Category: Car Accidents

The forces involved in a car accident can result in injuries to any part of the body, but certain areas are more vulnerable than others for harm. Among commonly injured body parts is the spinal column and the tissue surrounding it, manifesting itself in neck and back injuries. While the nature of a specific injury may vary, the pain caused by them are often the same and regularly severe.

The spine is commonly divided into sections to describe the portion of the spine involved. The cervical spine begins at the base of the neck and extends for seven bones, or vertebrae, down to the upper back. Below the cervical spine is the thoracic spine, the portion of the backbone that stretches from the upper back to the lower middle back and is made up of 12 vertebrae. The lower spine is called the lumbar spine and it begins immediately after the thoracic spine and extends for five vertebrae and ends at the sacrum, a portion of the spine that incorporates five fused vertebrae and that connects the spinal column to the hip bones.

The vertebrae that comprise the spine have a hollow center which allows for passage of the spinal cord, a bundle of nerves that is responsible for transmitting information from the brain to most parts of the body and back. It is critically important that the spine maintains its integrity so that the spinal cord maintains protected. Any disruption to this part of the body can cause serious harm, including paralysis, and may even cause death.

Continue reading “Common Neck Injuries after a Phoenix Car Accident”

Phoenix and the surrounding cities are home to an unusual and eclectic mix of individuals. Known as a transplant destination, people come from all areas of the country – and even a few from Arizona itself – to comprise our population. As a result, there are drivers with a range of skills and knowledge on our shared roadways and contributing to public safety. While some skills are used in every state, like stopping for a red light, other techniques are not as helpful here in the desert, like driving efficiently in a heavy snowstorm.

One such skill that should be highly touted among all drivers, regardless of from where they hail, is the ability to recognize early warning signs of drowsiness and to respond appropriately by taking a break. After all, everyone gets tired sometimes and everyone needs to travel at times as well. Ideally, though, the tired will not also be the drivers in Phoenix and drowsy driving accidents will not occur. In reality, motorists are driving while sleepy every single day and are causing so many car accidents that experts are having a hard time concluding just how pervasive the problem is in Arizona.

Drowsy driving can strike at any time and can be more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol. Signs of drowsiness can start slowly and may involve difficulty concentrating or focusing on the road in front of the vehicle. A driver may start to notice her eyelids becoming heavy or may find herself blinking more frequently than normal. Others may find themselves unable to recall driving the previous few miles or struggling to keep their head upright as they drive.

Continue reading “How Drowsiness Alerts in Automobiles Can Save Lives in Phoenix”

Any type of car accident can be and often is frightening. Whether one occurs on a busy street or a residential roadway, on an interstate or in a school zone, in the morning, the evening, or at night, collisions are always unfortunate and can be very harmful. But the truth is that some types of collisions are more dangerous than others.

Head-on collisions are more prone to cause injuries and even deaths than are some other types of accidents like rear-end collisions or mere “fender benders.” The reasons are complex and are grounded in the physics behind these incidents. A head-on collision involves the front ends of two vehicles striking one another so that each car sustains damage to the front of it. When compared to a side impact or an offsetting strike, head-on collisions can have greater opposing forces because a vehicle typically is moving forward prior to impact just to be jerked in the exact opposite direction of travel. Drivers and passengers inside a car that is involved in a head-on accident find themselves thrown forward out of their seats and against a seat belt before being slammed back against their seats. In some instances, a driver may strike a steering wheel or other object in the car if the force of the crash is great enough.

Continue reading “The Threat Posed by Head-On Collisions is Serious in Phoenix”

By all definitions, Phoenix is a large city with the benefits and problems that are associated with large towns. The Phoenix metropolitan area, often called Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, was estimated to be home to about 4.5 million residents in 2015, making it the 12th largest metropolitan area in the nation by population, according to the United States Census Department. With all those people, it should not be surprising that transportation and travel is an ongoing issue in the Valley with state and local officials constantly looking for ways to eliminate some of the congestion.

City officials have implemented massive improvements in public transportation in recent decades and now are working on Phoenix Transportation 2050, a comprehensive plan to advance the public transportation scene in Phoenix during a 35 year period ending in 2050. As part of that project, 42 miles of new light rail routes are planned with new light rail stations, an additional 1,000 miles of bicycle lanes will be constructed, the number, availability, and frequency of city buses will increase, and 135 miles of sidewalks will be added to our community. Importantly, there are also plans to add 75 new miles of RAPID routes and advanced technology like Wi-Fi on buses and trains.

