Aberdeen Driver Dies after Car Crashes Into River | Seattle Injury Lawyer

Despite Warnings Teen Continue to Text and Drive | Injury Trial Lawyer

Crash Test Dummies: Not So Dumb - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Seattle Car Accident l Washington State Personal Injury Attorney

• Sleep Deprivation and Traffic Accidents and Car Collisions   
  Description: In 1998, 24,318 deaths were cited from accidents related to sleep deprivation in the US. There were as well 2, 474,430 disabling injuries resulting from accidents where decreased mental efficiency and attentiveness due to sleep loss was the major causative factor.
• Contingency Fee: When lawyers say 'no win, no fee'   
  Description: Have you recently or the last 3 years been in an accident that wasn't your fault and you have suffered as part of this accident. If so you have a legal and civil right to claim compensation for your suffering from the other party.

RV/Motor Home Crash Leaves One Dead l Seattle Accident Lawyer

Prosser Teen Killed in Rollover Accident

Date:  January 22, 2009
Location:  Highway 221 Prosser WA
Type:  Car Accident
Outcome:  One dead

A 16 year-old girl was killed and a 17 year-old boy was injured in a single-car rollover two miles southeast of Prosser.

Washington State Patrol reports said Abel Torres was driving his Honda Accord hatchback when he lost control and hit a guardrail forcing the car down an embankment. 

The passenger, Berenice Lamas, was ejected from the car and died at the scene. Neither of them were wearing seat belts.

Torres was taken to Prosser Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and later released.

Troopers are not sure what caused the accident.

Fatal Car Accident in Tenino l Wrongful Death Accident Attorney

Accident Date:  Jan 12, 2009
Accident Type:  Car Accident
Accident Location:  180th Avenue Southeast, Tenino WA
Accident Outcome:  One dead

A 57 year-old Tenino woman, Karen L. Clark, was driving eastbound on 180th Avenue when she lost control.  Her 1997 Toyota Corolla left the roadway and hit a tree on the passenger side of the car. 

Her passenger, James Kernodle, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene.  She was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia with multiple injuries. 

Washington State Patrol said excessive speed and driving under the influence caused the crash.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes As a Leading Cause of Death in the United States

We have just added a new report to our online library.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes As a Leading Cause of Death in the United States, 2005 [PDF]   
Description: In 2005, motor vehicle traffic crashes were the leading cause of death for every age 3 through 6 and 8 through 34. Because of the young lives consumed, motor vehicle traffic crashes ranked third overall in terms of the years of life lost, i.e., the number of remaining years that the person is expected to live had they not died, behind only cancer and diseases of the heart. The table (overleaf) shows the 10 leading causes of death by age group in 2005. The age groups reflect categories of interest to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in terms of Child-Restraint Programs (Toddlers, Infants, and Young Children), Novice Drivers (Youth and Young Adults), Other Adults, and the Elderly.

Cell Phone Texting And Driving Kills 16-year old girl

Authorities say a 16-year-old girl who died after losing control of her car had been texting on her cell phone moments before the accident.  Kayla Preuss was driving when she lost control of her car and crashed. She died of head injuries.  Authorities say Preuss had been driving drunk and was speeding. But another factor may have contributed to the crash.  Phone records show Preuss was texting just before the accident. Her cell phone, which was flipped open, was found resting on the floorboard by her feet.  Preuss' mother Kelly said she hopes the accident will make other people think before texting and driving.

Seattle Car Accident News - March 27, 2008

AUBURN
A 61-year-old woman was killed when her car slid off the road and hit a parked Washington State Patrol car this morning.

The accident happened early this morning on State Route 18 east of 204th in Auburn. The police officer was not in the car at the time of the crash.

Apparently he was investigating several other accidents, including a DUI, when the woman lost control of her car and slid into his car.

Fire fighters had to use the Jaws of Life to free the woman from her car.  She was pronounced dead on the scene.

SEATTLE
Overnight snow and ice on Seattle-area roads caused numerous accidents for commuters in the South Sound.

Icy conditions were caused more than 13 car accidents--at least five on Interstate 5 in Federal Way.  Northbound I-5 traffic was backed up all the way to Tacoma for much of the morning.

AUBURN
A car traveling down "A" Street in Auburn crossed the center line and hit another car head-on.  The driver of that car was killed in the crash. The family in the other car suffered non-life threatening injuries and was sent to the hospital.

Police think that right before the crash a conversation started between a male passenger in the family car and another driver traveling right beside them but Police don't know if the conversation was casual or confrontational.  And at this point do not know if the distraction caused the crash.

