Redondo Beach California Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

Convertibles are more dangerous in rollover crashes

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

In California, there's a lot to love about driving a convertible. You get to feel that warm summer sun on your face, you get to feel the wind in your hair and you really feel like you are part of this beautiful landscape as you drive through the countryside.

However, this is not without risk. The unfortunate reality is that convertibles offer far less protection if you get involved in a rollover accident. You do not have the benefits of a full protective cage, your head could strike the pavement and you could suffer serious head and brain injuries that you would have avoided in a sedan, a pickup truck or some other type of fully enclosed vehicle.

Woman dies in 3-motorcycle accident

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Three motorcycles were recently involved in a crash in California, and one woman tragically lost her life in the accident. She was riding along as a passenger on one of the bikes.

Per the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a previous accident on Ortega Highway had slowed traffic on the road. The three bikes approached that back-up and were forced to slow down, as well.

How air bags keep people alive

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

An air bag seems simple: When you crash, the bag quickly inflates so that your forward momentum gets arrested by a soft pillow of air instead of the dash, the windshield or the steering wheel.

That is part of how they work. But it actually goes beyond that.

Symptoms of a severe brain injury

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

Take all brain injuries seriously. Let's start there because the following will address the symptoms of a severe TBI, as opposed to a more mild TBI. But that is not to say that you should ignore mild symptoms and not get medical help. All brain injuries can have lasting ramifications and this is never something you want to take lightly.

With that said, here are some of the symptoms of a severe TBI:

Slurring your words
Having a seizure or going into convulsions
Losing consciousness for a substantial amount of time -- anywhere from a couple of minutes to an hour or more
Becoming agitated and restless
Feeling confused and unable to put things together
Experiencing a lack of coordination, which could make it impossible to walk
Experiencing tingling and/or numbness in your limbs
Not waking up after you go to sleep
Having a headache that just continues to get worse or will not stop
Vomiting or feeling like you're about to
Having one pupil that is larger than the other or two pupils that are both enlarged

Driving faster does increase your risks of injury or death

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

People often think that they're skilled enough to drive faster without actually increasing the risks that they face. That's why so many people break the speed limit. They don't see it as gambling with their lives as they try to get to their destinations more quickly.

However, studies have found that's exactly what they're doing. For instance, experts looked at the potential impact of raising speed limits, and they found that doing so could lead to more serious injuries and fatalities on the road. The link, they felt, was unmistakable.

Here's how drivers can protect pedestrians

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

Drivers absolutely need to understand the risks that pedestrians face, and they need to take proper steps to protect them when they drive. A simple accident can lead to life-changing injuries for the pedestrian, or it can be deadly. A few simple steps may prevent it. They are:

1. Understand that pedestrians always have the right of way in the crosswalk. Some are marked. Some are not. Always respect them, regardless.

Children and school bus safety

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

If you ask school officials about the safety of the bus system, they'll probably tell you all about the safety features on modern buses, the advantage that they get from their sheer size and weight during an accident and the rigorous hiring process for new drivers. That's all good, but what about before the children get on the bus or after they get off? How safe are they at these critical points?

It's important for parents to talk to children to tell them how to stay safe near the bus and near the road. For instance, if they see their friends waiting for them on the bus, they'll feel excited, but they should never sprint across the road to get to the bus faster. They need to take their time, look both ways and only cross when it is safe. Better yet, they should wait to get picked up at a place where they won't have to cross the street at all.

Motorcycle officer airlifted after crash in California

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

A motorcycle officer with the California Highway Patrol got into an accident that left his bike smashed and lying on the interstate. His injuries were so bad that, even though an ambulance showed up at the crash site, the emergency crews had to call in a helicopter. They landed it right on the highway and airlifted the officer from the scene.

The good news is that his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, and he should recover in time.

Motorcyclist killed after colliding with turning SUV

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Monday, March 25, 2019.

Turning vehicles are one of the biggest hazards that motorcyclists face on California's roads. Any time that two vehicles share the same lane -- at intersections, for instance, or when one vehicle is simply turning left across the other lane -- there's a serious risk of a crash. That's more serious for a motorcycle rider with his or her limited protection.

That danger was made very clear by a recent fatal motorcycle crash in California. It happened in La Jolla, though the motorcycle rider was later identified as a man from San Diego.

Man arrested after shooting and deadly car accident

On behalf of Law Offices of Fred D. Crawford, IV posted in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

A California man is in police custody after he was involved in a shooting, a car chase and a deadly accident recently. The man was on parole, but he was being pursued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. United States Marshals were also involved. It's not clear why he was considered to be at large.

They found out that the man was at a Motel 6 in east Bakersfield and attempted to arrest him around 4:00 p.m. on March 5. They were unsuccessful. The officers exchanged fire with the man, and he then fled from them. It appears there were multiple people in the man's car, but that hasn't been confirmed.

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