You may be one of the thousands who have benefited from the introduction of the light rail, the upgrades to city buses as of late, or even the easier access afforded to public transit users. If that is the case, there is little doubt that you understand the value and impact of these alternative means of travel. But if you do not use public transportation, you may be less inclined to understand fully the impact that public transit has on your life.

Continue reading “Why Public Transportation in Phoenix Affects Your Safety – Even If You Don’t Use It”

Car accidents can take one or more of several dozen forms. They may be single car collisions or involve dozens of vehicles, depending on the impacts involved. Some are considered minor fender-benders where everyone involved can walk away uninjured while others turn tragic as one or more people lose their lives.

Among all the common types of car accidents, though, one happens more often than the rest. A rear-end car accident has been and continues to be the most common form of crash that happens in Arizona and the Phoenix area is far from immune from these incidents.

A rear-end accident happens when the front end of one vehicle crashes into the rear end of the vehicle in front of the first. It can happen on any type of road and in any conditions but areas prone to stop-and-go traffic and the areas immediately before stop lights and stop signs tend to see a high number of rear-end crashes.

Continue reading “The Most Common Car Accident in Arizona: The Rear-End Collision”

If you work, have children, or like to socialize, you probably cannot avoid being out of the house during dark hours. It may be a regular occurrence that leads you to experience transportation at night or a rare evening away but regardless, if you drive, ride a bicycle, or walk when it is dark, you should realize that your safety is at a greater risk than it is during the day.

The reasons that night driving is associated with increased risk of car accidents are myriad and complex and include the fact that many people who drink and drive do so in the overnight hours. While some people drink during the daytime, it is much more common for people to drink later and to act in a negligent manner after drinking. This leads to thousands of drunk driving accidents every year in Arizona.

Most people have decreased vision at night when compared to their daytime vision which means that they have less ability to notice road hazards and changing traffic conditions. Further, if people cannot see as far in front of them at night, they will have less time to slow or stop their car if a problem does arise.

Continue reading “Nighttime Driving Increases the Risk of Car Accidents in Phoenix”

Newcomers to the Valley were likely in for a bit of a shock yesterday as a substantial dust storm rolled into parts of the Phoenix area and affected a good portion of Maricopa County. Arriving from the south and striking yesterday evening, it was not long before the dust storm covered an area reportedly stretching from Casa Grande and Maricopa north beyond Camelback Mountain.

Officials are still determining the extent of the damage caused by the reduced visibility, wind, and rain that accompanied the storm but early reports indicate that several flights were delayed at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, several owners experienced property damage, and at least one car accident is being blamed on the conditions.

Continue reading “Picking Up the Pieces after Phoenix’s Dust Storm”

Uber is becoming a more and more popular means of transportation in Maricopa County, including in the city of Phoenix and the areas that surround it. Uber, a ride share service where a private driver picks up a passenger based on the passenger’s request through an app, lets people get from one place to another without worrying about where they will park, whether they have enough gas, or even if they know the best route to take to their destination.

While Uber offers a lot of benefits, it also poses a number of threats to its passengers who may or may not consider their own safety before they enter a car. Uber vehicles are involved in an increasingly large number of car accidents every year and passengers are being seriously hurt in a number of those collisions.

If you use Uber, hopefully your experience will be accident-free and you will never have to learn about the legal process that accompanies these crashes. But if you are unlucky and you are involved in a crash, keep the following in mind:

Continue reading “What to Do when You Are the Victim of an Uber Car Accident”

A significant monsoon struck the greater Phoenix area yesterday and caused significant damage across much of the Valley of the Sun, stranding motorists in some areas and leaving others with limited options to get home. The rain was so strong that central Phoenix saw up to two inches of rainfall in an hour and led authorities to caution motorists to avoid driving if at all possible.

Monsoons are a part of life for many who live in Arizona during this time of year. However, though they are often anticipated, they can pop up with little warning or be much more damaging than expected, catching many off guard and leading to significant problems and damages across Maricopa County.

What if you are involved in a car accident before, during, or after a monsoon? What happens if you are a pedestrian, bicyclist, or a motorcyclist who is struck by a car and you are injured? These are all good questions to know in case your life is affected by a crash, though hopefully it will never happen to you.

Continue reading “Valley Still Recovering from Recent Monsoons, Car Accidents”