Auto Accident
Bay Area Car Accident Prompts CHP to Focus on Highway Safety
| February 2nd, 2015
While Northern California is home to some of our country’s most beautiful terrain, the heavy fog the region is also known for can make seeing the landscape—and our roads—extremely difficult. Just last Tuesday, five people were killed as the result of a bay area car accident caused by a lack of visibility due to heavy fog. So what is being done to reduce these types of California car accidents? Experts say the California Highway Patrol is using a decades-old program to protect those who are most vulnerable to fog-induced accidents. ABC 23 News reports field and farm workers are often on the road going to work when fog is at its densest. Many of these workers commute in large groups, which prompted the initiation of the Safety and Farm Labor Vehicle Education Program. It requires all drivers who carpool with more than nine other workers to be certified and carry extra safety equipment in their vehicles. Not only must they have a fire extinguisher, but the vehicle must also be equipped with a seat belt for every passenger. In order for a driver to get certified, they must also attend driving safety courses, have their vehicles undergo special inspections, and obtain a Class B driver’s license. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we applaud the efforts being made to keep our highways safe. Our California personal injury lawyers also encourage you to do your part to stay safe on the road by always buckling up.Three Ways to Avoid a Drunk Driving Accident in San Francisco This New Year’s Eve
| December 29th, 2014
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and many residents of the San Francisco Bay area are preparing for the coming festivities. One of the most important preparations a partygoer can make is figuring out how to safely get home. Each year, there are dozens in our city who become California drunk driving victims. That’s why city officials and many organizations around San Francisco are ramping up efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road this holiday. NBC Bay Area News reports that San Francisco’s public BART Trains will run for extended hours on New Year’s Eve. The trains will operate until 3 A.M. with stops occurring once every 20 minutes at each location after midnight. The California personal injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers want everyone to have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve. That’s why the firm will be providing free cab rides home to those who’ve had too much to drink. View our Safe and Sober press release for details and to get the numbers of the cab companies you need to call for your free ride home. If you need a way to get your car home safely, organizations like Be My DD offer those who have had too much to drink a team of drivers to get you and your vehicle home safely. Just call their number and schedule a pick up. We hope these tips help you to have a Happy—and safe—New Year’s Eve!Attorneys Fight California Drunk Driving Accidents With Free Cab Rides on New Year’s Eve
| December 15th, 2014
Drunk drivers in northern California face some of the harshest penalties in the nation. For instance, Alameda County is currently part of a pilot project that requires anyone caught operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated to equip their vehicle with an ignition interlock system. Despite these stringent laws, there are hundreds of thousands of drunk driving injuries and fatalities reported in our state each year. To fight back against California drunk driving accidents, the attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers will once again offer their Safe and Sober Free Ride Home program on New Year’s Eve. The program provides free cab rides home on New Year’s Eve—one night of the year when drinking and driving accidents are especially prevalent. A press release from the firm explains rides will be provided from 10 P.M. on Wednesday, December 31, until 4 A.M., on Thursday, January 1 in downtown Sacramento and San Francisco. Rides of up to $35 will be covered. Rides will only be provided to residences, not to other drinking locations. For more information and a list of participating cab companies, visit our Safe and Sober page. The campaign launch on New Year’s Eve will mark the tenth year the firm has sponsored the program. Thousands of rides have been provided on holidays where the number of accidents involving drinking and driving are especially high. We encourage you to help reduce the number of California drunk driving accidents this holiday season by pledging to:- Never drink and drive
- Never ride with someone who has been drinking.
