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Wrong Way Pick Up Driver Causes Crash on the 101 Freeway
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/sep/23/accident-101-kills-one-snarls-traffic/
A Verizon truck going southbound on the northbound 101 freeway caused a six-car crash and one death yesterday in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.
At approximately 6 a.m., the Verizon truck entered the 101 heading the wrong direction near near Glen Annie Road in Goleta. Ten minutes after entering the freeway, the truck struck a white van, killing the driver. Six other vehicles were involved in the crash, leaving two people moderately injured and three others with minor injuries.
According the U.S. Department of Transportation, an average of 350 people are killed annually due to wrong-way freeway crashes. The Transportation Department’s website lists California as one of the few states taking initiative to combat this serious problem with ramp design, signage, and other safety improvements.
A 1989 California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) study found that drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol were responsible for 76.8% of fatal wrong way car crashes. In a crash such as this, one of the first questions to ask is whether drugs or alcohol impaired the wrong-way driver. Officials who are still investigating the accident have not said publically whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
The crash victims and their families deserve answers. With knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorneys, those injured in the crash can be compensated for medical expenses and lost earnings from work. The family of the deceased victim may be able to file a wrongful death claim as well.
Bride-to-Be Injured in Head on Collision on Highway 126
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/18/two-people-injured-in-highway-126-head-on/
A twenty-four year old Piru woman scheduled to be married last Sunday was seriously injured in an automobile collision last Saturday afternoon on Highway 126 near Powell Road and Piru.
Suzy Yoguez, 24, was driving westbound on Highway 126 when a 25-year-old driver who was heading eastbound drifted into oncoming traffic and struck Yoguez’s car. Yoguez had to be extricated from her car and was taken to the Ventura County Medical Center.
The other driver was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, also with serious injuries.
At present, the crash is still under investigation.
In 2007, there were 19,943 injuries due to head on collisions in California, according to the California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.
Ms. Youguez’s family should seek a personal injury attorney who can determine why the other driver drifted into oncoming traffic. Was he driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Did he fall asleep at the wheel? Was he distracted by a cell phone call or text message? There are many possible explanations as to why the driver swerved into the westbound lane. An experienced attorney can determine the facts surrounding a case and pursue your right to fair compensation.
Local City Ranks #1 in California for Alcohol-Related Collisions and Hit and Runs
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/17/oxnard-police-making-strides-in-traffic-safety/
Oxnard, California has the highest number of alcohol-related collisions and hit and run incidents in California, according to recently published statistics from 2007.
On average, there are ten traffic deaths per year in Oxnard, with at least two of those deaths involving pedestrians. The Oxnard Police Department cites dangerous intersections, improper signaling, and poorly designed lanes as the cause of many of the accidents. Another cause, one accompanied by the highest fatality rates, is driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Oxnard Police Enforcement is cracking down on DUIs through checkpoints, saturation patrol, public information campaigns, and community outreach programs.
On August 29, officers from multiple agencies issued a DUI crackdown on Highway 101. During an 8 hour period, they pulled over 230 drivers for traffic violations, arrested 10 people on suspicion of DUI, and towed 12 cars driven by unlicensed drivers.
With the steps taken by the Oxnard Police Department and other Oxnard agencies, hopefully the city can become a safer place to drive and live.
If you’ve been the victim of an alcohol-related collision or a hit and run incident, you need the best-skilled attorneys to handle your case with experience, analysis, and determination for results.
Surprising Statistics on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5650a1.htm
According to the Center for Disease Control, unintentional Carbon Monoxide exposure accounts for an estimated 15,000 ER visits and 500 unintentional deaths in the United States each year (statistics current through 2004). California alone had 115 deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning from 1999-2004.
With such large numbers of people affected by carbon monoxide poisoning (including the many additional cases that go unreported), it is alarming that education-based measures are sparse at both state and national levels.
The Center for Disease Control Study found that adults over age 65 were most at risk for contracting carbon monoxide poisoning, and that the average daily number of carbon monoxide related deaths were in January, because in the cold, winter months, there is an increased use of gas-powered furnaces.
Further, men contracted carbon monoxide poisoning at a higher rate than women, which the CDC attributes to male high-risk behaviors such as working with fuel-burning tools or appliances.
The CDC recommends that carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by proper installation and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances, as well as by installing a carbon monoxide detector in every home. Currently, California has not passed legislation to mandate the use of carbon monoxide detectors in homes.
Ventura Teen at Fault in Crash that Kills Woman, Dog
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/15/teen-at-fault-in-fatal-august-crash-police-say/
A sixteen-year-old Ventura resident was determined to be at fault after he struck and killed a sixty-year-old woman, Susan Herman, and her dog on August 24 on Shoreline Drive.
