The Deadly Effect of a Wrong Way Wreck on a Rural Texas Roadway
Texas has more than its share of fatal wrong way wrecks. This is partly due to our endless miles of narrow, two-lane rural roadways divided only by a painted centerline. Especially at night, when more drivers are likely to be drowsy, drunk, or distracted, high-speed, head-on impact crashes can take lives and cause serious and permanently disabling injuries. Victims and their families are left with huge financial burdens and losses and generally need able legal help to obtain the financial compensation they deserve and need to cope.
Contact the Experienced Alvin, Texas Auto Accident Attorneys if You need Help after a Worng Way Collision
We provide a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss your case and evaluate your potential eliigibility for a full financil recovery from your personal injury or wrongful death claim. We have more than 12 years of experience successfully helping other injured victims and their families recover in their times of need; we could help you too. Call us at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form.
Wrong Way Wrecks are up to 27 Times More Likely to be Fatal then Other Crash Types
Our Alvin, Texas auto accident attorneys point out that only around 3% of collisions involve wrong-way crashes, but these wrecks are much more likely to result in severe injuries or death than other types of collisions. Crash dynamics determine the severity of a wreck, and the majority of wrong-way collisions are high-speed, head on impact crashes.
Different U.S. states, plagued by the problem of costly, head-on collision, have conducted studies examining the deadly effects of wrong way wrecks and possible ways to prevent them. These studies have found that the fatality rate for wrong way crashes are from 12 to 27 times higher than for other types of crashes.
The Alvin, Texas auto accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC emphasize that a large number of the fatal wrong way impact crashes occur when alcohol-impaired or confused drivers enter highway exit ramps going the wrong way. Statistics indicate that drunken drivers cause about 60% of fatal wrong way crashes. The majority of wrong way collisions occur at night. The latest major study on the subject of the deadly effects of wrong way wrecks is the U.S. NTSB Highway Special Investigation Report, Wrong-Way Driving, December 11, 2012.
Learn More about the Deadly Effects of Wrong Way Wrecks and What TxDOT is Doing to Combat The Problem
Click the link to read about TxDOT wrong way crash prevention efforts.
Former NFL Player Crash Injures 1, Former NBA Star Causes Fatal Wreck
Sports stars and celebrities represent role models for others whether they like it or not. Unfortunately, our Houston auto accident attorneys realize that their activities can glamorize bad behavior to impressionable folk and make negative behaviors seem more acceptable. Bad behavior and police incidents make headlines while law-abiding behavior goes un-remarked and unnoticed.
Sadly, the past year has seen a great many police incidents involving current and former sports stars. The Dallas Cowboys, for instance, lost one of their players to a fatal wreck where another Cowboy was the driver. And today alone, the Houston auto accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC noticed two reports of serious crashes involving former sports stars that made the headlines.
Brian Iwuh Rear-Ends Fire Truck and Injures Firefighter
And earlier on Monday around 2 a.m., Brian Iwuh, a Houston native and former NFL linebacker, crashed his Range Rover into a fire truck responding to a call on Highway 288 close to U.S. 59. The fire truck reportedly had its lights flashing and siren on while it was stopped to help a disabled motorist. Brian Iwuh crashed into the back of the fire truck, injuring a firefighter. The firefighter and Iwuh received transport to the hospital for their injuries. Brian Iwuh was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. (Sources: Tim Wetzel, KHOU 11 News; and KPRC click2houston.com, 6/3/2012)
Mookie Blaylock Charged with Vehicular Homicide in Fatal Wrong-Way Wreck
Also on Monday, Former NBA star Mookie Blaylock was charged with vehicular homicide after a fatal wrong-way wreck that claimed the life of a woman in Clayton County, Georgia. Blaylock crossed the centerline and slammed his Cadillac Escalade head-on into a minivan, killing the female passenger. The woman’s husband, driving the minivan, received minor injuries.
Mookie Blaylock will reportedly also be facing charges of driving with a suspended license and with failure to maintain his lane. Our Houston auto accident attorneys note that the authorities are also investigating whether drugs, alcohol, or a medical condition might have been factors in the fatal wrong-way wreck of the former NBA player.
Blaylock was hospitalized with injuries from the wreck and is reportedly refusing to speak with police, under the advice of his attorney. Mookie Blaylock also apparently had a warrant issued against him in May for failure to appear in court on drug possession and drunken driving charges. So once he’s released from the hospital, the former NBA star will be jailed. (Source: David Beasley, Reuters, 6/3/13)
Need the Police Accident Report from Your Crash after an Irresponsible Driver has Injured You? Just Contact Us
Let us help you get started down the road to financial recovery after an irresponsible driver has caused an accident that injured you or your loved one. Just call us at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form, and we’ll obtain the police accident report for you and provide it free of charge. Just another helpful service our Houston auto accident attorneys provide for you.
