Archive for the ‘ Auto Accident ’ Category

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15
May

New Apps Aim to Stop Colorado Teens from Texting and Driving

May 15, 2012

Colorado law holds that drivers under age 18 aren’t permitted to talk on the phone, and no driver is allowed to text while driving. However, the practice of texting while driving is still going on. This reality has left parents and lawmakers searching for other ways to deter teens from paying attention to cell phones while behind the wheel. Enter a variety of new smartphone apps designed to lock the cell phone from use while a vehicle is in motion.

Reports KDVR, one such app called Cell Control was installed by the parents of a Lone Tree, Colorado, teenager who’d just received his driver’s license. The app locks the phone from use as soon as a car is in motion. In tandem with the app, a Cell Control transmitter is installed in the vehicle so that incoming texts don’t appear and calls go straight to voicemail.

Similar apps include txtBlocker, CellSafety, iZup and Zoomsafer.

For concerned parents, the best option may be to set a good example about texting while driving. A forthcoming survey from Consumer Reports revealed that 48 percent of teenagers say they have seen their mom or dad talking on a cell phone while driving, and 15 percent have seen a parent texting while driving.

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers at McDivitt Law Firm are passionate about keeping teens—and all drivers—from texting while driving. No text is important enough to risk having a Colorado car accident.

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9
May

Colorado Cab Drivers Up In Arms Over Insurance Coverage

May 9, 2012

For those who work in the transportation industry, having insurance coverage in case you are involved in an accident is vital. If not, a driver could be left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and damages to pay. But what happens when a driver was never offered coverage for certain stipulations?

This seems to be the question in a case that the Colorado Court of Appeals recently ruled on. According to Denver Westward, a lawsuit claimed that Yellow and Metro Taxi Companies in Colorado didn’t offer uninsured motorist coverage to drivers, despite the fact that it was a product the insurer carried. Furthermore, the companies had misled employees about the coverage offered because they declined the coverage for drivers before ever making it available to them.

The case was brought up after a driver was injured in an accident that was caused by an uninsured motorist. Only later did he find out that not only would he not be reimbursed for his expenses because the other driver didn’t have insurance and wasn’t covered by an uninsured motorist policy, but he also had no workers’ compensation benefits.

Receiving Denver Workers’ Compensation can be difficult even if you have benefits. That’s why the Colorado Personal Injury Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm are here to help you if you’ve been injured on the job and don’t know how to get back on your feet.

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7
May

Two-Vehicle Collision On Colorado Mountain Injures Three

May 7, 2012

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that speed is the third leading cause of fatal motor vehicle accidents in the U.S., just behind alcohol and distracted driving. Driving too fast for road conditions may have been the cause of an accident that occurred last week.

According to the Verde Independent, the accident happened Tuesday afternoon on Route 89A—a steep, winding road that travels over Mingus Mountain near Jerome, Colorado. Reports indicate that a sports car may have been traveling too fast for the road conditions when the driver crossed over the centerline of the highway and collided with a pickup truck head-on. Rescue crews responded from both sides of the mountain, taking one victim to a local hospital via helicopter. The other two victims were later transported by ambulance to medical facilities in Prescott.

The location of the crash was the scene of an accident from a year before when a car racing a motorcycle down the mountain crossed over the median of the highway and collided with another biker head-on, killing him almost instantly. The two men who were racing now face charges of second-degree murder.

The combination of speed and reckless driving is almost a sure combination to cause a Denver Car Accident. That is why the Denver Personal Injury Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm ask that drivers always obey the posted speed limit of the road.

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2
May

Rollover Crash Outside Fort Collins Kills One And Injures Another

May 2, 2012

A car accident just northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado, left one man dead and another seriously injured. 9 News reports that the crash occurred around 6:00 a.m. Tuesday on Highway 14, about three miles west of Ted’s Place.

A spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, Trooper Steve Reid, told reporters that a dark-colored Subaru wagon was carrying two men at the time of the accident. The vehicle was heading west when the driver lost control as he rounded a curve and skidded off the highway. The Subaru then went over an embankment, rolling once before landing in the Poudre River.

A passerby on the highway noticed skid marks on the road, and upon further inspection, saw the car in the river and called for help. The witness also helped a 36-year old man who was a victim of the crash back up to the highway where he was taken to a local hospital to receive treatment.

A 40-year-old Virginia man was ejected from the vehicle during the accident. Rescue crews later pulled his body from the river and he was declared dead.

Car Accident Lawyers know that wearing seat belts can greatly increase your chances of survival if you’re involved in a car accident. That’s why the Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm encourage motorists to make buckling up the first thing you and your passengers do when you get in a car.

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30
Apr

Many Colorado Motorists Ignore Construction Zone Road Signs

April 30, 2012

When asked if road signs placed in construction zones were still in effect if equipment and workers were not present, many Colorado residents said “no.” But according to 9 News, their beliefs are mistaken.

A spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Stacey Stegman, stated that all rules and fines posted by the signs still apply regardless of whether or not work is occurring at the time. She added, “The rules apply as long as the sign is up. If work is not going on, then typically we will turn the signs down.”

Misconceptions by motorists that construction zone signs do not apply if work is not underway lead to thousands of serious accidents per year in the state. In fact, CDOT claims that last year, there were 830 work zone crashes resulting in 96 injuries and 10 fatalities—many of which could have been prevented had drivers followed posted signs.

In an effort to battle the problem, CDOT plans to partner with the Colorado State Patrol beginning in June on a new campaign called “Slow for the Cone Zone”, which will aim to educate motorists on the importance of slowing down in construction zones and following all posted signage.

