The woman had stopped her car in one of the westbound lanes of 520, near 405.  For some reason, all her lights were off.  She was then rear-ended by a compost truck, which also spun her car around.  The drivers exchanged information, and then the lady got in her car and drove off, going east.  Shortly after that, she was hit by the semi, which was going full-tilt.  Police believe she probably died instantly.

Why she had her lights off, while sitting in a traffic lane, I’ll never know.  When I first read the story, I thought maybe her car had failed completely, and that there was no power.  But that was probably not the case.  The battery alone would have powered the lights.  Besides, after the first accident, she promptly drove off.

One of the worst things you can do at night is douse your lights if your car stalls out on the highway.  People coming up behind you can’t see you, and you are very likely to be rear-ended at a high speed.  Whatever you do, keep some of your lights on!  If you can’t get your car started immediately, get out and away from the car.  Signal a warning to approaching cars.  Call 911.  But leave your lights on and get to a safe spot.

Obviously, something caused this woman to be very confused, first to stop with her lights off, and then to drive away in the wrong direction.  I can’t say for sure that it was alcohol, but, as noted, that’s what the cops suspect.  Alcohol is a factor in many car accident fatalities, especially in Washington State. 

Bizarre things sometimes happen on our streets and highways.  I had a case once where my client rear-ended someone in precisely this type of situation. The other guy’s car had stalled out at midnight on I-405, and he turned off all his lights.  My guy, going highway speed, didn’t see him in time to stop.  That was one of the rare situations where the forward driver was actually at fault for the rear-end accident.  If you’ve been injured in a bizarre accident, or just an ordinary one, contact a personal injury attorney to learn your rights.  Most give a free evaluation, so you have nothing to lose.

Still, there were 1,847 times that bicycles tangled with cars (or the other way around) in the last five years, and ten of those accidents were fatal.  That’s still too high.  No one needs to guess whether it was the car driver or the bicyclist who lost.  As with pedestrians and motorcyclists, in a bike-car accident, the bicycle rider always loses.

So what can bikers do to protect themselves?  The answer is much the same as it is for pedestrians to avoid car accidents.  Things like always making sure drivers can see you, and that you see them.  And using your ears as well as your eyes for safety.  No ear buds, please!  Check out the whole list and adapt it to bicycling.

If you are involved in a bike-car accident, you will need a good injury lawyer.  Most, including me, give a free, no-obligation consultation, so you have nothing to lose but a little time. 

Police say alcohol may have been a factor in these two car accidents.  I wouldn’t be surprised.  Whatever it was, the wrong-way driver was mightily confused, and may yet pay for it with his life.  I hope and pray not.  Whatever our mistakes, even if it was DWI, which I detest, no one should have to pay with his life for causing a car accident.  But as we all know, that is often the end result.

And no, I can’t say that the drivers of the other cars could have done something to stay out of this guy’s way.  Maybe the situation offered them some opportunity of avoiding a car accident, but it sure doesn’t seem like it.

Of course, the wrong-way driver could have avoided these accidents, unless he was having some medical emergency that clouded his ability to think straight.  That’s rare, but it does happen.  But if it was DWI, or simple confusion from night driving that he’s experienced before, or inattention, or talking on a cell phone or other distraction, those are all symptoms of what I call “driving under the influence of stupid,” which definitely leads to car accidents.

Whatever you do, don’t let these rare instances of freakish behavior and out-of-control drivers, cause you to give up on defensive driving.  It is still true that many, possibly most, car accidents can be avoided, even by the innocent party, by treating driving as a full-time job, deserving our full attention.

Of course, I realize a person under the influence can’t control their driving.  That’s just the point.  But they can control whether they get behind the wheel.  And even before that, they make the decision to drink, while still sober, knowing they will probably “have” to drive home or wherever, after they drink.  The first violation of morality and ethics starts in the mind.

Washington State has one of the worst records for drunk driving car accident fatalities.  This needs to stop.  Why should our society tolerate this senseless killing?  Why not follow the recommendations of MADD, discussed in the post just referenced?  I’m encouraged that prosecutors in many Washington State counties are seeking to reduce car accident deaths by asking the legislature for stiffer DUI penalties.  But more needs to be done.  Throwing the book at police officers who drive drunk is a good way to start.

