California Injury Attorneys Blog » Car Accidents

93 Year Old Crashes Against Oncoming Traffic

mariah — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:36:32 +0000

93-year-old Evelyn Fink died in a head-on collision after driving the wrong way on a Benicia freeway. She drove her Buick Regal against oncoming traffic on Interstate 780 for at least half a mile before crashing head-on into a Honda minivan. The 20-year-old driving the minivan, a small child, and a toddler were not injured.

Oakland Biker Pronounced Dead At Scene

mariah — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:29:44 +0000

A motorcycle and minivan, both traveling along Hegenberger Road, collided in Oakland Friday morning. The impact of the crash damaged a side of the Chevrolet van and the driver was not injured. 27-year-old Robert Adams tried to slam on his breaks before the impact, but ended up sliding right into the minivan. Adams ejected onto the road and was pronounced dead at the scene. His bike was totaled in the collision.

Women Crashes into House Testing Prescription Drugs

mariah — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:43:12 +0000

The California Highway Patrol was investigating how big of a factor prescription drugs played into a series of car collisions with a driver who hit two houses, a parked vehicle, and a fire hydrant. The driver was transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center with minor injuries. She was driving eastbound on Tierra Vista Way when she ran into a house that had just finished being remodeled. Officers say she backed up her vehicle, drove over a fire hydrant (which flooded the street), and crashed into the home one more time before speeding away. She next hit a white Acura parked in front of another house, causing the Acura to fly into the air. Her collision pushed both cars into the house’s garage.

Man Dies and Son Injured in Suspected DUI Motorcycle Crash

mariah — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:34:45 +0000

An anonymous man died and his son injured after their motorcycle collided with a car Monday evening on Carlton Road. The California Highway Patrol suspects the driver of the car was intoxicated. Maria Munoz was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence. She suffers minor injuries but remains fine. Details on how the accident occurred is being investigated. The motorcycle driver was announced dead declared at the scene, and his son was taken to Watsonville Community Hospital for treatment of his sever injuries. Carlton Road was closed for two hours while the scene was cleared.

Father Kills Child in Crash Under Suspicion of Drugs

mariah — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:22:48 +0000

Rudy Fritz, age 45, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and gross vehicular manslaughter Saturday night in North County, San Diego. Him and his 12 year old daughter were thrown out of their vehicle after their Volkswagen Beetle veered into oncoming traffic and collided head to head with a Buick sedan on Highway 76. Fritz’s Volkswagen, more than five decades old, had never been equipped with seat belts. Although Fritz maintains alive, his daughter was killed on the scene. The 64-year-old male and 53-year-old female he hit were taken to Palomar Medical Center to treat their injuries.

Teenager Suffers Major Injuries from SUV Accident

mariah — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:02:38 +0000

A teenage boy from Santa Barbara suffers life-threatening injuries after he was by an SUV while switching lanes on the Highway 101, says California Highway Patrol.

A Nissan Pathfinder, traveling 65mph, hit the vehicle containing two 15 year old boys down the freeway. The impact of the crash threw 15 year old driver 150 feet down the street, however the driver of the Nissan and the 15 year old passenger suffered no injuries. The accident caused two lanes of the highway to be shut down for two hours while officers investigated.

The driver suffers critical life-threatening injuries at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. No alcohol or drugs are suspected to have dealt with the crash.

Heavy Cables Slide onto Highway Causing Multiple Accidents

mariah — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:53:00 +0000

Around 3:45 this morning, heavy cables from an unknown vehicle slid off onto Highway 37, just east of state Highway 29 in Vallejo. Several vehicles and a big-rig struck the cables, causing one car to completely flip over. No serious injuries were recorded, but it caused multiple accidents blocking traffic for five hours.

Doctor Accused of Drunk Driving Crash On Way to Work

mariah — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:26:54 +0000

Northern California doctor, Charles Igwegbe, was accused of causing injuries in a drunk driving crash on his way to work before his five scheduled procedures. Next month he will be arraigned on two felony counts. His lawyer intends to plead not guilty, however, Igwegbe’s blood alcohol level was .05 above the legal driving limit, giving him a .13. Iqwegbe maintains to protest that he had nothing to drink that morning. He and his lawyer reached a settlement with The California Medical Board putting his license on probation but still allowing him to continue practice. The Medical Board must vote to approve this settlement.

Complete Ban of In-Car Cell Phones is Unenforcable

mariah — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:47:04 +0000

The Governors Highway Safety Association in California has backed up their decision to completely ban the use of cell phones in cars. According to the GHSA, it would be “unenforceable”, as a complete ban would make hands-free solutions such as Ford Sync or Bluetooth illegal as well.

GHSA spokesman, Jonathan Adkins, told The Washington Post the ban of hands-free devices OR texting while driving has not yet been proven effective. Research shows that banning cell phone use in cars has not made a difference whatsoever in showing results for reduced car crashes.

Although thirty states have banned texting while driving, and eight require drivers using hands-free devices instead, no state has yet to ban its drivers from using their cell phones completely while driving.

Fatality Accident Reports in California

mariah — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:13:57 +0000

3,081 people were killed in traffic accidents across the state of California, a decline of 10% over the past year. Those killed by drunk drivers and motorcyclists make up most of the accidents. California recorded a total of 950 alcohol-impaired fatal accidents in 2009, an 8% decline from the 1,025 accidents recorded in 2008.

Motorcycle fatalities dropped by 30%, and totally traffic fatalities from all sources fell from 3,434 to 3,081 in the past year.

There are many reasons behind fatal accidents, and according to authorities, the economy does matter. Gasoline sales have stayed steady since 2008 after they had dropped by 4% in 2007. Motorcycle registrations have dropped nearly 2%.

To prevent the fatalities, automobiles have been made safer and stronger, DUI enforcement has stepped up, and public awareness programs such as DUI checkpoints and the Report Drunk Drivers – call 911 campaign have all been proven affective.

More than 300,000 riders have been trained through motorcycle training programs and safety campaigns run by the California Highway Patrol since 2005.