Tag: motor vehicle crashes

Drunk Female Driver Faces 18 Years in Prison for Fatal Crash

Dec 14

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes usually involved male drivers but lately, the number of female drunk drivers have been on the rise.

In fact, in Orange County a fatal head-on collision which killed two sisters led to the conviction of a young female driver. Jessica Lynn Shekell, 22, of Anaheim reportedly had a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of 0.26 percent, which is more than 3 times the state’s legal limit of .08 percent.

Two California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers testified that Shekell was driving in the wrong direction on the freeway when the crash occurred on Highway 91 near Gypsum Canyon Road. Before they could apprehend her, she had crashed her Toyota pick-up into the vehicle of the Miguel sisters, Sally, 49, and Patricia, 30.

The sisters, who had their 15 and 11-year old nieces with them were on their way home from Knott’s Berry Farm when the accident occurred last October 25, 2009. Prosecutors claimed that Shekell had been to 2 bars in Placentia with friends and had consumed several alcoholic drinks.

The head-on collision killed Sally Miguel immediately and Patricia, who was riding in the front passenger seat died at the hospital. The girls suffered internal injuries. Shekell was also injured and had arm fractures and facial injuries.

Last October 28, she pled guilty to 2 counts of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated as well as 1 count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury. Shekell is likely to face the maximum sentence of 19 years and 8 months in prison.

Getting drunk, whether on drugs or alcohol, increases the risk of motor-vehicle traffic crashes, violence, and other injuries. This is the reason why there are legal limits prescribed by states because the more intoxicated a person is, especially when he is driving, the greater threat he poses to other motorists.

Women have traditionally, been less likely to be drinking and driving. But the changing culture and society has given women more freedom to do what they want, even if the choices they make are not necessarily wise (such as DUI). Women are even more prone to getting intoxicated faster than men because of their weight or body fat.

While women have the right to go out, get a job, or have fun with friends like any other men, these rights also come with the responsibility to be a prudent and careful driver and avoid harm to other motorists.

Blame it on the Rain: Driving under the Condition

Jan 13

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the light rain in San Joaquin Valley has led to several motor vehicle crashes.

Aside from a head-on collision in Highway 168 at Prather at noon, the CHP also responded to an injury crash on southbound Highway 41 south of Herndon Avenue at 1PM and a two-vehicle crash caused by a dog on Highway 180 at Fulton Avenue.

The latter accident allegedly occurred when the two drivers tried to avoid hitting the dog and ended up skidding on the rain-slicked road. The two drivers suffered minor injuries and the runaway dog was uninjured and reported to the California Humane Society.

Elsewhere, in Missoula, Montana, icy conditions caused by overnight freezing rain caused nearly 20 car accidents, majority of which were single car crashes where several vehicles slid off the road.

Driving under the extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, snow storm, etc) is one of the many causes of a car crash accident. Rain in particularly, can cause car accidents even if the driver is driving below the posted speed limit.

According to the California Driver’s Handbook of 2009, roads are at their most slippery usually when it first starts to rain or snow because the oil and dust have not been washed away yet.

In order to drive safely under the conditions and avoid liability for any injury or death unintentionally caused by a car accident, here are a few tips on how to drive in the rain:

• Slow down at the first sign of rain or snow on the road. Driving slower would increase your tires’ traction on the road surface so you would be less likely to skid or slip even if there is oil or grease.

• Turn on your windshield wipers, headlights, and defroster. This will help increase your visibility even if the rain or snow is falling down heavily.

• If your windows fog up, if you don’t have a de-fog function in your car, keep your air conditioning blowing at both your windshield and your back window.

• Do not make any sudden or sharp brakes. This will cause you to lose traction and control of the vehicle.

• If visibility is really bad or you cannot see more than 100 feet ahead, do not drive more than 30 mph. Driving slower would also increase your chances of a better reaction time in case the vehicle ahead of you would suddenly stall or stop.