Vancouver WA DUI Defense Law Blog

Most people in Vancouver have heard about the bridge collapse that happened over the Skagit River late last month, but many may not have heard about the death of a Washington State Patrol motorcycle trooper who was directing traffic in the small town of Conway. He had been trying to prevent the bridge collapse from being an even bigger deal than it already was, but, unfortunately, he was killed by the driver of a box truck.

Although the Washington State Patrol chief has called this a "tragic accident," as more information emerges about this fatal accident, the motorcyclist's wife and two children may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver. Just because the 49-year-old driver did not appear to be impaired following the crash, it does not mean that he or she was paying sufficient attention when he or she smashed into the officer.

Nearly everyone in Portland knows that when the police turn on their sirens and their lights that you need to pull over. If police are after someone else, they will drive right on by, and if they wanted to speak with you, you can clear up whatever is wrong. Not only is it illegal to refuse to stop for police, but it can put others at risk of serious injury. Sadly, one man's decision to try to avoid police left his passenger and a driver injured.

The 32 year old was driving in northeast Portland when police tried to pull him over at the intersection of Northeast Ainsworth Street and Northeast 17th Avenue. Instead of stopping, however, he kept driving before smashing into another car and crashing into someone's yard. From there, he took off running.

We can all hope that in the event of a serious car accident, the person who caused the accident will do the right thing by taking responsibility for his or her actions. This might mean admitting fault and possibly making amends. This might range anywhere from an apology to financial compensation, depending on the circumstances. If criminal charges are warranted, it may comfort injured parties to know that the at-fault driver is paying his or her debt to society.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the fortitude to face the negative consequences of their actions. A Vancouver man who caused a drunk-driving accident in 2006 made the choice to escape punishment by fleeing the state and under a false identity, just before his trial for the accident began. But he was recently found, tried and convicted, and must now serve five years in prison.

How long does it take to look at your GPS? How long does it take to select a contact and press send on your phone? How long does it take to turn around in the car and chastise your children? If any of these tasks took longer than two seconds, you are at an increased risk of an accident. For many people in Vancouver the risk comes not from doing these things, but from sharing the road with others that do. With all the different things that could distract someone, it is no wonder why there are so many dangerous car accidents in and around Vancouver.

The federal government has recognized this and the Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has asked that automakers restrict new devices to those that can operate with only a glance. If a driver needs to spend more than two seconds looking at the device, the Department of Transportation doesn't want it in new cars. The department also reminds people that any kind of text messaging or Internet browsing should be limited to when a car is stopped and in park.