You have a Right to Take Your Texas Accident Injury Claim to Trial
When accident victims present their claims for fair compensation to defendants and their insurers, these victims are usually pressured to accept a settlement. Our Pearland personal injury attorneys caution that the offered settlements very often represent but a small fraction of the true worth of their claims. Defendants and their insurers want to avoid the expenses of a lengthy trial in civil court and the possibility that jurors might sympathize with the injured accident victims and award them a large amount of compensation.
Accident victims, already under financial pressure from medical expenses and other bills that might have fallen behind while they were out of work with their injuries, often feel they can’t afford to turn down the quick settlement and risk a trial. So numbers from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics show that only 3% of civil claims ever go to trial.
And there are law firms out there that never intend to take your case to trial. It’s more profitable for them too if you just take a quick settlement. We call these firms “settlement mills.” We want you to know that the U.S. Constitution guarantees your right to be heard in court when you have a claim.
Contact the Pearland Personal Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC when You have Questions about Pursuing an Accident Injury Claim
We offer a free and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your case and evaluate your potential eligibility for fair financial compensation. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And we never charge you attorneys’ fees unless we win your case, so there’s no financial risk to you whether you choose to settle your case or go to trial.
Our Pearland personal injury attorneys are Board Certified in personal injury law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This means that we meet more stringent requirements of experience and education than non-certified attorneys in our field. And that we have proven courtroom experience and could take your claim through every step of trial if that is best for your case.
Call us at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form to receive your free legal consultation.
Should the U.S. Blood Alcohol Limit for DWI be Lowered to 0.05%?
The U.S. NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is recommending that the blood alcohol level used to determine intoxication be lowered from its current level of 0.08% to 0.05%. What that would mean is that virtually no one could take even a single drink and then get behind the wheel without being at risk for a DWI charge. If people actually obeyed that limit, it would also mean that the rate of fatal DWI crashes might be reduced to almost nothing.
However, the Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that DWI safety enforcement has been increasing along with state penalties for DWI offenses, yet the rate of DWI crashes has not declined. Texas still leads the nation by a wide margin in the rate of DWI accidents and fatalities. And TxDOT data shows that Harris County still leads Texas.
Every minute, someone dies in the United States because of a drunken driver. Approximately 33% of all fatal U.S. traffic accidents involve drunken drivers. That’s around 10,000 people who needlessly die each year in DWI crashes because people choose to drink and drive. Many tens of thousands of other people suffer severe injuries each year due to drunken drivers.
Is Lowering the Blood Alcohol Limit for DWI the Answer?
On average, a woman of less than 120 pounds will reach a 0.05% blood alcohol level after just one drink. And a man of less than 160 pounds will reach that limit in two drinks.
Our Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys point out that with the current blood alcohol limit of 0.08% and increasing penalties and enforcement for DWI, vast numbers of people still choose to drive drunk. And MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving) has said that before their first arrest for DWI, many drunken drivers have driven while intoxicated more than 80 times. And drunken drivers arrested after DWI crashes often show a blood alcohol level two or three times the legal limit.
Lowering the threshold to 0.05% would not only take several years to be passed into law and even more years to be accepted, it might also frustrate drivers who currently avoid driving drunk under a 0.08% limit and lead them into DWI under a 0.05% limit.
We suspect that the behavioral changes caused by a lowering of the blood alcohol limit might go either way. But we mention that the NTSB states that over 100 nations have adopted the 0.05% standard, and that in Europe drunken driving deaths have decreased by more than 50% in 10 years. (Source: CBS 11 news, Dallas, 5/14/13)
Contact the Pearland DWI Accident Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC with Your Questions about Serious Injuries caused by a Drunken Driver
Texas law provides harsh penalties for drunken drivers, especially for repeat offenders. If a drunken driver has injured you or your loved ones and you need to learn what to do, feel free to contact the Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC anytime. We’re available at 281-369-4363 or through our “Get Help Now” online contact form. We provide a FREE initial case evaluation consultation to discuss your case and answer your urgent questions. And you have no obligation to hire an attorney. Contact us today.
