Automobile & Trucking Accidents

Traffic accidents take an expensive toll on the American economy each year, from the medical costs of injuries and deaths sustained to property damage and productivity lost for victims. More importantly, the rise in U.S. accidents presents a serious threat to the traveling public. As the population explodes and the number of both commercial and recreational vehicles on America’s roads and highways increasing – combined with an exponential increase in interstate travel – accidents between automobiles and trucks on our highways and freeways are rising exponentially. Thousands of auto accidents take place on our nation’s roads and highways each day and the consequences of these collisions can be devastating – both for the unlucky passengers and for innocent bystanders. From minor scrapes to life-threatening trauma or paralysis, injuries resulting from careless or impaired drivers can be emotionally and financially draining. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, you have the right to be fairly compensated.

The state of your physical and financial health is too important to entrust to just anyone. You may be able to recover all of your damages – including property damage, medical costs, personal suffering, potential future losses and, in some cases, punitive damages. From drunk driving accidents to multiple car pile-ups, you deserve to be reimbursed for your emotional and physical suffering.

Each year there are more than 42,000 American deaths and almost two million injuries sustained in automobile accidents. Collisions taking place on highways and interstates can be especially catastrophic, and with high driving speeds and increased congestion, these numbers are rising each year. The dependence on the car as the primary mode of transportation means that the numbers of auto accidents will likely increase in the years to come. Americans should not be lulled into the false sense of security that larger vehicles such as light trucks and SUVs provide more protection than smaller cars, for this is rarely the case. Below you will find some alarming statistics gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on various types of automobile accidents.

Drunk Driving Accidents
Tragically, there are more intoxicated drivers on American roads at a given minute than ever before, resulting in thousands of unnecessary accidents each day. Alcohol related accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roads and highways, killing someone an average of one almost every 30 minutes and injuring a victim nearly every two minutes. When a driver chooses to break the law and operate a vehicle after drinking, he is quite literally choosing to take innocent lives into his own hands – many times with disastrous results.

Some startling drunk driving statistics:

  • Of 1,672 motorcyclist fatalities in 2004, 41% had BAC levels of .08 or greater.
  • During weekdays in 2004, 30% of all fatal crashes were alcohol-related.
  • 51% of all fatal crashes occurred on the weekends in the same time period.
  • 80% of alcohol-related fatalities are caused by drinking beer.
  • Drunk driving accidents are three times more likely to occur at night than during the day.
  • Almost 30% of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at one point or another.

Survivors of drunk driving accidents are left with extensive emotional trauma as well as expensive and sometimes debilitating personal injuries – ranging from minor scratches to complete paralysis. If you have been injured by the negligence of an intoxicated driver, you deserve to be compensated for their dangerous neglect, and in some cases, for the negligence of those who supplied the alcohol itself. You deserve monetary compensation for your injuries – including pain and suffering, the reparation for any property damage, those mounting medical expenses, loss of time and money from work absence and other accident-related costs. You may even be able to collect for punitive damages and punish the driver for his illegal and destructive behavior.

Asleep at the Wheel Accidents
While intoxicated drivers notoriously leave a wake of carnage behind them, another life-threatening problem on our nation’s roads involves drivers who are fatigued and/or sleep deprived. Nearly four percent of deadly crashes nationwide involve sleepy or fatigued drivers, while hundreds are injured every year from drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. Though not intentionally malicious or premeditated, the decision to drive while fatigued – and thus the responsibility for the collision – ultimately belongs to the driver. Asleep at the wheel accidents are preventable and perpetrators of such incidents need to take complete personal and legal responsibility for the unfortunate mistake. The victim of the ensuing accident should not have to suffer financially for the negligence of another.

Some startling statistics about sleeping at the wheel:

  • 31% of all drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once.
  • 100,000 accidents each year are caused by sleeping at the wheel
  • 1,500 people die as a result of falling asleep at the wheel
  • These accidents cost the American taxpayer $30 billion each year
  • Out of 593 long-distance truck drivers, 47.1% had fallen asleep at the wheel at least once, and 25.4% within the last year.
  • 100 million drive while drowsy each year.

You have the right to be compensated for the injuries sustained during an asleep at the wheel accident – and perhaps even collect for punitive damages as well. It’s important that you speak to an experienced attorney as soon as possible to avoid certain statutes of limitations that could end your case before it even begins.

Rear End Collisions
Although a rear end collision is the least fatal type of auto accident, they are the most common incidents on the road today – with approximately 2.5 million occurring each year. The rising use of on road distractions such as cell phones, Palm Pilots, and Blackberry devices – coupled with the ever-expanding number of young and inexperienced drivers on the road – have contributed to an annual increase in rear end collisions and the injuries stemming from such incidents. While insurance companies repeatedly assert that victims of rear end collisions escape generally unscathed because of the usually low speed of the vehicles during the crash, chronic and debilitating injuries often result from even a minor accident. Evidence of such injuries as whiplash (a hyperextension of the neck) can appear days and even years after the incident. Some injuries may be lifelong injuries and can be excruciatingly painful. Don’t take any chances on your physical or financial health, especially when someone else was at fault.

