phoenix car accident attorneys

Kailey is taking a summer math class to skip ahead a grade in math. Somehow she has managed to still hang out or have a sleepover with a friend (or two) almost every night. I did get the honor of seeing her for one whole day this summer, so I guess I should be thankful! (Editor’s Note from Mark: I am not sure if Kailey ever sleeps. She wanted to take math over the summer (not sure I understand that) while doing dance and spending every possible spare moment with friends. On the other hand, at least she hasn’t memorized the Geico commercials this summer like her brother Tate!)

Talia has decided she is going to grow her hair like Rapunzel. She also has become the queen of texting. I text a lot of clients so if any of you get some crazy messages, please know it is probably from some 6 year old girl! (Editor’s Note from Mark: What is worse is when Talia tries to text me from Alexis’ phone and does not tell me that she is using her mom’s phone to text me. I have to be careful how I respond to text messages from now on!)

Ariella and Mark had a recent trip to Washington DC for a family event. Ariella was such a trooper – it was a 48 hour trip and half of it was spent traveling . . . a trip that began with a red-eye flight from Phoenix to DC that left at midnight and stopped in Chicago at 5:00am. At the family event, Ariella got noticed for her break-dancing moves. Everyone at the event gave Ariella rounds of applause as she was out dancing with the older kids all night. (Editor’s Note from Mark: Ariella was fantastic beyond anything you could imagine. We traveled all through the night and she never complained once. She stayed up all day and then spent her night on the dance floor. Then we ran over to see the White House and other sites before jumping on an airplane back to Phoenix. We were gone from Arizona for less than 48 hours and she was fun and energetic the whole time. In a room full of people, I am pretty sure the DJ learned her name first . . . she is practicing to be a future lawyer by making herself known!)

Pierce has a birthday coming up and has been asking for something that has been advertised on TV for a while. I am amazed at how well advertising to kids works. It’s amazing how kids see something on TV and they remember it all. (Editor’s Note from Mark: I am not surprised Pierce remembers the commercials, because this kid remembers everything. When he was four years old, I coached a baseball team and we held practices at a park that is on the way to school. Every once in a while he will point to the field to remind me that we had practices there. That was well over a year ago. He sometimes will say things that he remembers from even further back, but my memory doesn’t go that far back, so I have no idea if he is right or not!)

Personal Injury and Wrongful death attorneys Alexis and Mark Breyer, “The Husband and Wife Law Team”, recently created an infographic to inform the public about male and female driving statistics. The graphic presents statistics about safe female driving habits as compared to men.

Women drivers have taken over the road, and brought their safe driving habits along with them. Currently in the United States 40% of the SUV’s on the road are driven by women. Ninety-seven of women are the principal drivers of a new car and spend $300 billion annually on used car sales, maintenance, repairs, and services. Women influence the purchase of 80% of the cars in the United States. According to statistics male drivers cause 80% of the car accidents involving pedestrians and have a 77% higher risk of dying in a car accident themselves. Men given more traffic violations than women, and are cited 3 more times than women for reckless driving.

The infographic attempts to show that women as a group are much more conscientious when it comes to purchasing, repairing, and driving cars. The statistics are clear through police reports and insurance rates. In 2010 the median insurance rate for men was $765 for a six month policy and only $698 for women. Men can joke as much as they want but women do really rule the road!

The Arizona based Husband and Wife Law Team specialize in personal injury and wrongful death cases. They often deal with pedestrians, drivers, and passengers that have been injured by the negligence of another party or parties. The infographic was released to show that women drivers are much more responsible and thoughtful when it comes to car buying decisions and safety on the road.

http://www.breyerlaw.com/arizona-personal-injury-attorneys-present-fun-car-accident-facts.html

Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14? According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) 8,959 lives were saved from the use of child restraints from 1975 to 2008. The NHTSA suggests that parents select a car seat based on a child’s age and size. The NHTSA also recommends parents follow their car seat manufacturer’s instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install a new car seat.

●From birth to 12 months old children should always ride in a rear facing car seat. Your child should remain in a rear facing car seat for as long as possible until they outgrow the height or weight limit because it is the safest.

●Children ages 1 to 3 years old should be placed in a forward facing seat with a harness after they outgrow the rear facing car seat.

●Children ages 4 to 7 years old should remain in a forward facing seat with a harness until they reach the height and weight limit per the car seats’ manufacturer.

●Children ages 8 to 12 should sit in a booster seat until they are able to fit in the seat properly. To fit correctly the lap belt must fit snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not the neck or face. Your child should always ride in the back seat under the age of 13 because it is much safer.

If you have any questions regarding the installation of your child safety seat, Fire Departments in Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tonopah, and Wittmann provide free assistance as well as all local hospitals and police stations.

