Car and Auto Accidents

San Francisco Injury Lawyer on the Danger of Construction Zone Accidents

May 13, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

The wording of most temporary street signs fade from our memories almost as soon as we pass by, but a friend of the Brod Firm reports a sign, posted by a construction zone, that stuck in her memory for decades: “Temporary Inconvenience for Permanent Improvement.” Most of the time construction zones are simply that, a source of headaches in the short term that hopefully lead to some form of long-term improvement. However, when drivers fail to take needed precautions, the nuisance of roadwork can become much more dangerous and lead to a potentially fatal accident. Our San Francisco construction zone accident attorney can help victims of these all-too-common accidents but also knows that prevention is always the best option.

Statistics on Construction Zone Accidents

Construction zones can be dangerous for both workers and the motorists who pass through road construction areas. According to statistics presented by the Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”), there were a total of 87,606 work zone crashes in 2010, with 30% of these crashes involving some form of injury. There were 514 fatal work zone motor vehicle crashes in 2010, causing a total of 576 deaths. This translated into one vehicle-related work zone fatality every 15 hours. A 2008 study found that speeding was a factor in 31% of fatal work zone accidents, alcohol a factor in 20%, and lack of seatbelt use played a role in 53% of work zone vehicle fatalities. In the same study, 41% of the fatal incidents were rear-end collisions (compared to only 16% of all fatal accidents). A Center for Disease Control report notes that the highest number of fatal work zone accidents for 2009 occurred in Texas, Florida, and California.

Underreporting of Cellphone Use While Driving

May 13, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

In this day and age, technology is pervasive. From devices that help with housework, to access to email and internet wherever you are, technology has been a benefit and has changed changed our everyday lives. It has certainly made information more available and convenient. However, technology also has its pitfalls. The use of smartphones have skyrocketed in the past several years and this has come with an increased problem of distracted driving. It has been such a big problem and contributing factor to accidents that many states have passed laws banning texting or talking on cell phones while driving. Unfortunately, the passage of these laws have not been enough to address this growing problem.

It wouldn’t take too long or too much work in order to find articles of tragic fatalities involving auto collisions and distracted drivers due to cell phone use or even statistics about these types of accidents. Often, the stories tell of how phone conversations are cut off or of phones found indicating a text was being written. The statistics on the frequency of these accidents have been growing, but, it is widely believed that these statistics are seriously underreported. Groups like the National Safety Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believe that due to underreporting, the problem of distracted driving is a much bigger problem that numbers would tell and thus makes it more difficult to pass tougher laws. The main procedure to collect data on cell phone usage contributing to an accident is through reporting by a driver, passenger, or witness, concerning use during a crash. Police are usually required to get a subpoena in order to obtain cellphone records and thus a reluctance to admit behavior or lack of witnesses makes it difficult to obtain full information.

The problem of distracted driving is especially pervasive for new young drivers. For drivers who have just recently received their licenses and have little driving experience, the use of cell phones especially impair the main functions necessary to drive safely, including manual, visual and cognitive functions. To answer a call or send a text, drivers must remove one or both hands from the steering wheel, remove their eyes from the road, and can be mentally distracted, thus compromising awareness of the road and focus on driving. The NHTSA reports that the age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers is the under 20 age group, with 16% of all under-20 drivers in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted. According to Pew survey, 40% of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger.

Cause of Limo Fire Still Unknown as Calls for Regulation Increase

May 9, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

Much of the nation has undoubtedly heard of the limousine fire that took the lives of 5 individuals, injuring the remaining 4 others who were also passengers on this past Sunday. Just yesterday, our Brod Firm Injury Blog wrote on the basics of the incident, providing a brief narrative of the incident. Authorities continue to investigate what may have caused the accident and if there was any fault or negligence on the part of the driver, or limousine company.

The incident occurred on the San Mateo Bridge as the party of nine, were making their way to a hotel in Foster City. The driver, Orville Brown of Limo Stop Inc. of San Jose, recalls the passengers tapping on the partition separating him from the passengers. There seems to have been miscommunication however, as Brown mistook what his passengers were saying through the partition window and over loud music that was playing in the vehicle. Urgent knocking finally alerted him to a problem before he pulled over and got out of the car. Several women were able to escape through the partition window and it seems the fire prevented escape through the rear doors.

