“It just came like a missile and just a little touch to that black vehicle and it hit the pole and it’s in two pieces,” said Sam Kambo.

The accident Kambo describes occurred Wednesday after a red Ford Escape lost control, clipping the man’s vehicle. Moments later, the Escape collided into a light pole, nearly splitting itself in two pieces. The driver, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

According to reports at NBC San Diego, Kambo was following his wife in another vehicle, a black Lexus, when she made a southbound turn onto 4S Ranch Parkway. That’s when the couple saw the other oncoming vehicle, cutting around the corner at what appears to be a case of high speed.

Both Kambo and his wife were fortunate to survive the crash.

“It’s very sad you don’t want to see anybody passing away like that,” Kambo said, referring to the other driver who passed away.

A female passenger in the Escape is said to have survived the accident but was immediately transported to Palomar Hospital with reportedly major injury.

Officials are trying to determine if the fatal car accident was caused by speed. According to the California Highway Patrol, both the Lexus and Ford vehicles entered the intersection at the same time.

T-BONE/FRONT IMPACT CAR ACCIDENTS IN SAN DIEGO

Although reports do not indicate the cause or type of accident, it appears based on reports that it could have been a T-bone (“side-impact”) or front impact (“head-on collision”) car accident.

T-Bone (“Side-Impact”) Car Accidents

T-Bone accidents refer to collisions caused when two vehicles on opposing sides of the intersection enter it at the same time, leading to a “T-bone shaped” accident. Also known as “side-impact” car accidents, these collisions tend to be some of the worst types of crashes due to their increased fatality rate. According to statistics, side-impact car accidents account for nearly one-quarter of all car accident fatalities.

Front Impact (“Head-On”) Car Accidents

Head-on collisions in San Diego produce the most fatalities of all other kinds of accidents. A front impact car accident means the fronts of both vehicles crash into one another.  Head-on collisions commonly lead to catastrophic injury such as permanent disability, spinal cord injury or whiplash.

Injuries sustained from T-bone or head-on collisions

If you have been injured in a T-bone or head-on collision, and if you suspect it may be the other person’s fault, you may be entitled to legal rights including financial compensation. For a FREE legal review of your case with no obligation and no out-of-pocket expense, call us at 1-800-655-6585. Even when you hire us, you won’t incur any out-of-pocket costs. Call us today.

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About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

When this tragic accident made headlines throughout San Diego, many members of our community spoke out, some in moments of outrage as details of the story began to unfold: according to reports, a man left his 4-year-old son at the scene of an accident after witnessing him fall 7 feet onto concrete, fleeing moments later.

Angelo Fabiani Arroyo, 40, was arraigned on charges of child endangerment and felony hit-and-run after he was found 2 days later in Imperial Beach.

Community members spoke out against the man, mainly on social media and news websites. “Don’t let the tears cloud your vision of what happened. He ran to clear his blood system, it’s obvious,” said one reader in a comment at San Diego FOX5. “Hopefully, he will get the full punishment,” another commenter wrote.

The accident occurred in the Midway area Sunday after Arroyo crashed his truck, losing control over his vehicle. According to reports, he left his son, a 4-year-old boy, at the scene of the collision as he fled on foot. The vehicle, after having hit an embankment, was tilted in such a way where the boy fell out of the vehicle’s window after his father unstrapped the boy’s seat belt.

“As soon as he unbuckled the car seat the boy felt through the window 7 feet below on the concrete,” said deputy district attorney Teresa Santana.

Instead of calling 9-11, Arroyo left the boy at the scene of the accident. He was arrested two days later. Arroyo had been on parole for a DUI.

But Arroyo’s family says his abandonment is out of character.

“He would never run,” said a family friend. “I believe he got disoriented and he hit his head.  He loved that baby. He was a good father — a good man.”

Some community members also sprung to his defense. “Was it bad judgment to drive recklessly, yes! But that’s a far cry from drunk driving!! And remember, his sons serious injury came when he was removed from his car seat and fell, not from the accident.”

Arroyo’s son, Valentino, remains in critical condition.

“It doesn’t look good, and it’s going to take a miracle from God above,” the family friend said.

This isn’t the first time Arroyo has been in trouble with the law. He has three prior DUI convictions, having served one year in prison for his last offense.

DUI Injury Car Accidents

Statistics tell us that about one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol are repeat offenders according to MADD.

It’s difficult to give advice to repeat offenders in the philosophical sense – after all, sometimes the best advice is left to the wayside. But if you have a DUI conviction, you should know:

• The odds are stacked against you. You will likely get caught again if statistics prove to be correct (and they generally are).
• You are putting your whole future in danger. You may not be as lucky as the first time you drove drunk. You never know when you’ll take someone else’s life or your own, or live an entire life of pain and suffering due to catastrophic injury.
• It’s easier than you think to avoid a DUI. And we’re not talking about ways to trick a breathalyzer test, either. You can preplan your evening and even buy your taxi ride home ahead of time. Please consider doing so to prevent another DUI car accident in San Diego.