Get traffic safety reports, accident statistics, and much more in our firm's car accident library. 

Monday, March 31, 2008 - Seattle Car Accident News

SEATTLE - Speeding SUV driver kills 92-year-old South Seattle man

Ninty-two-year-old, Salvatore Vito Covello, was killed in South Seattle on Monday afternoon a another driver lost control of his SUV and crashed into his car and then tried to flee the scene.

The car crash happened around 4:30 p.m. near Rainier Avenue South and South Holly Street.

Apparnetly Covello was driving on South Holly Street when a black SUV "traveling at a high rate of speed and possibly fishtailing" crashed into his 1996 Buick.

Covello was killed instantly.  The driver of the SUV ran north on Rainier Avenue South where officers later found and arrested him.

VANCOUVER - Boy Survives Freak Accident

Ralden Redinger, a 12-year-old boy, survived a car accident on Monday in which a tire got loose on Interstate 205 and smashed into the windshield of the car he was riding in.

The accident happened along Highway 205 at Padden Parkway.  The tire bounced through the median and smashed into the windshield where Ralden was sitting.

He suffered a broken nose, a black eye and a concussion.

Kristy Hoggatt was driving the 1995 Volkswagen Jetta which lost a tire.  She was ticketed for having defective equipment on her vehicle and for having no automobile insurance. 

Seattle Truck Accident News - April 30, 2008

Tow-truck driver dies in Magnolia after flatbed truck rolls over him

SEATTLE - A tow-truck driver was killed in Magnolia after being trapped by a flatbed truck.  Apparently the driver was responding to a call by Seattle police to impound a flatbed truck on the 4400 block of 26th Avenue West.  It was clear that his vehicle was too small to do the jobso the driver called for a bigger tow truck.  Sometime after he called for the larger truck the truck rolled back over the him.  He died at the scene.

For more victim information, car accident news, personal injury statistics, car accident statistics, personal injury news, studies, and more visit our car accidents practice area page. 

Renton SUV Rollover Accident News - April 29, 2008

RENTON - Two people were killed when the driver of an SUV lost control and crashed into a retaining wall.  The Ford Explorer was speeding when hit a ditch and sailed across a parked car.  The truck smashed upside down right into a large rock retaining wall. The accident happened near the intersection of 111th Place Southeast and Southeast 162nd Street.  Gus Shafferand his fiancée Sydney Mitchell-Lowery died at the scene.

For more victim information, car accident news, personal injury statistics, car accident statistics, personal injury news, studies, and more visit our car accidents practice area page. 

Eastside Car Accident News - May 2, 2008

REMOND - A fatal single-car accident closed Avondale Road this morning during rush hour.  According to police the accident occurred around 3 a.m.  The vehicle was going southbound on Avondale Way when it crashed into a tree.   The driver was the only person in the car and was found dead when officials arrived. 

76 yr-old Man Drives Into Puget Sound, Passenger Killed

DES MOINE, Wa.  A tragic accident occurred on Friday when a 76 year-old man accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and drove his SUV vehicle off of the Des Moines Pier and into Puget Sound.

A couple of passers-by immediately dove into the water while the vehicle was half-way submerged.  The driver was pulled out and saved.  Unfortunately, the 86 year-old female passenger was not.  She drowned and was later declared dead at the scene.

The accident is still under investigation by the Des Moines Police Department.  But it appears to be an accident without any criminal conduct.  Legally, this accident involves simple negligence.  That is, the man was careless and failed to act with ordinary care when he accidentally drove into the water.  The deceased woman's estate has a civil claim against the man.  The driver's insurance company will certainly protect his interests and make efforts to resolve the estate's claim for damages.  Obviously, this is small consolation to the relatives and friends of the deceased, who have suffered an enormous loss.  My heart goes out to the woman's survivors.

Enumclaw Car Accident l Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

An 18-year-old Enumclaw woman was killed in a collision Wednesday morning on state Highway 410 approximately 20 miles outside of Enumclaw. Apparently she lost control of her car and struck a tree.

There were an estimated 6,420,000 car accidents in the US in 2005. There were about 2.9 million injury cases and 42,636 car accident deaths. An average of 115 persons die each day in car accidents in the United States -- one every 13 minutes. According to the World Health Organization about 3000 people die in car accidents each day worldwide.

This and other car accident statistics, reports, news, videos, etc. are available at http://www.injurytriallawyer.com/practice_areas/car-accidents-truck.cfm.

