Two People Injured after Two-Vehicle Accident Involving an Overturned Car

Many accidents happen along intersections because drivers fail to notice approaching vehicles. If an accident does happen, it often causes both property and physical damage to the people involved.

True enough, another vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of Orangewood Avenue and Magnolia Street left two people suffering from injuries.

A blue Toyota Corolla reportedly collided with a silver Chrysler 300. It then overturned, crashing into a gutter of Orangewood’s westbound side.

The Chrysler stooped about 50 feet down the street.

According to authorities, the two people suffering from moderate and minor injuries were brought to a hospital.

The initial report revealed that a child was extracted from the overturned vehicle and another person was trapped inside. The child was unharmed in the accident.

Drivers should be extremely careful when passing an intersection where vehicles may approach them from different directions. Doing this can prevent accidents from happening, thus avoiding injuries and property damages.

Fiery Crash Caused by Big Rig; Blocked Traffic

A crash on I-5 blocked the traffic for several hours as authorities extinguish the big rig that had caught fire after it collided on a center divider in Burbank.

According to reports, the incident involved at least five other vehicles and one motorist was trapped for a short period of time as another sustained minor injuries.

If the big rig driver is found guilty of negligence, he is likely to be held accountable for the compensatory damages that victims of the accident must receive.

In case the fire accident could have been partly caused by the rig’s defects, victims can sue the product manufacturer as well so as to claim compensation for their damages.

Two Pilots Suspended when Plane Overshoots Airport

Pilots are required to exert extra care in doing their job because lives may be taken if their negligence caused the vehicle to crash. When planes are already moving in the air, even sudden simple mistakes can cause the vehicle to smash onto the water or ground.

Federal officials are investigating an incident involving a Northwest Airlines jet that overshot the Minneapolis airport by about 150 miles before its crew members realized their error and went back.

Authorities are trying to find out if pilot fatigue was the cause of the accident.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the jet landed safely and none of the crew or the passengers was injured. Northwest’s parent, Delta Airlines Inc. reported that the plane was carrying five crew members and 144 passengers.

NTSB stated that Northwest flight 188, which is an Airbus A320, was traveling from San Diego to Minneapolis. The plane failed to maintain radio communication with controllers when it was at about 37,000 feet. It flew over the airport and overshot it by about 150 miles before contact was re-established.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane’s crew informed authorities that they were distracted during a heated discussion regarding airline policy and lost track of their location.

However, NTSB stated that they agency will assess if fatigue played a part in what happened.

Delta also announced that the two pilots involved were suspended from flying while an internal investigation is ongoing.

Luckily no one died in the accident even though the pilots overshot the airport. The law should impose harsher punishments regarding these accidents so that public vehicle operators will never forget that is their duty to secure the safety of their passengers.

Car Crashes into a Home in Simi Valley, Injures Mother and Narrowly Misses Baby

A nine-week old baby narrowly missed injury and death while her mom broke her leg after a car plowed through their house in Simi Valley.

According to reports, the car crashed, rolled over and slid into the house.

The mother and child were brought to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

The cause of the crash was not clear but the police ruled out alcohol and drugs as factors for the car accident.

Obviously, the mother can file a personal injury and property damage lawsuit against the driver of the car.

Unless there are other contributory factors in the accident (like another car, a road defect or debris, or a car defect) the driver will most likely be found liable for the injuries.

It does not matter if the driver did not mean to crash into the house; personal injury and property damage lawsuits are not criminal charges but civil lawsuits.

The main point is that if proven that he caused a car accident that caused injury and damages; he and his insurance company should compensate the victims.

The police and the prosecutors will decide whether criminal charges should be filed against the driver.

Then again, it will all depend upon the results of the investigation.

Rollover Involves Lexus SUV

A recent vehicle accident in Huntington Beach involved a black Lexus SUV in a rollover resulting in damages to two other vehicles, a Ford Expedition and a Honda Odyssey.

The accident caused injuries to the driver of the Honda van and the driver of the SUV.

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the accident but if it is proven that either of the drivers caused the accident, they are likely to be charged with negligence resulting to bodily injuries.

If proven guilty, the negligent party will have to pay compensatory damages to other victims who incurred physical injuries or whose property has been damaged.

[Blog Action Day] Reduced carbon dioxide emission to lessen effects climate change

Cars are one of the major contributors of carbon dioxide emission. In fact, personal vehicles in United States alone emit 314 million metric tons of carbon dioxide which can fill a coal train 55,000 miles long and encircle the earth twice.

Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that enhance greenhouse effect making the earth warmer. Scientists believed that the global warming the world is experiencing now is due to the enhancement of the greenhouse effect. If carbon dioxide reaches the predicted level of 600 parts per million, the globe will warm up by 1.5 - 4.5° Celsius by year 2050.

Studies revealed that the tree leading car manufacturers General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler emit a total of 72 percent of carbon dioxide emission or 230 million metric tons.

To minimize carbon dioxide emission, car manufacturers come up with environmental friendly cars such as hybrid or electric cars. These cars have great fuel efficiency and performance specifications.