If you’ve been injured in a DUI car accident, you may be entitled to legal rights. Our experienced legal team can represent you with no out-of-pocket costs. Give us a call at 1-800-655-6585 and schedule your FREE consultation.

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About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. And forty percent of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger.

But despite staggering statistics, texting is still a serious concern on our roadways today. The moment we step outside – whether we are a driver, bicyclist or pedestrian – we assume, for the most part, an inherent risk when it comes to our safety. And when bad habits like texting and driving are present in our community, our chances of injury are increasingly high.

The sober reminder follows on the heels of a recent car and motorcycle accident in San Diego allegedly caused by texting and driving. According to FOX5, a Chula Vista police officer was hit and injured after a texting teenager slammed into the vehicle ahead.

Nate Walker, the motorcycle cop who sustained personal injury, slammed into a station wagon after the suspected texting driver rear-ended the vehicle ahead.

The accident occurred on Route 78 in Ramona by a teen who had just earned the privilege to drive. Reports say she had just been awarded her driver’s license.

TEEN PERCEPTION ON TEXTING & DRIVING

Most people know that texting and driving is not safe. Between public service announcements and headlines on texting and driving that make the news all too often, drivers know they aren’t supposed to use their cell phones in any capacity when behind the wheel. But despite this so-called common knowledge, the dangers of texting and driving aren’t making enough of an impact. Furthermore, the attitudes of teen drivers are seemingly immune to the negative perception of texting and driving.

“So I looked down and I’m like trying to do this thing,” says Anthony Raya, describing a close call while texting to FOX5.  “Then I was like, oh oops, I’m going to hit the car in… front of me.”

According to the news source, the teen has no plans to stop texting and driving.

“I feel like I’m better at multitasking than the average person.”

Many teens hold this dangerously inaccurate theory as well.

“We call it internally ‘textication’ driving while under the influence of texting.” Said Jan Caldwell, Public Information Officer with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

He added, “Most of us think: ‘not me.’ I can do this. I’m really good at. I can even do it without looking – well – maybe a quick look at it and then boom!”

Even adults are guilty of texting and driving, perhaps inadvertently influencing their teen drivers in the process. A recent study revealed that 49 percent of adults have texted behind the wheel according to Fox5 – and that’s more than 43 percent of teen drivers that have admitted the same.

“It’s catastrophic,” says Caldwell, “again it goes back to everyone thinks it’s not going to happen to me.”

YOUR SAFETY IS AT RISK! 2 REASONABLE WAYS TO STOP TEXTING & DRIVING

Most of the time, adults and teens typically engage in texting behind the wheel because they think they can do so quickly without being distracted. Also, the allure of a waiting text is enough to turn an otherwise responsible person into an accident waiting to happen. When it comes to changing your habits, here are 2 reasonable ways to stay safe and text-free!

Download an App

Smartphone users can easily prevent texting and driving by downloading an app that queues incoming messages on-the-fly. Because the app is generally enabled by GPS, you won’t even have to activate it when you get behind the wheel. You won’t hear notifications that make it so tempting to retrieve your messages. Instead, you’ll get your texts when the app senses you are at a complete stop. Just search “texting app” in your smartphone for a wide array of available apps.

Use the Trunk

Another safe option to avoid texting and driving is going by the old saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” Put your phone and/or purse in your trunk when you’re headed out. Once you’ve reached your destination, check your phone in case of messages or voicemails.

ACCIDENTS IN SAN DIEGO CAUSED BY TEXTING & DRIVING

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident and you believe the other driver could have been texting or using their cell phone while driving, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Our firm has represented individuals just like you who have been injured by way of distracted driving. Give us a call at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE personal injury consultation to learn more about your legal rights.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

“Learn from other’s mistakes” – the age-old saying that still rings true today. But if you’re a parent, you may already know that teens insist on learning from experience. Often times, though, there are lessons in life that could never be afforded to learn from experience, such as a DUI car accident.

But what if you could teach kids about the dangers of drunken driving without the negative repercussions?

Students at Sweetwater High School in San Diego were afforded that exact opportunity when they were exposed to a horrifying accident outside of their school campus. Of course, the accident was fortunately staged, but students were unaware of it until they were told later in the day.

The scene was convincing. A teacher was sprawled on the hood of a white SUV, simulating a typical accident scene when students choose to drink and drive – a sobering reminder to all students that DUI car accidents are real and deadly.

Firefighters and law enforcement officers were also on scene of the simulated accident.