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm ask that Colorado drivers be extra vigilant when passing through construction zones, as the number of projects will begin to increase during the summer months.

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23
Apr

Denver SUV Crash Claims Three Lives, Injures One

April 23, 2012

Speed and alcohol are being blamed for a fatal crash Sunday that claimed three lives in Denver, Colorado. According to Colorado’s 9 News, the accident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of Perry Street and Bayaud Avenue.

Reports from Denver Metro Police Officers who responded to the scene say that the driver of a Lincoln Navigator was heading south along Perry Street at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road. The large SUV then skidded into the yard of one of the homes lining the road, where the driver’s side of the vehicle slammed into a tree.

A witness stated that it appeared the driver of the SUV never applied the brakes before the collision. Both the driver and two passengers died at the scene, while a fourth victim was taken to Denver Regional Medical Center and remains there in critical condition.

Detectives are investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the crash after a local resident, who rendered aid to the victims before first responders could arrive, told police that he saw a bottle of tequila in the vehicle.

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm would like to ask all motorists to help prevent accidents like this in the future by always obeying the posted speed limit of the roads and to never drive after consuming any amount of alcohol.

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18
Apr

Denver Attorney Seriously Injured In Two-Vehicle Collision

April 18, 2012

A prominent Denver attorney was involved in a two-vehicle accident Sunday that left him seriously injured. According to FOX 31 News, the crash occurred just after 8:00 a.m. at the intersection of West 8th Avenue and Speer Boulevard, which runs parallel with Cherry Creek.

A spokesman for the Denver Fire Department, Lt. Phil Champagne, said the victim had the right of way as he passed through the intersection, but another vehicle ran the red light and T-boned  his Acura SUV. Witnesses reported that the SUV was sent airborne before landing on its roof in a shallow creekbed. Luckily, four witnesses were able to reach the vehicle in the creek, pry the driver’s door open, and pull the victim to safety.

The victim was not breathing when he was pulled from the wreckage, but rescuers said he started breathing on his own before being transferred to Denver Health Medical Center to receive treatment for a broken hand and ribs.

Police say that while their investigation is still ongoing, the driver responsible for the accident was cited for careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury.

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm would like to wish the victim who was injured in this crash a quick and full recovery from his injuries. The firm also would like to remind drivers of the importance of buckling up every time they get into a motor vehicle.

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11
Apr

Colorado Man Teaches Teens The Importance Of Safe Driving

April 11, 2012

Statistics show that motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of young people between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. That’s why a 27-year-old Colorado man who survived a devastating car accident when he was a teen is using his story to inspire Denver-area teens to drive safely.

The Denver Post reports that the young man spoke with a group of teens at North High School yesterday. He told them about how on a November night in 1999, he went for a ride with a friend who had just gotten his license. The driver was speeding when he lost control of the Honda Civic and crashed.

The man, who was just 14 years old at the time, spent the next six weeks in a coma. When he awoke, he had to undergo 22 surgeries and face being put on life support twice. He now has only 20 percent of his short-term memory and had to stop several times during his presentation to compose his thoughts.

He says the accident was a life-changing experience, which has led him to help others. “I was reborn to talk to people about this,” he said.

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm are glad that this young man is able to live a fulfilling and promising life, and they strive to help other accident victims suffering from similar injuries move on with their lives as well.

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2
Apr

Distracted Driving To Blame For Fatal Colorado Accident

April 2, 2012

Police in Thornton, Colorado are investigating an accident involving a vehicle and three pedestrians. According to the Denver Post, witnesses say the driver was distracted when he hit the pedestrians on a rural road—a claim the driver denies.

The incident occurred Saturday afternoon on East 168th Avenue. It was there that witnesses say that the 33-year-old man from Loveland was driving his pickup truck and talking on his cellphone at the same time when he careened the truck off the side of the road and hit two men and a teenager that were walking. Two of the victims were killed instantly, while the teenager suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The driver has been released from police custody pending the outcome of the investigation. The man’s wife told reporters that he was not on his phone at the time of the accident and had only looked away for a few seconds. Police have confiscated the cellphone to determine if it was in use at the time of the crash.

A spokesman with the Thornton Police Department, Matt Barnes, stated, “This case is an example of what can happen if you’re distracted only for seconds.”

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm ask that drivers focus only on the road when driving by eliminating all distractions, such as cellphones, GPS devices, and stereos before going getting behind the wheel.

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30
Mar

Requiring Ignition Interlocks Reduces Repeat DUI Offenses

March 30, 2012

The results of a new study may be pointing the government in the right direction toward lowering the number of accidents in the United States caused by drunk driving. Earlier this month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released data that showed requiring first time DUI offenders to install ignition interlock devices on their vehicles deterred repeat offenses.

Ignition interlock systems are alcohol-detecting breath tests that are wired to a vehicle’s ignition. The driver must blow into the device before attempting to start the vehicle. If alcohol is detected, the car will not start.

Researchers examined trends of repeat offenses in Washington, one of 15 states that require all DUI offenders to have the devices installed. They found that when all offenders have the devices installed, repeat offenses drop by as much as 12 percent.

There are several pieces of legislation before Congress now that would encourage states to have similar laws to Washington by linking the amount of highway funds a state can receive from the federal government to the regulations.

Anne McCartt, the Institute’s vice president, supported the findings and the new legislation by saying, “Drivers with previous impaired-driving convictions are overrepresented in alcohol-related fatal crashes, so deterring people from reoffending is a good first step to reduce the death toll.”

The Denver Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm support any measure that will keep the motorists of Colorado safe from harm.

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