Davis Law Group, P.S.

Young man injured in Ellensburg collision

Story Highlights:
One injured in Ellensburg car accident
Motor vehicle collision caused by speeding



Date: April 5, 2011, 04/05/2011
Location: Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington
Type: Car accident, Motor vehicle collision
Outcome: One injured

A young man was injured in a one-car collision near Ellensburg on Tuesday evening.

Around 9:30 p.m., 19-year-old David B. Miranda was driving north on Highway 97 about 14 miles north of Ellensburg, when he left the highway and struck a tree.

He suffered internal injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.

Washington State Patrol reported that the cause of the crash was speeding.

Washington State Speed-related Accident Statistics

• Speeding-related fatalities have been increasing over the past ten years. The number of speed-related deaths from 1997 to 2001 was 237.8, while the average from 2002 to 2006 was 244, a 2.6% increase.
• In 2006, Washington experienced the second highest number of speed-related fatalities since 1997, with 253, second only to 2002’s number of 260.
• The speed-related fatality rate per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled has decreased slightly, from .47 in 1997 to .45 in 2006, a 4.3% decrease.
• 59.6% of all speed-related deaths occurred on rural roads- for vehicle-occupants alone the percentage was 62.3%. However, a larger majority of motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian deaths occurred on urban roads, with 57.5%.
• On average, from 1997 to 2006, the speed-related fatality rate per vehicle-miles-traveled on rural roads was 2-4 times higher than the respective urban road rate. Rural county roads experienced the largest percentage of speed-related deaths, with 30.7%, followed by rural highways, with 20%, and urban city streets, with 19.6%.
• County roads have the highest speed-related fatality rate, with 1.04 deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled. This is almost six times higher than the interstate rate of .18, and almost three times higher than the city street rate of .36.
• Males represent the largest majority of speed-related deaths, on average, 75.1% from 1997 to 2006.
• In the 21-30 year-old age group, males represent 83.7% of the deaths. Overall, 21-30 year-olds comprise 28.5% of speed-related deaths, followed by 15-20 year olds with 24.3%.
  
• 15-20 year-olds had the highest speed-related fatality rate from 1997 to 2006, with 11.28 deaths per 100,000 population.

Washington State Basic rule and maximum limits
No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. In every event speed shall be so controlled as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care.

Seattle Car Accident Attorneys
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, P.S. 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.