Deadly High Speed FM 88 DWI Crash Claims Life of Innocent Teen
Last Friday afternoon around 3, 17-year-old Maria Cecilia Lopez was checking her mailbox when an out-of-control pickup truck struck her at high speed in a deadly DWI crash. The accident occurred on FM 88 north of Weslaco near Mile 12 Road in Hidalgo County. The white pickup truck also knocked down a telephone pole and slammed into a tree. The driver and his passenger received transport to Valley Baptist Medical Center for their injuries. Ms. Lopez died at the scene of the high speed DWI crash.
Texas DPS troopers blocked part of FM 88 for several hours to investigate and clear the scene of the accident. Texas DPS troopers have arrested Lucio Mario Rodriguez, 25, and charged him with intoxication manslaughter in the tragic and untimely death of Ms. Maria Cecilia Lopez. (Source: krgv.com, 5/3/13)
The Pearland, TX wrongful death attorneys offer their sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ms. Maria Cecelia Lopez.
Texas leads the Nation in Drunken Driving Crashes by a Large Margin
Our Pearland, TX wrongful death attorneys note that Texas has seen an alarming increase in the number of pedestrian deaths from motor vehicle drivers in recent years. Texas street design and the state’s car-centric culture are partly to blame. But many of these needless pedestrian deaths are due to drunken drivers. Despite educational campaigns and increased penalties for DWI offenders, Texas continues to vastly outpace the rest of the nation in DWI crashes.
Contact the Pearland, TX Wrongful Death Attorneys at Denena Points, PC when You need Help after a Pedestrian Accident
We provide you with a completely free and confidential legal consultation to discuss the specific accident and your potential for fair compensation for the needless harm you’ve suffered. Hold drunken drivers financially accountable for their crimes. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And our more than 15 years of experience holding guilty drivers accountable for their actions could help you recover after a tragic pedestrian accident has changed your life forever.
Learning to Drive a Stick Shift Performance Vehicle at a Texas Cemetery
OK, our Pearland auto accident attorneys realize that if you drive every day, you tend to take driving for granted. You could practically do it in your sleep. (In fact, some people do. They tend to crash.)
But we reiterate from time to time that driving is actually a fairly complicated task, involving on average 20 complex decisions to make per mile driven. Our Pearland auto accident attorneys point out that this hidden complexity in an everyday task that virtually everyone does is why drunken drivers so often cause really nasty accidents when their impaired judgment leads to an error in decision-making (or to a gross failure to recognize the need for a complex decision).
And when you want to add another level of intricacy to the already demanding task of driving, you can drive a stick shift, or a manual transmission vehicle. My first car was a stick shift and a performance vehicle. I have to admit that it handled more precisely and responded more fluidly to my driving needs than my current automatic transmission. And having to use the manual transmission and a clutch pedal tended to keep my attention more firmly focused on the driving task than my current nondescript automatic transmission.
Learning to drive a manual transmission wasn’t easy. The school’s “simulators” in our Driver’s Ed course were all automatic transmissions. And my simulator didn’t work anyway. So I just put my hands on the fake steering wheel and pretended to drive. The ancient teacher with the megalithic beehive hairdo never noticed the difference.
At the time, I was that rare teenager who wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about driving at all. So naturally I ended up with a vehicle more complex than average to operate. My dad took me out to the local cemetery to teach me to drive the thing. The cemetery was one of those vast urban complexes with acres upon acres of winding roads and very little traffic (we understand that the departed tend to wisely leave their cars behind when they seek peace). I guess my dad figured that if I royally screwed up while I was trying to master the stick shift, we’d be in the right place.
As it turns out, teenagers these days are apparently even less enthusiastic about learning to drive than I was. Fully a third of them still haven’t applied for their drivers’ licenses by the age of 19. (Kudos to the lot of you, by the way. If we had better public transportation where I live, I would gladly ditch my vehicle and my license instantly.)
Well, apparently this trend of fewer drivers and fewer car owners worries both the Ford Motor Company and an insurance company. After all, our Pearland auto accident attorneys must ask, “who needs car insurance if they don’t have cars?”
So Ford and Hagerty Insurance have teamed up to lure reluctant young people to the wheel through a program that offers hands-on training in operating a stick shift with the added lure of classic and collectible cars. (Source: Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, 4/26/13) (Classic and collectible cars which our Pearland auto accident attorneys incidentally mention are completely differently from the indistinguishable, generic vehicles actually available on the market and which the hapless victims of the program will probably end up driving).
Our Pearland auto accident attorneys do laud the effort to provide thorough training in the fine art of operating complex manual transmission vehicles. Though fewer of these stick shift cars are built now, if you end up with one, you really need to learn how to drive it properly. A shifting or pedal error could quickly be fatal. And not every beginning manual transmission driver has a patient, good-humored dad and a large, convenient cemetery nearby.
