“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 PinesMichael 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.
Head-on car accidents are one of the worst kinds of collisions since they can lead to severe injury and even wrongful death. A recent wrong way driving car accident in San Marcos reminds all San Diegans that wrong way driving is devastating for everyone involved. Not only that – they are catastrophic and often fatal.
Reports at San Diego Union-Tribune say that Lupe Vargas, 38, was tragically killed when a wrong-way driver collided with her vehicle on Route 78 in San Marcos. According to authorities, the other driver, Yi Liu, was committing suicide – she also died in the accident.
“She never had an easy life since she was divorced and she was taking care of three kids,” said her brother Tony Vargas in a statement at the U-T. “I have no words.”
Vargas was a newspaper delivery person for the San Diego Union-Tribune. She held two jobs and worked 16 hours a day to make ends meet for her children ages 5, 8 and 17.
Her family is coping to understand recent events that led to Vargas’ death including medical examiner reports that say Liu was likely suicidal when the accident occurred.
“I know that at some point her family didn’t have anything to do with it,” Tony Vargas said. “At the end, they’re responsible all the way because they had to be taking care of somebody like that.”
A memorial fund has been established to take care of the three children Vargas leaves behind. If you would like to make a donation, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports the following information where donations can be sent.
California Coast Credit Union
PO Box 502080
San Diego, CA 92150-2080
Account # 914826
Checks should be made payable to ‘Rick Conahan’ – memo: Guadalupe Fund
HEAD ON COLLISIONS: WHAT DO STATISTICS TELL US?
We know that head-on collisions are one of the worst types of car accidents due to the high risk of personal injury or death. Traffic statistics tell us that head-on crashes account for 2 percent of all collisions in the United States (2005).
While traffic signs and warnings work to deter wrong way traffic accidents, it goes without saying that wrong way collisions nonetheless occur, whether by mistake, intention, or drinking and driving. When an accident does occur, the stakes are high, leading to a great degree of injuries and often fatalities.
WRONG WAY DRIVING INJURY
If you’ve been injured in a car accident by a wrong way driver, or if your family is coping with a wrongful death arising out of a wrong way driving accident, you may be entitled to legal rights and benefits. For more information on your case and to find out how the law can help you, call us for a FREE consultation at 1-800-655-6585.
For more info on our firm and the lawyers that can help you, click on our About Us page.
About Michael PinesMichael 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.
Stop-and-go traffic can be, at times, maddening. Just when you think you’re home free with a stretch of moving vehicles, you come to a halt moments later. This type of maneuvering is not only annoying, but it can prove to be very dangerous especially on highways and freeways throughout San Diego.
On Friday, several drivers were involved in a major chain reaction accident on I-15 South in Escondido due to a rear-end car accident. Reports say a flatbed truck careened into a vehicle ahead, causing it to burst into flames.
According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the truck was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting a Chevrolet Malibu ahead. Reports say the Malibu crumpled underneath the front of the truck, causing the entire car accident to erupt into flames. The individual in the Malibu sustained serious injury and was transported to University of California San Diego Medical Center for treatment.
His condition has not been updated since the incident occurred last Friday, but according to the news source, the individual was trapped in the vehicle during the fire, so he was likely treated for major burn injury.
Two other cars, a Toyota Solara and a Pontiac, were also involved in the collision, although details of how they became ensnarled are currently unclear. The drivers were both treated for minor to moderate injuries, authorities said.
Facebookers took to internet to voice their concern over the driver’s following distance.
“Absolutely avoidable!” commented one user. “I’m a truck driver and had this driver kept a safe following distance, he could’ve stopped before hitting the car in front [of] him. I pray all are ok.”
The 3 second rule
The 3 second rule is a term used to describe the physical distance between you and the vehicle ahead. It’s the “3 seconds” of time you have to react. It works like this:
- Locate a stationary object such as a light post or overpass.
- As the vehicle ahead of you passes the stationary object, begin counting.
- When you reach “3 seconds,” your vehicle should be just approaching the stationary object.
If you find that your vehicle has already passed up the stationary object, it’s time to slow down.
When we take our time on San Diego roadways, we help everyone, including ourselves, to avoid a car accident. When you head out to work tomorrow, give yourself the ample time you need to make it safely and accident-free.
About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC
Michael is a personal injury attorney with over 20 years of experience in car accidents. If you have been injured in an accident, call us at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation. You owe nothing until our firm wins your case.
About Michael PinesMichael 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.
A caution to drivers on the 5: please use your headlights, drive slowly, and use the three second rule to reduce your risk of getting into an accident. The timely advice follows on the heels of a recent collision in Oceanside that claimed the life of a 35-year-old man after he careened off Interstate 5 in a tragic car accident last Sunday.
