California Injury Lawyers Blog

According to the National Safety Council, about 287 traffic fatalities are expected during the 3.25-day holiday period that runs from 6pm on December 23 through 11:59pm on December 26. (Giving this figure a 90% confidence level, this means there could be anywhere between 220 to 365 traffic deaths in total. About 28,700 injuries requiring medical attention (or between 22,000-36,500 injuries) are expected.

"Although the holidays are among the least likely time when you want to be dealing with the aftermath of a California motor vehicle accident, the sooner you contact an Orange County, Ca personal injury law firm to begin exploring your legal options, the better," said Howard Law PC partner and Anaheim car accident attorney Vincent Howard.

The traffic death estimates for the 2012 New Year's Eve holiday period beginning the evening of December 30, 2011 through 11:59pm on January 2, 2012 include: about 297 traffic fatalities (with 249 to 353 deaths likely) and approximately 29,700 injuries requiring medical consultation expected (with 24,900 to 35,300 injuries likely).

Wearing a safety belt can help prevent traffic deaths. So can other preventive measures:
• Don't drive drunk
• Stay in defensive driving mode
• Pay attention when driving
• Don't follow another vehicle too closely
• Try to avoid traveling during peak traffic hours
• Make sure your car is up to date on all maintenance before driving away in it for the holidays
• Watch out for other drivers who may be impaired
• Avoid texting while driving
• Use a hands free phone if you must make or take a call while driving
• Avoid speeding
• Adjust the way you drive to current traffic and weather conditions
• If you are going to go to an area where there is snow, bring chains and other appropriate vehicle gear
• Avoid driving if you are exhausted or in a food coma

Unfortunately, the holidays, which should be a time for celebration and togetherness, can also be among the more dangerous periods on the road. With people rushing to different parties, clogging up the highways in an effort to visit family and friends, and drunken revelers thinking they are sober enough to drive, the traffic and road conditions can prove deadly.

In an effort to combat some of these conditions, police will be stepping up their efforts to crack down on inebriated drivers. Their attempts will be mirrored nationwide with the 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign. Although nationally the number of drunken driving deaths has gone down, alcohol is still a factor in one in three US traffic deaths.

Christmas Day 2011 and New Year's Day 2012 Holiday Period Traffic Fatality Estimates, National Safety Council

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' Crackdown on Drunk Driving, NHTSA, December 13, 2011

More Blog Posts by Howard Law, PC:
NHTSA Reports 2,715 California Traffic Fatalities in 2010, California Injury Lawyers Blog, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 15, 2011

NTSB Wants All States to Ban Cell Phone Driving, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 13, 2011

Costa Mesa Woman Arrested in Newport Beach Pedestrian Accident May Have Been Intoxicated, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 7, 2011

Continue reading "National Safety Council Estimates 287 US Traffic Deaths During the 3-Day Christmas Period" »

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 2,715 California motor vehicle traffic deaths last year, which is 375 fatalities less than in 2009. These figures are in line with the overall decrease in motor vehicle deaths experienced nationwide. Per the NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, there were 32,885 US traffic fatalities in 2010--the lowest number since 1949 when there were 30,246 deaths.

"Obviously, a decline in motor vehicle fatalities is good news any day of the year, but any death that happens on a California road is one too many," said Anaheim Personal Injury Attorney Vincent Howard. "We at Howard Law, PC, hope this decrease continues."

Safety officials are likely hoping for the same, as law enforcement agencies step up their efforts during this holiday season to crack down on drunk driving. This week, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the country's 'Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over' campaign. While 2010 data reported a decline in drunk driving fatalities last year--there were 791 California alcohol-impaired driving deaths (down from the 924 fatalities in 2009) and nationally, there were 20,228 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2010 (down from the 10,759 deaths in 2009)--alcohol is still a factor in one out of every three traffic deaths in the US. In Los Angeles County alone, during last year's holiday season, 276 people were arrested for possible drunk driving and 197 were arrested for driving under the influence.

In Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County, California, our Huntington Beach motor vehicle crash lawyers are familiar with the devastation that being involved in an accident can cause for those involved and the emotional, financial, and physical toll this can take. We help victims and their families recover compensation for the harm they have suffered.