Those who have read some of my other posts know I preach a lot about how driving defensively can keep you out of most car accidents.   So you have to be asking, “Ok, Mr. Smarty-pants lawyer, how could you have avoided this accident?”  The truth of the matter is, except for the woman who apparently got behind the wheel while she was impaired, you couldn’t have avoided this one.  I have to admit, you can do everything right, and sometimes the accident just comes to you.  That’s not a reason to stop driving defensively, of course.  It’s just a fact of life.

You can, however, make sure you have enough insurance to cover you, in case the idiot driver who causes the mayhem is either uninsured, or injures so many people that her insurance is quickly exhausted.  Simply check your policy and make sure you have both PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and UIM (Under-Insured Motorist) coverage.  And not just the low limits, either.  Your PIP should be the 35K limits, and your UIM (along with your liability coverage) should be at least 100K.

If you’re injured in such an accident, or in any accident, give me a call.  I think you’ll find I’m not such a smarty-pants lawyer, after all.  Have a safe drive.

Seeing the pix of the flipped and contorted semi, and the largely flattened car, you have to wonder how everyone escaped with their lives.  Thankfully, though, they did.  Still, it makes you realize how helpless you would be in such a situation.  Cars that tangle with trucks usually come out the losers.  So what can you do to protect yourself from a truck accident?

First of all, keep in mind that big trucks just can’t maneuver as quickly as cars can.  Give them extra space, for turning, for stopping, for getting out of your way and to avoid hitting you. 

Second, the next time you’re stuck behind a semi and want to pass him, think twice.  Would you rather be behind or in front of him if he has to stop suddenly?  For my part, I don’t want to be very close in front of him.  Avoid putting yourself in a situation where you can be the victim of a car-truck accident. 

Third, make sure you’re doing everything you can to drive defensively.  We can avoid most car accidents if we simply treat driving as a full-time job. 

I don’t know just what or who caused this car-truck accident yesterday.  But I do know we can all take steps to increase our odds of avoiding such accidents. 

If you’ve been the victim of a truck accident or a car accident, you need a personal injury attorney here in Washington State who will fight for your rights and help you get the fair compensation you deserve.  Give John Darrow a call for a free, no-obligation consultation.

The Washington State patrol recommended that the drunk driver be charged with vehicular assault.  I certainly hope so.  As I’ve noted before, the man was sober when he decided to drink, knowing that he would probably drive afterward.  The prosecutors of several Washington State counties have called for stiffer sentences on drunk drivers who cause car accidents, and I applaud that.  But I believe even more needs to be done to curb this public menace.  Certainly greater education would be helpful, both of bartenders and of the public in general.  Police agencies around Washington State have instituted a “Home Safe” program that helps educate those who serve alcohol,.  I think it’s a great idea, though it’s not enough.  We should hit this menace with every conceivable weapon we have.  After all, Washington State is among the worst for DUI fatality accidents, so we cannot ignore it.  If you click on that link, you’ll see that MADD has recommended taking other measures that would be fairly easy to implement, including having a tougher child endangerment law, sobriety checkpoints, and no-refusal alcohol emphasis times.  All of these need to be done.

As individuals, we all need to do our part, too.  Most of the time, people don’t drink and then drive without family and/or friends knowing about it.  Please never get behind the wheel when you’re even remotely close to intoxicated.  And don’t ever let a friend drive drunk!  Be a designated driver, call a cab, or whatever it takes.  Certainly refuse to ride with them, even though you have to make other arrangements to get where you’re going.  Even if they don’t have an accident (and odds are they won’t that time, though they probably will eventually), you’ll be sending a powerful message that you don’t accept drinking and driving.

Let’s all do our part in reducing or eliminating the scourge of DWI driving on our streets, roads and highways.  The car accident you avoid may be your own.  And possibly your last.

That part of the picture changed early this week as the driver came forward and surrendered to police.  It was undetermined whether the driver will face criminal charges.  With the narrowness of the road and the possibility that Roger Ballenger may have stumbled and fallen into the path of the car, plus the fact that he came forward, leniency may be granted.

