Motor Vehicle Accidents

Fault

As with other types of accidents, figuring out who is at fault in a traffic accident is a matter of deciding who was negligent. In many cases, your instincts will tell you that a driver, cyclist or pedestrian acted carelessly, but not what rule or rules that person violated. Fault issues can be complicated, and an experienced attorney will look to a number of sources, such as police reports, state traffic laws, and witnesses, to help you determine who was at fault for your accident.

Courts look to a number of factors in determining whether a driver was negligent. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• disobeying traffic signs or signals;
• failing to signal while turning;
• driving above or below the posted speed limit;
• disregarding weather or traffic conditions;
• failing to drive on the right side of the road; and
• driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Causes of Automobile Accidents

A driver may also be liable for an accident due to his or her intentional or reckless conduct. A reckless driver is one who drives unsafely, with "willful and wanton disregard" for the probability that such driving may cause an accident. A driver could be found reckless, for example, if he or she drives in a threatening or harassing manner out of "road rage" and causes an accident. (Criminal charges can also stem from such behavior). Road rage is defined as "an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger on another motor vehicle, or an assault precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway."

In 2000, there were a total of 17,663 crashes caused by drivers with these aggressive driving behaviors. According to a recent NHTSA survey, more than 60 percent of drivers consider unsafe driving by others, including speeding, a major personal threat to themselves and their families. About 30 percent of respondents said they felt their safety was threatened in the last month, while 67 percent felt this threat during the last year.

Traffic safety and law enforcement organizations are renewing efforts to identify and penalize aggressive drivers-those who speed, tailgate, zip from lane to lane, flash headlights in frustration, and engage in other dangerous driving practices. The NHTSA defines aggressive driving as a progression of unlawful driving actions such as:

• speeding-exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast for conditions;
• improper or excessive lane changing;
• failing to signal intent;
• failing to see that movement can be made safely; or
• improper passing-failing to signal intent, using an emergency lane to pass, or passing on the shoulder.

Avoiding an Accident

If you are confronted by an aggressive driver, the NHTSA recommends that you take the following actions:

• Get out of the way: first and foremost, make every attempt to get out of his or her way.
• Put your pride aside: do not challenge the aggressive driver by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane.
• Avoid eye contact: eye contact can sometimes enrage an aggressive driver.
• Avoid gestures: ignore gestures and refuse to return them.
• Report serious aggressive driving: you or a passenger may call the police (but, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location).

Drunk Driving

Every 30 minutes, someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related crash. Last year alone, over one million people were injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes. In a lawsuit arising from a drunk driving accident, (in addition to the intoxicated driver being held liable for the injuries he or she caused), a bar or social host may be liable for damages if they served an obviously intoxicated guest, who then drove and caused an accident. The fact that the person who served the intoxicated driver alcohol may be held liable does not relieve the intoxicated driver of liability, however.  An experienced personal injury attorneys who is aware of the laws governing legal responsibility and can help you identify who might be held responsible for your injuries, including people or businesses you may not have considered.

Accidents that are Not Caused by the Drivers Involved

In certain cases, accidents are caused by factors unrelated to the conduct of any particular driver. For example, an automobile accident may occur due to a defect in someone's automobile. In such a case, an automobile manufacturer or supplier may be responsible for injuries caused by a defect in the automobile under the law of product liability. A product liability suit is a lawsuit brought against the party responsible for a defective product that caused physical injury to a consumer or user. If a manufacturer of a product creates a defective product-either in designing, manufacturing, or labeling the product, the manufacturer may be liable for any injuries the product causes.

A driver may not be at fault for an accident where a mechanic fails to properly repair a vehicle, and the failure causes an accident. In such a case, the person who improperly repaired the automobile, and his employer, may be liable for the injuries sustained under the theory of negligence.

Other factors, such as poorly maintained roads and malfunctioning traffic control signals can contribute to cause an accident as well. Improper design, maintenance, construction, signage, lighting or other highway defects, including poorly placed trees and utility poles, can also cause serious accidents. In cases such as this in Pennsylvania, government entities may be potential defendants. Special rules apply to claims and lawsuits brought against governmental bodies, however, and good legal advice is critical to preserving and winning such claims.  To date Delaware does not allow these type of law suits against government bodies.

Conclusion

In all of the above cases, it is essential that accident victims take prompt measures to preserve evidence, investigate the accident in question, and have physicians or other expert witnesses thoroughly evaluate any injuries. If you have been a victim of a recent automobile accident, do not hesitate to call a personal injury attorney who is skilled and experienced in motor vehicle accident cases to assess your situation and determine the best methods for you to obtain any compensation available for the damages you suffered.

The Delaware trial lawyers at Knepper & Stratton represent clients in personal injury lawsuits, employment law suits, traffic ticket defense and DUI defense throughout the State of Delaware, Kent County, Sussex County and New Castle County, including the communities of Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, Dover, Smyrna, Harrington, New Castle, Claymont, Georgetown, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Seaford, Lewes, Camden, Wyoming, Frederica, Houston, Milford, Hockessin, Little Creek, Delaware City, Glasgow, Bear, Townsend, Elsmere, Newport, Fairfax, Talleyville, Greenville, Centerville, St. Georges, Dover AFB, Dover Air Force Base, Pike Creek, Wilton, and Port Penn for incidents occuring on the highways of Delaware including U.S. Rt. 202, I-95, I-495, U.S. Rt. 13, DE Rt. 7, U.S. Rt. 13, DE Rt. 52, U.S. Rt. 301, DE. Rt. 1, U.S. Rt. 113, DE Rt. 9, U.S. Rt. 40, Concord Pike, DE Rt. 2, Pulaski Highway, DE Rt. 72, Old Baltimore Pike, Limestone Road, DuPont Highway, Kennett Pike, Kirkwood Highway, Maryland Avenue, DE Rt. 4, DE Rt. 896, and DE Rt. 71.