety guideline standards. Generally, the government is pushing hard to stem the tide of motorcycle accidents and fatalities.

In the meantime, those who are harmed as a result of motorcycle accidents in Washington need to understand that there is still recourse available to them in many situations. Regardless of the efforts made by the government, the troubling statistics or the laws either currently on the books or in the early stages of passage, anyone who is wrongfully injured or worse in these types of accidents still has the recourse of civil liability available.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in such an incident, you need to contact the Washington motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

Speed Related Conditions and Washington Car Accidents

fatalities, injuries, Speed related conditions, Washington auto accidents attorney, Washington auto accidents lawyer, Washington car accidents

October 30th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Nearly everyone who ever gets behind the wheel will speed at times. For most people, the posted speed limit is nothing more than a suggestion at times, particularly if the driver is feeling hurried. Unfortunately, few factors create more danger on the roads than those who are speeding, as it physically limits the amount of reaction time available and forces other vehicles to make snap decisions that could lead to fatal consequences. As a result, Washington auto accidents attorneys are constantly working to help those injured by speeders.

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), more than half of the accidents that occur in the state that result in serious injuries and/or fatalities involve speeding as a factor. These include situations where drivers are moving at a rate faster than the posted speed limit and when a driver is seen to have been driving at a rate of speed that’s too high relative to the current driving conditions.

Looking strictly at fatalities, the WTSC reported that between the years of 2004 and 2008, there were 1,045 fatality crashes in the state that were caused by speeding, and these crashes resulted in 1,166 deaths. In addition, 54% of those speed-related traffic accident deaths involved drivers who were between the ages of 16 and 30. Clearly, younger drivers seem to be more prone to speeding and the sometimes tragic consequences that result.

When a serious auto accident occurs, it’s not always easy to ascertain the speed at which the driver at fault was traveling. However, there are accident reconstruction experts that are able to mathematically decipher a driver’s speed based on several variables that include skid marks on the road and the force of the impact between the vehicles, among others.

An experienced and successful Washington auto accidents lawyer will be able to work with experts who are able to provide this information on behalf of someone who is injured or killed so that those who cause these tragedies can ultimately be held accountable. If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in such an accident, you need to secure the help of a Washington auto accidents lawyer today to help you fight for your rights. Contact Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Washington Car Accidents Involving Impaired Drivers

damages, driving under the influence, DUI, fatalities, impaired drivers, Washington auto accidents lawyers, Washington car accidents

October 29th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Driving while under the influence of an intoxicant is an issue that’s been at the forefront of traffic safety policy for many years, with millions of dollars being spent on public campaigns regarding the issue, enforcement of laws that are becoming progressively tougher and of course the fallout that occurs after every crash that involves an impaired driver. Many of these costs occur in the form of damages that are sought with the help of Washington auto accidents lawyers, and if this has happened to you, help is available.

One look at the statistics kept by the Washington state government should alert anyone who sees them that this is not an issue that’s become less of a problem relative to years past. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), there were 1,221 fatal crashes in the state involving impaired drivers between the years of 2004 and 2008. In all, 1,363 people were killed in these crashes, which comes to an average of 273 deaths per year and 23 per month. These fatal crashes also account for nearly half of all fatal crashes in Washington during this five-year period.

Therefore, anyone can see that this is still an enormous problem in Washington as it is everywhere else. When someone is injured in a crash by an impaired driver, he or she still has legal rights in civil court even though these drivers are prosecuted in a criminal sense for any number of charges that can include serious felonies that involve substantial prison terms if the driver is convicted.

In fact, being convicted of DUI in Washington can actually serve as a boost to a case brought by an injured party in civil court, as the burden of proof is much higher in a criminal context than it is in civil court. However, that does not mean that pursuing and ultimately obtaining a justifiable recovery is a simple matter. In fact, the opposite is true, as there are several specific steps that need to be taken and several laws that need to be followed in order for a valid claim to properly proceed.

Rather than attempt to handle this situation yourself, you need to secure the help of an experienced Washington auto accidents lawyer to make sure you’re doing everything possible to pursue your recovery. Contact Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Car Accidents in Washington Involving Aggressive Drivers

aggressive drivers, Car accidents, fatalities, injuries, Washington auto accidents, Washington auto accidents lawyers

October 26th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

We have all seen drivers on the road who we may think of as ‘maniacs’ or ‘insane’ as they zoom past us at speeds that seem surreal and as they dart in and out of traffic lanes with seemingly inches to spare between bumpers. Aggressive driving is a problem both in Washington and everywhere else, and as anyone would expect, aggressive driving leads to a much higher risk of accidents. When these occur, they often cause devastating injuries, and Washington auto accident attorneys are used to handling cases in which the defendant was way too aggressive for the situation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as, “the commission of two or more moving violations that is likely to endanger other persons or property, or any single intentional violation that requires a defensive reaction of another driver.” This definition may seem relatively straightforward, but the fact is that whether someone is meeting this definition will depend on the facts and what other drivers are doing at the time.