Cause of Fire

Limo Fire Tragedy and California Common Carrier Law

May 8, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

It’s a recommendation we’ve made and one you see in almost any discussion about drunk driving prevention – Call a cab. In addition to traditional taxi companies, limousine services can be a great option for a night of group celebration. Sadly, despite planning ahead for a night out, a group of friends faced a terrible tragedy in a Northern California limousine fire. This case has caught the attention of the nation and the hearts of our San Francisco limo accident law firm.

Limousine Fire Claims Five Lives, Driver and Three Passengers Escape

It was supposed to be a night of fun, with recent bride Neriza Fojas and eight of her fellow nurses hitting the town to celebrate her recent nuptials. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the women were heading to a hotel in Foster City in a limousine rented from Limo Stop. As the car travelled across the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, smoke and fire began to fill the passenger compartment. The surviving women and the driver tell somewhat different stories, but it appears the women knocked on the partition to get the driver’s attention to report the fire and because they could not get the two rear doors to open. Three of the women were able to crawl through a small window in the partition and exit the limo. Five of the women, including the recent bride, did not make it out and died in the fire.

Dramatic Scene as Car Crashes Into Home, Leaving Woman in Critical Condition

April 26, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

Speeding and reckless driving, behaviors most of us see every day. However, they are behaviors that our Oakland accident law firm knows lead to crashes, collisions that cause serious injuries and even death. In 2010, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, 2,739 people were killed and 229,345 injured in California motor vehicle crashes. All too often, people think that accidents won’t happen to them. We have no doubt that the two drivers who were involved in a serious accident that left one car buried in a San Jose home didn’t head out on Wednesday thinking it would happen to them.

Police Suspect Speeding Led to Horrific San Jose Crash

At the time of The Oakland Tribune’s report, a lot remained unclear about the accident that shattered a quiet neighborhood at 4 P.M. on Wednesday. Police suspect that a pair of BMWs were speeding before the crash and are investigating whether the drivers may have been racing as they travelled southbound on Leigh Avenue near Anne Way. Officials believe that both drivers lost control of their vehicles, causing a red sedan to spin out and a silver vehicle to plow into a Leigh Avenue home.

California Legislature Considers Two Proposals to Expand Provisional Licensure System for Teen Drivers

April 24, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

According to the Center for Disease Control, drivers between 16 and 19 years old are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than driver over age 20. This is a risk we are all too familiar with as a Sacramento accident law firm. We represent those who have lost loved ones or who have been injured in car accidents, including those caused by teen drivers. We are also following attempts in the state legislature to protect teens themselves as well as all Californians who share the road with young and inexperienced drivers.

Current and Proposed Provisional License Rules

As reported in The Sacramento Bee, state lawmakers in California are working on proposals that they hope would reduce the number of accidents involving teen drivers. Currently, drivers under age 18 are required to take a driver’s education class, complete 50 hours of supervised training behind the wheel, and undergo a one year provisional licensure period when they cannot drive after 11 P.M. and cannot transport passengers under age 20. On Monday, the Assembly Transportation Committee approved two bills that would expand these restrictions. Assembly Bill 724, proposed by Assemblyman Cooley on Rancho Cordova, would require drivers who are first licensed at age 18 or 19 to undergo 30 hours of driver’s education, complete six hours of in-vehicle training, and then have a provisional license with the same time and occupancy restrictions that apply to newly-licensed 17 and 17 year olds. The provisional license would apply for one year or until the driver reaches age 20, whichever comes first. Assembly Bill 113, proposed by Assemblyman Frazier of Oakley, would make the existing provisional licensure for 16 and 17 year olds stricter, prohibiting driving after 10 P.M. (one hour earlier than the current rule) or with passengers under age 21 (one year older than the current rule). The restrictions would be lifted at age 18.

Vehicle Recalls: Keeping Drivers Safe on the Road

April 12, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

When America met the car, it fell in love. Over the years, this love affair has turned into dependence. Americans rely on their cars more with each passing decade. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that the nation’s highways saw an estimated 2.8 trillion vehicle-miles during 2000, a nearly four-fold increase since 1960. We trust in our vehicles, assuming they are built with safety foremost in the manufacturer’s mind. Automobile recalls are evidence that sometimes this trust is misplaced. When defective cars lead to injury or death in Northern California, our San Francisco defective vehicle lawyer is ready to help. These cases lie at the intersection of product defect and automobile injury law, and they require an understanding of the recall system, all areas expertise offered at The Brod Firm.