Motorcycle Accidents in Washington State l Facts & Figures l Seattle Lawyer

• The Effect of Motorcycle Helmet Use On the Probability of Fatality and the Severity of Head and Neck Injuries  
  This article evaluates the effectiveness of motorcycle helmets in accident situations. A latent variable model is developed and estimated. It is concluded that (1) motorcycle helmets have no statistically significant effect on the probability of fatality; (2) helmets reduce the severity of head injuries; and (3) past a critical impact speed, helmets increase the severity of neck injuries. Further analysis establishes the qualitative and quantitative nature of the head-neck injury trade-off.
• Hospital Cost After A Motorcycle Accident Is Reduced by Helmet Use  
  Failure to wear a helmet adds to the financial burden created by motorcycle-related injuries. Therefore, individuals who do not wear helmets should pay higher insurance premiums.
• Lower limb (leg) injuries in motorcycle accidents  
  
• Crash Statistics: Killed By Motorcycle Accident [PDF]   
  On an average between 2002 and 2006, on-fourth (25%) of motorcycle operators fatally (killed) injured in motorcycle crashes were operating their motorcycles with invalid licenses compared to about 15 percent for fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers.
  

Types of Injuries Following A Motorcycle Accident l Washington Lawyer

• Thoracic Spine Injuries in Victims of Motorcycle Accidents  
  MOTORCYCLE INJURY STUDY: Spinal cord injury can be devastating following a motorcycle accident. Cervical spine roentgenography has been recommended in all severe multi-system trauma motorcycle accident patients but little attention has been given to the thoracic spine. In a series of 266 motorcycle accident victims, seen over a 42-month period, 13 cases of thoracic spine injury were identified. During this same time interval four cases of cervical spine injury were identified. Eleven of the 13 cases involved a catapulting ejection from the motorcycle and resultant axial loading to the thoracic spine. Thoracic spine injuries are more common in these patients and therefore the thoracic spine should be immobilized until full thoracic spine roentgenography can be carried out.
• Injuries associated with death following motorcycle crashes  
  Head injury followed by chest and abdominal trauma were found to predict a reduced survival rate. Use of helmets should continue to be compulsory. Chest and abdominal injuries should be diagnosed and treated early to reduce mortality.
• Analysis of motorcycle accidents: injury, vehicle damage, etc.
  Factors found to lead to increases in the probability of severe injuries include the motorcyclist's nationality, motorcycle engine capacity, headlights on or off, collisions with pedestrians, wrecks involving stationary objects, time of day, presence of a motorcycle passenger, and if the motorcyclist is at fault for the accident.
  

Risky ride: More motorcycle deaths fuel new debate over helmet laws

WASHINGTON - Death rates from motorcycle crashes have risen steadily since states began weakening helmet laws about a decade ago, according to a Gannett News Service analysis of federal accident reports.

As deaths have increased, so has the proportion of older riders killed. Dying on a motorcycle could soon become a predominantly middle-aged phenomenon, the GNS analysis shows.

Most states once required all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. But a trend in the other direction began accelerating after 1995, when the federal government decided to stop withholding highway money from states without helmet laws. Ohio requires riders wear helmets for one year.

As states weakened or repealed the laws, the percentage of riders who wore helmets began dropping. And fatality rates increased.

In 1996, 5.6 motorcyclists were killed for every 10,000 registered motorcycles, according to federal transportation officials. By 2006, the most recent data available, the rate had risen to 7.3, the GNS analysis shows.

In raw numbers, the annual death toll rose from 2,160 to 4,810 over that same period. Meanwhile, fatality rates for other passenger vehicles have been falling, transportation officials say.

The numbers appear to contradict claims by some motorcycle groups that helmet laws alone don't save lives.

"The data are pretty compelling," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, herself an avid motorcyclist who survived a crash thanks to a helmet she displays in somewhat battered condition in her office. "It's discouraging to see the (fatality) numbers going up. But at least people are talking about it now."

GNS analyzed data from the federal government's Fatality Analysis Reporting System on thousands of motorcycle deaths between 2002 and 2006. The analysis found that:

About 42 percent of riders killed were not wearing helmets.

Nearly half of the riders killed in 2006 were 40 and older, and nearly a quarter were 50 or older. The average age of motorcyclists killed in accidents was about 38.

Transportation officials say the age trends reflect the growing popularity of motorcycles among older people with increasing incomes but decreasing physical dexterity and reaction times.

