Auto Accidents

Arizona experienced a three-year low for traffic fatalities in 2019, according to data released in the Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report for 2019, which is produced by the Arizona Department of Transportation. This measurement was just one of multiple categories of data that saw a decrease from 2018 to 2019. Other categories that saw…

It’s the holiday season, which typically means increased traffic as people travel to visit their loved ones. While travel may be reduced this year because of coronavirus precautions, drivers should still be on high alert for the potential dangers while they’re on the roads. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, about 91% of all…

The future of driverless cars is here for passengers in metro Phoenix. Are you ready? Autonomous vehicle company Waymo recently announced a driverless taxi service available to the general public. Up until the coronavirus pandemic, you may have recognized Waymo’s familiar Chrysler Pacifica vans around the East Valley. Although these taxis were autonomous, they still…

Motor vehicle accident claims can seem like they are pretty straight forward. In general, they all work the same way. You get injured, you get better, you hire an attorney who either settles your claim or sues the responsible party, and you get on with your life. What you don’t often see is all of…

Anyone who drives knows that insurance coverage is just part of the privilege you pay for to enjoy the freedom of car ownership. By the time you get through paying for your car payment, maintenance, gas, and insurance, it can be a tough bill to swallow each month. The Grand Canyon State isn’t making it…

Distracted driving is a leading cause of car, truck, and vehicle accidents across America. Distracted driving includes any activity that takes the driver’s focus off driving, whether it takes the driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off of traffic. Common examples include texting while driving, talking on a smartphone while…

When there’s an accident on the road, most people want to see what happened. If a motorcycle rider is on the ground, a truck is turned over, a car has been pulled over by the police – the natural tendency is to look and stare. Unfortunately, this act of looking at an accident instead of…

On average, more than 6 million car accidents occur in the United States each year. Some of them have an official cause listed as a medical emergency. Medical emergencies can never be anticipated, especially when someone is driving alone. A majority of medical emergencies cannot be prevented either. This means that the driver who suffers…

Speeding on roads all across the country has become a serious problem during the COVID-19 pandemic. One might think that because most of the country is in lockdown mode that there wouldn’t be many problems on the roads. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth, as many police departments are seeing excessive speeds, some…

One of the biggest safety issues when it comes to the roadways these days is distracted driving that poses serious risk for crashes, injuries, and deaths. Fully and partially autonomous vehicles are supposed to help curb that risk, but how well do they really work? Autopilot systems are coming under scrutiny, especially since a Tesla…

The COVID-19 pandemic is drastically changing every aspect of our lives. Governmental orders and practical concerns about the dangers of the virus are forcing many people to stay home. While some Arizona residents are shopping at supermarkets and pharmacies, many are having their food, groceries and supplies delivered. Restaurants have shifted to using their own…

Motor vehicle accidents and car crashes can cause various types of injuries. Some of these are easy to identify, like a broken leg or fractured hand. However, other injuries or physical trauma might not be so readily apparent. Head and brain injuries fall into this category. One subset of brain injuries and conditions is known…

Just as most injuries take time to heal, injury claims take time to fully prepare and document the key evidence. If you rush the process, your claim may not be successful, or you could end up accepting less compensation than you rightfully deserve. Insurance adjusters don’t work for victims; they work for insurance companies who…

From a road safety perspective, apparently, it is a man’s world. In an excerpt of a piece published in The Guardian, the author writes about how women are put at risk on the roads because cars are designed around a male body. From the vehicle’s safety features to how the seats are constructed and installed,…

Using handheld devices while you are driving will soon be illegal in the state of Arizona. On April 22, 2019, Governor Ducey signed a bill into law that bans using handheld devices while driving. The new law goes into effect on January 1, 2021, though, police officers can give warnings to drivers starting now. If…

In 2016, there were more than 34,000 fatalities due to car accidents nationwide, and 962 Arizonans died in car crashes that year, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In many of those accidents, the driver who was responsible for the accident died. Death does not absolve the driver from liability, but it does…

The Safety Institute’s Vehicle Safety Watch List Analytics and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Enforcement Monitoring Program alerts the public to potential vehicle safety issues on a quarterly basis. In memory of Brooke Melton, who was killed in a 2010 accident resulting from a sudden ignition failure in her 2005 Chevy cobalt, Ken and…

A lot of times, folks ask us if there’s a difference between getting into a car accident with another passenger vehicle, like a car or SUV, and with a commercial vehicle, like a big-rig. There are a lot of differences between these two types of accidents. In the following videos, partner Randy Hinsch will discuss…

Drivers of cars, trucks, and other vehicles do have a duty to look out for pedestrians. If a car or truck strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian is likely to die or suffer catastrophic injuries. That pedestrians rely on drivers to drive safely doesn’t mean drivers are automatically liable for pedestrian accidents. Some times, a driver…

 A general rule of thumb if you’ve been injured is to stay off social media, for the purposes of you’ve got other sides, generally an insurance company, who is going to be looking for information they can hold against you to prove that you’re not hurt as badly as you actually are. Our rule,…

If you’re in a car crash then you need to do several things afterwards, and one is to contact your own insurance company, because your insurance policy requires it. Our suggestion is that you do that as soon as you can. The other thing you should do, of course, is to call a lawyer. There…

Arizona car owners are required to carry insurance in case of an accident. The state requirements are that owners must carry: $15,000 for bodily-injury damage to one victim $30,000 of bodily-injury coverage for multiple accident victims $10,000 for property damage to a victim’s car or property Owners are liable for damages if they drive a…

 A lot of people have the mistaken idea that if they make a claim under their own insurance policy, their insurance rates are going to go up. Under Arizona law, this is wrong. The insurance company cannot raise your rates if you are not at fault for the accident. So, do not be hesitant…

Experts in the sleep industry recommend that adults get about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. However, despite that recommendation, surveys tell us that about 33 percent of adults in the U.S. usually sleep for less than seven hours. Driver fatigue, a problem that develops due to lack of sleep, is a factor…