California Injury Lawyers Blog

According to the California Highway Patrol, Sylvia Lopez Garay, the 18-year-old woman who was driving the sport utility vehicle that was involved in a deadly collision with a Greyhound bus on a California highway on Thursday, was under the influence of alcohol. 20 people were injured and six others were killed during the California motor vehicle crash, which occurred before 2am on California Highway 99. The bus was going from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

The SUV had rolled over after striking the median rail and was obstructing the fast lane when the bus collided with it and then struck a Honda CR-V. All three vehicles were pushed off the highway and down a 15-foot embankment. The bus also struck a tree. The impact of the crash broke the bus into pieces.

Killed in the California bus accident were bus driver James Jewett, 57, bus passengers Epifania Solis, 60, and Tomas Ponce, 79, and the three women in the SUV, Stephenie Cordoba, 20,Vanessa Gonzalez, 19, and Garay. Ponce's wife, 77-year-old Areola Ponce, suffered serious injuries. The Honda's driver also was hurt.

The three ladies had come from a dance party at the Starline Club. It was 18-and-over night. The club maintains it has a strict policy against underage drinking.

Orange County, California Bus Accidents
Determining liability in any kind of bus crash can be challenging, which is why it is so important that you are represented by an experienced Orange County, California bus accident law firm. In some cases, it is the bus driver or the bus company who is liable. In other bus crash cases, the other motorist or the manufacturer of a defective motor vehicle part may be at fault.

Bus crashes have also happened because a road was defectively designed, a traffic signal malfunctioned, or there was debris on the road that wasn't cleared away. If a drunk driver was the one responsible for causing the traffic crash, the business that overserved the motorist and/or allowed him/her to get behind the wheel of the vehicle may also be considered as a liable party. There could be more than one party who should be held financially responsible for your traffic injuries.

CHP: SUV driver in fatal bus crash under influence, AP, July 26, 2010

6 die, 20 hurt in Greyhound crash in Fresno, Los Angeles Times, July 23, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Greyhound

Seatbelts for Motorcoach Buses Proposed, News Inferno, November 17, 2009

National Transportation Safety Board

Continue reading "California Bus Accident: SUV Driver Involved in Greyhound Crash that Killed 6 and Injured 20 Was Under the Influence of Alcohol" »

Findings from a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute are raising questions over whether distracted driving laws that ban texting and the use of handheld cellular devices while driving is having any effect. The answer may be no.

The HLDI examined insurance claims from car crashes in California, Washington DC, New York, and Connecticut after such bans became laws. Not only did claims rates not go down but also there was no noticeable change in patterns when findings from these states were compared to nearby states where bans have not been instituted.

HLDI says it is gathering more information to find out why there has been no improvement in car crash rates in the wake of the cell phone and/or texting while driving bans. It said that one reason may be that more drivers are using handsfree phones now that handheld devices are off limits.

Contrary to earlier misconceptions, talking on a handsfree cell phone while driving is actually quite dangerous and can also lead to distracted driving car accidents. On January 12, the National Safety Council announced that at least 1.6 million US car crashes each year involved drivers texting or talking on their cell phones.

Our Anaheim car accident lawyers are concerned about the number of Orange County, California car crashes that continue to happen because drivers are texting or talking an a cell phone. Fortunately for the injury victim and his/her family, there are ways to obtain recovery from liable parties.

Meantime, the federal government continues to take steps in its bid to win the fight against distracted driving with a national ban that now makes it illegal for commercial bus and truck drivers to text while driving. Recent findings show that texting increases a commercial truckers' crash risk by up to 23 times.

Study: Distracted driving laws don't stop crashes, Washington Post, January 29, 2010

U.S. Bans Texting by Truck and Bus Drivers, BusinessWeek, January 26, 2010

National Safety Council Estimates that At Least 1.6 Million Crashes are Caused Each Year by Drivers Using Cell Phones and Texting, National Safety Council, January 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Cell Phone Laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Distraction.gov, US Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Number of California Car Crashes Not Going Down Despite Handheld Cell Phone and Texting while Driving Bans, Says HLDI" »

Too little sleep doesn't go a long way when it comes to driving safely. According to the National Sleep Foundation's new poll, in the last year alone up to 1.9 million drivers were either in a car crash or almost in one because they were driving while drowsy. Unfortunately, many motorists are unaware that driving while exhausted or sleepy can turn into negligent driving and become grounds for an Orange County, California car accident lawsuit if someone is injured or killed.