Other 2010 FARS Traffic Safety Facts:
• 22,187 passenger vehicle deaths
• 529 large truck fatalities
• 4,502 motorcycle deaths
• 4,280 pedestrian deaths
• 618 pedalcyclist fatalities

Except for large truck deaths, which were 30 more than in 2009, and pedestrian fatalities, at 171 more in 2010 than during the year before, the other types of motor vehicle deaths all dropped in numbers. It is important, however, to note that the total number of those injured in US motor vehicle crash injuries went up slightly, with 2.24 million traffic injuries in 2010 (up from 2.2 million in 2009.)

2010 Motor Vehicle Crash Overview, FARS, NHTSA, US Department of Transportation (PDF)

State motor vehicle fatalities, 2010, FARS, NHTSA, US Department of Transportation (PDF)

More Blog Posts:
NTSB Wants All States to Ban Cell Phone Driving, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 13, 2011

Costa Mesa Woman Arrested in Newport Beach Pedestrian Accident May Have Been Intoxicated, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 7, 2011

Deadly Air Bag Defect Prompts Honda To Recall Another 273,000 Autos,
California Injury Lawyers Blog, November 30, 2011

Continue reading "NHTSA Reports 2,715 California Traffic Fatalities in 2010" »

The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that every state ban drivers from using cell phones and other electronic devices unless there is an emergency. The recommendation comes following the board's finding that a deadly Missouri multi-vehicle pileup last year that killed 2 teenagers and injured 38 others involved a motorist who sent or received 11 texts in an 11-minute time span.

Although the NTSB cannot make the states adopt regulations, lawmakers do seriously consider its recommendations. The board's recommendations come less than a week after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its findings from its national survey on distracted driving. In California, except for school bus drivers and drivers under 18, other motorists are allowed to talk on cell phones as long as they aren't holding the device in their hands. Statewide, no one is allowed to text while driving. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that there aren't motorists that continue to talk on handheld devices or that they have stopped texting. At Howard Law, PC, our Anaheim car accident lawyers are familiar with the devastation that distracted driving can create in the lives of victims and their families.

According to a government phone survey released last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Most drivers don't think it's dangerous for them to text and drive--although they don't think its safe when other drivers are the ones texting.
• Approximately 50% of US drivers in the 21-24 age group admit to having texted or emailed while driving
• At any moment, nearly 1 out of 100 motorists can be found emailing, texting, or doing something else with a handheld device while operating a motor vehicle at the same time. The frequency of these distracted driving activities have gone up 50% more than in 2009
• Most drivers don't see a problem with answering the phone while driving
• Over half of the motorists surveyed said they don't think making a phone call affects their driving performance
• A quarter of them had the same opinion regarding how emailing or doesn't affect their driving
• 90% don't feel safe if they are riding in a vehicle where the driver is emailing or text messaging

6,002 respondents in the 18 and over age group participated in the NHTSA's survey.

The NHTSA says there were 3,092 US distracted driving deaths in 2010. Currently, there are 35 states that have a statewide ban on texting.

"Unfortunately, most people still don't fully comprehend that seemingly harmless behavior, such as making a phone call or sending a text message, is dangerous conduct when done in conjunction with operating a motor vehicle," said Howard Law, PC partner and Orange County, California personal injury lawyer Vincent Howard. "It can take just a few seconds, while one's attention is focused on a PDA or a phone, for a devastating crash to occur."

NTSB recommends full ban on use of cell phones while driving, CNN, December 13, 2011

National Distracted Driving Telephone Survey Finds Most Drivers Answer the Call, Hold the Phone, and Continue to Drive, NHTSA, December 2011

More Blog Posts:
Huntington Beach Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit Accuses Police Officer of Talking on Cell Phone While Driving, California Injury Lawyers Blog, October 10, 2011

Huntington Beach Car Crash Lawsuit: Driver Rear-Ended in Accident That Killed Baby in Crosswalk Sues Distracted Driver, California Injury Lawyers Blog, September 29, 2011

Number of California Car Crashes Not Going Down Despite Handheld Cell Phone and Texting while Driving Bans, Says HLDI, California Injury Lawyers Blog, January 30, 2010

Continue reading "NTSB Wants All States to Ban Cell Phone Driving" »

A collision between a church bus and a San Bernardino County Fire Department vehicle has left at least 1 person dead and 24 others injured in the Twin Peaks area. The crash sent the bus, carrying primarily middle schoolers and high schoolers, over a snowy embankment on Highway 189 and down some 20 feet to strike a large tree. The bus was from the Light of Love Mission Church, which is a Korean church located in Pasadena.

