Phoenix Injury Blog | Zachar Law Firm

Arizona police seek out drunken drivers over Memorial Day weekend

Don't drive drunk and cause an auto accident please!

Police agencies across Arizona are launching patrols to seek out drunken drivers during the Memorial Day weekend.  The Governor's Office of Highway Safety director Alberto Gutier says 65 police agencies in the state will take part in special patrols.

The patrols will run from Wednesday night through Monday. The Phoenix Police Department kicked off the patrols on Wednesday night.  The areas that police will focus on include the eastern suburbs in metro Phoenix, the area around the University of Phoenix Stadium and the highway leading to Lake Pleasant.

Last year, NINE PEOPLE died in car crashes in Arizona during the Memorial Day weekend.

One of the fatalities was alcohol-related.  That is one too many, folks.  

Why does this continue to happen?  Haven’t people learned by now that when you drink, you shouldn’t drive?

If you cause an accident, even if there are no injuries, you are going to mess up your own life big time.  If you cause an accident where some is seriously injured or killed, you are going to mess up and/or ruin the lives of many people.  

There are so many cheap and/or free transportation and taxi services right now—it just makes no sense to me.  

PLEASE be careful.  If you have been drinking, do not get behind the wheel of a car.  

Everyone have a happy, and SAFE, Memorial Day weekend.

Deadly tire blowout in packed RV serves as cautionary tale

A deadly auto accident in phoenix involving several people in an RV along Loop 202 on Monday is serving as a cautionary tale about tire troubles during the sweltering Arizona summers.  Seven people were inside the RV Monday when a tire blew out, causing the RV to slam into the wall along the 202. The driver was killed and three children were injured.

The Department of Public Safety is investigating whether the tire was faulty or improperly maintained.  Officers are hoping that the crash serves as a warning to drivers about the importance of preventative tire maintenance. 

“Here in Arizona, it seems to be more because of the heat," Officer Tim Case said. "You'll see a lot more of the tread wear on the tire. It's imperative, especially in Arizona, that your tires are in good shape."

Matt Allen, owner of Virginia Auto Service, said that there are several key points when it comes to preventative tire maintenance. Make sure the tires are less than six years old, are not weather-worn or dry rotted, and have the correct air pressure and tread depth.  "It's huge, it's very important," Allen said. "It's one of the easiest things the owner of a car can do without having to go to a shop."

OK. Good advice. But there is SO MUCH MORE that one needs to be aware of regarding tires.

How long have the tires been on the vehicle?  How many miles are on the tires?  More importantly, how OLD are the tires?  You may have purchased the tires 6 months ago, but they have may been manufactured and sitting in a warehouse for 7 years----you need to know that!

Was the vehicle recently serviced?  Have you performed regular tire maintenance (air checks, rotations, etc..)?   Is there any history of defects of the brand/type/size tire?  Any history of recalls, accidents, litigation, etc…?  Alternatively, did the tire at issue have some defect that occurred in the manufacturing process? 

 There are many things to consider with respect to tire safety and possible legal claims for tire defects.  It is imperative that a thorough investigation be done immediately, and the one doing the investigation be experienced.  The law enforcement officers often do a good job, but not always thorough enough.  Have they taken the time to gather every single scrap of rubber off the highway?  Each one helps tell the story of what happened, and one missing piece can make the puzzle incomplete and a case impossible to prove. 

 Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones in this horrible accident. 

School bus, van collide in East Valley

Fire officials said two people were injured in an auto accident in Arizona involving a school bus and another vehicle in the East Valley Wednesday morning.  A white van appeared to have hit the back of the school bus in the area of Broadway and Signal Butte roads.

Forrest Smith with the Mesa Fire Department said Mesa/Apache Junction crews treated two people.  Smith said initial information from the scene indicated a 17-year-old female suffered non-life threatening injuries and a man in his 50s suffered life threatening injuries.  Two people on stretchers were seen being placed into medical helicopters.

The roadway was partially blocked, but there did not appear to be any major traffic backups in the area.

Inattention, inattention, inattention. 

Early morning drive and afternoon rush hour.  A lot of care on the road.  We have to remain attentive.  It only takes a second—if you take your eyes off the road, to lose your opportunity to avoid an auto accident.

We have seen a few accidents lately involving school buses.  This one, it appears, was not the bus driver’s fault, but then, we don’t have all the information in yet. 

 Fingers crossed that all will be okay in the near future.