car accidents

March 25, 2016

Google Self-Driving Car Accident

Whether you are driving along the I-5 or are moving at slower speeds through a shopping area and get hit by a Google self-driving car, are you eligible to file a car accident claim? If there is no driver in the self-driving car—as its name suggests—who can be held liable for the collision? According to a recent article in The Guardian, a traffic collision involving a Google self-driving car and a city bus recently occurred in California. While the accident report did not indicate liability for the crash, if Google is found to be liable, “it would be the first time one of its SUVs caused an accident while in autonomous mode.”

Self-driving cars might sound like pieces of technology that could not possibly exist today, but they do. While California state law requires that a self-driving vehicle’s test driver be in the front seat in the event that something goes wrong, more and more Californians are seeing these vehicles on the road. Are they safe for use? Or are they likely to cause more auto accidents?

Recent Incident Involving California City Bus and Self-Driving Car

January 22, 2016

Rising Highway Deaths in California

by Walton Law Firm

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Is it safe to travel on the highways in California? Whether you are commuting to work in San Diego on the I-5 or are taking a vacation that requires you to drive with your family along the I-10, it is extremely important to be aware of serious car accident risks. According to a recent report from The California Report and KQED News, highway traffic fatalities are on the rise in California despite a relatively steady national number of deaths on America’s roadways. What is happening on California’s highways that makes driving in our state more dangerous? What can you do if you have suffered injuries as a result of another driver’s negligence?

Federal Highway Traffic Safety Data Highlights Substantial Death Toll

As the recent report makes clear, new federal highway safety data shows that “the traffic death toll in California continues to trend upward even as the number of people who die on roads nationwide holds steady.” Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified nearly 33,000 auto accident fatalities and about 2.3 million accidents that resulted in injuries. While that death toll might strike you as shockingly high—and it is a high number, to be sure—it actually represents a decline in the total number of nationwide auto accident deaths from the previous year. Between 2013 and 2014, auto accident collisions caused 44 fewer fatalities.

December 4, 2015

Holiday Driving Hazards

by Walton Law Firm

When San Diego residents hear about holiday driving hazards, many believe they are not at risk of an auto accident because of the relatively sunny weather we experience all year. Yet the risks that come with holiday driving are not necessarily impacted by inclement weather. According to an article in EHS Today, the most common holiday driving hazards have nothing to do with snow and ice. Rather, driving while you are impaired, distracted, fatigued, or experiencing stress can result in a severe car accident. In the event that you will be driving outside of Southern California during the holidays, it is important to keep in mind that snow-covered roads and limited visibility will only be made worse if you are not prepared to be behind the wheel.

What do you need to know about staying safe on the roads this holiday season? We will examine risky driving behaviors in more detail to make clear the ways in which these actions can pose serious risks to the driver, passengers, and others out on the roadways.

Impaired Driving During the Holiday Season

November 6, 2015

Avoiding Halloween Injuries in San Diego

by Walton Law Firm

Fatal Car Accidents on Halloween

Last year around this time, the Associated Press reported on a severe auto accident in California that resulted in the deaths of three trick-or-treaters. The children who suffered fatal injuries in the pedestrian accident were 13-year-old girls, and two of them were twin sisters. The collision occurred in Santa Ana, and the hit-and-run driver fled the scene and later abandoned the SUV that struck the trick-or-treaters. The girls were struck while attempting to cross the road in a crosswalk.

While it may be impossible to avoid certain car accidents, it is possible to take preventive steps, particularly on Halloween. The article about the deadly hit-and-run accident last year noted that the young girls who were killed had been “wearing costumes with black leggings and dark clothing.”

October 21, 2015

More California Drivers Suffer Fatal Injuries in Auto Accidents

by Walton Law Firm

Deadly car accident rates are climbing across the country, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. California is among the states with the highest fatality rates. Why are so many more fatal traffic collisions occurring? According to the article, the growing economy may be to blame.

Economic Factors Result in More Traffic Collisions

Now that the recession has ended, more Americans are working again. Even more of us can afford to buy cars. Gas prices have declined, making it more affordable for us to make daily commutes. What all of these factors add up to, however, is more vehicles on the road at any given time. Indeed, experts emphasize that “deadly automobile crashes have surged dramatically in the first half of 2015 as Americans hit the roads in record numbers, in part due to a stronger economy and more affordable fuel.” Gas prices are about $1 cheaper than this same time last year, meaning more families can afford to fuel up.