Safety Tips to Avoid a Bay Area Car Accident During Inclement Weather
| December 1st, 2014
The seasons are beginning to change once again in Northern California, which means unpredictable weather is making its way to the area. This can create dangers in many facets of our lives, especially when we’re on the road. ABC 7 News reports that a fast-moving storm came through the region yesterday, bringing with it high winds and rain that toppled trees and made commutes difficult. The weather was so intense that several warnings were issued to motorists in the area. The National Weather Service issued statements saying heavy rains and winds had caused traffic delays across San Francisco. One neighborhood was without power after a tree limb fell on a set of power lines. On the other side of town, a Bay Area car accident was to blame for traffic backups along Highways 92 and 580. These reports leave many citizens wondering what they can do to stay safe during inclement weather. The California personal injury attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers suggest:- Stay off the Road- Remain at home if at all possible during bad weather.
- Be Prepared- If you must travel during inclement weather, take a look at the traffic and road closings along your route prior to venturing out.
- Buckle Up- Wearing a seatbelt can significantly reduce your chances of injury or death if you’re involved in an accident.
- Slow Down- Take as much time as is necessary to safely navigate your way to your destination.
Avoiding California Drunk Driving This Halloween
| October 13th, 2014
October has arrived and for many, that means Halloween and all the associated festivities that come with it are fast approaching. Alcohol is likely to be served at many of the events surrounding the holiday, which is why it’s so important to remember the dangers of drunk driving and what you can do to prevent this behavior. Halloween Drunk Driving Statistics Estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that drunk drivers caused 38 percent of motor vehicle collisions that occurred on Halloween in 2011. That same year, 48 percent of all car accident fatalities that occurred on Halloween weekend were the result of impaired driving. Preventing Driving While Intoxicated on Halloween Luckily, drunk driving is one of the easiest accident causes to prevent by simply refraining from getting behind the wheel if you’ve consumed alcohol. That’s why the California personal injury lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers suggest you participate in our Safe and Sober Halloween program if you plan on drinking this All Hallows’ Eve. On Halloween night, citizens of San Francisco and Sacramento can get a free taxi ride home from 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. San Francisco residents can call (415) 282-4141 and Sacramento citizens should dial (916) 444-2222 to schedule your pick up. Rides will only be given to residences—not other drinking locations—and have a maximum value of $35. Just tell them the ride is on Berg Injury Lawyers, and please remember to tip your drivers! Were You Involved in a Drunk Driving Accident? Even if you plan ahead and don’t drive drunk, others may not do the same, and you may still be at risk of becoming a California drunk driving accident victim. If that’s the case, it’s important to remember help is available from our team at Berg Injury Lawyers. We have helped many drunk driving accident victims get the compensation they need to get back on their feet and we want to do the same for you. Just call (800) 400-2374 to speak with our legal staff.Californians Focus on Bicycle Safety as Fall Approaches
| September 22nd, 2014
Fall is quickly approaching and for many of California’s youth, this means returning to school. Large portions of today’s students choose bicycles as their source of transportation to and from campus, but this can present some serious safety hazards on the road. These risks were highlighted by a California car accident involving a bicycle that happened in Berkeley over the weekend. Reports indicate the crash happened on Sunday, September 21, at the corner of Eunice and Spruce Streets. News sources state the cyclist suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. To help prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future, many citizens and organizations are focusing on educating the public on the importance of bicycle safety. In fact, GearUp Cycle For Youth held a bike ride in Sacramento that aims to raise funds for educational programs in Northern California—including those that teach children how to safely navigate traffic on a bicycle. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we understand the serious risks riding a bike can pose, which is why we would like to offer a few safety tips to those in the Bay area who pedal. You can avoid serious injuries—such as a brain injury—by wearing a helmet each time you ride. Doing so decreases the chance of death or bodily harm by as much as 60 percent. It’s also important to obey all traffic signals and make motorists aware of stops and turns by using hand signals.Auto Accident Attorney Identifies 8 Roadway Construction Zones to Avoid
| August 11th, 2014