It took rescuers several hours to extricate all of the passengers from the bus. Two of the passengers riding in the vehicle that collided with the bus were among those who were injured. Most of the victims were teenagers--several of them in critical condition. Broken legs and ribs are among the injuries, and some of the victims have had to undergo surgery. Killed in the San Bernardino County, California bus accident was the bus driver, Won Chae. The former tour bus driver was a volunteer driver for the church bus.

Bus Accidents
Thousands are injured in bus crashes each year. Most buses don't have seat belts, which means that during a collision, passengers can suffer serious head injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and serious crush injuries. With so many people frequently riding and standing in buses, the impact of an accident and so many people colliding into one another can be catastrophic.

Common causes of bus crashes:
• Driver inexperience
• Distracted driving
• Drunk driving
• Vehicle defects
• Poor weather conditions
• Speeding

Police are trying to determine what caused the catastrophic bus accident.

Regardless of whether the bus driver, a driver, or another party caused your San Bernardino County bus crash, it is important that you start exploring your legal options right away. Proving liability in a collision where a bus is involved can be more complex than proving negligence in a crash involving two cars. The sooner evidence can be gathered and witnesses interviewed on your behalf the better.

No seat belts on church bus involved in fatal crash, Los Angeles TImes, February 21, 2011

1 dead in California church bus crash, AP/Yahoo, February 21, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Light of Love Mission Church

Early Edition of the 2009 Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report, NHTSA

More Blog Posts:
Pedestrian Killed and More than 20 Injured in Los Angeles Traffic Accident Involving BMW and School Bus, California Injury Lawyers Blog, October 26, 2010

Glen Avon Traffic Accident: Car Driver Accused of Purposely Crashing Head-On into School Bus, California Injury Lawyers Blog, October 20, 2010

California Bus Accident: SUV Driver Involved in Greyhound Crash that Killed 6 and Injured 20 Was Under the Influence of Alcohol, California Injury Lawyers Blog, July 27, 2010

Continue reading "At Least 1 Dead and 23 Injured in San Bernardino County School Bus Crash" »

This week, California Highway Patrol officers in Orange County have been cracking down on drivers caught text messaging or talking on cell phones that aren't hands-free devices. This type of enforcement is important in preventing Orange County, California car crashes caused by distracted drivers--many who don't fully grasp that phone conversations and texting while driving can be dangerous. These latest CHP efforts took place in Westminster, San Juan Capistrano, and Santa Ana, California.

Although the texting and handheld phone bans have been in effect for some time, many people still can't resist the urge to make an important phone call or catch up with a friend while caught in traffic. In 2010, the CHP gave out 397 texting-while driving citations and 11,367 citations to motorists who talked on cell phones that were not hands-free. Also, last year, the Automobile Club of Southern California put out a study that showed that the level of texting while driving seemed to actually go up after the ban went into effect.

Our Westminster, California personal injury law firm cannot emphasize enough the risks motorists put themselves and others in when they text while driving or talk on a handheld device. Distracted driving has become an "epidemic" to the point that for the last two years, the US Department of Transportation has hosted gatherings focused on combatting this problem.

Meantime, the National Safety Council released a white paper pointing out that talking on a hand-free cellular device was also dangerous because this too requires that the brain multitask, which a person should not be doing while driving. Per the white paper, a driver on any type of cell phone may "look at" but fail to "see" up to 50% of the information in his/her driving environment. This type of "inattention blindness" can make it difficult for a motorist to spot potential hazards and respond swiftly and properly.

