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High Speed Car Collision

2008-10-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

High-speed car chases, which ultimately end up in collision, are good to see in the movies. But when you’re actually on it, either as driver or passenger, the party at fault or the victim, it’s not good to see at all.

The news

Just last month, the Los Angeles Daily News reported a man who ends up dead due to a high-speed car collision in 405 Freeway. Witnesses said they saw the man drive at a high speed while weaving in and out of traffic. After the accident, the 52-year-old man had to be extracted from his vehicle. He died in the hospital.

Three more cars and an ambulance were reportedly involved in the collision, which “stretched across all southbound lanes.” Four were injured, including a child.

High-speed car collision recorded more severe damages to persons and property than collisions involving slow moving or stationary vehicles.

The risks

The study conducted by the US Federal Highway Administration reveals that the risk of crash is increased both for vehicles traveling slower than the average speed and for those traveling above the average speed.

The risk of injury is recorded to increase exponentially with speeds higher than the median speed. The severity of the injury depends on the vehicle speed change at impact.

The study also reveals that lower speed limits across states do not necessarily result to lower speeds of vehicles. Moreover, most crashes related to speed involved high-speed for the conditions.

The common types

The common types of collision of two or more moving vehicles include frontal impacts, side impacts, rear impacts and rollovers.

Frontal impacts are hard to avoid during collision especially in freeways. Freeways are designed for high-speed travel and accidents in these roads are often fatal.

Side collision usually occurs at intersections, in parking lots, when vehicles pass on a multi-lane roadway or when a vehicle hits a stationary object.

Rear impacts often result from the untimely stop or decrease of speed of the first car. The following car hits the first due to lack of time to decrease speed or apply the break.

Rollover crashes result when the vehicle tips over as it skids sideways. In the US, about 28,000 cases of rollover accidents happen every year. Ten Thousand people die while 24,000 people are ruinously injured.

The legal consequences

Countless of those involved in high-speed car collision can face unavoidable legal consequences. Most jurisdictions in the US require parties to stop at the scene of the accident to exchange insurance information and the likes. If the driver speeds off, he can face charges of hit and run even if he was not the party at fault.

Civil actions for damages and other criminal suit may also be filed following a high-speed car collision. Civil liability may be made the basis to claim for damages, loss of income, medical and hospital expenses, actual cost of the repair of the vehicle, pain and suffering, among others.

Recourse to law is always advised to avoid deceitful and meager settlement sums. These types of cases often involve complex principles of law and evidence. They are better off dealt by professionals whose expertise includes resolving every issue brought about by high-speed car collision.

For credible legal advice and representation on your high-speed car collision cases, our car accident lawyers are always ready to render immediate legal assistance.

Author: Jamil Estorninos

Learn About Sports Cars Before You Buy One

2008-10-29T01:51:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats the exhilaration brought about by speed. Anyone who has ever driven an automobile has at least dreamt of taking the role of Steve McQueen in "Bullitt", getting into a high-speed car chase. If not Bullitt, each driver has dreamt playing Michael Caine's Charlie Cosker in "The Italian Job", driving that gorgeous convertible into the very heart of the gold heist.. Anyone who has ever taken control of the wheel has at least once dreamt of driving not just to get from point A to point B but to go from point A to B in flair. And driving a fantastic sports car fulfills this dream.

In making an automobile or any land vehicle for that matter, a lot of factors are being considered: cost of material, safety, efficiency, and performance are only some of these at play on the drawing board of a car maker. A sports car however, in definition gives priority to performance above all other factors. By performance, speed is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Speed relies heavily on the power of the car's engine.

Most sports cars do have muscle engines which can outrun even the fastest sedans easily. A sports car engineer therefore puts it first on the list of factors that he has to consider: how to travel the distance with the least amount of time possible.

But of course, even if performance is a cut above every other consideration, the other factors are never neglected. Safety cannot be compromised, because even the fastest sports car needs a driver on the wheel at all times, and safe at all times. Besides, everyone wants to drive from start to finish in one piece, after all. So a performance-oriented vehicle must pay attention to the other factors and not rely solely on the car engine's power.

