Alhambra CA Personal Injury Law Blog

Why is it dangerous to text and drive?

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 3, 2020.

If you're a driver, you'll know that using a hand-held device is considered to be dangerous when behind the wheel. While you'll know it's frowned-upon, you might wonder why. It might be the case that you consider yourself a great driver, and you think that taking a quick look at your phone while behind the wheel will not pose any sort of danger to yourself or others.

However, studies have shown that phone use while driving poses dangers to even the most competent drivers. This is because the dangers associated with this form of distracted driving is not associated with how good of a driver you are - it's tied with basic psychology.

NSF raises awareness of drowsy driving

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 20, 2020.

California drivers may have recently traveled while they were drowsy. If so, they are not alone. The National Sleep Foundation says that half of all U.S. adults consistently get behind the wheel in a drowsy state of mind, and 20% even admit to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once in the previous year.

To raise awareness of drowsy driving, the NSF conducts an annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. For 2020, it is scheduled to go from Nov. 1 to 8. Being aware of drowsy driving means being aware of the safety risk it poses. Drowsiness and alcohol can affect drivers in similar ways, impairing their risk assessment ability and reaction times.

As self-driving cars hit the road, drivers concerned

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

Those in California may be more concerned about self-driving cars than once believed. A study by AAA found that only 12% of drivers trust self-driving cars, and 28% aren't sure how they feel about the new technology. The study concluded that the majority of drivers are neutral in their feelings towards autonomous vehicles, a statistic that manufacturers would like to change.

The study revealed some major concerns that Americans have toward the vehicles. One concern raised in the survey was accident responsibility. Sixty percent of drivers want to know who would be responsible should a self-driving car cause an car accident. More than half of drivers want to see more safety studies done on the vehicles before driving in them.

Safety tips for motorcyclists

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

A motorcycle accident could lead to serious injury or death. Therefore, it is important for those riding on California roads to take steps to help them stay safe. Ideally, riders will wear helmets, pants and jackets that have long sleeves on them. This can protect a rider in the event that he or she makes contact with the ground. During the fall or winter seasons, wearing extra layers can help protect individuals from the cold.

Riders should always watch for motorists who may be texting or otherwise using their phones while driving. A distracted driver might not see a person on a motorcycle prior to making a turn or driving through an intersection. Motorcyclists are also encouraged to remain alert for wet roads, debris, or anything else that could make it harder to ride safely.

New bill could compromise truck safety

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Truck Accidents on Monday, March 9, 2020.

California residents may have heard about a hearing on February 4 regarding a Senate bill, the DRIVE-Safe Act, which would permit those below the age of 21 to obtain an intrastate commercial motor vehicle license. The bill, introduced by two senators in February 2019, proposes an apprenticeship program requiring applicants to complete 400 hours, part of which involves 240 hours of driving a commercial motor vehicle in the presence of another driver who must be at least 21.

During the hearing, the president and CEO of the American Trucking Association said that the bill, called the Developing Responsible Individuals for Vibrant Economy Act, would increase intrastate truck traveling safety. Although there are forty-nine states where 18-year-old drivers are allowed to obtain an intrastate travel CDL, there were some people present who opposed the bill, including representatives for two groups: the Truck Safety Coalition and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

DUI suspected in fatal Yorba Linda crash

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, February 27, 2020.

A suspected drunk driver killed two people in a car crash in Yorba Linda on Sept. 23, according to the California Highway Patrol. The accident took place just west of Gypsum Canyon Road on the 91 Freeway.

Local media outlets report that a 29-year-old man was driving a 2006 Honda Civic westbound on the freeway at around 3:25 a.m. when he veered from his lane and crashed into a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas SUV that was stopped on the shoulder of the road. The SUV's rear-seat passengers, a 94-year-old Anaheim woman and a 70-year-old Selma man, suffered catastrophic injuries and were taken to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange for emergency care. Sadly, they both later succumbed to their injuries. The SUV's front-seat occupants, a 93-year-old man and a 52-year-old man, both from Anaheim, suffered minor injuries and were treated at OC Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Tips for avoiding fatigue in a commercial vehicle

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Truck Accidents on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

One of the hazards of the trucking industry is fatigue behind the wheel. Truckers in California should always watch out for times when they are yawning and finding it hard to keep their eyes open or their mind on the road. The tips below can help them deal with drowsiness as well as prevent it.

First, there is the need for adequate sleep. However, even a well-rested individual will experience lulls throughout the day. This usually occurs between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The body also naturally becomes tired after midnight. Truckers may want to avoid driving around these times.

Vehicle safety ratings may be outdated

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Monday, February 10, 2020.

California consumers who are in the market for a new car often start their search by looking at a vehicle's safety rating. Vehicles are rated from one to five stars, and products that have higher safety ratings tend to be more desirable than those that have lower ones. Cars began to receive such ratings in the 1970s, and the current system was put into place in the 1990s.

However, there have been calls to increase the number of tests that are conducted and to include data obtained after a vehicle has been sold. In Europe, automakers conduct four times as many crash tests as they do in the United States. Officials in the United States have said that pedestrian detection system testing could be included in future ratings. They have also said that crash test dummies could be altered so that they more accurately represent drivers and passengers.

Determining drivers' liability in multi-car crashes

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

California drivers, even if they have never been in an accident before, can guess how hard it is sometimes to determine who was at fault in a crash. Some forms of negligence are hard to prove, such as inattentive driving. The difficulty is even greater in multi-vehicle crashes where perhaps more than one driver is to blame.

For example, two rear-end collisions involve three drivers. Driver A was obeying the traffic laws while Driver B and C were tailgating, speeding or doing something else that was reckless and negligent. Driver A may pursue a claim against both Driver B and C since Driver C increased the force of the impact of Driver B with Driver A.

Suspected drunk driver behind two crashes, one of them fatal

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

At around 8 p.m. on Jan. 23, a California driver traveling westbound on Pearblossom Highway steered right and onto the shoulder of the road, striking and killing a woman who as walking her dog in the 7600 block. The male driver fled the scene and shortly afterwards caused a multi-vehicle crash in Palmdale that injured seven people.

The driver, a 62-year-old Palmdale native, was arrested the following day on the suspicion of drunk driving. This occurred after he was taken to the hospital with minor injuries from the second crash.