You’ve been sitting in a line of cars for what seems like an eternity. Just when you think the line is beginning to move, a wave of red brake lights rolls down the line of cars in front of you and you’re halted once again. This frustrating situation can be all too familiar if you’ve ever sat in traffic before, especially at construction sites. That’s why the injury lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers would like to tell you about a few areas undergoing construction that you might want to avoid so you don’t get caught in traffic.- Central Avenue, from Grand Street to Sherman Street
- Weber Street, from Central Avenue South
- Third Street, from Central Avenue South
- Robert Davey Jr. Drive, from Packet Landing Road to Oyster Pond Road
- Otis Drive, from Willis Street East to Willow Street West
- Waterton Street, from Mound Street to Court Street
- Mound Street, from Waterton Street to Otis Drive
- Court Street, from Otis Drive to Bayview Drive
Ride Sharing Companies Create Questions About Liability
| January 27th, 2014
New models for conducting business are popping up throughout the transportation industry, but one of the fastest growing segments are companies that focus on ride sharing. Businesses like Lyft and Uber have gained attention by offering a platform for individuals to offer rides in their personal vehicles to others in their area for a nominal fee. The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers explain that while these services may seem enticing, they may be unsafe, considering a lack of regulation regarding who is liable in the event of an accident. Ride sharing services create a grey area in liability, because the individual driving owns the vehicle, not the company. Furthermore, the individual who hires the driver for a ride pays them, not the company. These issues can make it extremely difficult to determine who should cover the costs of damages and injuries caused by an accident. An article from Venture Beat underscored these questions by reporting on an accident involving a Lyft car that left a pedestrian seriously injured. Reports indicate the incident occurred last week at the corner of Jackson and Larkin streets in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood. Berg Injury Lawyers’ team of California Personal Injury Lawyers recognize the complexities involved in determining accident fault and are here to help anyone who has been harmed in a crash.Alameda Car Accident Lawyers Discuss New Traffic Regulations For 2014
| January 6th, 2014
The dangers of motor vehicle collisions are a very real risk for those traveling along the highways in California. In fact, the state’s Office of Traffic Safety says that in 2011 alone, a total of 2,791 motorists lost their lives as the result of crashes on California’s roadways. The Alameda Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers state that in an effort to curb the problem of car accidents in the state, officials enacted several pieces of legislation with the New Year that are aimed at improving highway safety. Reports indicate the different law covers several different aspects of highway safety in order to diversify efforts. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, one of the most important laws to be adopted prohibits anyone under the age of 18-years-old from using a handheld electronic device to send or receive text messages, even if it is equipped with a hands-free device. Another important law that was adopted establishes a distance motor vehicles must maintain when passing a bicycle. The new legislation states a car should pass a vehicle within no less than three feet. Any failure to do so will result in a fine, even if no collision occurs. William Berg and his team of Alameda Personal Injury Lawyers are hopeful the changes in the law are successful in preventing accidents and keeping those who travel in the state throughout the remainder of the year safe!Experts Warn Parents Against Buckling Children Into Car Safety Seats While Wearing Coats
| November 18th, 2013
November 18, 2013 With cooler weather arriving in the northern California region, many parents are now scrambling to bundle children up before heading to the family’s car to travel. The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers point out that most parents may fail to realize they may be putting their child’s life in jeopardy by buckling them into their car seat with jackets on. An article from Today News explained how a child’s bulky coat could cause the straps of a car seat to not properly restrain the child in the event of an accident. These findings are even more disturbing considering motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of accidental death in children and most child safety seats are already improperly installed in vehicles by parents and caregivers. To help avoid this danger, experts are telling parents to never buckle a child into a car safety or booster seat in more than what the child would wear indoors, such as a sweatshirt. Also, check to make sure all straps are tight enough on the child by checking to see if fabric from the straps of the device can be pinched together using the thumb and index finger. If the child needs to stay warm, drape their jacket or a blanket over them. Berg Injury Lawyers and their team of California Personal Injury Lawyers are hopeful these tips are successful in preventing children from being injured or killed as the result of a motor vehicle accident.