The program is called “Every 15 Minutes” and aims to spread drunken driving awareness. The program got its name from statistics: somebody tragically dies of an alcohol-related car accident every 15 minutes.

The goal of the program is to remind teens of the real consequences of drunken driving, especially during the summer months as teens use the roadways more often.

OTHER WAYS TO KEEP YOUR TEEN SAFE

There’s no doubt that programs like these help spread awareness about a critically-important subject: teen drunken driving. When it comes to ongoing teen safety, here’s what you can do to help keep your teen accident-free.

Parent-Teen Contract

Your teenager needs to earn his or her privilege to drive – not only with the DMV but with you as well. A parent-teen contract ensures that you and your child have a firm, indisputable, no-wiggle-room agreement in place. As the parent, you can establish policies and curfew times for your teen including those that center on drinking, texting or racing.

Text-Free App

A quick Google search will render hundreds of smartphone apps that will disable texting while driving. Make sure to install one on your child’s phone to ensure that cell phone use is never an issue when he or she is behind the wheel.

Defensive Driving Courses

Teens must practice with an adult for a prescribed number of hours in order to qualify for the DMV driver’s test. But it’s an excellent idea to consider buying additional defensive driving courses for your teen since more practice behind the wheel can significantly reduce your child’s risk for getting into a car accident. Or, make it a point to conduct your own driving lessons well beyond the minimally-required amount required by the DMV.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

Driver’s tests required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles ensure that an individual is ready to drive. It isn’t by chance that if you fail the test, you are probably not yet ready to navigate our roadways. But despite this so-called common knowledge, some teens that don’t pass their driver’s test still get behind the wheel – it’s completely dangerous and can result undoubtedly in a car accident, pedestrian injury or even fatality.

One teen is learning that reality as she copes with a recent car accident in Rolando, San Diego – a neighborhood just slightly north of El Cajon – after she accidentally lost control over her vehicle, hitting a mother and two children.

The teen, needless to say, is distraught over the accident according to reports at NBC 7 San Diego.

Authorities say Shanisha Smith, 18, an unlicensed teen driver, was reaching for a coffee cup that fell into the foot area of the driver’s seat, ending up beneath the foot pedals of the vehicle. This nightmarish situation resulted in a pedestrian accident as the teen’s BMW careened into a sidewalk, hitting several people including a mother and two children.

Fortunately, there were no fatalities. As for injuries, one of the children – a 6-year-old female – sustained a fractured femur and was treated at a local hospital.

The teen’s uncle spoke to San Diego’s NBC 7.

“She can’t sleep this morning. She was having chest pains. She’s saddened. She’s terribly saddened,” Brian Ritchy, Smith’s uncle, told the news source.

There’s no doubt that an accident like this can truly change the teen’s perspective on safe driving.

“She’s not the bubbly little girl we know. She’s just sitting there, tearing up. She’s more scared than anything,” Ritchey said.“She feels sorry for them and wants to do something for them. At least buy them a new stroller,” he added.

Smith cooperated with officials and was cited for driving without a license.

According to Ritchey on behalf of NBC 7, “Smith didn’t take her driving test seriously, and failed the exam not once but two or three times before the accident.”

The DMV Driver’s Test: Info You Need to Know

Passing the DMV driver’s test is no easy feat – but you MUST pass the test before you can drive. And even then, if you are a young driver, it’s important to stay prudent and continue to drive slowly and safely, especially in the first few years with your license.

The DMV wants you to pass your test. It is their goal to ensure all drivers are properly licensed before getting behind the wheel through driver competency.

Here are some ideas for preparing for your driver’s test – and not only for your test, but as you continue to drive. It’s also what the DMV will look for when you’re ready to take your driver’s test.

Practice with a parent or guardian. One of the main reasons people fail their test is because they haven’t practiced enough. Always practice with another licensed adult or guardian. Remember, you must complete at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel training with at least 10 hours of night driving before taking the test. It doesn’t hurt to practice even more if you can. Take practice tests with your adult supervisor. This will give you some idea of how the real test will go when you’re ready to take it.

Steer and accelerate smoothly. Practice the fine art of the accelerator pedal and the steering wheel. Drive slowly, and practice turning gently with the supervision of an adult at all times. Avoid jerking the vehicle around if at all possible. Keep fine-tuning your skills until the car ride is smooth and error-free.

Drive the posted speed limits. Don’t even think about going any faster than the posted speed limit. Your adult supervisor will ensure that you are driving at a safe speed. Don’t drive “with the flow of traffic.”

Defensive driving skills. One of the best skills to master while behind the wheel is being a defensive driver. Look ahead, scan the road, and be cognizant of other drivers. Check your mirrors frequently and always use your signals to indicate a turn or lane change.

For more information on the California DMV driver’s test, click here.

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About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.