Sacramento, California Motor
Vehicle Accidents Blog

Employers Liable for Car Accidents Caused by Negligent Workers

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Personal Injury
21
November
2011

Under the legal doctrine of “respondeat superior,” an employer can, under limited circumstances, be held liable for injuries caused by a negligent employee. The doctrine only applies to negligent acts committed by employees acting in the “course and scope” of their job duties.

Personal injury attorneys will usually advise an injured plaintiff to bring a lawsuit against an employer for two reasons. First, it furthers the pursuit of justice by allowing the court to apportion liability to every party that played a role in causing a plaintiff’s injury. Second, the employer may have better insurance coverage and more assets than the negligent employee, allowing an injured person to be more fairly compensated for his or her injuries.

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Drowsy Driving a Major Cause of U.S. Auto Accidents

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents
09
November
2011

In the coming months, millions of Americans will embark on their annual holiday road trips. Unfortunately, far too many will drive through the night, ignoring sleep, in an attempt to make good time and avoid traffic.

This behavior can be extremely dangerous. In fact, approximately one in six fatal car accidents are caused by drowsy drivers.

To raise awareness of the dangers of drowsy driving, the National Sleep Foundation has partnered with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety to declare November 6-12, 2011 “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week.”

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Children Safer in Motor Vehicles When in Car Seats

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents
04
November
2011

Kids in cars are at a disadvantage when compared to adults. Most motor vehicle standard safety features are designed with adult-sized occupants in mind. Infants, toddlers and even tweens are usually too small to safely use seat belts and other safety restraints. Parents need to acknowledge the risks that young children face in car accidents and look for the best-fitted car seats and booster seats to safely restrain their children.

According to a 2008 report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of childhood fatalities for kids ages three to 14. In 2008, 5,598 children ages 14 and younger were involved in fatal car crashes. Our Sacramento car accident lawyers are ready to help parents of children injured or killed in auto accidents; however, the fewer accidents that cause injury to children, the better. Let’s all take steps to keep our kids safe.

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Transportation Department Launches New Campaign to End Drunk Driving

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Drunk Driving
26
September
2011

In late August, 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a new, nationwide campaign to stop drivers from driving drunk. The campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” is intended to reduce the number of car accidents caused by drunk drivers by keeping them off the road.

The danger drunk drivers pose to others is well-recognized by the DOT, law enforcement officials and transportation safety advocates. Yet, drunk driving is still one of the main causes of injury and death in America, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a press release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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Falsifying Logbooks: Risky Business for Truck Drivers and Carriers

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Truck Accidents
15
September
2011

It is a vicious cycle. Consumers expect products to be on store shelves whenever they need them. Retailers expect trucking companies to deliver goods on schedule to meet consumer demand. Trucking companies expect drivers to pick up and to deliver loads as quickly as possible to meet retailers’ demands. And truck drivers are expected to meet the demands of their employers if they expect to be paid.

However, truck drivers have additional expectations placed upon them: government safety rules, including Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations.

With the goal of reducing truck crash injuries and fatalities while maintaining transportation efficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has developed and implemented Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. These regulations, as well as California trucking regulations, limit when commercial motor vehicle drivers are allowed to drive and for how long.

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Hit and Run: The Scene of an Accident or the Scene of a Crime?

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents
31
August
2011

You’re driving home one night, maybe after a nice dinner or a few drinks at the bar. Sure, you feel a little buzzed, but you’re not drunk… you’ve driven home in this condition (or worse) many times. And you’ve never had an accident. Why should you worry this time?

Suddenly, a shape appears in front of your car. There is no time to react. You just hear a dull thud and a blurred image passes by your car. Was it a deer? Was it a person…?

For the average person who doesn’t engage in high-risk behavior, belong to a gang or run drugs, this is as bad as it gets. You’ve hit, and worst-case scenario, killed a pedestrian or someone on a bike or in another car. What do you do now?

Do you stop and try to help?

Do you run?

Most people would have the decency to stop after causing a car accident. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why people decide to leave the scene of an accident. Some have been drinking and are afraid of the consequences of a California drunk driving accident. Others are illegal immigrants worried about deportation.

Yet, no matter the reason, many of the individuals who cause hit and run accidents will eventually be caught. Imagine being interrogated by the Sacramento police or interviewed by a Sacramento hit & run accident lawyer and trying to explain why you left the scene of the accident.

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When Children Are Injured in CA Bike Accidents

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Bicycle Accidents
01
August
2011

The July 18th Lake Tahoe bicycle accident that seriously injured a 12-year old boy reminds us to keep an eye out for bicyclists when driving on California’s roads. The accident happened when the boy rode out into traffic on Highway 28, which begs the question: who is liable for the bicycle crash?

According to Sacramento bike accident lawyers, the answer depends on whether or not the motor vehicle driver was acting negligently or was using reasonable care when the accident happened. However, the definition of “reasonable care” is different around children than around adults. Drivers are expected to understand that children might ride out into the street without warning; if drivers have reason to believe that children are nearby, they must use extra caution.

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Failure to Wear a Seatbelt in Fatal Rollover Crashes

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents
12
July
2011

On June 3, three young men were killed in an early morning rollover crash east of Sacramento. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and died, along with two of the three passengers.

Stephen G. Johnson, 26, of Rancho Cordova was driving a 2001 Mazda Millennia when he missed a turn and drove through the intersection of Jackson Highway and Sloughouse. The vehicle veered into a field and rolled over. Passengers Maurice M. Waters II, 20, and Christian T. Bishop, 18, were both from Walnut Creek and were also killed in the car crash.

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California Leading the Nation in Dog Bite Injury Claims

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Personal Injury
18
May
2011

According to a recent report issued by State Farm Insurance, there were more dog bite claims in California than in any other U.S. state last year. More than 350 individuals brought California personal injury claims after serious injuries caused by dog bites in 2010. And these numbers only reflect the dog bite claims made against State Farm. They do not include the significant number of claims made against other insurance companies, and the many more dog bites that go unreported.

In fact, more than five million people are injured in U.S. dog bites / dog attacks every year. To help raise awareness of the problem and encourage dog owners to take steps to prevent dog bites, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has declared this week (May 15-22) National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

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Cell Phone Use While Driving Remains a Problem in California

On behalf of Ashton & Price, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents
02
May
2011

April 2011 was the United State’s first National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, this meant increased enforcement and education throughout April.

Statistics shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show how dangerous distracted driving can be:

  • In 2009, distracted driving played a part in 20 percent of injury-causing motor vehicle accidents and at least 5,474 fatalities.
  • Texting while driving is as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08.
  • Eighteen percent of fatal distraction-related crashes involve cell phone use.

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