Each day, about 250,000 US drivers fall asleep while driving. The National Transportation Safety Board says there are about 8,000 drowsy driving-related deaths and 60,000 serious injuries a year.

Groups most likely to drive while drowsy are young people, shift workers, truck drivers, business travelers, and people with untreated or undiagnosed sleeping disorders. About 40 million people are believed to be suffering from some type of sleeping disorder that may make it hard for them to stay awake during the day.

Drowsy driving, not unlike drunk driving, delays reflex response times, impairs judgment, clouds the mind, and makes it hard for a motorist to pay attention. Some studies indicate that a person who has been awake for over 20 hours exhibits an impairment equivalent to someone with a .08% blood alcohol concentration.

A sleepy driver may not even realize that he or she has nodded off. Even just shutting one's eyes for a few seconds can cause the driver to drift into another lane, into oncoming traffic, or off the road, resulting in an Orange County truck accident, motorcycle crash, pedestrian accident, or bus collision.

In an effort to increase awareness about the dangers of driving while sleepy, National Sleep Foundation has declared November 2 - 8, 2009 Drowsy Driving Prevention week.

Signs you may be drowsy driving:
• Your head keeps nodding downward
• You suddenly notice that you are tailgating the vehicle in front of you
• You can't remember the last few miles that you drove
• You are having a hard time keeping your eyes open
• Focusing on the road is proving a challenge
• You keep yawning
• You just missed your exit

If possible, pull over and take a break. Caffeine helps. A better solution is to get a good night's rest and don't drive while drowsy. If you have to drive for hours at a time, take a break every 2 hours or 100 miles.

1.9 Million Drivers Have Fatigue-Related Car Crashes or Near Misses Each Year, Reuters, November 2, 2009

Drowsy-driving tragedies preventable, Boston.com, August 3, 2009

Related Web Resources:
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Drowsy Driving, National SLeep Foundation

Continue reading "Sleepy Driving is Distracted Driving Habit that Causes Orange County, California Car Accidents" »

Five people were transported to the hospital on Monday following an Orange County, California bus accident in Fountain Valley. Four of the bus accident victims were bus passengers. A number of bus passengers were wearing neck braces when they got off the bus.

The Fountain Valley bus accident happened at around 1:30pm when an Orange County Transportation Authority bus and a BMW collided at the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Heil Avenue. The bus was heading north on Harbor when the BMW 4-door sedan pulled out onto the street.

The BMW sustained damage to its rear while its front left quarter panel was smashed. One person riding in the BMW was also taken to the hospital. The five California bus crash victims complained of neck and back pains.

Bus Accident Facts
Bus crashes can cause serious injuries to passengers. Commercial buses general don't come with a seat belt installed in each passengers seat, which means that passengers don't have anything to restrain and protect them from the impact that can occur if a bus collides with another vehicle.

A good way to find out whether you have grounds for filing an Orange County, California bus accident lawsuit is to speak with an experienced Fountain Valley personal injury law firm about your case.

In other Orange County, California accident news this week, a Fountain Valley resident was convicted for criminal charges related to the deadly traffic accident that claimed the life of Santa Ana resident Richard Lauvao. Prosecutors claimed that the driver, Kenny Minh Phan, acted consciously and recklessly when he ran a red light right before crashing into another car. Phan then left the Santa Ana, California crash site, leaving Lauvao there with fatal injuries. Lauvao's seat belt nearly decapitated him.

DNA evidence allowed investigators to later apprehend Phan, who yesterday was convicted of felony hit-and-run causing injury and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for leaving the scene.

Hit-and-run driving, running a red light, failing to stop at a stop sign, speeding, texting while driving, and failure to yield, are all traffic violations that are against the law. When when someone gets hurt because another party commits one of these violations, the injured person may be able to sue the negligent motorist for Orange County, California personal injury.

Man convicted of fleeing after fatal traffic accident, OC Register, August 14, 2009

Five injured in bus crash, OC Register, August 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Hit and Run Accidents, Deadly Roads

Orange County Transportation Authority

Continue reading "Preventing Orange County, California Motor Vehicle Accidents this Memorial Day Weekend with DUI Checkpoints, "Click It or Ticket" Campaign, and Travel Safety Tips" »

Continue reading "Why Orange County, California Traffic Accidents Happen" »

Continue reading "California Bus Accident on Highway 101 Kills at Least Five People" »