Photo courtesy of the Lakewood Police Department

Ford Truck Accident

A truck ran a red light, was hit by a car, then flipped and landed on a second car.  What a day for this reckless driver and the drivers he impacted!

Lakewood police say that no serious injuries occurred in the crash that took place at the intersection of Gravelly Lake Drive and Mt Tacoma Drive on Tuesday afternoon.

The Ford pick-up truck was T-boned by a car passing through on a green light after the Ford flew through his own red light. The impact from the broadside collision flipped the truck over and caused it to land on top of another vehicle, a Kia Soul.

Police are still investigating the wreck and whether this was a case of distracted driving or not.   https://komonews.com/news/local/truck-flips-lands-on-car-in-lakewood 

Running a Red Light

If a vehicle enters an intersection any time after the signal light turns red, the driver has committed a violation. This is in distinct contrast to motorists who are inadvertently in an intersection when the signal changes, waiting to turn left when the light turns red.  In locations where a right turn on red is permitted, drivers who fail to come to a complete stop before turning may be considered red light runners. Violations also include people turning right on red at intersections where doing so is prohibited.

Hundreds of people die and tens of thousands are injured every year because of red light runners. In 2015, 771 people were killed and an additional 137,000+ were injured in crashes that involved someone running a red light. Unfortunately, this reckless driving behavior is totally preventable and hurts far too many innocent people, with over half of those killed by the red light racers being pedestrians, bicyclists and people in other vehicles.  https://iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/red-light-running/qanda

For more information on the effects and consequences of Red-Light Running, check out: https://atsol.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ATS-RLR-Dangers-Cutsheet-2017.pdf

Distracted Driving Dangers

In a report by the National Coalition for Safer Roads, and raising awareness for this specific traffic safety issue, there were some highlights as to when red light runners were at their worst:

  • Memorial Day weekend was the highest ranked holiday travel period, with 39,021 red-light running violations in 2013
  • Halloween had the lowest number of red-light running violations in 2013, with 28,902 total
  • Friday proved to be the worst day for intersection safety in 2013 — safety cameras caught 570,151 total red-light running violations — while Sunday saw the fewest violations, with 439,323 total
  • Drivers most frequently ran red lights in the afternoon, with 30.07 percent (1,070,572) of all red-light running violations in 2013 occurring from 1 p.m.– 5 p.m.  https://ncsrsafety.org/ncsr-releases-second-safer-roads-report-examining-trends-in-red-light-running/ 

Recognizing Distracted Behaviors

Some of the reasons for distracted driving comes in three forms: cognitive, visual, and manual. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), cognitive distractions are when a driver’s mind isn’t focused on driving. Visual distractions occur when the driver looks at anything but the road ahead. Manual distractions occur when the driver takes one or both hands off the wheel.

If you see yourself in any of these situations or unable to concentrate on the task at hand, do not get behind the wheel or drive. Distracted driving can be just as devastating as drunk driving. Safety is a choice and everyone deserves to arrive alive.

Our Accident Lawyers and Personal Injury Lawyers Are Here to Help

Personal injury attorneys concentrate their practice to specific areas of the law. At Fielding Law Group, we help those who’ve suffered personal injuries and loss, primarily from motor vehicle accidents. By concentrating our skills and effort, our legal team does an amazing job at getting the compensation and restitution our clients deserve.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident caused by possible negligence or a distracted driver, call Fielding Law Group today for a free consultation with a member of our legal team. Our auto accident professionals know the antagonistic tactics and runaround strategies insurance companies use to get victim’s to settle quickly. Fielding Law Group will work hard to get you the compensation and settlement you deserve so you can recover and get on with your life. Remember–Don’t let an accident wreck YOU!

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