Alabama Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A car wreck on Alabama Highway 150 in Bessemer has sadly claimed the life of Thomas Lopez Velasquez of Birmingham. Mr. Velasquez was working for a trash collection company picking up items on the shoulder of the roadway when a motorist veered off the road striking him. It is unclear what caused the motorist to veer off the roadway; however, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in the United States.

As Birmingham car accident attorneys we too often see the dangers distracted driving can cause. The US Government website for distracted driving www.distraction.gov states there are 3 main types of distraction for drivers:

• Manual - taking your eyes off the road
• Visual - taking your hands off the road
• Cognitive - taking your mind off what you're doing

Paying attention to these three items will save lives. A tragic accident such as this can be caused by a driver simply losing focus for only one or two seconds.

A wreck between two 18 wheelers on Interstate 20/59 in Tuscaloosa Wednesday night tied up traffic for hours. The Tuscaloosa truck accident occurred when the driver of southbound tractor-trailer lost control swerved into the median then into the northbound lanes and collided with a Fed Ex truck and trailer. As a result of the horrific impact both trucks caught fire. John Spencer, of Tuscaloosa was injured when one of the trucks hit his 1992 Buick. Terry Jackson one of the truck drivers was also injured in the crash.

At this time there is no indication of what caused this crash. When an accident like this occurs the investigation into the accident will likely include a drug test for each truck driver as well as a review of the driver's log books as well as the truck itself. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours of service of truck drivers IE how much time they can drive before they have to rest. For more information on this topic see the Alabama Injury Attorney Blog post: Truck Accidents - Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service Regulations.

A tragic car accident in Brewton, AL (Escambia County) results in two deaths. According to a news report on the crash, it started when police responded to a domestic violence call involving Martin Reid. Reid attempted to elude the Brewton Police and led them on a chase on US hwy 31 N at speeds of up to 120 mph. As Reid was attempting to pass a vehicle he struck an SUV driven by Donald (Donnie) Rotch. Both Rotch and Reid died as a result of the horrific impact. Rotch was the principal of T.R. Miller High School and a beloved member of the community.

This awful crash brings up a very tough issue of when police should continue or discontinue a high speed pursuit. Under Alabama personal injury law, there are several areas that should be inquired into under these types of facts. A potential recovery to help compensate the victims family could be had from Mr. Reid's insurance carrier and his estate, Mr. Rotch's uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and potentially against the Brewton Police if it is determined they violated the proper procedure in continuing this pursuit. Currently, the Alabama State Troopers are investigating the wreck. For more information on police pursuits see the article: High-speed police pursuits: dangers, dynamics, and risk reduction.

A truck wreck on US Hwy 72 in Huntsville, AL has sadly claimed one life and sent four others to Huntsville Hospital. The crash happened Sunday about 9:40 am near O'Bryan's Steakhouse. A semi-truck and SUV collided causing the SUV to flip several times. The driver of the SUV, Roberto Carlos Tlalmanalco-Cienpeugos, was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result of his injuries. Mr. Cienpeugos family was transported to Huntsville Hospital. According to Don Webster of HEMSI the Cienpeugos family is from Morgan County. Police are still investigating the wreck.

In 2008, there were 7,123 truck accidents in Alabama, which resulted in 1,769 injuries. Further, in 2008, 132 people were killed in truck accidents in Alabama. As Huntsville Truck Accident Attorneys we know the dangers 18 wheelers pose on the Alabama's highways due to their size and weight. An accident that might be a minor fender bender with another car can be deadly when a semi-truck is involved.

A truck accident in Colbert County, Alabama has left a Florence man in critical condition. The truck wreck occurred on Alabama Hwy 20 just after day break. Aubrey Riley of Florence was severely injured when his truck slammed into the rear of a log truck. Riley was flown to Huntsville hospital. Several of the logs struck the cab of Riley's pick up and even went through the windshield. Alabama State Troopers are still investigating the crash.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations which regulates and mandates the procedures for operating semi-trucks on US highways has a section on Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Electrical Wiring - Title 49 - Part 393. This section regulates the types of lights that are required on eighteen wheelers . As experienced Alabama truck accident attorneys I would be very interested to determine if the log truck involved in this wreck meet these guidelines as this may be a key issue as to the cause of this accident given the wreck occurred at day break.