COMMON CAUSES OF CAR ACCIDENTS
Car Accidents Honolulu
Hawaii’s roadways are among the most heavily traveled in the nation, due in part to the year-round presence of tourists in the state. Each day, thousands of motorists take to the Moanalua, Queen Liliuokalani, and Lunalilo Freeways, as well as the state’s many urban and rural roads. This congestion by itself would make the roads inherently dangerous for even the safest drivers, especially in a crowded metropolitan area such as Honolulu. Indeed, in 2008 alone, 18 people were killed in car accidents in Honolulu while hundreds of others were seriously injured.
Tragically, many of these car accidents could have been avoided if it were not for the negligent or deliberately wrongful actions of certain motorists. Careless drivers put the lives and well-being of innocent men, women, and children at risk every day. At Leavitt Yamane & Soldner, our auto accident attorneys work tirelessly to ensure that such drivers are held accountable when their recklessness results in serious injury or wrongful death. If you or a member of your family has been involved in a car accident in Honolulu or anywhere else throughout the state of Hawaii, our lawyers would welcome the opportunity to evaluate your case and advise you of your legal rights and options. Contact Leavitt Yamane & Soldner today.
DISTRACTED DRIVING
As technology progresses, many drivers find themselves increasingly distracted from concentrating on the road. Car accidents in Honolulu are frequently caused by drivers who are too preoccupied with using their cell phones to talk, text, or search for information on the Internet to operate their vehicles safely. Other common distractions include radios and compact disc players, food and drinks, and other passengers.
DRUNK DRIVING
Of the 109 people killed in car accidents in Hawaii in 2009, a shocking 52 were killed in accidents involving drivers who were legally drunk (i.e., they had a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher). Hawaiian citizens are at particular risk of being injured in drunk driving incidents because of the number of tourists who overindulge in alcohol as a means of celebration. Between 2000 and 2006, Hawaii police officers arrested more than 25,000 people for drunk driving offenses.
SPEEDING
Although Hawaiian police officers are among the most aggressive in the nation in terms of enforcing speeding laws, speeding remains one of the most common causes of car accidents in Honolulu and throughout the rest of the state. The severity of injuries sustained in a car accident are generally proportional to the speed at which one or both of the vehicles involved in the crash were traveling.
OTHER CAUSES OF CAR ACCIDENTS
Other common causes of car accidents include reckless disregard of traffic laws, driver exhaustion, drug use, road defects, defective automotive parts, and poor weather conditions. Whatever the cause of your car accident, the attorneys of Leavitt Yamane & Soldner can provide expert accident reconstruction and investigation services to build the strongest case possible on your behalf.