Driving off after a car accident is never right, of course.  And, unfortunately, the driver is never found in most hit & run car accidents.  That leaves a devastated family in worse condition, because they have no further information and no closure.  And no insurance to cover for the losses to the family of the loved one who was killed.

However, if the victim had uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on his or her own policy, it will probably pay.  (You should always include the UM/UIM part of your car insurance policy.)  The family should consult with a Washington State personal injury lawyer.  Most offer a free consultation, with no obligation.  However, since liability in such cases is usually very clear, and the damages much higher than the insurance available, the family should find an attorney who will either work with them on an hourly rate basis or with a much reduced contingent fee.

Then it got even uglier.  The drivers pulled to the side of the road and began arguing.  During the argument, the minivan driver went after the Nissan driver with a small sledgehammer, striking him on the shoulder, according to the State Patrol, which investigated.  The driver of the minivan was arrested and booked into the King County jail.

Now that’s taking a simple accident response way too far, on the part of both of those drivers.  We know that road rage is all too common these days.  But why?  Many, perhaps most, of us have, at one time or another, gotten ticked off at some other driver.  But if we interacted with that same person at a party or in the supermarket, we would be courteous, possibly even friendly.  But take away the personal contact and put us behind the wheel of a 3,000 pound machine, and many of us respond aggressively to pretty slight provocations. 

I don’t know all of the answers to the “Why?” question.  The more important question is, “How can we avoid getting involved and becoming victims of a road rage incident?”  The National Safety Commission has given some good tips.  In summary, those are:

Pay attention to the situation and the drivers around you.  If you see an aggressive driver approaching, get out of his way.  As I’ve said before, “Move over and let him pass.  He’s on his way to a car accident.” 

Treat driving as a full-time job.  Especially stay off cell phones.  This will not only help you not to tick off an aggressive driver, but it will help you avoid car accidents in general.

Keep in the right lane(s) except when passing.  Aggressive drivers usually want to pass everyone, and if you’re camping in the left lane, they get angry at you.  Be courteous and avoid that.

Give other drivers plenty of time to prepare for your actions, by using turn signals and slowing if you’re about to turn.  Few things tick off an aggressive driver more than having to slam on his brakes because you made a sudden, unexpected turn.

Give up your right-of-way, even when it’s clearly yours.  Don’t die maintaining your right-of-way. 

Even when other drivers aren’t courteous, be courteous to them. Don’t let someone else’s rudeness make you a rude driver.

You can read the whole article at http://alerts.nationalsafetycommission.com/2009/05/how-to-avoid-road-rage-incidents.php. 

The incident Tuesday could have become a life-or-death matter.  Maybe it was.  Maybe the blow with the sledgehammer was meant for the guy’s head.  Don’t let yourself become involved in such nonsense.  Driving is not a contest, except on the raceways.  If you find yourself starting to boil, keep in mind the big picture, which includes your life, your family, your friends, your passengers.  None of these is worth sacrificing just to “prove a point.”  You can avoid both car accidents and road rage incidents by keeping the big picture in mind. 

Can a worker seriously injured on the job bring a claim for his injuries?  Yes and no.  Under the Workers Compensation Act, workers cannot sue their employer for injuries on the job.  Because of that, they can’t bring an insurance claim, either.  Except for a workers comp claim, which is basically an insurance policy.  Most people understand that an L&I claim often has problems, with fairly low benefits, and often with the employer fighting to get an injured employee declared well, so they don’t see their premiums go up.  Or, in Boeing’s case, their self-insurance payouts go up.

The trade-off to not being able to make an insurance claim is that the benefits are assured if you are truly injured.  You don’t have to sue your employer and hope for the best.

However, in some cases with on-the-job injuries, the accident was caused by what we call a “third party.”  That is, someone besides your employer, your fellow employees or yourself.  Like a delivery truck driver or a crew constructing a new building for your company.  In third party cases, you have the best of both worlds (in your unfortunate situation).  That is, you can get workers comp benefits, and bring an insurance claim against, and/or sue, the at-fault party.  In such cases, you should contact a personal injury attorney.

As a car accident lawyer, I usually comment on car accidents in Washington State.  But I also handle third party work accidents.  If you’ve been injured on the job and don’t know for sure if it was a third party accident, give me a call anyway.  We’ll figure it out.  And it won’t cost you anything for the consultation.