Articles Tagged with car accidents

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Whether you are driving in Encinitas or anywhere else in San Diego County or across Southern California, you are likely to observe or encounter some type of risky driving behavior. From motorists who speed by you to those you observe texting while driving despite traveling at a relatively high speed behind the wheel, dangerous driving behaviors are, unfortunately, a norm. In fact, according to a recent report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than 50% of all drivers engage in at least one type of risky behavior on a regular basis while driving. That report classifies motorists by the type of dangerous behavior that they routinely engage in, and it provides information about the percentage of each kind of driver on the road. 

Our Encinitas car accident lawyers can tell you more about the report, and we can help you if you are injured in a crash and need to file a claim.

Driver Profiles By Risky Behavior

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Getting older comes with additional injury risks in Oceanside and throughout California. While nobody wants to think about age-related injury risks, it is important to consider safety issues for seniors. Adults aged 65 and older are at greater risk of a range of accidental injuries that are more likely to be serious, including fall hazards and motor vehicle crashes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 48 million drivers over the age of 65 in the United States, which is a 68 percent increase from about 20 years ago. Although “driving helps older adults stay mobile and independent,” according to the CDC, “the risk of being injured or killed in a traffic crash increases as people age.”

A recent study addresses the relationship between aging drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While we do not often think about the injury risks linked to ADHD among older adults, this new study in JAMA Network Open suggests that there is a clear connection between ADHD in older adults and the likelihood of a motor vehicle crash. Our Oceanside car accident attorneys can say more.

Details of the Study on ADHD and Older Adult Traffic Collisions

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Many people in Vista, and residents of Southern California more broadly, know that age can sometimes be a factor in motor vehicle collisions. Yet when most of us think about the connection between a driver’s age and their auto accident risk, we think about teenagers who are inexperienced behind the wheel and may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors like texting while driving or intoxicated driving. While studies do show that teen drivers are certainly at higher risk of accidents in many circumstances, it is important to know that older age can also play a role in assessing a person’s risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash. According to a recent article from Bankrate, senior drivers experience physical and cognitive changes that can impact their safety behind the wheel. Our Vista car accident lawyers can say more.

Getting the Facts About Older Adult Drivers and Motor Vehicle Collisions

What should you know about older adult drivers and motor vehicle accident risk? The following are some key facts and figures cited in the Bankrate article from the NHTSA, the FHA, and the CDC:

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Are the vehicle type and its safety features (or lack thereof) to blame when a collision results in a fatality in San Clemente, or should we be placing a greater emphasis on the behavior of the driver who causes the accident? Numerous studies have addressed injury risks in smaller vehicles, suggesting that it is more dangerous to be involved in a crash in a company car or a sports car than in a larger sedan or SUV. Yet a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) suggests that the type of driver may be more significant than the individual model of a vehicle when estimating the likelihood of a fatal accident. 

The study is important because it underscores that driver behaviors are often the cause of serious and deadly collisions. Our San Clemente auto accident lawyers can tell you more about the study and its potential implications for car accident claims in Southern California. 

Muscle Cars Associated With Highest Death Rates in Crashes

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Motor vehicle collisions in San Marcos and throughout San Diego County can be devastating, and even a relatively minor crash with limited injuries can prevent you from returning to work for weeks, months, or even longer. After a car accident caused by another motorist or another party, you may be wondering if you are eligible to file a car accident lawsuit against the party who is responsible for your personal injuries and property damage. In many instances, it is possible to file a lawsuit, but you may have additional options for seeking compensation, as well. One of our San Marcos car accident attorneys can explain in more detail.

You Do Not Need to Meet Any Threshold to File a Lawsuit

Some states are “no-fault” states for auto insurance purposes, which means that you would need to meet a financial or injury “threshold” in order to be eligible to file a lawsuit. We want to be clear that California is not a “no-fault” state, and you do not need to meet any threshold in order to file a lawsuit. If you can prove that another party was liable, you may be able to move forward immediately with a lawsuit.

