Articles Posted in Automobile Accidents

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A 58-year old Seattle man was killed in a pedestrian accident after he was struck by a pickup truck while attempting to the cross Benson Highway in an unincorporated area of Kent. According to a news report, the man was not in a crosswalk when he tried to cross the five-lane highway. Washington State Patrol officials said the driver of the 2000 Toyota pickup truck could not stop in time to avoid colliding with the man.

This is apparently the second pedestrian-car collision in the last seven weeks along the Benson Highway. A 22-year-old woman was killed in October when she tried to cross the highway to catch a bus. That pedestrian was not in a crosswalk either. Officials say it is not illegal to cross the highway, but pedestrians must yield right-of-way to vehicles when they are not in a crosswalk. Officials say that pedestrians should use a crosswalk when crossing any street, especially at night time when visibility is greatly reduced.
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Washington State Patrol officials are looking for a driver who they say caused a fatal car accident and then left the scene of the crash in Whatcom County. According to a KGMI news report, the car struck and killed and pedestrian on Blaine Road south of Lynden-Birch bay Road. Witnesses described the car as a dark-colored sedan. Authorities believe that the car may have front-end damage.

Leaving the scene of any traffic accident is a serious crime in Washington State, especially if another individual has been seriously injured or killed. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.52.020: “A driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in the injury to or death of any person or involving striking the body of a deceased person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to, and in every event remain at, the scene of such accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of subsection (3) of this section; every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.”
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A Consumer Reports analysis of a federal safety complaints database is showing that more than 40 percent of sudden acceleration complaints involve Toyota and Lexus models. According to a recent news report, the study looked at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) safety complaints database, which apparently also found Ford standing out with a significant number of complaints relating to sudden acceleration.

Consumer Reports analyzed all 5,916 reports on 2008 models and identified 166 cases in which the complaint described unintended, sudden acceleration that the driver could not control. A fatal car accident in San Diego which killed a California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family led Toyota and NHTSA to issue a safety advisory on floor-mat entrapment. Toyota is also preparing for a massive recall involving 4 million vehicles to modify gas pedals and make other changes to remedy potential sudden acceleration problems. Consumer Reports’ research found that sudden acceleration incidents were distributed over 22 brands with 47 complaints about Toyota models and five about Lexus vehicles.
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A woman was injured after she crashed into a van hauling a trailer with granite slabs on Highway 305, the Kitsap Sun reports. The woman was traveling north on the highway in a Toyota Camry. Those who saw the incident told officials that the woman was veering in the lanes. Apparently, she first veered right and then to the left of the van before smashing into the van’s trailer. The car struck the van on the rear of the driver’s side. The impact from the collision knocked the trailer loose, causing the trailer’s tires to blow out. The granite slabs spilled and broke on the highway. The woman was transported to a Seattle hospital. Police are investigating this crash.

Such accidents are extremely dangerous because debris spilled on the highway could cause additional accidents and possible injuries. In such cases, it is very important to pinpoint the cause of the accident. It is possible here, that a mechanical problem with the Toyota, or a product defect caused the driver to veer and drive erratically in the first place. In any auto accident where malfunctions or auto product defects are suspected, it is critical that the vehicle be preserved in its current state unaltered, so it can be examined by an accident reconstruction expert carefully, for defects and other problems.
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A recent Articlebase post by Kirk Bernard discusses the 7 most common motorcycle accident injuries. For motorcycle enthusiasts, there is nothing quite like hitting the open road. Motorcycles offer a sense of freedom that cars and trucks simply can’t. Because motorcyclists aren’t as protected as those who drive cars, however, accidents typically result in more severe injuries. In discussing the catastrophic consequences of spinal cord injury, disfigurement, and emotional trauma, the article acts as a way to heighten the awareness of motorists and motorcyclists of these risks in hopes that less serious motorcycle accident injuries will take place.

To learn more about motorcycle accident injuries to help prevent them from taking place, please refer to the full article.

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A police officer was injured in a Seattle car accident, when a 21-year-old driver in a sport utility vehicle turned in front of the officer’s car. According to a Fox news report, the police officer was on his way to work when the SUV suddenly turned in front of him at the intersection of East Pine and Boylston on Capitol Hill. The officer was taken to the hospital, but his injuries were not considered to be major or life-threatening. The driver of the SUV was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious crime in Washington State. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502, driving under the influence is when “a person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within the state.” It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
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A pedestrian has been struck and killed in a Seattle car accident after a wrong-way driver hit him and fled the scene. The hit-and-run suspect was later apprehended by police and arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. According to an Associated Press news report, the accident occurred as the pedestrian was crossing at the intersection of Bell Street and Western Avenue. The motorist was going west on Bell Street in a white 2006 Honda. The Honda then turned left at Western after hitting the pedestrian, traveling the wrong way down the one-way street. The pedestrian was transported to a Seattle hospital where he died shortly afterward. The driver of the Honda was later stopped and arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular homicide.

Driving under the influence of intoxicants is a serious crime in Washington State. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502, driving under the influence is when “a person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within the state.” It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
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Tire defects can become a serious factor in car accidents causing devastating injuries and in numerous cases, fatalities. Many car accidents are the result of what is known as “tire tread separation.” The aftermath of such accidents can be catastrophic. Tread belt separations frequently cause tire blowouts. Even when the tire does not lose pressure, the driver often loses control of the vehicle when the tire tread and belt separate from the tire. Even experienced and skilled drivers can lose control of their vehicles. There is also more of a chance that a vehicle can roll over, causing serious personal injury and even deaths.

There was a recent report of an SUV rollover crash involving tire tread separation, which resulted in four people getting ejected from the vehicle. Thankfully, there were no life-threatening injuries. Apparently, in this case, the tread came off a rear tire, causing it to blow out. The driver ended up losing control of the SUV. The SUV then rolled over ejected three men, who were not wearing seatbelts as well as a woman who was wearing her seatbelt. In such accidents where people are ejected in spite of wearing a seatbelt, it is important to look into whether there were any seatbelt defects.
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A Washington State trooper was hospitalized with injuries after a Seattle car accident involving a suspected drunk driver. According to a KOMO news report, a drunk driver in a pickup truck crashed into the patrol car at the intersection of South 348th Street and 16th Avenue South in Federal Way. The pickup was apparently trying to turn north on to 16th Avenue from westbound 348th Street and was speeding.

The 46-year-old driver lost control of his pickup truck, slid across the two northbound lanes and slammed into the trooper’s car as she was attempting a left turn from the opposite direction. The truck jumped the curb and struck her at the driver’s door. The trooper is believed to be recovering in the hospital. The driver of the pickup was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and apparently, also had drug paraphernalia in his vehicle.
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Rollover accidents can be extremely devastating for the occupants of a vehicle. Because of the intensity of a violent rollover, victims may suffer catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or even death. Sometimes, factors such as vehicle defects including tire defects, seatbelt defects, or seatback failure could cause or contribute to these injuries. That is why it is extremely important that these auto accident victims or their families consult an experienced Seattle personal injury lawyer if they suspect auto product defects, roadway defects or negligence on the part of another driver.

A recent car crash in Yakima, Washington, shows how deadly a rollover accident can be. A 67-yar-old man was killed in Pasco after his car hit another driver’s SUV. According to a news report in the Yakima Herald-Republic, the crash occurred on the Interstate 182 in Pasco. Both drivers were westbound on the highway when the man’s Honda Accord clipped the rear of a Dodge Durango SUV. The impact of the crash caused the Honda to roll over and land on its top. Officials determined that the man was not wearing his seatbelt and believe that speed may have played a part in the crash as well.
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