People often multi-task while driving. However, if the person takes his or her eyes off the road for five seconds, anything can happen. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents. Distracted driving is the cause behind around 400,000 crashes every year. Distraction may be caused by cell phone use, texting and passengers or pets in the car. Furthermore, Arizona has no primary laws dealing with texting while driving issues, which further adds to the problem.
New hit and run law increases penalties on Arizona drivers
Strict state and federal traffic laws often deter drivers from engaging in negligent and reckless conduct while behind the wheel. Hefty fines and other severe consequences can make motorists more careful and cautious, thereby reducing road accident fatalities. As such, many Phoenix and Scottsdale residents are likely welcoming a new law that may potentially reduce the number of pedestrian and motorcycle accidents that take place in those cities and across the state.
Did Arizona hospital's negligence lead to arm amputation?
There are general health and safety standards that medical service providers are required to follow. But unfortunately, violations of these standards sometimes occur at clinics and hospitals around the country, and Phoenix is no exception. However, people who suffer as a result of misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment and other medical malpractice by medical service providers have a legal remedy.
Heated argument leads to car accident in Phoenix
Multi-tasking while driving is inherently dangerous, and yet, people in Arizona and around the country do it on a regular basis. Common distractions include the use of a mobile or other electronic device, music, food and drink, pets or fellow passengers. A heated conversation with a passenger or over the phone while driving may easily affect attentiveness, as was the case in a recent car accident near Phoenix.
Teenage girl dies in Arizona ATV accident
After a fatal accident involving a car and an all-terrain vehicle, Arizona State Route 74 was closed for several hours as police investigated the crash and its cause. However, Arizona Department of Public Safety investigators are not yet sure of the reason for the deadly accident.
Pedestrian safety in Phoenix is a growing concern
Last year, a total of 34 fatal pedestrian accidents were reported in Phoenix. Through September of this year, 26 pedestrian accidents have already been reported, most of which were completely avoidable. According to the Phoenix Police Department, the pedestrian fatality rate is very high in the city and the state in general.
Is texting the worst kind of driver distraction?
In 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation attributed 3,092 traffic deaths to distracted driving-related car accidents. Distracted driving contributed to roughly 10 percent of traffic fatalities and 18 percent of all traffic-related injuries. Further, 11 percent of the distracted drivers were less than 20 years old.
Health care provider for Arizona prisons accused of malpractice
The Arizona Department of Corrections recently fined its state prisons' private health care provider for failure to provide adequate care to sick inmates. The health care company has failed to properly administer medication to sick inmates. Medical negligence by the company is not limited to one instance: reports indicate that several cases of improperly administered medication have been noticed in the past few months since the health care system became private.
Car crashes through fence into Arizona backyard
People may not pay attention while driving for a number of reasons, such as texting or talking on their cell phones, illness, fatigue and drunkenness. People who multi-task while driving may think they are completely attentive; however, this is usually not the case. Fatigue, intoxication or multi-tasking while driving often results in harmful car accidents.
Unsafe injection practices lead to infections in Arizona
Recently, 10 people were hospitalized for Staphylococcus aureus infections in Arizona and Delaware, which the CDC believes was caused by unsafe injection practices. Unfortunately, this is just one example of injection-related medical malpractice, which has become a frequent occurrence lately in Arizona and several other U.S. states.
New CDC analysis estimates state-specific crash death costs (2)
In our previous blog post, we discussed the new analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which breaks down the financial costs of car accident deaths by state, age, type of vehicle and in other interesting ways. In our earlier post, we wrote that Arizona ranked 11th out of all 50 states with $1.10 billion incurred in medical bills and work loss costs related to car accident fatalities in 2005.
New CDC analysis estimates state-specific crash death costs (1)
Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection created a detailed analysis of the costs incurred by every U.S. state, in the form of medical bills and lost work, as a result of car accident deaths. Although Arizona is not in the top 10, it is close behind it, incurring 1.10 billion in traffic fatality-related costs in 2005, the latest year for which information was available.
Do Red Light Cameras Prevent Arizona Car Crashes?
Several Valley cities are home to multiple red light cameras, and although these cameras may help deter motorists from speeding through a red light, serious debates are raging throughout the state about whether they prevent or cause serious Arizona intersection car crashes. Planning officials throughout the state are still weighing the benefits and risks since many studies show that red light cameras can contribute to accidents when drivers stop short to avoid a ticket. Many cities in Arizona that are currently using red light cameras are considering whether to continue their programs. Red light camera accidents can include rear-end collisions along with sideswipe and rollover accidents, in addition to other serious crashes that are caused by an abrupt change in speed and the need to swerve in an effort to avoid a collision.
Other Drivers Often the Cause of Motorcycle Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accidents involving motorcycles have been on the rise for at least ten years in California, reflecting a nationwide trend of increasing motorcycle accident rates. Contrary to popular belief, bad weather and driving conditions are not the number one cause of motorcycle accidents-in fact, a famous study found that weather was rarely a factor. According to the study, other vehicles cause two-thirds of multiple vehicle accidents involving motorcycles.
New Arizona law requires older kids to ride in booster seats
Last month, a new law took effect in Arizona which requires older children to be restrained in booster seats if they are under a certain height. Prior to the passage of the new law, Arizona was one of just three states that allowed children over the age of four to use an adult seat belt, which advocates say resulted in several preventable car accident injuries and fatalities among older kids. Hopefully, the new law will reduce the likelihood that children will be injured or killed in car crashes in the state.
Motorcycle Accidents: Lane Splitting
If an accident occurs when a motorcycle is lane splitting, who is at fault?
Lane splitting occurs when a motorcycle (or bike) drives between two lanes of stopped or slowly moving cars, usually in traffic jams. If an accident occurs while a motorcycle is lane splitting, whether the motorcycle or car is at fault depends on whether lane splitting is permissible in that state, the views of the police officer and judge on lane splitting, and the actions of both the motorist and motorcyclist prior to the accident.
Arizona car accident deaths increase in 2011
According to recent data from the Arizona Department of Transportation, the number of people killed in car accidents in the state last year increased by an unprecedented 9 percent. Officials are not yet sure of the reasons for the rise, which occurred despite the fact that there were fewer people driving on Arizona roads and fewer car accidents in the state last year.
Woman sues Arizona city over police office crash
An Arizona woman has sued the city of Surprise, seeking compensation for injuries and vehicle damage incurred when her car was struck from behind by a police cruiser. According to police department records, the officer driving that cruiser had two previous accidents in his personnel file, and he was reprimanded for the third when a city review board found that he could have avoided the collision with the woman's car.
Report: Urban sprawl leads to more crash deaths in rural areas
Did you know that, despite its name, urban sprawl is actually more common in rural parts of the country? That is the case, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it is the leading cause of the significant disparity in car accident fatality rates in urban and rural areas.
Maricopa County boy killed in bicycle accident
Earlier this week, we questioned whether helmets could prevent motorcycle accident deaths and, if so, whether all motorcyclists in Arizona should be required to wear helmets. Now, helmets have again made the news, but for a different kind of two-wheeled transportation: bicycles.
