Auto Accident
California Governor Signs Bill Allowing Self-Driving Cars To Hit The Road
| October 1st, 2012
October 1, 2012 Advancements in technology have been making vehicles safer to drive for years, but could the newest advancement in driving technology be not driving at all? Google seems to think so and have started testing their self-driving cars on California roads. According to the Los Angeles Times, California Governor Jerry Brown has signed State Bill 1298 into law, which created guidelines that says the testing will:- Create safety and performance standards for self-driving vehicles
- Require autonomous vehicles to meet all standards of manually operated vehicles
- Require licensed drivers to be at the wheels of the automated vehicles
- Establish the right of the California Highway Patrol and Department of Motor Vehicles to recommend additional legislation
New Technology Being Tested To Prevent California Car Accidents
| June 19th, 2012
June 18, 2012 Last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 32,000 people were killed as a result of motor vehicle traffic safety collisions. In an effort to curb this number, technology is being researched by the auto industry that would prevent accidents before they occur. One such piece of technology that was recently demonstrated at a safety seminar was Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication (V2V). According to The San Francisco Chronicle, this allows cars to talk to other surrounding vehicles equipped with the same technology within 1,000-feet to help avoid a California Car Accident. In the demonstration, a Ford Taurus narrowly avoids being T-boned at an intersection thanks to alarms and lights set off by V2V, warning the driver to stop, after a light turns red and the view of a vehicle passing through the intersection along the perpendicular road is blocked by a parked truck. Furthermore, advanced versions of the technology do not depend on the driver to hit the pedals. It can actually stop the vehicle itself if it detects imminent danger. An administrator for the NHTSA, David Strickland, claims V2V, “ is our next evolutionary step … to make sure the crash never happens in the first place, which is, frankly, the best safety scenario we can all hope for.” The California Personal Injury Lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers are hopeful to see more technology that saves lives being implemented by the auto industry.Sacramento Has Highest Crash Rates In The State For Fifth Year
| April 9th, 2012
April 9, 2012 Since 2006, the California Office of Traffic Safety has conducted a survey to determine which major cities have the highest number of motor vehicle crashes. For the fifth time, Sacramento has been ranked as the city for drivers to most likely be involved in a crash. According to The Sacramento Bee, the city beat out Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno, and San Jose in composite rankings that looked at per capita injury and fatality crashes, alcohol-related crashes, and injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists. Sacramento also had one of the highest rankings of alcohol-related crashes out of all 13 cities examined, with 326 crashes in 2010 alone. Bicycle accidents and injuries among drivers 21 to 34 years old were also excessively high. Overall, 3,468 crashes were reported in Sacramento throughout 2010, which is a 23 percent drop from the number of accidents in 2006 when the numbers were first compiled. Some say that the high number of crashes is associated with the high number of restaurants and bars that are in a centralized location in the city. The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that all motorists do what they can to keep California’s highways safe by always remembering to buckle up, slow down, and drive defensively. Following these simple tips will lower your chances of being involved in an accident and can increase your chances of survival if an accident does occur.Zombies Overrun California’s Distracted Driving Campaign
| April 2nd, 2012
April 2, 2012 Zombies are on the loose on Northern California’s roads, and you might be one. The “zombies” are actually distracted drivers, and according to ABC 7 News, they’re being compared to zombies as part of California’s campaign for the 2nd Annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which started yesterday. The ad campaign kicked off with commercials depicting those who use their phones behind the wheel as the lifeless and thoughtless creatures and will coincide with other educational programs on the topic throughout the month. A study by Carnegie Mellon University that found a cellphone can reduce 35 percent of a person’s brain activity while driving was the inspiration for the public service announcements. A spokesman for the California Office of Traffic Safety, Chris Murphy, says that “the message is one-third of your brain is not there because you’re doing that on your phone while you’re driving, you really become a zombie. There’s inattention blindness that you don’t even know what you’re not seeing.” In an effort to reduce the number of accidents in the state caused by these drivers, law enforcement will be on the lookout for any driver who’s not using a hands free device. Nearly 52,000 drivers were ticketed last year statewide in a similar month-long campaign. The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that motorists help keep California’s highways safe by putting their cellphones down while behind the wheel of their vehicles.Woman Arrested After Being Caught Speeding Three Times In An Hour
| March 27th, 2012
March 26, 2012 Speeding is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel of a car. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration show that speeding is a factor in roughly one-third of all fatal motor vehicle crashes. Despite these numbers, drivers continue to risk their own lives, and the lives of other motorists around them, by engaging in this risky behavior. In Hayward, California, a 53-year-old woman was arrested after being stopped three times within an hour for driving at excessive speeds. An article released by The Sacramento Bee said that the woman was originally stopped for speeding on Highway 70, just past the Sutter and Yuba County line, after being clocked driving 103 mph by a California Highway patrolman. Minutes later, another patrolman clocked the woman driving 105 mph on the road. She was again pulled over and cited. She was pulled over for a third time within minutes of the second citation for driving 76 mph in a 55 mph zone. After the third citation, the officer felt the woman’s blatant disregard for speed limits warranted an arrest. She was booked on charges of reckless driving. The California Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers say that speeding-related accidents killed more than 10,500 people last year alone. Help us reduce this number by always obeying the posted speed limit on roads when you are behind the wheel.Several Tips To Keep Motorists Safe During High Speed Pursuits
| January 16th, 2012
