Oklahoma Personal Injury Legal Blog
Young Motorcyclist Suffers Burn Injuries in Oklahoma Crash
A 17-year-old Midwest City High School senior was injured in a recent Oklahoma car accident when his 1997 motorcycle collided with a Chevy Impala and caught fire. According to a KOCO news report, the motorcycle crash occurred on northeast 10th Street near Lee Avenue in Midwest City. Officials say the motorcycle struck the front passenger door of the car before bursting into flames. The high-school student was knocked unconscious and severely burned. He has been listed in extremely critical condition and has sustained third-degree burns on 50 percent of his body. Officials are looking into whether the driver made an improper left turn before the crash.
It is common for motorcycle accidents to result from a failure to yield the right-of-way. Drivers who are distracted, speeding, or otherwise negligent often miss an approaching motorcycle. It is crucial that motorists obey the law by remaining focused and by yielding the right-of-way.
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Tulsa Distracted Driving Car Accident Causes Injuries
Two people were injured in a Tulsa car accident, which officials say, may have involved a distracted driver. According to a News On 6 report, the injury accident occurred near 21st and Skelly in Tulsa. Officials say the female driver of an SUV was searching for something in her backseat when she rear-ended a truck that was stopped at a red light. Both drivers were taken to a nearby hospital. It is not clear if the woman responsible for the crash will face charges for the collision.
Distracted driving is more than just making a call or sending a text while driving. There are many ways in which a driver can lose focus. If you take your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, or your mind off the task at hand, you are driving while distracted. Drivers who are talking to passengers, reaching to change the CD, or operating an electronic navigation system, for example, are putting themselves and others in harm’s way.
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Keeping Children Safe This Halloween in Oklahoma
It is important to constantly remind children how to behave safely when trick-or-treating. Safekids.org recommends “repeated and consistent” messaging to instruct children about safety. Your reminders should include advice on how to cross the street. It is important to encourage safe pedestrian habits because it can be difficult to see small children who are dressed in dark costumes at night.
Children should also cross the road at intersections or crosswalks. They should also only cross after looking both ways and back again. Children younger than 12 years old should have adult supervision as they cross the street. All pedestrians should remain on the sidewalk or areas designated for pedestrians.
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Injuries Suffered in Oklahoma City School Bus Accident
At least one person was injured in an Oklahoma City car accident involving a collision between a school bus containing 10 children and a car. According to a KOCO news report, the school bus accident occurred near Southeast 15th Street and Choctaw Road in Oklahoma City. Officials say the school bus was about to turn left when a car rear-ended it. None of the children were injured, but the driver of the car was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It is not clear if the bus was using a signal or why the collision occurred.
According to accident statistics gathered by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,564 people were killed in school transportation-related crashes between the years 1998 and 2008. Most of the people who lost their lives in those crashes (72 percent) were occupants of other vehicles involved. That does not mean, however, that passengers on school buses cannot or did not suffer fatal injuries. There were 96 crashes over a 10-year period that resulted in the death of at least one school transportation occupant.
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Pedestrian Injured in Oklahoma City Hit-and-Run Crash
A pedestrian was injured in an Oklahoma City car accident involving a suspected drunk driver who left the scene of the crash. According to a News9 report, the pedestrian accident occurred near N.W. 20th Street and Council Road in Oklahoma City. Officials say a 29-year-old woman was under the influence of alcohol when she struck the pedestrian and drove away. The victim has been listed in critical condition. The driver was tracked down by the authorities and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) with great bodily injury and leaving the scene of an injury accident.
Under Oklahoma Law, drivers are required to give information and offer assistance following an injury accident. According to Oklahoma Statute 47-10-104: “The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall … exchange information and render aid to the victim.”
