Car Accidents
Lower Gas Prices Mean More Traffic Deaths This Summer, Experts Say
If you knew that this summer was expected to see more traffic deaths than the summer of 2014, would you drive more carefully?
Experts – and experienced Colorado car accident lawyers – hope so. The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that the summer of 2015 will result in more car accident deaths and serious injuries than the summer of 2014, despite the fact that the number of fatal crashes has been decreasing on U.S. roads for several years.
4 of the Most Annoying Things to Do on a Road Trip
Who doesn’t love road trips? There’s nothing more exhilarating than hopping into the car with your friends and setting off on an adventure. Plus, America is made for this. You can travel from coast to coast using our country’s extensive freeway systems and experience all kinds of cultures and landscapes. New sights, sounds, memories – all of these and more are what make road trips great.
However, road trips are also potential friendship breakers. There’s nothing that tests a relationship more than being stuck with someone inside a cramped space for hours on end. Good times can easily turn sour when everyone has a short fuse.
Choosing the Right Type of Rear-Facing Car Seat For Your Child
Rear-facing car seats offer the best protection for infants and toddlers in case of a Colorado car accident. The design of the seat protects the child’s developing head, neck, and spine in a crash, reducing the chances of a brain or spinal cord injury that causes harm.
Currently, there are several different types of rear-facing car seat on the market. Which is best for your child and your family’s needs? Consider these tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and your experienced Colorado Springs car accident attorney:
NHTSA Aims to Make It Easier to Survive a Bus Rollover Crash
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed new regulations aimed at improving passenger survival when a commercial bus rolls over. Rollover accidents are one of the most deadly types of vehicle crash, as many experienced Colorado bus accident attorneys have seen.
The proposed standards would require new buses to pass certain safety tests. When the bus rolls over, for instance, the roof and sides must not collapse so far that they crush passengers. Equipment attached to the roof, like overhead luggage racks, must not come loose from the roof when the bus rolls. And emergency exits must stay closed during a rollover, but remain operable so that passengers can escape a bus after a crash.
Child Severely Injured in Colorado Springs Car Crash
A child was seriously injured after a three-car crash at a Colorado Springs intersection. Fox 21 News reports that the injury crash occurred at the intersection of Astrozon Boulevard and Academy Boulevard. Police said a PT Cruiser was heading south on Academy when its driver ran a red light at Astrozon. The PT Cruiser hit a Dodge Dakota which in turn slammed into a Ford truck. A 6-year-old passenger in the PT Cruiser was injured. His 22-year-old aunt was the driver. Officials say alcohol and drugs may have been factors in this crash. Criminal charges may also be filed.
Street intersection crashes often result in major injuries or even fatalities. Some of the common causes of such accidents include:
Colorado Springs Woman Critically Injured in Car Crash
A 77-year-old woman suffered critical injuries in a car crash, according to a report in The Gazette. Police say, a vehicle traveling northbound on Powers Boulevard attempted to make a left turn onto westbound Stetson Hills Boulevard, when it collided with another car. The driver of the northbound car, a 77-year-old woman, was listed in critical condition. The driver of the second vehicle suffered relatively minor injuries, officials said. The investigation is ongoing.
In a car crash involving two vehicles at a street intersection, a number of questions must be asked and answered to arrive at the truth. Did one of the vehicles make an illegal turn? Did one of the drivers fail to yield the right of way? Was speed, alcohol, or distracted driving a factor in the collision?
Rollover Crash in Colorado Springs Proves Fatal
A rollover crash on Highway 9 claimed the life of a passenger, KKTV News reports. Colorado State Patrol officials say the driver, a 43-year-old man, overcorrected when he drifted off the right side of the road. This caused the vehicle to spin out of control, cross over into oncoming lanes of traffic and roll over. The front passenger, a 37-year-old woman, was thrown from the vehicle. She was transported to an area hospital where she died. The driver and two children who were in the back seat were also airlifted to area hospitals. The driver is reported to be in fair condition. An investigation is ongoing.
Rollover crashes are often deadly because of the intensity with which they occur. There are several ways to prevent these types of tragic crashes:
Students Killed in Two Separate Colorado Springs Crashes
Within a 14-hour period on the same road, two Calhan students were killed and a third was critically injured. According to a news report in The Gazette, the two crashes occurred on Funk Road east of Calhan Highway about 35 miles northeast of Colorado Springs. The first crash occurred when a 16-year-old boy lost control of a 1994 Saturn. The vehicle spun before colliding with a fence and rolling over. The driver was critically injured and his 14-year-old sister was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second fatal accident occurred when a 16-year-old girl lost control of a 1997 Chrysler. Her vehicle went off the side of the road, rolled twice and hit a fence. She was ejected from her vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Dealing With Insurance Companies After Your Colorado Springs Auto Accident
If you have been injured in a Colorado Springs car accident, you will have to deal with insurance adjusters. It is important to remember that anything you tell an insurance adjuster can be used against you. The insurance company is not your friend. It is the objective of insurance companies to protect their bottom line by denying your claim. Remember, they are a business and need to make a profit. Making sure you get fair compensation for your losses is not their first priority. Therefore, it is in your best interest to have a basic understanding of how to deal with insurance companies if you have just been involved in an auto accident.
It is advisable to prepare yourself before calling your insurance company. Have in front of you information about the accident. Write down when and where the crash occurred. Have the details about those who were involved in the accident and their insurance providers, and about any witnesses of the accident. It is also useful to have any medical bills in front of you that you may have incurred since the crash.
Running Red Lights Can Cause Serious Injuries and Deaths
While most Colorado drivers know that running a red light can cause serious injuries or even death, many don’t realize just how pervasive the problem is. And while many Colorado communities have begun to address the problem with red light cameras and other tools, drivers who run red lights continue to pose a risk.
According to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 673 people lost their lives in 2010 and about 122,000 were injured in crashes caused by a driver who ran a red light. In context, this means a driver runs a red light in the U.S. about once every twenty minutes. About 39 percent of all red light runners cause a crash that leaves someone injured or killed.
About half of those who are injured or killed in red light running accidents are pedestrians, bicyclists, and passengers – not drivers. Meanwhile, drivers who run red lights are more likely to be younger, to not use their seat belts regularly, and to have poorer driving records than other drivers – including multiple speeding convictions.