Half of motorcyclists killed between 2002 and 2006 lost control and crashed without colliding with another vehicle, underscoring the inherent risks involved in riding a motorcycle. Motorcyclists account for about 2 percent of vehicles on the road but 10 percent of all traffic fatalities, according to federal statistics.

Southeastern states had some of the highest fatality rates in 2006. Some of these states require all riders to wear helmets, but they also have long riding seasons that expose bikers to more risk over time.

A consistently large majority of those killed - about 90 percent - were men.

Critics of motorcycle helmet laws say riders should be guided by common sense rather than a government mandate when deciding whether to wear a helmet. They argue that wearing a helmet is uncomfortable and obstructs their view.

They promote their view through advocates across the country, including ABATE state groups, which track helmet legislation and lobby against it. The ABATE acronym stands for different names, depending on the state.

"It's my body and I should have the right to do with it as I choose," said Terry Howard, state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado, which vigorously fought the state's recent adoption of a helmet law for riders under 18.

Not all bikers agree.

Simon Rosa, 22, of northern Virginia, doesn't have a problem with the helmet law there. In 2003, he crashed his Honda sportbike making a turn.

"I still have the helmet and it has scratches all over it, so I could have suffered a nasty head injury," he said. "You just never know what's going to happen, regardless of how good a rider you are."

As states seek to save lives and cut government medical costs, there are signs that helmet laws may become popular again.

Also last year, 25 states considered laws to increase motorcycle safety, including laws mandating helmet use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana and Oklahoma took up bills that would have required all motorcyclists, rather than just young riders, to wear helmets. None passed.

The National Transportation Safety Board unanimously recommended last year that states require all riders to wear helmets. It was the first time in its 40-year history that the independent panel had weighed in on motorcycle safety.

"Medical and other costs for unhelmeted riders involved in crashes are staggering," the board notes on its Web site.

Opponents of helmet laws passionately dispute such claims.

"It's just a myth that states without helmet laws are an extra burden on society," said Jeff Hennie, vice president of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

Another motorcyclist killed in traffic accident

Motorcyclist Dies In Olympia

OLYMPIA - The driver of a motorcycle and his passenger were killed in a collision with an Intercity Transit bus in Olympia.  The accident happened at the intersection of Central Street and Ethridge Street NE.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.  The passenger was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she later died. 

The Davis Law Group frequently handles motorcycle cases.  For more information visit: www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com

Fatal Truck Accident On I-5 l Semi-Truck Accident Attorney

Date: November 6, 2008
Location: Olympia
Type: Truck Accident
Outcome: Fata

An early morning crash on I-5 has killed the driver of a semitrailer.  Apparently the driver, a 49-year-old Renton man, was still in training and had only been driving for 3 weeks.  His instructor/trainer was asleep in the back of the truck.  The driver lost control of the truck and crashed into the Eastside Street overpass.  The cargo, a load of produce, spilled onto I-5 causing traffic to back up on both north and southbound lanes.

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Two Cars And Two Semi Trucks Crash Leaving At Least One Dead During Morning Commute

TUKWILA - An accident involving two semi trucks and two cars on Interstate 405 has left one person dead.  The southbound lanes of I-405 have been closed ruing the middle of the morning commute.

The accident happened just before 7:00am underneath the 61st Avenue South overpass.  Flames quickly engulfed one of the semi trucks.  The cause of the collision is unknown.

At the time of this blog post the freeway remains shut down.

The Davis Law Group frequently represents people who were injured in car or truck accidents and often represents the families of vicitms of fatal accidents.  For more information visit www.DavisLawGroupSeattle.com.

Two Killed In Car / Semi Truck Accident When Cable Barrier Fails

Apparently the accident happened when the driver of a southbound Subaru Legacy lost control in the rain after hitting the brakes to stop for slowing traffic just south of the U.S. 12 overpass.  The car skidded under the cable barrier in the center median and crashed head-on into a northbound tractor-trailer.

The cable barrier did stop the tractor-trailer and car from crossing into the southbound lanes after they collided.

The car’s driver and a front-seat passenger died at the scene. The passenger has been identified as Karl F. Heiss of Moyie Springs, Idaho. The driver has not been identified.  A 6-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, both in the back seat of the Subaru, were injured.

The auto accident attorneys at the Davis Law Group frequently handle truck and tracktor trailer accidents, wrongful death, auto accident, and motorcycle accident cases.

Pedestrian Accidents On Railroad Tracks Are Frequent In Pierce and South King County l Seattle Railroad Accident Lawyer