Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

Texting Law Goes Into Effect In Colorado

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:33:00 GMT

New laws involving cell phone use while driving go into effect in Colorado tomorrow banning texting for all drivers and cell phone use for drivers under 18.

The new law will make it a primary traffic offense, which gives law enforcement the authority to cite any driver seen texting while driving. And it’s illegal for 16 and 17-year-olds to use a cell phone – even with a speakerphone or headset - while behind the wheel.

For an initial offense, drivers can be fined $50. Repeat offenders will be fined $100.

Unlike some new laws that allow for a grace period to help educate drivers about the new law before citations are issued – officers with Fort Collins police and the Colorado State Patrol will be handing out citations immediately upon the law taking effect, according to spokespersons from each agency.

The legislation was introduced after 9-year-old Erica Forney was hit and fatally injured Nov. 25, 2008, by a woman who police said had just finished talking on a cell phone.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Bicycle-Car Collision in Windsor Leaves Cyclist Critically Injured

Margaret Embry — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:50:18 GMT

According to The Coloradoan, on July 14th an 18-year old Windsor man struck a 53-year old bicyclist on Crossroads Boulevard, leaving the cyclist in critical condition. The driver has since been cited for careless driving causing serious bodily injury.

Both the driver and cyclist were heading west on the shoulder when the accident occured. It is unclear why the driver was riding on the shoulder. The driver struck the bike and the cyclist was thrown onto the hood of the car, leaving him unconscious and not breathing. The driver and another cyclist performed CPR and by the time the ambulance arrived, the cyclist had a pulse.

This accident is a reminder of the importance of bicycle safety and cars and bicycles sharing the road safely. Sonoma County Transit has a website describing the ten most common bicycle-car collision types and discusses how cyclists and drivers can avoid them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Fort Collins Man Killed In Rollver Accident

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 03 May 2009 02:43:00 GMT

A Fort Collins man, 20, was killed in a single-vehicle rollover accident on early Friday when he was thrown from his vehicle, according to authorities.

The accident happened just after 1:00 a.m. in the 2600 block of Prospect Road, authorities say.

He was driving eastbound in his 1995 Infiniti on Prospect when his vehicle struck the median and traveled along the median for several yard before striking a light pole, said police officer Scott Crumbaker.

Police believe he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Maxwell Dinkel, formerly of Aurora, was working part time and was enrolled in college courses in anticipation of going to Colorado State University full time, his uncle Gary said.

"He was getting his life together," Malpiede said. "That's what makes it doubly sad."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Man Struck And Killed In Pedestrian Accident

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:54:00 GMT

A 31-year-old man was struck and killed in a car accident on Friday night; police are now trying to piece together why.

The accident occurred at 9:15 p.m. at the intersection of Hancock Expressway and Delta Drive.

According to witnesses, the driver of a Jeep Cherokee was traveling eastbound on the Hancock Express. The driver was apparently not speeding and had the green light at the time of the accident.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, he was alive. He was transported to Memorial Hospital with serious injuries where he died hours later.

The names of the driver and victim have been withheld while officials continue to investigate the cause of the crash.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

We’ve all done it…driving while distracted.

Kyle Bachus — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:49:10 GMT

Cell phones, babies crying, eating, drinking, gawking at the accident on the other side of the highway, putting on make up, shaving, changing the radio station or CD, a gabby passenger, reaching for something that slipped off the seat, lighting a cigarette and even reading! We’ve all engaged in some sort of distracting activity while driving.

It only takes a split second for a crash to occur and when you’re not paying attention that split second of distraction can be catastrophic.

A study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that every driver is driving while distracted some of the time. The study also indicates that distractions are an every day occurrence for the drivers in the study.

Consider this breakdown of the most common distracting activities while driving.

% of Subjects % of Total Time

Reaching, leaning, etc	97.1	3.8
Manipulating music/audio controls	91.4	1.4
Eating, drinking, etc.	71.4	4.6
Conversing	77.1	15.3
Grooming	45.7	0.3
Passenger	44.4	0.9
Reading or writing	40.0	0.7
Using cell phone	30.0	1.3
Smoking	7.1	1.6

Most drivers don’t even realize that they engage in these distractions, it’s just a part of driving. But these distracting activities contribute to about twenty-five percent of all traffic crashes or 1.2 million incidents.

So, let’s try to pay attention the next time we’re behind the wheel…you never know if the driver in the next lane is distracted until it’s too late.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Kyle Bachus

Deer-related Car Accident in Nebraska Kills Two Children

Staff Writer — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:35:32 GMT

On Sunday night, January 27th, 14-year-old Michael Betts and 4-year-old Cora Betts were killed after the driver of their minivan, 37-year-old Michael Betts Jr., lost control of the car after trying to avoid hitting several deer that ran across the road.

The accident happened on Interstate 80 in Odessa, Nebraska. The driver tried to avoid hitting the deer, however ended up hitting one and the minivan was hit from behind by a truck pulling a car trailer. As a result, the minivan rolled and ended in a ditch.

The two children were killed and four other family members in the minivan were taken to a local hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. The driver of the truck was uninjured.

According to the State Patrol, everyone appeared to be wearing seatbelts.

Only 2% of deer-car collisions result in human fatalities while around 85% of deer-motorcycle collisions involve human fatalities. According to wildlife statistics, almost half of all wildlife-related car accidents are a result of the driver swerving to avoid an animal crossing the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Truck Accident Results in Fatality in Northern Colorado(2)

Staff Writer — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:14:47 GMT

On Monday night, January 14th, the driver of a pickup truck was killed after a crash and the pickup erupted in flames.

The pickup truck hit a cement truck at the intersection of Weld County Road 49 and Weld County Road 44 near Greeley. A police officer in the area tried to put out the flames with an extinguisher, however the pickup was burning too fast for him to get the driver out in time. The driver of the cement truck was taken to the hospital for chest pains.

The Colorado State Patrol is still trying to figure out who was at fault and if speed played a part in the fatal accident.

According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Motor Carrier Management Information System, there were 4,732 large trucks involved in fatal crashes and 4,995 fatalities in crashes involving large trucks nationwide. In Colorado, there were 73 trucks involved in fatal crashes, with 67 fatalities.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Semi-Truck Broadsides Car, Killing Woman

Christina Cole — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:43:19 GMT

A woman, 72, lost her life after a semi-truck broadsided her car at a city intersection.

Fort Collins Police said, the car accident happened at the intersection of Carpenter Road and South Lemay Avenue.

The semi-truck driver, 24, was traveling westbound on Carpenter Road when the semi broadsided the Nissan, said police. The Nissan was heading southbound on Lemay Avenue.

The intersection is controlled by a four-way stop sign, authorities said.

The woman was transported to a Medical Center in the Rockies where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the semi-truck was not injured in the accident. Neither names have been released.

The crash is still being investigated.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole

Parents of Teen Killed by Drunk Driver, want to Change Drunk Driving Laws

Christina Cole — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:25:33 GMT

Friends and family gathered to remember two students killed by a suspected drunk driver. Jacob and his girlfriend, Jennifer, were killed last Thursday after another vehicle crashed into the back of their Saturn on the Interstate.

Jacob's parents announced at the service that they are now activists against drunk driving. They are planning to change the laws in Colorado about drunk driving.

Although Jen and Jack can't be brought back, the parents intend to fight for a stronger legislation. " They hope to change the DUI process and address high speed chases in Colorado.

Patrick Strawmatt, a former Lafayette police officer, is accused of killing the two teens. Police say he was driving drunk and speeding from police, going at 120 mph, when the crash occurred. Strawmatt was out of jail on a $15,000 bond at the time of the accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole