Archive for the ‘ Auto Accident ’ Category

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7
May

California Implements Daytime Headlight Law On Highway 99 Stretch

May 7, 2012

Running daytime headlights is a safety technique that has been utilized by motorcycles for years to make themselves more visible to other vehicles. Studies have shown that the use of headlights during the day can reduce the chances of a vehicle being in an accident by as much as 23 percent. Now, California is making it law for all vehicles on a certain stretch of highway to run their headlights during the day to reduce the number of crashes in the area.

According to KRCRTV 7 News, all vehicles on the 29-mile length of Highway 99, between Chico and Red Bluff, California, will be required to have their headlights on at all times. Officials say the area is notoriously plagued by a high number of motor vehicle accidents along the narrow, winding road.

Officials have worked for more than 18-months to have the initiative passed and will now be able to move forward with having Caltrans workers begin installing daytime headlight warning signs along the highway to remind drivers of the new measure. Officials say they will now begin implementing the same rules along the highway further south.

The number of California Car Accidents could be significantly reduced if all drivers adopted the use of daytime running headlights. That’s why the California Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that all drivers always turn on their headlights, regardless of the time of day, before driving anywhere.

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9
Apr

Sacramento Has Highest Crash Rates In The State For Fifth Year

April 9, 2012

Since 2006, the California Office of Traffic Safety has conducted a survey to determine which major cities have the highest number of motor vehicle crashes. For the fifth time, Sacramento has been ranked as the city for drivers to most likely be involved in a crash.

According to The Sacramento Bee, the city beat out Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno, and San Jose in composite rankings that looked at per capita injury and fatality crashes, alcohol-related crashes, and injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

Sacramento also had one of the highest rankings of alcohol-related crashes out of all 13 cities examined, with 326 crashes in 2010 alone. Bicycle accidents and injuries among drivers 21 to 34 years old were also excessively high. Overall, 3,468 crashes were reported in Sacramento throughout 2010, which is a 23 percent drop from the number of accidents in 2006 when the numbers were first compiled.

Some say that the high number of crashes is associated with the high number of restaurants and bars that are in a centralized location in the city.

The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that all motorists do what they can to keep California’s highways safe by always remembering to buckle up, slow down, and drive defensively. Following these simple tips will lower your chances of being involved in an accident and can increase your chances of survival if an accident does occur.

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2
Apr

Zombies Overrun California’s Distracted Driving Campaign

April 2, 2012

Zombies are on the loose on Northern California’s roads, and you might be one. The “zombies” are actually distracted drivers, and according to ABC 7 News, they’re being compared to zombies as part of California’s campaign for the 2nd Annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which started yesterday.

The ad campaign kicked off with commercials depicting those who use their phones behind the wheel as the lifeless and thoughtless creatures and will coincide with other educational programs on the topic throughout the month.

A study by Carnegie Mellon University that found a cellphone can reduce 35 percent of a person’s brain activity while driving was the inspiration for the public service announcements. A spokesman for the California Office of Traffic Safety, Chris Murphy, says that “the message is one-third of your brain is not there because you’re doing that on your phone while you’re driving, you really become a zombie. There’s inattention blindness that you don’t even know what you’re not seeing.”

In an effort to reduce the number of accidents in the state caused by these drivers, law enforcement will be on the lookout for any driver who’s not using a hands free device. Nearly 52,000 drivers were ticketed last year statewide in a similar month-long campaign.

The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that motorists help keep California’s highways safe by putting their cellphones down while behind the wheel of their vehicles.

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27
Mar

Woman Arrested After Being Caught Speeding Three Times In An Hour

March 26, 2012

Speeding is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel of a car. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration show that speeding is a factor in roughly one-third of all fatal motor vehicle crashes. Despite these numbers, drivers continue to risk their own lives, and the lives of other motorists around them, by engaging in this risky behavior.

In Hayward, California, a 53-year-old woman was arrested after being stopped three times within an hour for driving at excessive speeds. An article released by The Sacramento Bee said that the woman was originally stopped for speeding on Highway 70, just past the Sutter and Yuba County line, after being clocked driving 103 mph by a California Highway patrolman.

Minutes later, another patrolman clocked the woman driving 105 mph on the road. She was again pulled over and cited. She was pulled over for a third time within minutes of the second citation for driving 76 mph in a 55 mph zone.

After the third citation, the officer felt the woman’s blatant disregard for speed limits warranted an arrest. She was booked on charges of reckless driving.

The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers say that speeding-related accidents killed more than 10,500 people last year alone. Help us reduce this number by always obeying the posted speed limit on roads when you are behind the wheel.

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19
Mar

Redding Man Seriously Injured After Being Involved In Drunken Crash

March 19, 2012

A 27-year-old Redding, California, man is lucky to be alive following a single-vehicle crash early Thursday. According to reports from KRCRTV 7 News, alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident.

The crash happened just after midnight along Victor Avenue in Redding. Reports filed by the Redding Police Department indicate that the man was driving at more than 100 miles per hour through downtown Redding in his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck before slamming into a tree head-on outside of a local business. The impact of the crash caused the driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt at the time, to be ejected from the vehicle. Luckily, he survived and paramedics were able to transport him to Mercy Medical Center, where he remains in serious condition with massive head injuries and broken ribs.

The driver later admitted to police that he had taken prescription medications and had been drinking at a local bar prior to being involved in the crash.

Data gathered by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that speed played a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes in a single year, while alcohol contributed to 39 percent.

These statistics are a major reason why the San Francisco DUI Injury Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that you refrain from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. If every driver made this choice, thousands of lives would be saved every year.