CHP officers on the lookout for drivers violating cell-phone laws, OC Register, February 9, 2011

The National Safety Council Releases White Paper on Brain Distraction During Cell Phone Use While Driving, National Safety Council, March 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving

California Highway Patrol

Related Blog Posts:
$49.2 California Car Accident Verdict Awarded to Driver's Family and CHP Officer Who is Now a Quadriplegic, California Injury Lawyers Blog, January 28, 2011

Allstate Says 12/15 is Day California Car Accidents are Most Likely to Occur, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 6, 2010

16-Year-Old Cypress Pedestrian Dies from La Palma, California Car Accident Injuries, California Injury Lawyers Blog, November 6, 2010

Continue reading "Preventing Orange County, California Distracted Driving Accidents: CHP Cracks Down on Cell Phone Use and Text Messaging In Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, and Westminster" »

According to Allstate Insurance Company, more Californians crash their motor vehicles on December 15 (when there is a 23% jump in the number of accident claims above the daily average) than on any other day of the year. Allstate says it reached this conclusion after reviewing its auto insurance claims in the state over the last four years.

According to Robert Feldman, a Los Angeles Allstate agency owner, holiday shopping, weather, travel, and other distractions may be causing this rise in California car crashes. Allstate says the other worst days of the year for California car accidents are February 14, October 13, December 18, and September 5.

There are ways to decrease the chances of an Orange County, California car accident while driving regardless of the day of the year, including:

• Don't text message
• Don't talk on a handheld cellular phone
• Stop playing with the radio dial or fidgeting with the iPod
• Don't drive drunk
• Don't speed
• Adjust your driving to the traffic and weather conditions
• Don't drugged drive
• Obey the traffic laws
• Don't drowsy drive
• Don't distracted drive

To show you that a decrease in traffic fatalities is possible even when the odds are against it, the California Highway Patrol reported 11 traffic crash deaths during the first 60 hours of the Thanksgiving holiday period--that's 8 less deaths than during the same period for 2009. Thanksgiving is the holiday that is considered the most dangerous for US motorists.

Unfortunately, negligent motorists are not the only parties that can cause an Anaheim car crash. Trucking companies, auto manufacturers, and the state or local entity in charge with maintaining a street and its traffic devices have all been known to cause catastrophic injury accidents because of negligence or carelessness.

December 15 is Most Dangerous Day for California Drivers, PR Newswire, December 6, 2010

Thanksgiving traffic deaths down this year, The OC Register, November 27, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Allstate

California Highway Patrol

Continue reading "Allstate Says 12/15 is Day California Car Accidents are Most Likely to Occur " »

According to a new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study, 41% of drivers who were surveyed have admitted to nodding off or falling asleep at the wheel. 11% said such instances of drowsy driving occurred to them last year. The AAA study says that drowsy driving is a factor in 16.5 % ( that's one in six collisions) of the deadly US motor vehicle crashes occur. 2,000 US residents that are old enough to drive were surveyed over the phone for the study. Among the findings:

• Men and teens are the groups most likely to fall asleep while driving.
• When a traffic crash was involved, men were 61% more likely than women to have been drowsy driving at the time.
• Young drivers (ages 16 to 24) were 78% more likely than middle-aged drivers to feel drowsy right before an auto accident.
• In more than 50% of drowsy driving crashes, the driver ended up going off the road or drifting into other lanes.

Our Anaheim car accident lawyers are familiar with the catastrophic consequences that can result from drowsy driving. Although the drowsy driver likely never intended to cause your Orange County, California personal injuries you still may have grounds for a case.

One reason that drowsy driving is so dangerous is that drivers don't realize that sleep deprivation and fatigue can turn a motorist into a dangerous driver. Driving while sleepy can impair the vision, fog the mind, negatively affect reaction time, impair judgment, and slow down a motorist's ability to process information. A drowsy driver may not even realize he/she has fallen asleep--even if just for a few seconds. That said, it takes just a few seconds for a tragic car crash to happen.

Symptoms of a drowsy driver:

• Heavy eyelids
• The need to blink often
• Problems focusing
• Difficulties focusing your attention on the task at hand
• Lane drifting
• Sudden swerving
• Driving over rumble strips
• Short-term memory lapses
• Missing traffic signs or exits
• Constant yawning

This week is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. If you are feeling drowsy you should stop driving.