Just in Case: Learn What to Do in the Event of a Serious Accident
Click to download your FREE, in-depth guide to the steps you need to take to protect your rights and to maximize your chances of a full financial recovery for your injuries in the event that a negligent or distracted driver causes a wreck. And if you have questions about what to do after an accident has harmed you or your family member, don’t hesitate to contact us.
The Pearland auto accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC offer a FREE, no obligation legal consultation to discuss your specific injuries and evaluate your potential for a full financial recovery. Call us direct at 281-369-4363 or just fill out our easy online contact form. Let us help you recover.
What can you do after a Galveston drunk driver injures you in a wreck?
You’ve probably heard that everything’s bigger in Texas. That’s true even of the problems. For instance, Texas leads the nation in the number of drunk driving wrecks.
And drunk drivers leave their victims with Texas-sized costs after the wrecks they cause. Drunk drivers usually cause more damage than sober drivers. This is because drunk drivers might drive faster, weave more erratically in traffic, take crazier chances on the road, and generally do all this while also driving down the wrong side of the road.
This crazy combination makes a recipe for disaster for the innocent victims that cross the drunk driver’s path. Our Galveston DWI accident attorneys point out that DWI accidents are more often fatal than other accidents. And where victims survive, recovery might take months or years. And the victims might still be left with permanent disfigurements or disabilities.
Recovering the fair financial compensation you deserve after a DWI accident in order to get your life back on a sound financial footing is often more challenging than it should be. Defendants and their insurers will dispute your claims.
Contact the Board Certified Galveston DWI Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC; We could Help You Recover
We always provide you with a free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss your accident and evaluate your potential for financial compensation for your injuries. Reach us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form. Put our more than 15 years of successful experience to work for your benefit.
Deadly Rollover Wrecks account for One Third of Fatal Crashes in U.S.
U.S. NHTSA data reveals that while only about 10% of all accidents involve rollovers, approximately 33%, or one third, of fatal crashes in the United States involve rollover wrecks and/or occupant ejection from vehicles. Rollover accidents tend to cause vehicle ejection more frequently than other types of crashes. And our I-10 rollover accident attorneys point out that around 75% of vehicle ejections in crashes prove fatal.
On Friday morning, a 3-vehicle crash on eastbound I-10 near Fry Road ended with one of the vehicles overturned. Rollover wrecks occur most often when a driver tries to negotiate a turn or a curve and loses control of the vehicle due to unsafe speeds, inattention, driver fatigue, intoxication, or some other factor. Our I-10 rollover accident attorneys note that sometimes swerving to avoid another vehicle sends a car out of control and results in a multi-vehicle crash with rollovers.
Your seatbelts, vehicle airbags, and the safety glass in your windshield are some of the safety features that could prevent fatal vehicle ejections in crashes. Click on the link to learn more about your vehicle’s safety features that could protect you in the event of a potentially deadly rollover accident.
Contact the I-10 Rollover Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if You or Your Loved Ones have Suffered in a Serious Crash
After another driver’s carelessness has led to your injury in a traumatic rollover wreck, you need justice. At Denena Points, PC, we always provide you with a completely FREE and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your accident and your potential eligibility for financial compensation for the needless harm you’ve suffered. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. Call us at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. Let our more than 15 years of experience work for your benefit.
Driver in Fatal TX Charter Bus Crash Involved in Prior Fatal Bus Crash
Various news reports today are announcing that Loyd Rieve, the 65-year-old bus driver behind the wheel in yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas, was involved in another fatal bus accident in 1998.
In 1998, Loyd Rieve was driving for a different bus company, Central West Motor Stages Inc. And the accident occurred when the bus he was driving ran over and killed a young man in his 20s who had stopped to help a woman whose car had wrecked. In that tragic incident, the Dallas grand jury declined to indict Mr. Rieve on charges of negligent homicide. But our Texas bus crash attorneys point out that in a separate issue, a jury found the bus company, Central West Motor Stages, negligent for hiring Mr. Rieve to drive its bus.
The Outcome of the Court Case in the 1998 Fatal Bus Crash Case
Our Texas bus crash attorneys note that the reports which mention the negligent hiring charge also note that the jury awarded no monetary damages, finding the young Good Samaritan in his 20s largely at fault in causing the accident. And none of today’s news accounts of the action say why the jury felt the bus company was negligent in hiring Mr. Rieve. (This is rather important.) The reason is not necessarily because of Mr. Rieve’s prior driving record, but could be because the company failed to conduct adequate (or any) screening prior to hire.