Regardless of the semantics, however, aggressive driving is basically a waste of time, effort and risk. For instance, if someone is speeding by 20 mph over the speed limit on the highway, studies have shown that on average, that reckless driver will save approximately 2-3 minutes per hour on the overall travel time estimate. Risking several lives for two minutes is hardly logical, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t occur.

The Washington State Police have stopped and cited more than 30,000 drivers per year on average for reckless driving, and the state has been recognized nationally as one of the most forceful in the United States when it comes to enforcing the laws against this sort of conduct. Despite all of these efforts, aggressive driving still occurs and injuries and fatalities result.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse by an aggressive driver, you need to take action to make sure that your legal rights are protected and enforced. Contact the Washington auto accidents lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation so that you can obtain the answers you need.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Young Washington Drivers and Auto Accidents

alcohol, Auto Accidents, fatalities, inattention, injuries, insurance, speeding, texting, Washington auto accidents lawyers, young Washington drivers

October 21st, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Washington’s driving and accident statistics are generally similar to those you’d find in the rest of the country, and one of the more troubling sets of statistics involves young drivers. Generally speaking, young drivers face a higher risk of death and serious injuries behind the wheel as compared to older drivers, and these situations are often tragic in nature. As such, Washington auto accidents lawyers are regularly fielding incoming inquiries regarding the rights of those injured or killed in such situations.

The issue is such that October 18th – October 24th has been declared to be “Teen Driver Safety Week” in Washington, and the event is an effort to bring awareness to the risks involved with young drivers and to help alert anyone to steps that can be taken that lead to safer roads and fewer problems for young Washington residents who get behind the wheel.

One look at some basic statistics can explain why such a week has been planned. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), 140 people between the ages of 16 and 19 have been killed in auto accidents in Washington, and more than 400 have been seriously injured. The leading causes of these accidents appears to include speeding, drug and/or alcohol impairment, inattention or a combination thereof.

Young drivers are also much more likely to play loud music, joy ride and use their phones for calls and/or texting while driving, all of which only adds to the dangers that these young drivers incur. These risks also create danger for anyone else who happens to be sharing the road with them at any given time, thereby creating a situation where the state government decided to take action.

This is also the reason that insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for young or new drivers than for almost anyone else. The insurance industry assesses risks, and clearly they see young drivers as the biggest risk within this context. If you or someone you love has been injured or worse by a young driver in Washington or by anyone else, you need to contact a Washington auto accident lawyer at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Impaired Driving in Washington State

DUI, fatalities, impaired driving, injuries, Washington auto accident lawyers, Washington state

October 16th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Everyone understands the dangers involved and the potential for tragedy that’s tied to the issue of impaired driving, and Washington is no different than the rest of the country in this regard. The bottom line is that when someone makes the decision to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink or ingesting other substances, it’s far more likely that someone will get hurt or even killed. If this has happened to you or someone you love, a Washington auto accident lawyer should be one of the first people you contact.

In terms of statistics, Washington appears to be making positive gains when one looks at the number of DUI charges filed in the state, but those raw numbers are still quite troubling. The state recently released its DUI statistics for the calendar year of 2008, and more than 40,000 people were charged with some sort of impaired driving during the year. That represents a slight decrease from 2007, but that’s still enough people to fill a small city.

Of those 40,000 people, 17,000 people were convicted and approximately 18,000 agreed to a plea bargain of lesser charges. It should be noted, however, that not every charge levied was resolved in the same year in which it was issued. Regardless, what this should tell anyone is that despite all the efforts to curb this behavior, impaired driving remains a serious problem in Washington and poses an extreme risk for everyone on the road.

When this happens, many people aside from the police should be involved, particularly if someone is injured or killed as a result of these bad choices. Criminal liability can be severe in the worst DUI cases, but that should not mean that those who are guilty of this conduct escape civil liability from those who have been injured in an accident that was even partially due to impaired driving.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse because of an impaired driver in Washington, you need to take immediate action. Your first step should be to contact the Washington auto accidents lawyers at Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Head On Collisions in Washington

fatalities, head on collisions, head trauma, injuries, Washington, Washington auto accident attorney

October 14th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Head on collisions are among the most dangerous types of auto accidents that occur, and there are several dangers that arise as soon as such an incident occurs. Statistically speaking, estimated indicate that while head on collisions account for only about 2% of all traffic collisions, they also account for approximately 10% of all traffic fatalities. Given the damage that always results from these situations, anyone who has been injured in such a crash needs to contact a Washington auto accident attorney as soon as possible. Below is an overview of the issue.

Basic Physics

Many head on collisions tend to occur at a high rate of speed, which only increases the force involved and the danger and damage that results. For instance, if two cars collide going 40 miles per hour, it’s roughly the same as a stationary car being hit by a vehicle that’s moving at 80 miles per hour. Head on collisions also tend to be more common on highways, which only increases the average speed at which these incidents occur.

Dangers Involved

When two vehicles collide in a head on fashion, the fallout that occurs is extreme. Drivers and passengers in both vehicles face the prospect of having the engine pushed towards them, and if the engine enters the passenger compartment it can crush anyone inside. Such an occurrence can also burn the vehicle’s occupants given the high temperatures that tend to accompany engines that have been running.

