Category: Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs continues to be a significant issue in the Phoenix area. Every day, motorists take to the wheel of their cars when they are impaired and should not be driving, risking not only their own safety but the safety of others in their car and all other people in the area.

And that continues to be one of the real tragedies that comes out of drunk driving accidents in the Phoenix area: often, it is the innocent who suffer the consequences. Whether those victims are in the same car as an impaired driver, another car, or they happen to be pedestrians or bicyclists, the possibility for serious injuries is high. In the worst of these collisions, victims may be killed or may suffer from life-altering harm that can never be repaired or undone.
Continue reading “Alcohol Possible in Fatal Maricopa County Car Accident”

It takes only a moment for a car accident to occur. A driver might lose control of a vehicle, or a tire might blow. A motorist may ignore a red light or might be distracted behind the wheel. Whatever the cause, most accidents happen in a matter of seconds which means that those involved may not see them coming or even have a clear understanding of what happened.

After the dust settles on a crash, it can still take time to sort through the details and have a complete understanding of all the factors that led up to and contributed to the impact. Often, professional accident reconstructionists get involved to aid local law enforcement officials with their reviews. But the victims of these crashes are not usually kept informed at each step of the process, leaving them wondering what happened and whether a collision could have been prevented.
Continue reading “Charges Brought after Fatal Tucson Car Accident”

Are drunk driving accidents a threat to your personal safety? If you act responsibly and refrain from drinking and driving, you may think that you do not need to concern yourself with impaired and drunk driving statistics because you will never be a victim of such a crash. That thinking is incredibly dangerous though as thousands of innocent victims are harmed in Arizona annually by the actions of another driver, like a drunk driver, and those innocent victims did nothing to bring about the harm.

The Arizona Department of Transportation reports that more than 250 people lose their lives each year in drunk driving related accidents. That averages out to one death every 18 hours spread over the year. Some of these unfortunate victims are in the same car as an impaired driver while others may be in a separate vehicle; yet some may be pedestrians, bicyclists, or even motorcyclists. When a crash claims the life of someone, that victim’s family members are the ones left behind to pick up the pieces and attempt to move beyond the crash and onward with their lives.
Continue reading “Alcohol Suspected in Fatal Tucson Car Crash”

If you are not familiar with the Phoenix area, driving in the Valley can be very complex. With its congested highways and unusual layout, visitors to the area often express bewilderment at some of the driving skills needed to navigate with ease. Not only visitors are perplexed though as many who call Phoenix home struggle on the roads – though they often do not have novelty as an excuse.

Regardless of your familiarity with the Valley, it is the charged duty of each and every driver to operate safely on the roads and to ensure that his or her conduct does not pose a threat to others. Despite this clear legal requirement, drivers take to the roads every day and engage in dangerous, hazardous, and otherwise threatening actions that far too often lead to car accidents.
Continue reading “Fatal I-10 Car Accident Allegedly Caused by Drunk Driver”

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, approximately one-third of all drivers who are arrested for or convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders. This may seem logical when you consider the fact that MADD also reports an average drunk driver operates under the influence more than 80 times before he or she is arrested and charged for an infraction. While it remains a crime in Arizona to drive while drunk, countless motorists do so every day and they place the safety of others in jeopardy as a result of their actions.

Arizona, including Maricopa County, has some of the strictest drunk driving laws in the nation and many first time offenders are required to serve jail time as a result. That is a lesson that former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb learned after a 2013 arrest for drunk driving outside of Phoenix and a subsequent guilty plea. Now, McNabb is facing similar charges after a traffic accident at a red light in Gilbert.
Continue reading “Ex-NFL Star Donovan McNabb Arrested for DUI in Gilbert”

Campaigns warning of the dangers of drinking and driving have been around for decades and many major cities have taken substantial steps to curb this activity since the 1970s. Despite public awareness of increased enforcement efforts, more than 250 people are killed in a typical year in Arizona in car accidents involving a drunk driver. In addition to those victims that lose their lives, thousands survive but are injured and many of those are forced to undergo medical treatments from weeks to years after the crash ends.

The fallout from these accidents typically involves medical expenses as well as inflicting pain and suffering on a victim, preventing that victim from earning wages because he or she is unable to work for a time, and potentially leading to permanent injuries that may never resolve. Some accidents affect a victim’s ability to lead a normal life or to care for his or her family. The unique facts surrounding any collision in the Phoenix area can determine what relief may be available for those who are injured or for those left behind if a loved one is killed and speaking with a personal injury attorney can help those individuals realize their options for financial compensation.
Continue reading “Phoenix Rollover Crash Injures 2”

Every year, many national organizations and some local to the Phoenix area attempt to forecast the travel that is anticipated during busy times like holiday weekends. These estimates can help motorists plan their routes or even adjust their thoughts on a weekend trip depending on the number of drivers expected on the roads and the peak hours in which those drivers will operate. This year, AAA anticipates 37.2 million Americans will travel during the Memorial Day weekend and that many of those will be doing so by road.