However, based on this additional information alone, our Texas bus crash attorneys expect that authorities conducting the current fatal bus crash investigation should definitely take a very close look at Loyd Rieve’s driving for possible driver error, driver fatigue, and/or medical conditions.
About the Fatal Bus Crash Yesterday in Irving, Texas
Two victims have died, several people (including the bus driver) remain in intensive care, and about 41 people were hospitalized with injuries after yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas. Today’s accounts indicate that the Cardinal Coach Line bus contained 46 passengers and the bus driver.
No clear cause has yet been determined for yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas. And our Texas bus crash attorneys emphasize that it may be a year or more before authorities conclude their investigations and formally determine the cause(s) of the fatal crash. In the meantime, the additional bits of information presented only seem to add to the mystery.
The Texas bus crash attorneys at Denena Points, PC mention with deep sadness that the victims of the fatal bus crash have been identified as Paula Hahn and Sue Taylor, the “Casino Sue” who organized the fatal bus trip. (Source: Danny Robbins, David Warren and Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press, 4/12/13)
Contact the Texas Bus Crash Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if You have Questions Regarding Your Injury from Thursday’s Fatal Bus Crash
We provide an entirely FREE and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your accident injury or the injury of your loved one. And we could also evaluate your potential eligibility for financial compensation after the tragic accident. We note that the bus company, while it met legal requirements for insurance coverage, was vastly underinsured for a fatal bus crash accident of this magnitude, so it could be beneficial to get your claim started at once.
Contact us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form to receive your free, no obligation initial legal consultation. Put our more than 15 years of experience successfully resolving complex accident injury cases to work for your benefit.
What caused the Deadly Cardinal Coach Line Bus Crash in Irving, Texas?
U.S. NTSB investigators, Texas DPS officials, and U.S. DOT personnel are among those that will be involved in investigating Thursday morning’s deadly Cardinal Coach Line bus crash in Irving, Texas. The crash occurred on Highway 161 (President George Bush Turnpike) near Belt Line Road.
The charter bus was taking a group of mostly senior citizens to the Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma for a day of gambling and amusement. The victims of the deadly charter bus crash did not know that part of the package would involve gambling their lives. At least two people have died from the catastrophic crash, and 41 others received transport to the hospital. (By the way, our Texas bus accident injury attorneys note that this number seems to represent the total of all persons present on the bus at the time of the crash.)
The investigation into the deadly Cardinal Coach Line bus crash in Irving, Texas should be completed in about 12 to 18 months according to authorities. And the Texas DPS indicated that since no other vehicles were known to be involved, mechanical failure or driver error might be at fault for the deadly charter bus crash. Our Texas bus accident injury attorneys add that driver fatigue or driver medical conditions could be among the other possible causes. We note that Cardinal Coach Line had very few safety violations prior to the tragic Irving, Texas accident. These violations were relatively minor. Data we found indicated that those violations did include a driver’s failure to have medical claearance, and a driver’s failure to retain the trip log (logs generally detail hours worked and miles driven).
One man that had been on the bus with his friend thought that a tire blowout might be at fault for the tragic accident. According to a Dallas Morning News report of the deadly charter bus crash, he says he heard a crash and then the bus began careening wildly. (Source: Robert Wilonsky, The Scoop Blog, The Dallas Morning News, 4/11/13)
A report from WFAA quotes a witness as saying he heard a crashing sound like the bus ran into something, the bus started shaking, and then it rolled over. The WFAA report mentions that the Cardinal charter bus headed off the right side of the road, and ran over some “concrete divots” at the shoulder causing the driver to lose control. Then the bus headed back across the northbound lanes of Highway 161 and flipped over into the grassy median after striking the concrete highway divider barrier.
Witnesses said that the front of the bus was completely sheared off after the deadly Cardinal Coach Line bus crash, the wreckage was smoking, and people were pinned beneath the massive charter bus. Our Texas bus accident injury attorneys mention that northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 161 were shut down for hours.
The description from the WFAA report seems similar to accounts of vehicles drifting off the roadway from driver fatigue or medical conditions, and then as the driver hits rumble strips or some other awakening event, they overcorrect to cause a tragic crash. But the Cardinal bus driver is reportedly one of the patients in critical condition after the deadly Cardinal Coach Line bus crash, so our experienced Texas bus accident injury attorneys don’t know if the driver will be able to soon clarify what happened. (Source: Marjorie Owens, Marcus Moore, Matt Goodman, Jonathan Betz, and Todd Unger, wfaa.com, 4/11/13)
Continue to Part 2 to learn the amount of insurance coverage the bus line carries and what that means to your injury or wrongful death compensation claim.