Study shows drowsy drivers behind the wheel, Los Angeles Times, November 7, 2010

Drowsy driving crashes prevalent, but preventable, University of Michigan Health System, November 8, 2010

Be Aware: Drowsy Driving Prevention Week 2010, Sleep Foundation/PR Web, November 5, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Drowsy Driving Prevention Resource Center, National Sleep Foundation

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Continue reading "Drowsy Driving Causes 16.5% of Deadly US Traffic Crashes, Says AAA Study" »

A red light running incident involving a black BMW transporting three teens turned deadly yesterday in a Boyle Heights neighborhood. Killed in the Los Angeles traffic crash was one male pedestrian, who was struck by the passenger car. The BMW then proceeded to upend a school bus that was carrying students from Roosevelt High School. Following the accident, the three teenage boys attempted to flee the crash site.

Injured in the Los Angeles motor vehicle collision was the bus driver and 20 of the students. Even though the students' injuries were non-life-threatening, all of them, along with the bus driver, were taken to hospitals. As of this morning, the Los Angeles Times was reporting that the bus driver's condition had been upgraded from critical to serious.

As for the teens in the BMW, two of them were apprehended as they were attempting to flee the Los Angeles accident site. The third teen was arrested after arriving at a hospital to seek medical care. All three of them were hospitalized. Criminal charges may be filed. The BMW involved was registered to one of the teen's parents.

The Los Angeles traffic crash occurred two days after the conclusion of National Teen Driver Safety Week--a week that focuses on promoting safe driving among teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, about 3,000 teens, ages 15 to 19, were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year. This number does not include the number of adults and young children that may also be involved car crashes involving teen drivers who drove recklessly or carelessly or drove drunk or made mistakes due to driver inexperience.

3 youths held in Eastside school bus crash, Los Angeles Times, October 26, 2010

Pedestrian Killed, School Bus Passengers Injured in Crash, NBC Los Angeles, October 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
National Teen Driver Safety Week --- October 17--23, 2010, CDC

NHTSA

Continue reading "Pedestrian Killed and More than 20 Injured in Los Angeles Traffic Accident Involving BMW and School Bus " »

The Associated Press reports that five people sustained minor injuries in a Riverside County motor vehicle collision today when the driver of a car allegedly crashed into a school bus on purpose. The motorist, whose name has not yet been released, could face criminal charges.

The driver of the car, a 44-year-old male, allegedly drove the wrong way on an off-ramp to State Route 60 in Glen Avon and struck the bus, which was transporting seven students. Three high school students, the car driver, and the school bus driver sustained minor injuries.

According to police, the car driver was seen earlier appearing to contemplate jumping off a bridge near the crash site. When his alleged attempt to climb a fence on an overpass of the freeway failed, he then got into his vehicle and drove it into the bus. It is not known whether he was trying to kill himself.

Reckless Driving
While most motorists never intend to get involved in a California car crash, there are some drivers whose recklessness or carelessness may be deliberate. Drivers that are suicidal, suffering from road rage, or wanting to commit murder are examples of motorists who might purposely try to cause a traffic crash that could result in injuries or death. That said, malice doesn't have to be involved in order for reckless driving to have occurred. Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that wantonly or willfully ignores others' safety is considered reckless driving.

A Few Examples of Reckless Driving:
• Disregarding traffic safety laws
• Driving at excessive speeds
• Repeated red light running
• Making usafe lane changes
• Weaving or swerving through traffic
• Tailgating
• Driving a vehicle with known defects, such as faulty brakes
• Illegal passing

Sheriff: 5 hurt as car plows into Calif school bus, Washington Post, October 20, 2010

UPDATE: Possibly Suicidal Driver Enters Freeway Wrong Way, Hits School Bus, KPSPLocal2.com, October 20, 2010

Related Web Resources:
V C Section 23103 Reckless Driving, California Department of Motor Vehicles

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Continue reading "Glen Avon Traffic Accident: Car Driver Accused of Purposely Crashing Head-On into School Bus" »

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" »