Archive for December, 2011

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28
Dec

Free Cab Rides Available New Years Eve In Colorado Cities

December 28, 2011

Since Thanksgiving, more than 1,300 Colorado motorists have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. To make matters worse, The Denver Post reported earlier that the Colorado state patrol is expecting the number only to rise with New Years Eve right around the corner.

Troopers also noted that 14 of the state’s 35 fatal accidents since Thanksgiving have been alcohol-related. The agency says that more than 90 departments statewide will participate in increased efforts to battle the problem this upcoming weekend by preforming sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

Colorado State Patrol Spokesman Colonel James Wolfinbarger said he hopes that the cost of a DUI in Colorado–on average $10,270 in fines and fees–will deter intoxicated drivers from getting behind the wheel.

Others are hoping to combat the problem by offering free cab rides home to those who have had too much to drink.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with The McDivitt Law Firm are once again sponsoring their Safe and Sober Campaign that will be giving free cab rides home to patrons of bars and restaurants who are intoxicated. Rides are only good to a persons residence, not to another drinking establishment. The list of cab companies can be seen in the firm’s press release for the event.

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27
Dec

New Technology Blocks Cell Phone Use By Drivers

December 26, 2011

In response to the growing number of supporters behind the push on federal regulators to ban cell phone use while driving, 9 News reported today that a company has created a device that will block cell phones from being used if the owner is driving.

The new technology, called Cell Control, is being marketed to businesses with large fleets of company vehicles and also to parents of teenagers just learning to drive. The device works by plugging it in to your car’s diagnostic system and running a software program installed on the phone itself. Then, when the car turns on, a blocked screen will come up on the phone. Calls are then forwarded to voice mail and a busy message will respond to any incoming text messages. The software also blocks internet usage while activated.

The Cell Control System is fairly cost effective as well at around $25 per unit, plus $8 per month for service. The only drawback now is that it does not currently work with iPhones; a problem Cell Control Vice President Chuck Cox says will be taken care of after the New Year.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm are glad to see technology being used to keep drivers safe and encourage drivers to put their phones down when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Eliminating cell phone use while driving significantly decreases your chances of being hurt or killed in a senseless accident.

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19
Dec

Colorado Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Negligent Homicide Charges

December 19, 2011

Although drugs or alcohol did not paly a part, a woman is still facing nearly 30 years in jail for her part in an accident that killed a family of five. According to Channel 9 News, the 34-year-old woman faces five charges of criminally negligent homicide and child abuse. The woman is facing such a stiff penalty because the accident was allegedly caused by a known medical condition the woman ignored.

Reports show that the woman was driving her car February 17 on East 84th Avenue and Grant Street in Thornton, Colorado. That is when witnesses say her vehicle hit the median, went airborne, and landed on top of an SUV that had the family inside. The woman later told police that she had a history of suffering form seizures, and she had suffered from one behind the wheel at the time of the accident. She claimed to investigators that doctors had told her not to drive until she spoke with a neurologist, but never saw one because she couldn’t afford it.

Dr. Kirsten Bracht, with the Colorado Neurological Institute, stated the accident very well may have been prevented had the woman spoke with a specialist as there are numerous treatments for the condition available.

The Colorado Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm would like to encourage anyone suffering form a known medical condition to check with their doctor before driving. If you have been injured in an auto accident that was not your fault, contact us today.

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12
Dec

New Distracted Driving Laws In Colorado Difficult To Enforce

December 12, 2011

Although it is a common occurrence, texting and driving is extremely dangerous! New laws were recently enacted to battle the problem, but according to 9 News, officers say they are having a hard time enforcing the new measures.

Right around this time two years ago, the state made it illegal to text and drive at the same time. Since then, Larimer County Sheriff’s office spokesperson, Corporal Nelson Sanderson, says that the department has only written one ticket for an infraction. Fort Collins and Boulder’s Police departments have also had a difficult time enforcing the new laws as well, only writing 41 and 15 tickets respectively. Sanderson blamed the lack of tickets on the difficulty of catching someone in the act while patrolling.

So if new laws and uniformed officers can’t stop the problem, what will? One Fort Collins man has some ideas that may work. He says narrower streets and more bump-outs will cause drivers to concentrate and traffic to slow in the area, thus preventing accidents. He said the idea comes from European streets that create environments where a driver has to be focused and cautious in order to prevent an accident.

The Colorado Auto Accident Attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm host a contest each year in which students create public service announcements to battle the problems of distracted driving. The videos can be seen on a dedicated YouTube Channel.

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5
Dec

Colorado Plane Crash Leave Four People Dead

December 5, 2011

Four people have been killed following a plane crash that occurred Saturday afternoon in the area of Silverton, Colorado. According to Channel 9 News, three of the individuals who died were employees of Alpine Banks of Colorado, and the fourth was the husband of one of the employees.

Chairman of the bank, Bob Young, confirmed the deaths Monday, saying the group was flying from Durango, Colorado, to a Snowmass Resort in Aspen for a company holiday party. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman, Mike Fergus, has not released much information surrounding the cause of the crash, but confirmed the Socata TB-21 aircraft went down in a mountainous region during an onslaught of bad weather that included frigid temperatures and heavy snow.

Numbers show that pilot errors are attributed to only about half of all plane crashes that occur in the United States. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also acknowledged this finding and added that most crashes occur not at take off or landing, but during the cruise stage of the flight. They say that 57 percent of all airborne fatalities occur during cruising. The NTSB says it recognizes that close to 95 percent of all aviation fatalities occur in the private sector.

The Colorado Personal Injury Lawyers at the McDivitt Law Firm want to help those who have been injured in an accident at no fault of their own. If you have been injured, contact us today by filling out a free initial consultation form to discuss your case with a team of experienced attorneys.

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