Toyota, for instance, conducted its own study where it revealed that 28 percent of its carbon dioxide emission occurs during its manufacturing stage. Hence, when it manufactured its Toyota Camry, it reduced a 5 percent of its assembly-related emission.

The reduction caused by hybrid cars may be little compared to the total destruction that continuously beset the earth but little things if taken together can make a great difference.

Reduced global warming effect means better weather conditions which may prevent thousands of potential car accidents and weather-related disasters. The chilling effect that an improved climate may bring will benefit the human race in the long run.

School Bus Driver Scoops Lost Boy from Traffic

Sometimes the chances to be a hero stares you right in the face and still not see it.

That is exactly what ten or so drivers did when they drove past a lost 4-year-old boy wandering on Beach Boulevard traffic and ignored what they saw.

However most of them did not see a lost kid, they just saw a little boy who was blocking traffic.

It took a school bus driver to realize the danger the boy was in and finally scooped him up to safety.

Valerie Flanagan, who has been a bus driver for 23 years, noticed the traffic moving slowly near Beach Boulevard and Westminster Avenue with the cars in front swerving in the street.

She assumed that there might be a dog stuck on the road but was surprised to see a small boy wandering in the far right lane of the six lane road.

Flanagan stopped, parked her bus and put her hazards on amid the annoying horns of the vehicles behind her.

She then went out of the bus knelt down and coaxed the boy to come to her for fear that if she comes too close the boy might run off.

The boy went to the driver and she picked him up. He tucked his head on her shoulder as Flanagan brought her inside the bus.

Flanagan said that there were no adults near the boy.

The police then received a 911 call reporting that the bus driver had the boy, and after 10 minutes a mother called to report a missing child, said Westminster police Sgt Dan Schoonmaker.

Within minutes everyone was reunited in a happy ending that could have ended otherwise.

Flanagan was outraged that none of the vehicles before her stopped to get the boy and said that she does not want to get credit for what everyone should be doing.

But we all know that she should get recognition. Had Flanagan ignored the child, who knows what could have happened to him.

It could have ended in a car accident where a lost boy ends up being seriously injured or worse.

A mother could be grieving for her little boy right now.

Although there was no accident, it is our duty to stop and provide assistance to those who are in need. This is not only our duty to the law but also a moral obligation as a human being.

Toyota Apologizes for Floor Mat Related Accidents

In a surprising move, Toyota’s president Akio Toyoda apologized after his company announced its largest recall in the United States over floor mats that could jam the accelerator.

Last week, the automotive giant has announced that it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the US, warning Toyota and Lexus vehicles about possible dangers related to the removable floor mats that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash, serious injury or death.

These moves came following the death of a CHP officer and his family in the Santee fatal car accident and the settlement of a case where Toyota was the primary defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit for the death of 39-year old Troy Johnson after his Honda was hit by an out of control Toyota Camry.

The lawyers of the family of Troy Johnson said that the CHP and Toyota tried to put the blame on the Camry driver Guadalupe Gomez but the investigations show that fabric pieces were found to have jammed the accelerator.

The NHTSA also said that it has already received about 102 incidents where the accelerator got jammed in a Toyota vehicle.

All these incidents prompted the unusual apology from Toyoda that shocked reporters in Tokyo.

"Four precious lives have been lost. I offer my deepest condolences," Toyoda said. "Customers bought our cars because they thought they were the safest. But now we have given them cause for grave concern. I can't begin to express my remorse."

This apology signifies the initiative of Toyota to settle the issue with the family of the CHP officer that died after the Santee crash and move on from the incident as soon as possible.

If they have already filed a wrongful death, they may expect a generous settlement from the camp of Toyota.

The product recall was announced to make sure that no more related incidents happen while they are working to repair their damaged reputation.

Toyota is aiming to deflate public concerns as much as possible by apologizing and quickly concluding their position on the issue.

City Sued for Death of Bankruptcy Lawyer

The death of an 83-year-old attorney last April is now the subject of a lawsuit to be filed against the city responsible for maintaining the grass in Newport Beach where the man fell on his scooter because of a patch.

According to the claims filed by Sharon Neben Fogg, Marvin Neben was reportedly coming down from a ramp installed in his scooter when its wheels went into a hole which caused the scooter to tumble over and injure Neben. He died ten days later.

Neben’s death certificate indicates that the cause of death is coronary artery disease.

In cases like this, the family of the victim can file claims caused by the negligence of the city that should be making sure that public properties are safe for everybody’s use.

If proven negligent, the accused will have to pay compensatory damages that will somehow alleviate the pain and suffering of the victims or his beneficiaries.

Arizona Officer Drowns, Dies

Daniel Forchione, a 15-year-veteran of the University of Arizona Police Department drowned while he was on a vacation with his family in San Diego.

The 46-year-old officer was reportedly an experienced diver who went out with two other divers whom he later got separated with. Initial investigations show that he took off his oxygen tank but was still wearing weights and that he may have panicked.

This unfortunate accident left his wife and 8-month-old daughter with tremendous grief and so, the risk in diving should be taken seriously by everyone.

To avoid these drowning accidents, one must be briefed with all possible scenarios and the ways in which he could resolve them.