Three Million Vehicles Recalled for Air Bag Defect

Airbags began to hit the commercial vehicle market in the late 1980s and, in the ensuing decades, we’ve come to consider them a standard safety feature. This week, however, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that more than three million vehicles from Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are being recalled due to an air bag defect that could cause the passenger side inflator to burst and send plastic pieces flying in the vehicle. Recalled vehicles from the three manufacturers are believed to be in countries across the globe including North America, Europe, Japan, Latin America, and Africa. Overall, the recall includes an estimated 1.7 million Toyota vehicles, 1.1 million Honda’s, and 480,000 vehicles from Nissan. Other automobile companies may also be involved in the recall.

Brittle Rods Break During Construction of Bay Bridge Eastern Span

April 5, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

Bridges are impressive works of architecture and engineering, a fact we here in San Francisco know particularly well. Driving across a bridge is an exercise in trust. We rely on the architects who designed the bridge, the companies that supplied the parts, and the engineers who built the span. Our San Francisco dangerous roads lawyer is prepared to hold any and all of these players responsible if the span proves unsafe and a defective bridge proves unworthy of our trust.

Dyson-Supplied Rods Snap, Caltrans Cites Contaminated Steel as Culprit

According to a report in The San Francisco Chronicle, Caltrans is planning to inspect materials used in the new Bay Bridge eastern span after rods made by the supplier failed a key test. Dyson Corporation made or supplied a range of materials used in the construction of the bridge, a $6.4 billion project scheduled to open in early September. The materials include 96 galvanized steel rods used to secure the cables that strengthen the bridge near Yerba Buena Island. Last week, Caltrans reported that more than a third of these Dyson-supplied rods snapped as workers tightened them into place. Caltrans also acknowledged this week that the agency had approved the bolts despite the fact that previous tests raised questions about whether the bolts could stretch during an earthquake.

Crushed Foot Injury: Young Girl Faces Serious Foot Injury Following Embarcadero Pedestrian Accident

March 29, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

In our work as your San Francisco injury law firm, we see the impact that serious injuries have on victims. We’ve all stubbed a toe and many of us have faced some form of foot pain, but these ailments pale in comparison to seriousness of a crushed foot injury. It is an injury that can result from a falling object or a pedestrian accident. When a crushed foot is the result of someone else’s negligence, our team is prepared to help the victim seek compensation for the victim.

Garbage Truck Hits Seven Year Old Girl Walking With Grandmother

An accident detailed in the San Francisco Chronicle is the type of story that makes the reader wince. A Recology garbage truck was travelling east on Broadway around 7:30 A.M. on Wednesday. The truck made a southward turn onto the Embarcadero and hit a seven year girl and her sixty-six year old grandmother who were crossing the road. According to Officer Gordon Shyy, a police spokesman, the victims were in the crosswalk at the time of the collision. The truck crushed the foot of the young girl who was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital for surgery. Office Shyy reported that she may lose the foot or part of her leg. The grandmother suffered bruises and a leg injury but she was not run over. The accident remains under investigation. Adam Alberti, a spokesman for Recology, did not comment beyond noting that the truck involved was a combination garbage and recycling truck.

Adding the Voice of Our Oakland Accident Law Firm to the Voice of a Grieving Mother Calling for Roadway Safety

March 27, 2013 | Gregory J. Brod

We often use these pages to encourage members of our Northern California community to drive safely. As an Oakland personal injury law firm, we speak with an understanding of what happens when drivers take risks behind the wheels. Sometimes, however, the voices that can speak the loudest about safety are the victims themselves. These voices speak with a deep knowledge about the real consequences of reckless driving behavior.

Mother Pushes for Safety on Antioch Roadway on Two-Year Anniversary of Fatal Accident

On March 19, 2011, nineteen year old Pablo Garibay died in a single car accident on James Donlon Boulevard in Antioch. The driver, Rafael Madrid later pled guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and the court sentenced him to a four year prison sentence. On the two year anniversary, the News Herald covered a vigil marking the crash date. Theresa Cuevas, Garibay’s still-grieving mother, opted to stand in the shoulder of the four-lane road, urging drivers to exercise caution. She told reporters that people often drive too fast through the area, exhibiting carelessness despite a nearby park and crosswalks often used by children. Cuevas also called for the city to install a stop light or stop sign to force drivers to slow their speed.