Updated on: 2/15/2019
In January 2010, the woman’s car crossed the center line in Tacoma and collided with two cars. "I wish I could have stopped the car," she said. "There was just no way I could."
Before getting behind the wheel, she admitted to having a few beers at a sporting event, yet her blood-alcohol level was below the legal limit. However she was charged for the death of her 8-year-old and 11-year-old sons.
The day continues to haunt her. "The crunching of metal and the shattering of glass...and the sounds my two sons were making," she said.
The woman told officers that the vehicle that driving next to her had clipped her, which caused her into oncoming traffic. A jury found her not guilty after reviewing a traffic camera that caught the fatal accident on video. She says she has not been able to leave the house since her acquittal.
"It's like being stuck in the middle of a tornado. And then the tornado takes off, and you've been dropped some place, and you don't even know where you are. You've lost everything," she said.
The car accident that led to this outcome will cause her to live the rest of her life wondering if there was more she could have done to save them in the crash.
2010 Car Accident Statistics
• There were more than 5.5 million car accidents in the United States. Nearly 31,000 were fatal, and more than 2 million people were injured.• The majority of fatal crashes involved only one vehicle (61 percent).
• Nearly half of all fatal crashes occurred on roads with posted speed limits of 55 mph or higher.
• The deadliest month for car crashes was August. More than 2,864 fatal crashes occurred in 2009.
• Most crashes happened between 5 and 5:59 p.m. on weekdays, and between 2 and 2:59 a.m. on weekends.
• Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for children and teenagers.
• At any given moment, 812,000 vehicles were being driven by someone using a handheld cell phone in the U.S.
• An average of four children, ages 14 and under, were killed every day in auto accidents. Nearly 500 were injured daily.
• While statistics continue to improve, 32 percent of fatal accidents involved alcohol-impaired drivers.
• About 31 percent of fatalities were caused by speeding (10,591).
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Wrongful death lawsuits can be complicated, especially if a family member is involved in the incident which resulted in the death of a loved one. The wrongful death attorneys at Davis Law Group can help families understand their legal rights and determine if hiring an attorney is in their best interests.
We offer a free legal consultation to surviving family members of wrongful death victims. Call our office in Seattle at (206) 727-4000 or use the confidential contact form on this page to have your case personally reviewed by our award-winning legal team.