Highway Collisions and Fatalities Lawyers Phoenix, AZ

Experienced Personal Injury Representation for Highway Collisions and Fatalities

Highway Collisions and Fatalities Lawyers Phoenix, AZHighways and interstates in Arizona can be very dangerous when people speed, use their cellphones or fail to adjust their driving behavior in bad weather. If you were hurt due to the negligence of another driver, the Law Office of Paul Englander, PLC, can help. Phoenix highway accident lawyer Paul Englander has more than three decades of experience assisting victims of accidents throughout the state.

Contact our Arizona personal injury law firm today or call 602-266-7986 for a free and confidential consultation.

We Know Phoenix-Area Highways and Interstates

We have the skills and experience to represent individuals no matter what major road or highway you were injured on, including:

  • Interstate 17
  • Interstate 10
  • Interstate 8
  • U.S. Route 60
  • U.S. Route 93
  • Arizona State Route 51
  • Arizona State Route 89
  • Arizona State Route 87
  • Arizona State Route 143
  • Loop 101
  • Loop 202
  • Loop 303

Phoenix highway accident lawyer Paul Englander has proudly represented clients for over 40 years, helping them to obtain fair and just compensation for their auto accident injuries. He knows what steps to take and can help you as well.

Determining Major Causes of Highway Accidents

We are familiar with the numerous negligent acts that can lead to a serious, and sometimes fatal, car accident on the highway. Examples include:

  • Texting and driving
  • Talking on the phone
  • Changing lanes without signaling
  • Speeding
  • Drunk driving
  • Falling asleep at the wheel

Airbags

Air bags have helped save thousands of lives and prevent countless serious injuries associated with motor vehicle collisions. Airbags, however, do not always inflate properly or protect drivers and passengers as designed. The majority of air bag injuries are minor, but some can be much more serious, including:

  • Head: jaw and temporal bone fractures, concussion, brain swelling, hearing loss
  • Neck: cervical spine fractures, movement restrictions, whiplash
  • Eyes: orbital fractures, retinal detachment, impaired vision
  • Torso: internal bleeding, rib fractures, spinal injuries, heart problems such as a cardiac rupture, breathing complications from the chemical agents used to inflate the bags.
  • Limbs: fractures in the forearms and dislocated shoulder joints, burns and skin inflammation from bag chemical agents

If you are the victim of an accident, contact a personal injury lawyer, injuries caused by an air bag may be compensable in a personal injury case.

Wrong Way Drivers

Wrong-way crashes can cause the most severe kinds of accidents, as the risk of a head-on collision is greatly increased.  Wrong-way crashes account for only about three percent of highway accidents.  The fatality rate, however, has been 12 times higher in California, 22 times higher in Michigan and 27 times higher in Virginia compared to other types of accidents, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.  More than 300 Americans die every year from wrong-way crashes.

The majority of wrong-way drivers are drunk or otherwise impaired from drugs or medication.  Other factors include fatigue, inattention, drivers who are not familiar with the area and age.  Drivers over the age of 70 are over-represented as at-fault drivers, accounting for 15% of in wrong-way collisions compared to 3% in other types of accidents.

Three out of four wrong-way crashes occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., and more than half of wrong-way crashes occur on weekends.

Exit ramps are the most common way wrong-way drivers enter a freeway.  To help stop wrong-way crashes, some government agencies have installed larger and lowered “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs on freeway ramps and overpasses, added more lighting near exit ramps to increase visibility, redesigned freeway entrances/exits to improve navigation.  The best form of prevention is keeping impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

If you or a family member are a victim in a wrong-way accident, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss potential liability, damages claims.

Wrong-Way Detection System in Phoenix

The wrong-way detection system created by the Arizona Department of Transportation is to be expanded throughout the valley.

The wrong-way detection system was part of an effort by the Arizona Department of Transportation to combat the large number of wrong-way drivers on Arizona highways. This effort also included larger and lowered “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs along freeway ramps, overpasses in Phoenix, and rural state highways.

The wrong-way detection system involves thermal cameras installed along Interstate 17 to detect drivers traveling in the wrong direction of traffic.  The thermal cameras resulted in a quicker law enforcement response time than 911 calls from other drivers.

The wrong-way detection system also triggers alerts to attempt to get the attention of the wrong-way driver, and to light up signage to warn other drivers in the area of the presence of a wrong-way driver.

Since its start in 2018, the thermal cameras between the I-10 stack interchange and Loop 101, the wrong-way detection system has detected over 100 vehicles traveling in the wrong direction, the majority were on ramps, most of those vehicles corrected themselves accordingly.

“We’re using the thermal camera technology elsewhere and have established plans for other areas, including rural locations,” stated Arizona Department of Transportation’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation, Dallas Hammit. “I want to stress that thermal cameras can’t stop someone from being a wrong-way driver. But they are a big part of our efforts to reduce the risks associated with often-impaired wrong-way drivers.”

Two out of three wrong-way drivers are under the influence of alcohol, with many of these drivers having blood alcohol levels more than twice the legal limit.

The Arizona Department of Transportation states that the wrong-way detection system has also been installed at a large number of interchanges along Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. Installations of the system are being added along Loop 303 and Loop 101 east of the I-17 and south of US 60.

In addition, the ADOT is modifying thermal cameras already in use along Loop 101, I-17, Interstate 10, and intersections along SR-347 to trigger alerts when a wrong-way driver is detected.

To date, there are approximately 90 thermal cameras in use, and more funding will be required in order to expand the system to other areas of the state.

The Arizona Department of Transportation’s safety campaign, “Drive Aware, Get There,” aims to educate highway motorists on how to avoid an accident with a wrong-way driver, including what to do should a driver encounter a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction or see a sign warning of an oncoming wrong-way vehicle.

A personal injury attorney can advise a crash victim regarding potential claims for damages.

Contact Paul Englander Today for Help

Contact the Arizona Law Office of Paul Englander, PLC, for a free initial consultation regarding your car accident. Attorney Englander will analyze your unique situation and provide you with caring and dedicated advocacy as you recover from your injuries.