Aside from the possibility of the engine collapsing the passenger compartment, there is also the issue of neck and head trauma that can result, even if the occupants are wearing seat belts. The reason is that when someone is hit from the front, the body tends to move violently to the back and towards the front, meaning that anyone could damage their necks, heads and brains on either the seat backs, the wind shield or both.

How to Proceed

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a head on collision, you need to take immediate action. Contact a Washington auto accident attorney at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Side Impact Accidents in Washington

fatalities, injuries, side impact accidents in Washington, side impact collisions, T-bone crashes, Washington auto accident lawyers

October 12th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Auto accidents occur in the thousands in Washington every year, and these accidents can happen in innumerable ways. This includes the manner in which collisions can occur, and one of the most dangerous types of crashes is the side impact collision. There are many reasons for this heightened danger, but the fact is that Washington auto accident lawyers are constantly fighting for the rights of those harmed in these types of collisions for a reason.

On a national level, it’s estimated that approximately 21% of all fatal auto accidents in the United States are side impact accidents, and as many as 25% of non-fatal auto accidents occur in the same manner. Side impact collisions are also known as ‘T-bone’ collisions, whereby one vehicle slams into the side of the body of the other, either on the driver’s or the passenger’s side.

One of the reasons that the side impact collision is so dangerous is because there are still millions of vehicles on the road in the United States and hundreds of thousands in Washington that do not have side impact air bags and others that have no air bags at all. When a collision occurs from the side, the driver or the passenger absorbs the full force of the other vehicle with only a few inches of metal separating a person’s body from the front fender of the other car.

People are also seriously injured in side impact accidents because of the way in which their body is tossed as these crashes occur. Aside from exposing a person’s rib cage and vital internal organs to the crash, when a body is thrown from side to side, it opens up the possibility of numerous injuries on almost any part of the body, and anyone could be thrown from the vehicle that’s hit if he or she is not wearing a seat belt.

Regardless of the specifics of any side impact crash, the fallout from them is almost always severe for those who feel the impact. If this includes you or someone you love, you need to contact a Washington auto accident lawyer as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

DUI Accident Leaves Two Seriously Injured

auto accidents lawyers, civil liability, DUI accident, fatalities, serious injuries, speeding

August 24th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Alcohol and speeding seem to be an unfortunate match when it comes to driving in certain circumstances. Many times, a DUI accident involves reports of the driver speeding before a crash, and this combination is as dangerous as it gets. That notion was reinforced recently in Allyn, but despite the severity of the crash, it fortunately did not lead to any fatalities. It did, however, result in serious injuries to two of the vehicle’s occupants.

According to the Kitsap Sun:

“A 19-year-old Allyn man was driving a 2007 Ford Focus west on the 700 block of East Lake Shore Drive in Lakeland Village at about 10:15 p.m. when the car left the roadway and crashed, deputies said.

An unidentified male passenger was seriously injured, said Mason County Chief Deputy Dean Byrd, and taken to Harborview Medical Center by helicopter. He is listed in serious condition at the Seattle hospital.

A 17-year-old Allyn girl was taken to Mason General Hospital in Shelton and later flown to Harborivew. She is listed in serious but stable condition, Byrd said.”

The driver was booked on suspicion of DUI, and investigators have yet to gather and publish all of the evidence that relates to the accident. Regardless, the driver will likely face not only criminal, but also civil liability. These situations are all too common, and if you have been injured as a result of the negligence of a drunk driver, you need to take preliminary steps to obtain the information you need regarding your legal rights and options as you recover from your injuries. Contact the auto accidents lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Running Red Lights – It’s Never Not Dangerous

auto accident attorneys, Auto Accidents, fatalities, injuries, red light cameras, running red lights

August 20th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Most of us know someone, if we are not that person ourselves, who will simply continue on through a red light if it ’seems safe.’ This typically happens on roads where there isn’t much traffic, but there are others who will accelerate through a yellow light, mistime the distance and speed and wind up flying through an intersection well after the signal has turned red. While some instances of ignoring the traffic signal may seem like no big deal, this decision is one of the leading causes of auto accidents in the United States every year.

The statistics are nothing short of startling. Estimates indicate that, on a national level, people running through red lights lead to almost 150,000 injuries and almost 1,000 fatalities every year in the United States. Clearly, no one could ever accurately estimate how many people actually run through these signals, the enforcement of this law is becoming more of a priority.

Seattle has installed more than two dozen traffic light cameras around the city, and while they have helped to curb this practice, they will never put an end to it. In order for that to happen, the individual needs to decide that he or she should no longer invite danger to him or herself and others by obeying traffic signals as they encounter them. Most estimates indicate that running a red light will save a driver between one and two minutes, and when viewing it from that perspective it isn’t difficult to surmise that risking lives isn’t worth it.

If you or someone you love has been injured because of another driver running a red light, you likely have a valid legal cause of action. Contact the auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

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