Davis Law Group, P.S.

Woman killed in wreck on I-90

Story Highlights:
One dead after Ritzville car accident
Motor vehicle collision cause under investigation



Date: April 7, 2011, 04/07/2011
Location: Ritzville, Adams County, Washington
Type: Car accident, Motor vehicle collision
Outcome: One dead

A woman died in a rollover crash on Interstate 90 near Ritzville on Thursday.

Marisa M. Morgan, 31, was driving on westbound I-90 west of Ritzville when her vehicle rolled into the median, ejecting her from the car.

Morgan was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center where she later passed away.

Washington State Patrol is still investigating the cause of the crash, but Morgan was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.

Washington State Fatal Accident Statistics
Fatalities occurred almost equally during daytime hours (49.7%) and nighttime hours (50.3%) from 1997 to 2006. The time of day with the highest number of fatalities was between 2 pm and 5:59 pm with 22.1%, followed by 6 pm to 9:59 pm with 19.7%. Research indicates only 10-15% of traffic volume occurs during the nighttime hours. If we use a conservative estimate of 20%, we find the nighttime fatality rate per vehicle-miles-traveled is consistently 3-4 times higher than the daytime rate. A majority of fatalities occurred between July and September from 1997 to 2006 (30.7%). The single month with the highest number of fatalities was July with 10.9%, while the month with the lowest number of fatalities was February with 6.5%. From 1997 to 2006, 59% of fatal traffic collisions were single-vehicle involved. In addition, 44.7% of those single-vehicle collisions were impaired-driver-involved.

Washington State Safety Belt Regulations
Every person sixteen years of age or older operating or riding in a motor vehicle shall wear the safety belt assembly in a properly adjusted and securely fastened manner. (4) No person may operate a motor vehicle unless all child passengers under the age of sixteen years are either: (a) Wearing a safety belt assembly or (b) are securely fastened into an approved child restraint device. (5) A person violating this section shall be issued a notice of traffic infraction under chapter 46.63 RCW. A finding that a person has committed a traffic infraction under this section shall be contained in the driver's abstract but shall not be available to insurance companies or employers. (6) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section does not constitute negligence, nor may failure to wear a safety belt assembly be admissible as evidence of negligence in any civil action.

Seattle Car Accident Lawyers
Chris Davis and everyone at the Davis Law Group sends out their heartfelt condolences for the family and friends of Marisa M. Morgan and hope they can find a knowledgable wrongful death lawyer that will help settle their case and get them the compensation they deserve for suffering such a tragic loss.If you or a family member has suffered as the result of a car accident, Seattle car accident attorney Chris Davis and the Davis Law Group can help you. We understand the devastation that can occur as a result of being in a serious auto accident. We are committed to helping car accident, trucking accident, and motorcycle accident victims recover the just and fair compensation they are entitled to receive under the law.