Auto Accident
Oklahoma City High-Speed Car Crash Causes Critical Injuries
One person remains in critical condition after being ejected during an Oklahoma traffic accident, which officials say, may have been caused by drag racing. According to a News9 report, the high-speed crash occurred on South Western in Oklahoma City. Officials say three cars may have been racing at the time of the accident. The person who was ejected is not expected to survive. It is unclear if anyone else has been hurt or if any of the drivers will be cited for the collision.
Street racing is a serious problem that often has devastating consequences. Motorists who are exceeding the speed limit on city streets can easily lose control of their vehicles or fail to avoid a collision with a slower moving vehicle. When you are racing, the slightest distraction can cause you to break focus, lose control, and fail to avoid obstacles in your path.
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Oklahoma Woman Killed in Creek Car Crash
On the afternoon of January 3, a 40-year-old woman of Colony, Oklahoma was killed in an accident in which her 1994 Dodge Dakota Pickup crashed into a creek bed, according to a report by KJRH.
Police say she was driving at high speeds when her Dodge inexplicably departed from the north side of the road and went into a bridge’s delineator. The vehicle flew 75 feet into the air and struck the side of a creek embankment. It then rolled once before stopping in the creek bed.
The woman was last seen alive at a business the day before the incident.
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Bicyclist Hospitalized after Crash with Oklahoma City Police Cruiser
A 30-year-old man was injured in a car accident in Oklahoma City involving a police cruiser. According to a news report on KFOR.com, the injury collision occurred near N.E. 27th and Martin Luther King Boulevard. Officials are still trying to determine who struck whom. Based on preliminary reports, officials say the bicyclist was driving his bike in the middle of the street without any lights on after dark, which is a violation of the law. Police also said that the officer who was driving the cruiser was not distracted, speeding or responding to an emergency. The investigation is still ongoing.
Oklahoma law states that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other motorists. Under Oklahoma law, it is also required for bicyclists to ride with a front and back light at night. When a bicyclist has been injured in a collision with another vehicle, a number of questions must be asked:
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Rollover Crash in Wagoner County Proves Fatal
Officials say a man was killed and a 12-year-old child was seriously injured in a rollover crash in Wagoner County. News on 6 reports that the fatal accident occurred on 71st Street, east of Broken Arrow. Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials say the Chevy Astro van driven by a man was traveling westbound on 71st Street when the vehicle left the roadway and overturned. The 43-year-old man was partially ejected and died from his injuries. The 12-year-old boy, believed to be the driver’s son, was hospitalized with a head injury in critical condition. Officials are still looking into whether the occupants were belted and if speed was a factor. The investigation is ongoing.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), vehicles roll over in less than 3 percent of all crashes, but these crashes account for more than a third of vehicle occupant fatalities. According to the institute, electronic stability control makes a vehicle less likely to roll over by preventing sideways skidding and loss of control that can lead to rollovers.
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Oklahoma City Police Officer Suffers Brain Injury in Crash
An Oklahoma City police officer, who is also a successful UFC featherweight fighter, suffered severe brain injuries in a Pottawatomie County car crash. According to a News9 report, the car crash occurred near Shawnee. Officials say he was off duty and waiting at a red light when another vehicle crashed into the back of his vehicle. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and underwent brain surgery the next night. A September 18 report in MMAFighting.com states that he is now off sedation medication and responding to verbal cues.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are tragically common in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 1.7 million TBIs occur each year nationwide. TBIs are a contributing factor in nearly a third of all injury- related deaths. In the year 2006, there were 3,416 traumatic brain injury hospitalizations and 883 TBI-related fatalities in Oklahoma.
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Woman Injured After Falling Asleep at the Wheel
A woman was injured in a Pawnee County car crash after allegedly falling asleep at the wheel. According to a News9 report, the accident occurred on US 64 south of Cleveland, Oklahoma. Officials say the 28-year-old driver fell asleep while driving her 1993 Honda. Her car ran off the roadway, struck the guardrail, rolled and flipped. She suffered multiple internal and external injuries including trauma to her head, trunk, arm and leg. The authorities stated that she was sleepy in their official report.
This Oklahoma auto accident is an important reminder about the dangers of fatigued driving. These types of accidents are tragically common, and they often result in serious or fatal injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 100,000 police-reported accidents each year in the United States that are directly attributed to driver fatigue. These crashes result in about 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries annually.
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Driver Injured in Oklahoma City Hit-and-Run Accident
A driver was injured in an Oklahoma car accident involving a vehicle that failed to remain at the scene of the crash. According to a News9 report, the hit-and-run accident occurred near Britton Road and Shartel Avenue in northwest Oklahoma City. Officials say the hit-and-run driver crashed head-on into the victim’s vehicle. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with unknown injuries after being freed by the Jaws of Life. Officials believe that alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash. The driver has not been found.
Drivers, who are involved in an accident that resulted in a physical injury or property damage, are required to remain at the crash site, offer assistance, and notify the authorities. Oklahoma Statute 47-10-102 specifically deals with accidents that resulted in a nonfatal injury. The law states: “The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in a nonfatal injury to any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident.”
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Tulsa Rollover Accident Causes Critical Injuries
Two men sustained life-threatening injuries in a Tulsa car accident involving a vehicle rollover. According to a News9 report, the rollover crash occurred on Second Street near Lansing Avenue in Tulsa. Officials say the driver of a Honda was traveling at a high rate of speed when he failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle veered off the roadway, struck railroad tracks, and rolled over. One of the vehicle’s occupants was ejected while the other was trapped inside. The man who was ejected did not have a pulse, but was revived by CPR. The man inside the vehicle appears to have suffered severe internal injuries. Officials believe that neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt. Investigators are still determining the cause of the rollover, but state that alcohol may have been a contributing factor.
There are two types of rollover crashes: tripped and untripped. A tripped rollover accident is when a vehicle rolls after striking an external object such as a curb, railroad track, or other vehicle. An untripped rollover is when a vehicle overturns because of the steering of the driver, the speed of the vehicle, or from friction with the ground.
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Five Tips to Handle Insurance Companies after a Car Accident
It is a common misconception that insurance companies act in the best interests of their clients. In reality, insurance companies are highly profitable corporations that protect their bottom line by denying valid claims and offering inadequate settlements to deserving claimants. If you have been injured in an Oklahoma car accident, insurance adjusters will likely utilize a number of tactics to deny or reduce the value of your claim.
Here are five tips to help you handle insurance companies and protect your best interests:
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Taxi Driver and Passenger Injured in Oklahoma City Head-On Collision
A taxi driver is fighting for his life after a wrong way driver struck his vehicle head-on, News9 reports. Officials say the head-on collision occurred on Interstate 235 near Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City. According to police, a 29-year-old man was driving a white van north in the southbound lanes of traffic when it crashed into the Yellow Cab taxi.
The 37-year-old taxi driver has been listed in critical condition. The backseat passenger in the taxi was extremely sore and suffered a number of cuts and bruises. The driver of the van was hospitalized with unknown injuries. It is unclear why he was traveling the wrong way or if alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.
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