Common external factors of injury in rear end collisions:

  • The condition of the road: if the road is wet, icy, or dry it can greatly affect the ability of a person to stop a safe distance away from other vehicles
  • The weather: fog, rain, snow, or dust can severely limit visibility, resulting in a number of potential situations that can cause rear end collisions
  • Condition of the vehicles: poorly maintained tires are a significant factor in rear end collisions, as they can fail to grip the road properly
  • Speed: even slow speed collisions can cause significant injury, although higher speed rear ends are more dramatic

Common internal factors of injury in rear end collisions:

Position of passengers: cars are designed to accommodate some of the force of accidents if passengers are sitting in the correct positions, if not they risk significant harm

  • Head rests: proper head rest positioning can prevent neck injuries and whiplash
  • Seatbelts and airbags: if seatbelts are used properly they can prevent injury and even death in a rear end collision
  • Awareness of the crash: people tend to brace themselves if they anticipate a rear end collision. These extra seconds can make a huge difference in the likelihood of an accident

High Speed Collision Accidents
Although a person is injured in a motor vehicle accident every 10 seconds in the United States and someone is killed every 13 minutes, high speed collisions can be especially devastating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that speeding alone was a contributing factor in almost 30% of all fatal crashes last year. The danger of speeding is threefold: First, speed reduces the reaction time drivers need to avoid crashes, which in turn increases the likelihood of crashing and severity of accidents. Secondly, speed increases the distance needed to stop a vehicle. Speeding drivers also may not be able to judge distances as well and could put pedestrians at a greater risk. For the innocent survivors of such harrowing accidents, the recovery process – both emotional and physical – can be horribly painful and exorbitantly expensive. As a victim of a high speed collision, you deserve to be compensated for your property damage – and more importantly, the injuries that you incurred because of the other driver’s carelessness.

High speed collisions facts:

  • High speed plays a role in almost 30% of all fatal collisions that occur each year
  • In 2002, 13,713 people died in speeding-related deaths
  • Driving impaired is linked to speeding deaths. 41% of drivers of involved in speeding accidents had a BAC over .08
  • Saturdays are the most likely days to have a high-speed collision, followed by Sundays and Fridays
  • New Year’s Day, 32% of all accidents are due to speeding, Memorial Day, 38%, July 4th, 36%, Labor Day, 37%, Thanksgiving, 36%, Christmas 39%.
  • 40% of all high-speed collisions occur at curves, twice the rate of non-speeding fatalities that occur on a curve (20%)
  • Half of all speeding deaths occur on local low speed roads found around residential and business areas, despite their low speed limits
  • Local and collector roads have an almost triple fatality rate as Interstates
  • Rural roads are particularly dangerous. 65% of all speeding-related deaths occur on rural roads
  • Local rural roads are even more dangerous than urban roads; speeding deaths occur four times more there than elsewhere

Lane Changing Accidents
With the substantial increase of drivers and the escalating speed limits on roads and highways in the United States, lane changing accidents have proven to be an increasingly costly hazard for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike. Each year there are over 200,000 lane-changing and merging traffic accidents, with over 200 of them resulting in deaths. The lane-changing vehicle may be legally at fault in such an incident, because before a lane change is attempted, the driver has a duty to make sure it is safe to do so.

Pedestrian Knockdown Accidents
Being hit by a moving vehicle can be at the very least terrifying for an innocent pedestrian – and at worst, it can be fatal. Over 110,000 pedestrians are injured every year in this country and nearly 62,000 are killed. Faultless victims of all ages are affected by these staggering statistics, but school age children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. In fact, over 1/3rd of pedestrian-related accidents happen when innocent children are leaving school and walking home! Many times the collision is caused by a careless driver who ignores traffic signals or overlooks the pedestrian entirely. This kind of gross negligence is entirely preventable, and the lawbreaker should be held accountable for the costly mistake.

Side Impact Collision and Injury in a Car Accident

  • Side impact collisions are responsible for over 9,000 deaths annually
  • Only head-on collisions account for more deaths
  • In fact, in 2004, approximately 26% of all fatal auto accidents were from side impact collisions
  • 31% of all non-fatal auto accidents were the result of side impact collisions.
  • Most of these incidents occur at intersections as the result of a failure to yield at a stop sign or red light, and are thus preventable – you shouldn’t have to pay for another driver’s negligence.

Although side impact collisions are often serious, even minor accidents can cause debilitating and chronic injuries, and you have the right to be compensated for damages and expenses incurred when you are the victim of a wreck. It’s important to start the process as soon as possible because the success of the case usually depends on the medical records registered from the accident, and as more time lapses, the connection becomes more and more difficult to prove.

Most traffic accidents happen within 2 seconds and most traffic accidents are preventable. Taking simple steps can help prevent an auto accident.

Things to avoid doing while behind the wheel:

  • Talking on the cell phone.
  • Eating while driving.
  • Tuning the radio or CD player.
  • Putting on make-up.
  • Reading a map or book while driving.
  • Text messaging.