Increased traffic by itself can be a threat to safety as road congestion tends to lead to car accidents. As those who live in the Phoenix area know, highways and interstates in the Valley can turn to stop-and-go with little or no warning and when traffic backs up, it can take hours to clear again. All of this can happen with a normal amount of drivers on the road and conditions only worsen as a heavy dose of holiday traffic joins the masses.

But while traffic is somewhat of a concern, the greatest concern to many over Memorial Day weekend will be the threat posed by drunk drivers. Drunk driving accidents are responsible for approximately one out of every three traffic-related deaths in America each year and more than 250 people in Arizona are killed by drunk drivers annually.
Continue reading “Stay Safe while Driving over Memorial Day Weekend”

In Arizona, it is illegal to drive a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Any amount of alcohol or intoxicant can be a crime but there is a presumption that a driver is impaired if that driver has a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. But the laws in the state do not stop there; additionally, a driver with a BAC of .15 or higher is guilty of extreme DUI and those who drive drunk with additional surrounding circumstances may be guilty of aggravated DUI.

These laws apply to all motorists in the state, regardless of who those drivers are. This is a lesson that former NFL wide receiver Braylon Edwards reportedly learned last week when he was arrested in Scottsdale for extreme DUI.
Continue reading “Former NFL Wide Receiver Braylon Edwards Arrested for Extreme DUI in Scottsdale”

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime in Arizona and the vast majority of drivers know that. But alcohol is far from the only substance that can lead to a charge of driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated. Additionally, recreational drugs, street drugs, and even some prescription and over-the-counter drugs may be a violation of state laws if a driver uses them or is under the influence while they drive. If a drug affects a motorist’s ability to operate a car, it might be against the law to use while driving.

Many drugs have a long lasting effect and therefore, if taken even hours before driving, they can still affect a driver’s ability to operate. If you have been involved in a collision with a driver who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol and you sustained injuries, you may be entitled to seek relief for your losses. Speaking with a Phoenix personal injury lawyer can help you realize your options and your possibilities if you have been involved in a crash.

A Wednesday pile-up in Tempe involved five vehicles and left several streets closed while authorities removed debris. Now, police report that the suspect admitted that he used marijuana prior to the incident.

A 20-year-old man was driving near the intersection of University Drive and McClintock Drive around 5:00 p.m. when he allegedly failed to slow down for traffic and collided with the rear of a second car. The second car struck a third, and that car then struck a fourth car. A fifth vehicle attempted to avoid the fallout from the crashes by leaving the road’s surface but that car was stopped when it struck a utility pole near the intersection. At least one person was injured and was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for unspecified injuries.

Police spoke with the 20-year-old driver of the first vehicle and officers have reported that the man admitted he smoked marijuana prior to the collision. He was arrested and is facing charges including assault and endangerment but may face other charges pending the outcome of an investigation.
Continue reading “At-Fault Driver Allegedly Admits Marijuana Use Prior to Tempe Crash”

When a drunk driving accident takes place in Phoenix, the victims of that crash may be confused about what happens next and what options they possess for legal relief. In some cases, local or state police may arrive at the scene and assess the suspected intoxicated driver, potentially arresting that individual or otherwise issuing charges in the crash. In other cases, an impaired motorist may flee the scene before police have the opportunity to arrive and investigate. This can spurn a subsequent investigation into who the driver was, who owned the vehicle, and whether certain laws were violated prior to and during the crash.

If the police issue citations or criminally charge a suspected drunk driver, it is important for injury victims of that crash to understand that any penalties stemming from those charges are not designed to benefit the victim directly. Instead, fees, fines, and incarceration are possible punishments and are designed to benefit the State of Arizona and the community at large. If a victim wants to seek relief for his or her injuries, that victim may be entitled to do so but will have to take certain steps to initiate the process. Speaking with a personal injury attorney in Phoenix can help you understand whether you have a valid claim and, if so, whether you may be entitled to payment for your losses.

Police in Phoenix have confirmed a collision between a vehicle and a group of pedestrians that occurred on Wednesday morning and that left at least one person with significant injuries. According to reports, a 24-year-old male driver in a personal vehicle drove into a crowd of pedestrians in a bar parking lot, colliding with at least one individual and trapping that individual between the front of the vehicle and against a second car. The incident, which happened near Washington Street and 54th Street, caused police and emergency crews to respond to the scene and evaluate the pedestrian who was hurt but was expected to survive. That individual was taken to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries.

The driver of the car at issue remained at the scene and spoke with police. Reports indicate that the alleged assault may have started with a verbal altercation between the group of pedestrians and the driver though the exact exchange of words has not been confirmed. The 24-year-old driver was arrested and is facing charges including assault and suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Continue reading “Suspected Intoxicated Driver Plows into Pedestrians in Phoenix Parking Lot”