Archive for the ‘ Motorcycle Accident ’ Category

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16
Mar

Free Cab Rides Offered In Colorado Springs On St. Patrick’s Day

March 16, 2012

In anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow and with the NCAA Basketball Tournament running throughout the weekend, more than 114 law enforcement agencies in Colorado will be stepping up their presence to deter drunk drivers from hitting the road.

In an article released by 9 News, the Colorado Department of Transportation stated that the last time St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Saturday was in 2007, and law enforcement across the state arrested 363 people for DUI offenses that night. Since then, the department estimates there has been a 48% increase in the number of drunken driving arrests on that holiday.

So, what should you do if you have had too much to drink and don’t want to drive home? If you live in the Colorado Springs area, you can call a cab free of charge thanks to the Safe and Sober program sponsored by the Colorado Springs DUI Accident Lawyers at the McDivitt Law Firm. The firm says that it will pay for your cab ride home Saturday night if you’ve had too much to drink. Just call one of the following cab companies and tell them your ride home is on McDivitt Law Firm:

  • Colorado Springs – Call Yellow Cab of Colorado Springs at (719) 777-777.
  • Pueblo and Pueblo West- Call City Cab Company at (719) 543-2525.

The McDivitt Law Firm would like to wish everyone a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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14
Mar

Drugged Driving On The Rise On America’s Highways

March 14, 2012

Recent studies have shown that there is a growing problem of drugged driving on America’s highways. The National Institute on Drug Abuse claims that drug use was seven times more common among weekend nighttime drivers in the U.S. than alcohol, as 16 percent of those drivers tested positive for drugs compared to 2 percent who tested at or above the legal limit for alcohol.

For example, police say a 43-year-old Boulder, Colorado, man was under the influence of a narcotic painkiller when he caused a nine-vehicle pile-up Tuesday evening. Reports from 9 News indicated that the accident happened along 19th Street, between Cedar and Iris.

The driver told police that he had taken the Percocet for a stomach problem before blacking out at the wheel and causing a string of collisions. He was arrested and said he didn’t remember hitting the other vehicles. He faces charges of vehicular assault, DUI, reckless driving, and hit-and-run causing injury.

Surveys have shown that many people believe they can get away with drugged driving because they think police can’t prove they are under the influence if they are pulled over. However, advancements in technology and law enforcement education have given officers the tools they need to determine if a driver is under the influence of drugs.

The Boulder Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm encourage you to take medications only as prescribed and to adhere to all warning labels.

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17
Feb

Colorado Legislators Hope To Change Hit-And-Run Laws

February 17, 2012

Colorado lawmakers reviewed a bill Thursday that would increase the punishment for fleeing the scene of an accident where injury is inflicted to match the punishment for drunk driving offenses. According to a report from Colorado’s 9 News, a loophole in the current law gives incentive to drunk drivers to flee the scene of such an accident.

As the laws stand now, punishments for hit-and-run offenses are less severe than for drunk driving offenses. A drunk driver who causes an accident that inflicts serious bodily injury to another person can expect a sentence of up to 12 years in prison, while someone convicted of a hit and run offense can expect a sentence of one to three years in jail that can be suspended by the judge.

One victim who testified before the House Judiciary Committee Thursday told his story of spending a longer time in the hospital than the person who hit him spent in jail. He stated that the day the driver who hit him was released from jail, he was still learning to use the bathroom again.

Lawmakers hope to increase the penalties for hit-and-run offenses to at least a class four felony, which carries a sentence of two to six years in state prison.

The Denver car accident lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm are available to talk and answer any questions you may have if you have been involved in an accident that has left you seriously injured.

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1
Feb

Required Ignition Interlock Systems For All DUI Offenders?

February 1, 2012

A new law has been proposed that could possibly create a blanket punishment for all DUI offenders. According to reports from 9 News, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, introduced by a representative from Florida, would mandate that all DUI offenders have ignition interlock systems installed in their vehicles.

An Ignition interlock system is a device prohibits a car from starting without the driver first blowing into breathalyzer tube. If the driver has been drinking, the car won’t start at all. The driver then has to periodically blow into the device as they drive.

Supporters of the bill say that Colorado, where judges have required the device’s use in sentencing DUI offenders since 2008, is a prime example of the effectiveness of ignition interlock systems. The state has the second highest use of the system in the country with 17,000 devices installed on cars in the state and has seen a dramatic decrease in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in recent years. In 2010, there were only 127 deaths attributed to alcohol on Colorado highways. That’s down from 158 in 2009 and 176 in 2008.

While the device may prevent some drunk driving accidents, what about those that are still hurt in crashes from negligent drunk drivers? The Colorado car accident lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm may be able to help you if you have been injured in a crash that was no fault of your own. Contact an experienced attorney today with questions regarding your case.

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16
Jan

Drunk Driver Being Held By Police In Connection With Fatal Crash

January 16, 2012

A 21-year-old woman from Arvada, Colorado, was killed last Saturday after a drunk driver hit her vehicle. According to an article in the Denver Post, the accident happened in Westminster, Colorado, at around 3:30 in the morning at a red light at the intersection of West 118th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.

It was there that a 25-year-old male alleged drunk driver T-boned his Porsche Cayenne into the victim’s vehicle as she drove home from work at a local bar. The impact of the crash caused the victim to be ejected from her car. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The drunk driver and his passenger fled the scene of the crash on foot, but a K9 Unit was able to track and capture both men.

A background check during booking revealed that the alleged drunk driver has three prior DUI convictions between 2006 and 2011, as well as several other driving and drug convictions.

The driver is being held pending investigation into charges of vehicular homicide, drunken driving, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, driving with license restraint, failure to give aid, and disobeying a red light.