A number of sports cars compensate for a not-so-powerful engine with a light body, paying due respect to the laws of physics: the lighter the mass, the smaller amount of force required to move this mass. This is also the reason why a sports cars usually are smaller, and do not have backseats. If these cars do have backseats, these are not as convenient as a sedan's and is only a throwaway to please the insurance companies. One may also notice that a sports car quite often only has two doors, and it shares the same reason as that of the backseat.

Because it can outperform any of the regular four-seater cars out in the market, sports cars are sold obviously at a higher price. Another reason is because quality materials are almost always being used to withstand the heavier wear and tear in this type of vehicle.
This also explains why purchasing a sports car remains a pipe dream to most car enthusiasts. But it doesn't have to be that way anymore. It is easier to get one's hands on the steering wheel of a sports car than most people think. One just has to have the imagination and acumen to do so.

Buying a sports car does not have to mean going to your nearest car dealer and getting a brand new vehicle off the rack. There are quite a handful of these vehicles beyond the dealer's garage, in very good condition and sold at a lower price. You can always check out car auctions and watch out of sports car models being sold at pancake rates. Pre-owned sports cars are always available on your local car magazine or website; sometimes it just requires you to pay more attention to these ad placements; you'll never know when the sports car of your dreams is right under your nose.

Buying second-hand sports cars maybe the best way to go if one is facing monetary constraints. If a pre-owned sports car is taken cared of properly, it will give one the same excitement that a new one can provide.

There are also private sellers particularly of sports cars. More often than not, owners of these sports cars found themselves short of cash and are willing to dispose of their sports cars at considerably low prices, much to their resistance. Desperation is in a way good for buyers on the look-out: they get their dream vehicles at bargain prices.

And once you have spotted the car of your dreams, it is wise to exercise routine vehicle inspection, the way one does when buying a regular car. Do not forget to visually inspect the engine, the interior and the body. It is a folly to disregard these simple reminders, especially when buying a pre-owned sports car. You as a buyer can easily assess the condition of the car, how well it was maintained by the owner, simply by looking at it. Then, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: do not forget to test-drive your prospect sports vehicle before closing the purchase. Give it a go and see how it feels. If it feels good – and you feel like Steve McQueen in Bullitt – it is time to call that sports car your own.

Author: Lee Dobbins

How To Find Great Car Accessories For Your Car

2008-10-29T01:50:00.000-07:00

Why do you need to buy car accessories to compliment your car? Many people buy car accessories so as to make their car look great. Some of them buy car accessories to personalize and add some style to their cars. Whatever your reason may be for buying accessories, I believe that you absolutely enjoy the process of shopping for one.

Most of the car accessories that are out in the market are expensive. If you are on a shoestring budget, you can consider starting off with buying some cheaper car accessories first. A cheap accessory that many people enjoy is sticker. The sticker can show a funny statement or a message for social cause. These are always funny to look at and you can seriously consider getting some to stick on your car.

Sometimes, car accessories can be necessary things like floor mats. You can either get a plain floor mat or one that has a catchy design. Another necessary car accessory is air fresheners. Without air fresheners, it is very hard to convince your friends to stay long inside your car.

The above are some examples of very affordable car accessories. Now, let us move on to the more expensive ones. Expensive car accessories are usually electronic in nature. Some examples are neon headlights, CD player, DVD player or a sound woofer. Some cars even install a mini television unit and add a PlayStation or an Xbox to it for more entertainment.

One of the most expensive car accessories is a GPS system. A GPS system is a Global Positioning System. By installing a GPS system in your car, it can help you to get to and from various locations easily. A system like this can cost you about $1000; therefore you must decide whether you really need it before you install this system into your car.

One very interesting car accessories is the radar detection system. This system helps you to know when a police officer may be nearby looking for speeding cars. If you have installed a radar detection system in your car, it will alert you so that you can slow down and avoid getting a speeding ticket.

There are tons of car accessories for you to choose from. Whether you want to buy one to compliment your car or to help you avoid getting speeding tickets, you are spoilt for choices. Take your time to look for the one that best suits your car.

Author: Cheow Yu Yuan