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Toyota Recalls Millions of Vehicles for Fire Risk
Toyota Motor Corporation has announced a global auto recall of 7.43 million vehicles because of a potential fire hazard. According to a CNN Money report, the driver’s side power window switches on some models were defectively assembled. Officials say the auto recall affects approximately 2.5 million vehicles in the United States. Vehicles included in this defective part recall include some Corolla, Camry, Highlander, Matrix, Tundra, RAV4, and Yaris models. Owners of the potentially dangerous vehicles will be notified by mail later this month.
There have been a number of recent Toyota recalls that resulted from defective design and manufacturing defects. One recent recall involved mistakes made during the assembly of vehicles. The nuts on the rear suspension of these defective vehicles were not tightened properly. These defects resulted in nine crashes and three minor injuries. To fix the issue, Toyota recalled 760,000 Toyota RAV4s from model year 2010 and 2011 as well as 18,000 Lexus HS 250h’s from the year 2010.
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Determining Fault and Liability in Oklahoma City Car Accidents
A key component of pursuing compensation following an Oklahoma City car accident is to determine who was at fault for the crash. Oklahoma law allows victims of car crashes to recover damages if their responsibility for the crash is 49 percent or less. This is why it is crucial that drivers do not admit fault for the crash or discuss the specifics of the collision with an insurance provider without first talking to a skilled Oklahoma City car accident injury lawyer.
There are many factors that will help determine fault and liability for a crash. In some cases, the at-fault driver will face citations for running a red light, speeding, or violating another traffic law. There are many collisions, however, where determining liability can be much more complicated.
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Three Men Killed in Tulsa Head-On Crash
Three men were killed in a Tulsa fatal car accident involving a head-on collision. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the fatal crash occurred on East 145th Avenue in Rogers County. Officials say a 29-year-old man was attempting to pass a semi-trailer when his car crashed head first into another vehicle. The driver was killed and two passengers from Tulsa, aged 21 and 23, in the other vehicle suffered fatal injuries as well. It is unclear if the driver of the second car was injured, but the driver of the semi-trailer was not hurt in the fatal crash.
Many of the most devastating Oklahoma car accidents involve head-on collisions. Unlike broadside or rear-end collisions, a head-on collision involves the combined speed of both vehicles. To prevent these types of high-impact crashes, Oklahoma Statute 11-311 states that wherever a highway has been divided into two or more roadways, “every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand roadway.”
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Oklahoma Head-On Crash Results in 7 Fatalities
At least seven people were killed in an Oklahoma car accident involving a head-on collision. According to The Associated Press, the fatal crash occurred along Highway 412 near Elmwood in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Officials say a speeding Chevrolet Suburban crossed the centerline and crashed into a van carrying at least seven workers on their way to a Texas meatpacking plant. Both drivers and five passengers in the van were killed. It is unclear what caused the Suburban to cross into oncoming traffic.
Many of the most devastating crashes involve head-on collisions. According to Oklahoma Statute 11-311: “Whenever any highway has been divided into two or more roadways by leaving an intervening space or by a physical barrier or clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand roadway unless directed or permitted to use another roadway by official traffic control devices or peace officers.”
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Fiery Crash in Oklahoma City Causes Injuries
Four people were injured in recent Oklahoma City car crash involving a rear-end collision. According to a news report in The Oklahoman, the injury accident occurred on Interstate 240 at Santa Fe in south Oklahoma City. Officials say a 24-year-old Oklahoma City man crashed his car into the back of a pickup carrying four people. Both vehicles veered out of control and hit barrier walls. The pickup burst into flames when the fuel tank ruptured. The 75-year-old male driver of the pickup suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Two of his female passengers, ages 73 and 50, suffered critical injuries and a fourth occupant was treated and released.
There are a number of questions that investigators have to answer following a rear-end collision. Was the driver of the striking vehicle speeding? Was he or she fatigued, drunk, distracted, or otherwise careless? Did the driver of the vehicle in front make a dangerous lane change, slow down, or come to a sudden stop? The answers to these questions will affect liability issues relating to the car accident.
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