Authorities say the man, whose name has not been released, was found at the bottom of an embankment, 200 feet below the freeway, just outside of his vehicle. The California Highway Patrol is reporting the man’s 2008 Honda Civic overturned several times, eventually ejecting the man from the vehicle. Crews were still searching for him 29 hours later until the body was discovered around 7:40 am on Monday.
“Due to the visibility and the lighting, they didn’t see anything that night,” California Highway Patrol Officer Jake Sanchez said. “Multiple officers and multiple agencies were out there looking for the vehicle and did not locate anything. They searched down the embankment as best they could.”
Freeway safety on the I-5
Here on the West Coast, no other freeway is as arguably diverse as the 5. Interstate 5 spans the entire coast from San Diego to Crescent City, and well beyond into Oregon and Washington. As it hugs our western coastline, the freeway can range from beautiful ocean views in San Clemente to flat farm land in Fresno to extremely narrow and winding roadways in Grants Pass.
Depending where you are on the 5, your ride can vary dramatically. And that’s why it’s never been more important to be aware of your surroundings at all times, and resist the temptation to drive on mental auto-pilot.
Worst areas on the 5 in Southern California
If you travel the 5 often, you already know that it can be a risky ride depending where you are in the area. Here are the areas of the 5 considered most hazardous in the greater Southern California area.
I-5 at San Onofre Beach
Beautiful views are certainly captivating, but be aware of this area because embankments can prove to be very dangerous should you accidentally careen off the road or lose control of your vehicle.
Grapevine
Famous for its perpetual incline, the 5 at Grapevine is known to exhaust engines and burn out radiators. This area is dangerous because if your car does fail, your chances of getting hit on the side of the road increase throughout this hazardous area. Please be careful and call your insurance company for help if you get stuck.
Rush hour at the 805 and 5 interchange going south to Pacific Beach
Bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 5 at the 805 interchange going towards Pacific Beach is the usual on any given weekday at rush hour. Rear end accidents are common along this route, so it’s important to use the 3 second rule and pay attention to the road ahead.
When accidents occur
No matter where you are in our state, and no matter which roads you peruse, it’s critically important to focus on the road ahead and put all else aside. If you have been involved in an accident on the I-5, and have sustained an injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Call the Law Offices of Michael Pines at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation and legal review of your case.
About Michael PinesMichael 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.
There’s no doubt that driving in traffic can cause a significant amount of stress, especially in the early morning hours. And when sleepiness is present, focus can often dwindle, leaving the driver groggy and therefore more likely to make costly traffic accidents.
Six drivers are recuperating from an early morning crash last Wednesday on Interstate 15 after what many are calling one of the worst morning traffic snarls of this year. According to authorities, the multi-car accident occurred in the City Heights area near state Route 94 connector ramp at about 5:30 a.m. – a time of day notorious for poor visibility and early morning marine layers.
Reports at San Diego 6 say that paramedics were called on scene, although the extent of injuries as a result of the car accident is unknown.
Just a half hour after the accident, the traffic lanes of I-15 were entirely closed at the busy 805 split, causing a nightmarish traffic jam that took hours to untangle. Drivers were diverted onto El Cajon Boulevard, causing massive street blockage as well.
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported as a result of the pileup.
How can you defend yourself and reduce your risk of accidents such as these? Consider the following safety tips next time you find yourself behind the wheel at an early hour.
Tips for early morning commuters
- Use your headlights
Early morning commutes are often the most susceptible to traffic jams and pileups for that matter due in part to the reduced visibility. Be sure to use your headlights during the early morning driving hours to help bring attention to your vehicle and illuminate the road ahead.
- Don’t tailgate
It’s never been more important to use the “3 second rule” when driving, especially in poor visibility and in potentially compromising situations like an early morning commute. Simply located a stationary object ahead and as the car in front of you passes, count. By the time you reach three, your vehicle should pass the stationary object. In inclement weather, or in otherwise dangerous road conditions such as traffic, increase the distance by 5 to 10 seconds.
- Rest, rest, rest
It goes without saying: the more you are rested, the better you will perform behind the wheel. If you’re anticipating an early morning commute, go to bed an hour early to make up for the early rise. Try not to depend on caffeinated drinks too much – there’s little replacement for a good night’s rest.
Pain or injury after a multi-car accident
If you have been involved in a multi-car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To review the details of your personal injury case, call the Law Offices of Michael Pines at 1-800-655-6585 for a free consultation.
About Michael PinesMichael 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.
Thank you for all your help