Fighting for Victims in
Times of Need
Times of Need
Fixed Object Crashes
According to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS), approximately 20% of fatal car crashes are caused by cars striking a fixed object along the roadway. Drivers run off the road for a variety of reasons, including:
- Intoxication;
- Distracted Driving;
- Excessive Speed;
- Poor Visibility;
- Inexperienced Drivers;
- Older Drivers.
At the White Plains, New York Law Office of Mark A. Siesel, our attorneys are dedicated to obtaining the maximum possible compensation for our clients’ past and future pain and suffering, past and future medical and hospital expenses, loss of earnings and future earnings capacity, and loss of enjoyment of life. Particularly in motor vehicle cases with substantial impacts, such as in crashes with trees, embankments and guardrails, there is an increased likelihood of permanent injury, extensive rehabilitation, paralysis and death.
The IIHS reports that in 2011, over 7,000 people died in fixed objects crashes in the United States. This was an increase of 3% from 2010, and approximately 33% fewer than in 1979. Proportionally, the amount of fatalities in fixed object accidents is 19%-23% of all motor vehicle deaths on an annual basis.
The most common fixed object involved in fatal car crashes is trees, at 50%, followed by utility poles, which account for 13%; and traffic barriers, which are involved in 8% of all fatal crashes.
Alcohol is a significant factor in fatal fixed object crashes, with 43% of all drivers killed in these accidents having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% and above, which is the legal limit of intoxication in most states in the United States. Almost 30% of all drivers killed in fixed object collisions in 2011 were men younger than 30. A huge percentage of all drivers (81%) who died in 2011 in fixed object accidents were male. 48% of fixed object fatalities happened on major roads, 58% occurred on rural roadways, and a large percentage (46%) occurred on roadways with speed limits greater than 55 miles per hour.
Approximately 50% of fixed object fatalities in 2011 happened at night, between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM, and the greatest percentage, 19%, occurred between midnight and 3:00 AM.
When our office is retained in a case involving a fixed object crash, we take immediate steps to assure that all potential evidence is preserved to assure the best possible chances of success in the case, including: obtaining any accident related debris from the scene of the accident and the cars involved; obtaining photographs of the vehicles involved and the scene of the accident; securing written statements from all potential eyewitnesses; obtaining all police reports and photographs, and conducting Freedom of Information searches to determine if the location of the accident has been the site of previous crashes to strengthen a possible claim against the local town, village, city, county of the State of New York.
When you or a loved one are injured in a motor vehicle crash, you require the services of experienced, knowledgeable litigators, who will fight the insurance companies and their defense counsel to preserve your rights for all of the compensation you are entitled to for your pain and suffering, lost earnings and earnings potential, and medical and hospital expenses, both past and future. Contact our office today for a free consultation to discuss your case in detail.