Aggressive driving is defined as individuals that commit a combination of moving traffic
offences as to endanger other persons property. Arizona has the longest running program to combat aggressive driving in the United States. It is called “Combat Chill” and works closely with the Governors Office. The program utilizes a strong police presence and a media campaign.

According to the statute a person is considered being a reckless driver when they combine speeding with at least 2 other violations including; failure to obey traffic control devices, improper passing, driving off the pavement or traveled portion of the highway, following too close, failure to yield right-of-way, or driving in a way that is an immediate hazard to another person or vehicle.

If you are caught and fined as an aggressive driver 8 points will be added to your driver’s license. In the state of Arizona having between 8 and 12 points on your license will result in revocation.

Safety on the road not only requires an understanding of the law but also patience. Arizona sees an increase of 3,000 families every month moving to the valley which makes it the 5th largest city in the United States. A large city means large amounts of traffic; drivers should report aggressive driving by calling 911 and providing a description of the vehicle and license plate number.

It is unfortunately true that many people have encountered drunk drivers on the road or worse, during an accident. Some people are actually drunk drivers themselves. Did you know that on average, a drunk driver gets behind the wheel 87 times before their first arrest (MADD 2011)? What many people do not realize however is that death due to an impaired driver is no rare occurrence. In fact, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, has found that it is such a frequent occurrence that every 50 minutes, somebody in the United States dies because of either his or her drunk driving, or someone else’s. As Arizona drunk driving victim attorneys, we have seen too many nightmare stories that involve a loved one being hurt or killed due to such driving.

It is no longer an option to ignore or underestimate such a horribly powerful force in the world today. And because it is April, Alcohol Awareness Month, we should start now in taking even the smallest step towards positive action in the prevention of drunk driving.

A lot of people find themselves in a situation wherein they simply do not know how to react to a certain situation. Seeing a drunk driver is such a situation for some. There are people who shake their heads in frustration and do not do anything about it. There are some who are simply tolerant because they do not know what else to be.

But now, there is no longer any time to waste on hesitation. If you truly care about the health and well-being of your peers and your loved ones, you should do the following. When you see a car possibly being driven by a drunk driver, do not attempt to be a hero by driving up next to it and telling the driver to stop. This could lead to a collision. Report the plate number, details of the car, and the location and direction it is traveling to 911. Finally, leave the rest to the professionals.

If you know anyone who is a victim to a DUI accident, your free consultation is waiting at (602) 267-1280.

Last fall, we became the Southwestern regional sponors of the American Lawyer Academy’s Viral Video Scholarship Contest. The program is dedicated to the thousands of people who lose their lives or suffer serious injuries due to the negligence of a distracted or unsafe driver. Entries were accepted up until March 31st and now the finalists’ entries are open for public voting!

Students were instructed to create a video promoting safe driving habits and submit it for the chance to receive up to a $10,000 scholarship. We received many entries from local students and from our surrounding states and now voting is open to the public! The creativity in these entries is amazing. There are quite a few humorous ones, for example one entry features combinations of things you would never mix together, like chocolate and pickles! Another entry is a very touching scene of an older and younger brother, and another shows the things teens could be missing out on if they were injured or killed in an accident. Other videos take a more literal approach to the assignment and really provoke the viewer to think twice before opening up that text message behind the wheel.

You can cast your vote to help determine our top 3 finalists until April 22nd, when the top 3 entries will be selected and opened again for voting for the grand prizes. We hope you enjoy watching these videos, and wish the best of luck to all entrants!

In February, we had 3 birthdays. Kailey turned 13, Ariella turned 8 and Talia turned 7. Kailey is officially a teenager, a moment that Mark and I have feared since she was born. All things considered, if this is the extent of the teenage years we’d be in good shape. From what we hear, there are more good things to come from teenage girls. (Editor’s Note from Mark: it is hard to explain how “not ready” I am for the teenage years which are just starting, especially as it relates to the girls.)

Taking a moment to boast about Kailey… Kailey has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She had a dance competition a couple of weeks ago and was recognized for helping another student. The owner of the event actually told Kailey that she had made his dreams come true and Kailey received a standing ovation. Following that, Kailey was awarded, with votes from an unrelated set of judges, the best dancer award in her age group for the entire convention. It was a great moment for Kailey and our family. It is nice that all her efforts paid off. We were very proud of her. (Editor’s Note from Mark: Kailey has worked very hard over the years and has really had a passion for dance. She has done well at different competitions. However, she has never been named the top dancer for her entire age group, an incredible honor. Tate and I were sitting together watching when she won. She almost never shows emotion for earning different honors but Tate and I could see how much this meant to her. As proud as I was of that honor, I was more impressed by the first thing that Alexis just mentioned. The professional dancer who started the competition had Kailey stand up in front of everyone for a round of applause because she had offered to help another dancer two days in a row from a different studio. Having my daughter honored for being a good dancer is exciting, but having her honored for being a good person is something I do not think I will ever forget.)