Ms. Herman, who investigators believe was in the crosswalk when she was hit, died shortly after the accident at the hospital. Her dog was killed instantly. While the boy was traveling at a low rate of speed at 25 m.p.h, police believe inattention contributed to the crash.
Reactions to the police’s determination that the boy was at fault have been mixed. Some local residents have raised questions regarding the visibility of the cross walk sign on Shoreline Drive, near Surfer’s Point, expressing concerns that the cross walk is on a curved road and is not clearly identified.
For others, the situation leads to questions on the legal driving age. Some feel sixteen-year-olds aren’t ready to take on the roads on their own, and would like this situation to further the push for an older age of eighteen for driver’s license eligibility.
New Jersey, the only state which issues licenses at age 17, has consistently lower rates of teens killed in crashes than other states which issues licenses at 15.5 or 16.
According to theLowell.org, California had 524 accidents involving teenagers aged 16 to 18 last year.
While no legislation has been passed to raise the California driving age, California is leading the way in banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. Further, California does not allow anyone under the age of 18 to drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
In the aftermath of a tragedy such as this, we offer our heartfelt thoughts to the families of both Susan Herman and the boy who hit her.
Is Your Child’s Safety Threatened by Backyard Swing sets?
From the Santa Barbara News-Press
Recent concerns have arisen regarding the safety of background playground equipment following the death of 4-year-old Wesley Cowan on his home play structure. According to Scott Burton, President of Safety Play Inc., 61 children have reported injuries due to a faulty play ground structure design since 1990. Burton believes many others are injured who never report their incidents to hospitals or the government.
In the dangerous design that concerns Burton, as well growing numbers of other parents, swings and other types of equipment are located under the monkey bars, so that if a child falls from the monkey bars they risk hitting the hard equipment.
A new design standard has been implemented as of July, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission has yet to issue a warning about old play structures that hold the flawed design.
If you have a backyard play structure purchased prior to July 2009, you can prevent injuries by ensuring that there isn’t any hard equipment located under the monkey bars. If you’ve been a victim of the faulty playground design, you should contact a Santa Barbara child injury lawyer, as you may be entitled to legal compensation.
Accidents are Number #1 Threat to Young Children
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/sep/13/accidents-are-no-1-killer-young-kids/?metro&zIndex=165082
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, approximately 25 children (under the age of 15) are killed annually in San Diego County due to drowning, motor vehicle accidents, and falls.
Especially notable are the 30 drowning incidents in San Diego County in the month of July alone. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4.
After age 4, motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of death.
These statistics are nerve-wrecking to any parent. You can take steps to ensure your child’s safety. Never leave a child alone or unattended at the pool. Children under the age of 14 should not sit in the front seat of a car and always wear their seat belt correctly.
If your child has been injured in a drowning or motor-vehicle accident, Santa Barbara child injury lawyers can help.
Seven Year Old Boy Is Victim of a Hit and Run
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/11/ventura-police-seek-motorists-in-boys-hit-and/
A seven year old Ventura boy was hit by a car while riding his bicycle on Wednesday night, the Ventura County Star reports. As he crossed an intersection around 8 p.m., a blue Volkswagen Beetle hit him, knocking the child to the ground.
The boy, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered serious internal injuries and is being treated at the Ventura County Medical Center. Police are currently searching for the middle-aged male and female motorists who were driving the car.
My thoughts are with this young boy and his family as he recovers. I hope that with the help of law enforcement and citizen involvement, the motorists who caused this accident can be found and held responsible for their conduct.
Five Caltrans Workers Injured by Car
http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/breaking/2009/09/3_caltrans_workers_struck_by_c.html
Two Caltrans employees and three Caltrans probationers have been hospitalized for serious injuries after a car swerved onto the shoulder of the freeway where they were working this morning, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
There is still no word on why the car went onto the freeway shoulder.
According to legalcatch.wordpress.com, In 2005, 71 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred on major roads, including interstates and freeways.
Labor Day Crash in the Central Valley
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/57617157.html
A woman was killed this Labor Day weekend when she ran a stop sign while allegedly talking on her cell phone. She was hit head-on by a truck that had the right of way, ripping her car into two pieces. No one in the truck was hurt.
In 2007, there were 3,557 fatal accident collisions, according to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System. Cell phone usage is often cited as one of the contributing factors to car accidents that result in serious property damage or personal injury. Besides avoiding cell phone use, there are several other simple steps you can take to prevent car accidents according to Edmunds.com, such as avoiding tailgating on the freeway, knowing your blind spots, and checking both ways twice before entering an intersection.
Sometimes even the most cautious and conscientious drivers are involved in accidents due to the negligent actions of others. If you or someone you know was injured in a car accident and you think another party may be responsible, Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand can help. With our decades of experience, we aggressively pursue fair compensation for victims of negligent driving.