The Colorado DUI victim attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm the difficulty in getting back on your feet after being injured by, or losing a loved one to, a drunk driver. If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver and were injured or suffered a loss, we may be able to help you.

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9
Jan

Distracted Driver Responsible For Crash That Killed Commerce City Woman

January 9, 2012

Distracted Driving is dangerous. This is the lesson that was learned when a pillar of the community of Commerce City, Colorado, was killed by a driver who was distracted by his cellphone. Colorado’s 9 News reported yesterday that the accident occurred at around 10:30 in the morning on December 12, in the westbound lanes of I-76.

Witnesses told officers that traffic was at a standstill because of nearby construction. The victim was following a tractor-trailer at about 5 MPH when she was suddenly jarred by the impact from a van that was closing in behind her. Reports show that the 34-year-old driver of the van was distracted by his cell phone before hitting the woman. Investigators determined he never attempted to slow before hitting her.

The Colorado state patrol says charges are will be filed against the driver pending the outcome of toxicology reports. The van’s driver could face a range of charges from reckless driving to vehicular homicide, although it is expected to be the latter as police believe drugs may have been involved.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm ask that all drivers put their phones down until you have arrived at your destination. This way you are able to give your full concentration to the road.

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28
Dec

Free Cab Rides Available New Years Eve In Colorado Cities

December 28, 2011

Since Thanksgiving, more than 1,300 Colorado motorists have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. To make matters worse, The Denver Post reported earlier that the Colorado state patrol is expecting the number only to rise with New Years Eve right around the corner.

Troopers also noted that 14 of the state’s 35 fatal accidents since Thanksgiving have been alcohol-related. The agency says that more than 90 departments statewide will participate in increased efforts to battle the problem this upcoming weekend by preforming sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

Colorado State Patrol Spokesman Colonel James Wolfinbarger said he hopes that the cost of a DUI in Colorado–on average $10,270 in fines and fees–will deter intoxicated drivers from getting behind the wheel.

Others are hoping to combat the problem by offering free cab rides home to those who have had too much to drink.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with The McDivitt Law Firm are once again sponsoring their Safe and Sober Campaign that will be giving free cab rides home to patrons of bars and restaurants who are intoxicated. Rides are only good to a persons residence, not to another drinking establishment. The list of cab companies can be seen in the firm’s press release for the event.

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27
Dec

New Technology Blocks Cell Phone Use By Drivers

December 26, 2011

In response to the growing number of supporters behind the push on federal regulators to ban cell phone use while driving, 9 News reported today that a company has created a device that will block cell phones from being used if the owner is driving.

The new technology, called Cell Control, is being marketed to businesses with large fleets of company vehicles and also to parents of teenagers just learning to drive. The device works by plugging it in to your car’s diagnostic system and running a software program installed on the phone itself. Then, when the car turns on, a blocked screen will come up on the phone. Calls are then forwarded to voice mail and a busy message will respond to any incoming text messages. The software also blocks internet usage while activated.

The Cell Control System is fairly cost effective as well at around $25 per unit, plus $8 per month for service. The only drawback now is that it does not currently work with iPhones; a problem Cell Control Vice President Chuck Cox says will be taken care of after the New Year.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm are glad to see technology being used to keep drivers safe and encourage drivers to put their phones down when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Eliminating cell phone use while driving significantly decreases your chances of being hurt or killed in a senseless accident.

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12
Dec

New Distracted Driving Laws In Colorado Difficult To Enforce

December 12, 2011

Although it is a common occurrence, texting and driving is extremely dangerous! New laws were recently enacted to battle the problem, but according to 9 News, officers say they are having a hard time enforcing the new measures.

Right around this time two years ago, the state made it illegal to text and drive at the same time. Since then, Larimer County Sheriff’s office spokesperson, Corporal Nelson Sanderson, says that the department has only written one ticket for an infraction. Fort Collins and Boulder’s Police departments have also had a difficult time enforcing the new laws as well, only writing 41 and 15 tickets respectively. Sanderson blamed the lack of tickets on the difficulty of catching someone in the act while patrolling.

So if new laws and uniformed officers can’t stop the problem, what will? One Fort Collins man has some ideas that may work. He says narrower streets and more bump-outs will cause drivers to concentrate and traffic to slow in the area, thus preventing accidents. He said the idea comes from European streets that create environments where a driver has to be focused and cautious in order to prevent an accident.

The Colorado Auto Accident Attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm host a contest each year in which students create public service announcements to battle the problems of distracted driving. The videos can be seen on a dedicated YouTube Channel.

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21
Nov

CDOT Developing New Smartphone App To Warn Drivers Of Conditions

November 21, 2011

Cell phone use behind the wheel is becoming a hot topic of debate in regards to motorist safety these days. But the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is trying to make the devices more of an ally by developing an application that will alert drivers to traffic conditions on state roads.

Colorado’s 9 News reported today that CDOT spokeswoman, Stacey Stegman, the smartphone application is in the early stages of development. Stegman confirmed that a contract for the creation of the application would be awarded to a private firm early next year. Then, the product should be available for preliminary testing along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor next summer. Upon testing completion, officials hope the application will be up and running by Memorial Day of next year.

In addition to warning motorists of upcoming stops and delays in traffic, the application would also offer suggestions for alternate routes, stops, and entertainment along the way.

More than 20 percent of accidents in the state of Colorado in 2008 were the result of distracted driving and accounted for the loss of 6,000 lives.

The Colorado Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm urge drivers to protect themselves and others while behind the wheel by refraining from texting or talking while driving. Putting the phone down is the best way to ensure your attention stays on the road.

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