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It is that time of the year again when clocks go forward, and residents of Oceanside and the rest of the state lose an hour of sleep. Although you might not associate a clock change with a rise in car accident rates, data shows that this is one of the most dangerous times of the year when it comes to serious and deadly traffic accidents. According to an article in Business Insider, daylight saving time “is literally killing us” because of the increase in injuries and deaths at this time of the year linked to losing just one hour of sleep. Our Oceanside car accident lawyers can say more about the dangers of daylight saving time, and we can also assist you with a claim if you are injured in a motor vehicle collision at this time of the year.

Car Accident Injuries and Other Death Rates Rise

As the article highlights, when we lose an hour of sleep due to daylight saving time, we are “prone to make more deadly mistakes on the road.” Indeed, “researchers estimate that car crashes in the US caused by sleepy daylight-saving drivers likely cost 30 extra people their lives over the nine-year period from 2002-2011.” Drivers are more tired when they have to commute to work in the dark, in addition to the fact that they are operating on less sleep. Even in the days and weeks following the changing of the clocks, most of us continue to experience an impact on our sleep schedules.

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Distracted driving crashes occur much too frequently in Encinitas and throughout Southern California. Whether a distracted driving collision happens at high speed on the I-5 or on a local road, the consequences can be devastating. In 2020 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 3,142 people were killed in distracted driving accidents, and thousands more were injured. Drivers of any age can get distracted behind the wheel, and various types of distractions can cause wrecks. Distracted driving often involves the unlawful use of phones for talking or texting, but it can also involve any kind of distraction that takes the driver’s eyes off the road, hands away from the wheel, or mind away from the important task of focusing on the road. 

If you were injured in a distracted driving accident in Encinitas, what steps should you take? Our Encinitas car accident attorneys have tips that can help you with your case.

Call 911 to Report the Accident

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Motor vehicle accidents in Oceanside can be devastating under any circumstances, whether they result from another driver’s negligence or because of a hazardous condition on the roadway. When another party is responsible for a traffic collision that causes injuries, it is critical to work with a lawyer to find out about seeking compensation and to gather evidence to prove fault in the crash. Depending upon the cause of the collision, fault is easier to prove in some cases than in others. For example, in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, the police might have administered a breathalyzer test and arrested the drunk driver, and any accompanying police reports and records can make up the majority of a civil lawsuit against the drunk driver. 

However, fault can be more difficult to prove in other kinds of traffic collision cases. In particular, drowsy driving might seem as though it would be difficult to prove. What do you need to know about proving fault in a drowsy driving case?

Understanding Drowsy Driving in Southern California

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If you are regularly on the road in Oceanside or elsewhere in San Diego County, it is critical to be aware of the risks of distracted driving. Not only should you be taking precautions yourself to avoid getting distracted behind the wheel of your own car, but you should also be aware of the significant likelihood that another motorist on the road is engaged in distracted driving at any given moment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphasizes that distracted driving collisions have increased significantly as more car and truck drivers have begun using smartphones, and more crashes have resulted from talking or texting while driving. 

A new study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery suggests that the distracted driving problem may be even bigger than previously suspected. Indeed, the authors of the study reported that more than 99 percent of motorists who have been involved in collisions admit to driving while distracted at least once in the last 12 months. 

Details of the Recent Distracted Driving Study

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Although inclement weather is not a problem during the holiday season in Escondido the way it is in other parts of the country, many Southern California residents travel north for the holidays where inclement weather can make driving conditions significantly more hazardous. Yet even if you remain in San Diego County this holiday season, it is important to know that many more vehicles are likely to be on the road, increasing the risk of a motor vehicle collision. What can you do to avoid a serious car crash during the holidays? Our experienced Escondido car accident lawyers can help. 

Do Not Engage in Distracted Driving Behaviors

Distracted driving is a leading cause of motor vehicle collisions and deaths in California and across the country. During the holiday season, more vehicles are traveling on California freeways, and roads are congested. With more drivers on the road, the risk of a motor vehicle collision increases, especially if you are not paying attention to your surroundings. Avoid all distractions, from talking or texting on a smartphone to eating in the car or inputting a new address into your GPS. Avoiding distractions can reduce the likelihood that you will be involved in a collision.

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