January 16, 2012 High-speed vehicle pursuits down the highway gets our adrenaline pumping in the movies. But what if you found yourself to be the helpless bystander of a real car chase during your daily commute? This happens almost on a daily basis across California, and observations have shown that most motorists don’t know what to do. An article in The Sacramento Bee described a chase that occurred several weeks ago along California’s Highway 99. News footage shows that as the chase progresses, the cars around the chase acted as if nothing was happening. They stayed at the same speed and made no efforts to get out of the way. California Highway Patrol (CHP) says that one reason this occurs is that drivers don’t scan their mirrors often enough. They suggest that motorists check all of their mirrors every 15-20 seconds. If you find yourself in the middle of a high-speed pursuit, CHP Trooper Mike Bradley stated that you should not slow down, but turn on your right blinker and work your way over to the shoulder of the highway. If you see a crime scene ahead, pull over and stop well behind officer vehicles. The California auto accident attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers fight for victims who have been injured in accidents and support community safety campaigns throughout the year in order to prevent accidents. If you are the victim of a car accident, contact an experienced attorney today.Alameda Law Firm Offers Free Cab Rides Home on New Years Eve
| December 27th, 2011
December 26, 2011 In recent years, the holidays have become an increasingly dangerous time of year for driving in California. According to The Los Angeles Times, six people died on California highways over this past holiday weekend, and the California Highway Patrol made 889 suspected drunken driving arrests. The California drunk driving victim attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers are sponsoring a campaign in order to help combat the growing number of drunk drivers during the holidays. The firm will be offering free cab rides home to those who have been drinking on New Years Eve. This will be the seventh year that the law firm has sponsored the Safe And Sober Cab Ride program, which offers a maximum $35 cab fair home to anyone needing a ride. The rides are provided only to a person’s residence, not to another drinking location. The cabs will be running from 10:00 PM Saturday, December 31 to 4:00 AM Sunday, January 1. Call one of the following cab companies and tell them your ride home is on Berg Injury Lawyers:- Sacramento — Call Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento at (916) 444-2222. Patrons must be picked up at a restaurant, hotel, or bar within downtown Sacramento to qualify for a free ride.
- Alameda, Oakland & Berkeley — Call Veterans Cab at (800) 281‐4488. Any fare exceeding $35 must be paid in cash.
- San Francisco — Call Luxor Cab at (415) 282‐4141.
California Court Rules Against Cell Phone Use At Stoplights
| November 21st, 2011
November 21, 2011 Next time you are at a stoplight and itching to call someone, think again. The San Francisco Chronicle reported last Tuesday that the state court of appeals upheld that a driver who is stopped at a red light is still technically driving, and therefore prohibited from using a hand-held cell phone. The debate began in December 2009 when a California motorist was pulled over and cited for using his cell phone while at a stop light. The man appealed the citation, saying the law that prohibits the use of cell phones while driving only applies if the vehicle is in motion. The First District Court of Appeals in San Francisco stated the law was intended for all motorists on state roadways, even if they may be temporarily stopped. The Deputy Attorney General called it a “common sense” ruling, but lawyers for the defense stated they would take the case to the next level at the state Supreme Court. Attorneys for the defense base this decision to pursue the case further on a 1991 case, in which, a man’s DUI arrest was thrown out because he was technically found asleep behind the wheel of a running–but legally parked–car. The California Auto Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers always discourage the use of cell phones while driving; but would like to know your opinion. Can a ticket be issued for using a cell phone while driving if the vehicle is not moving? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page.$73 Million Awarded In California Lawsuit Against Ford
| November 14th, 2011
November 14, 2011 A Sacramento, California, jury awarded $73 million dollars in damages to plaintiffs in a case against Ford Motor Company Thursday. According to The Sacramento Bee, the judgment came after seven years of litigation surrounding a passenger van accident caused by separation of tread from a tire on the van. The accident happened on April 9, 2004, as a group of church members headed home from a concert. During the drive, the van began to shake violently as the tread of a Goodyear tire began to peel off. The driver of the van attempted to pull over, but lost control and the van rolled several times before coming to rest. The 48-year-old driver of the van and the front passenger were killed in the accident, while several other suffered injuries. In court Thursday, the attorney for the plaintiffs told jurors that Ford and Goodyear failed to alert the customers about a $2 billion recall on the tires. The jury agreed, and with a vote of 10-2, the award was given. The jury also gave a small award after they found that the van’s design was partially at fault for the crash. Ford stated they plan to appeal the decision. The California Car Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers often handle cases where victims were injured because of faulty auto parts. If you have been injured because of a manufacturer’s negligence contact us immediately.Richmond Teen Killed, Two Others Injured During Illegal Street Race
| November 7th, 2011
November 7, 2011 In Richmond this weekend a local teen died and two others were injured in an illegal street race crash. The Contra Costa Times reported yesterday that the accident happened around 1:15 Sunday morning, along a stretch of Richmond Parkway. The street glistened as the two cars, a Nissan Altima and a BMW, floated down the asphalt that was freshly drenched with rain. The vehicles were locked neck-and-neck, when the 21-year-old driver of the Nissan hit a wet patch, lost control, and hit his friend’s BMW. The impact caused the BMW to spin out of control and flip several times before hitting a pole. The driver of the BMW died at the scene of the crash, while his two passengers were urgently rushed to the John Muir Medical Center by helicopter in critical condition. The driver of the Nissan was unharmed, but investigators arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. California issued 800 citations in 2001 for illegal racing-related infractions–a number that has grown significantly every year since. Now, it is estimated that 49 people are hurt and killed for every 1,000 individuals who participate in illegal street races. The California Car Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to encourage anyone hurt in an accident at no fault of their own to contact them immediately for a free evaluation of your case.