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12
Mar

Redding Woman Paralyzed In Car Crash Recovering With Baby

March 12, 2012

A 32-year-old Redding, California, woman is making a miraculous recovery after a car accident nearly took her life and the life of her unborn child just weeks ago. According to reports from KRCRTV 7 News, the woman suffered a fractured spinal column in the accident resulting in paralysis of her upper body.

The accident happened February 8 on the campus of Chico State University. The victim, who was eight-months pregnant, was driving to class when she had to swerve to avoid another vehicle. The jerking motion caused the vehicle to roll twice before coming to a halt. Rescue crews were able to free the woman, and she was airlifted to Mercy Hospital where emergency surgery helped save the life of her unborn child.

Less than four weeks later, mother and baby are on the road to recovery. The baby is healthy and now weighs nearly six pounds, while the mother was recently moved to a rehabilitation center in Santa Clara, California, where she will work for the next two months with spinal trauma experts.

While the chances of her walking again are slim, the woman and her doctors are hopeful that she will be able to care for her child and continue leading a productive life.

The California Auto Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to wish this young mother the best of luck in a speedy and full recovery from the injuries she has sustained.

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5
Mar

Parents Added As Defendants In California Personal Injury Lawsuit

March 5, 2012

Two more defendants have been named in a California personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of a man who was injured when three intoxicated teens began throwing rocks from a Canyon Way overpass and onto passing I-80 traffic on July 26, 2010. According to reports from The Sacramento Bee, the parents of one of the boys’ friends have been named in the lawsuit after they allegedly supplied alcohol for the teens.

The lawsuit claims that a truck driver from Sacramento, California, suffered severe facial injuries that required several reconstructive surgeries after a basketball-sized rock, allegedly thrown by the drunken teens, came crashing through the windshield of the man’s Ford Expedition as he traveled along I-80. Attorneys for the victim say that he also suffers from headaches and sleeplessness as a result of the incident.

The state of California and the Department of Transportation are also named as defendants in the lawsuit because of their negligence to have protective barriers, which are standard on most highway overpasses, installed.

The parents who allegedly supplied the alcohol have publicly denied the accusations.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages for the victim.

The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers say that making sure to identify all negligent parties in a claim is vital to filing a successful personal injury lawsuit. If you have questions regarding an injury you suffered because of someone else’s negligence, our firm is available to help.

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21
Feb

Drunk Driver Responsible For Redding Crash That Kills One

February 20, 2012

Police in Redding, California, say that a drunk driver is responsible for causing a tragic accident that injured himself and another passenger and left another man dead. According to reports from KRCR 7 News, the accident occurred at 10:20 PM on Juniper Knoll Road, just east of Macdoel.

Reports from the California Highway Patrol troopers who responded to the crash scene say that the driver of a 1995 Hyundai sedan was under the influence of alcohol when he lost control and rolled the vehicle several times.

A passenger in the backseat was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene of the crash. The driver and another passenger in the front seat were both wearing seatbelts and only suffered minor injuries.

The driver has been charged with driving under the influence and causing injury to another person.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that alcohol continues to be a lead contributing factor in fatal highway accidents nationwide, especially among young people. They say roughly one third of drivers between 15 and 20 years old who were involved in fatal accidents had been drinking.

The Northern California DUI Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that motorists do their part to keep everyone on the highway safe by not drinking and driving. Also, make sure that yourself, and all other passengers in the car, are buckled up before you begin driving.

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30
Jan

Road Rage Responsible For Fatal I-80 Crash

January 30, 2012

We have all experienced road rage at some point in time. What drivers don’t often realize is just how dangerous these careless actions can be.

Take for instance the fatal crash that occurred on I-80 near Richmond, California, last Wednesday morning. Reports on the accident from NBC-Bay Area News claim the driver who was killed “brake checked” the person behind him just before rolling his vehicle.

The accident happened in the westbound lanes of the highway at around 5:30 in the morning, near the exit for Carlson Boulevard. It was still dark when investigators say they believe the driver of a minivan made an unsafe lane change in an effort to get around a GMC pickup truck. The van passed the truck and then immediately cut in front of it. The van’s driver then firmly tapped his breaks, causing himself to lose control of the vehicle. The van screeched off the highway and collided with a barrier wall before rolling several times across the pavement. The minivan’s driver was killed instantly.

California highway patrol officers said that road rage accidents are completely avoidable when motorists drive responsibly.

The Bay Area Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers suggest slower traffic keeping to the right and allowing other vehicles at least three car lengths of following space. They believe that following theses tips will greatly decrease your chances of getting into a dangerous road rage situation.

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16
Jan

Several Tips To Keep Motorists Safe During High Speed Pursuits

January 16, 2012

High-speed vehicle pursuits down the highway gets our adrenaline pumping in the movies. But what if you found yourself to be the helpless bystander of a real car chase during your daily commute? This happens almost on a daily basis across California, and observations have shown that most motorists don’t know what to do.

An article in The Sacramento Bee described a chase that occurred several weeks ago along California’s Highway 99. News footage shows that as the chase progresses, the cars around the chase acted as if nothing was happening. They stayed at the same speed and made no efforts to get out of the way.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) says that one reason this occurs is that drivers don’t scan their mirrors often enough. They suggest that motorists check all of their mirrors every 15-20 seconds.

If you find yourself in the middle of a high-speed pursuit, CHP Trooper Mike Bradley stated that you should not slow down, but turn on your right blinker and work your way over to the shoulder of the highway. If you see a crime scene ahead, pull over and stop well behind officer vehicles.

The California auto accident attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers fight for victims who have been injured in accidents and support community safety campaigns throughout the year in order to prevent accidents. If you are the victim of a car accident, contact an experienced attorney today.