St. Cloud Personal Injury Lawyer - drinking and driving

Weather, Speed, And Holiday Cheer: Time To Be Extra Safe On The Roads

Mike Bryant — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:26:41 GMT

The first week in December has again seen an increase in highway deaths. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of what is coming for the rest of the month. It is important with so many people rushing around and holiday parties starting up, that we all keep a little better look out.

Saturday night, a truck went the wrong way on the 49th Ave. Ramp on I-94 and hit a mini van head on. A passenger in the van lost her eight month old unborn child. She and her 10 year-old son are in critical condition, and four other children, ages three to nine, were also hurt. The truck driver is suspected of being drunk according to the Minnesota Sate Patrol.
Friday afternoon, a 23-year-old Watkins man died when his 1996 Saturn was hit by a 1995 Jeep Cherokee in Meeker county. The jeep failed to yield at 642nd Avenue and 365th Street in Forrest Prairie Township, according to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office.
Thursday afternoon, A pickup truck and sedan collided at the intersection of County Road 45 and County Road 9 in Farden Township , according to the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office. The driver of the pickup truck and a passenger in the car were each ejected. Both were pronounced dead on the scene. The Hubbard County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the accident.
Tuesday afternoon, a 78 year old Roseville woman died in a seven car chain-reaction crash on County Road C at Snelling Avenue. Six eastbound vehicles were at a red light on County Road C when a westbound minivan hit the woman's vehicle at high speed, pushing it into the next vehicle and so on, the Roseville police said.

The 2009 numbers have continued to drop. Weeks like this still cause concern. With the holidays and winter type conditions, hopefully people will be careful. More will be found out over the coming weeks as to the causes of each of these collisions, so it's to early to tell if the common causes of speed and alcohol were involved in any of the incidents. In all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are many issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed on the same topic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Hit And Run Intoxicated Driver Apprehended In St Cloud

Mike Bryant — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:26:00 GMT

Friday morning, a hit and run was reported in the 300 block of Seventh Avenue South. The driver was apprehended and was intoxicated and under the influence of a prescription drug, according to police. Officers also found a large amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle.

Recent research indicates that deaths involving motor vehicles are down in Minnesota, but at the same time those deaths linked to drinking and driving have increased. The rules are simple and must always be followed:

Don't Drink and Drive
Use designated drivers
Always remember that the more you drink, the more your odds of making bad choices increase.
As drivers on the road: It's also worth keeping in mind, the deadliest roads in Stearns county to try to stay away from at night.

Stories about hit and run collisions are yet another reminder why your uninsured motorist coverage is so very important. It is what protects you and your family is the other vehicle is uninsured or runs away.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Another Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads

Mike Bryant — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:28:02 GMT

Columbus day weekend has started out as a tragic one in Minnesota as four people have been killed on Minnesota Highways. Unfortunately, the at least the third weekend that we have seen increased numbers of road deaths. The scary numbers are that on an average weekend, two people are killed.

Friday morning, a former junior high teacher was killed as he road as a passenger on a SUV that collided with a grain truck in Rice County.
Friday afternoon, an 18-year-old woman was killed and two other people were seriously injured in Coleraine, Minn., when their car pulled in front of a school bus carrying the Ely High School football team to a homecoming game in Onamia, Minn.
Late Friday night, a 32-year-old Minneapolis woman was hit head on as she drove the wrong way on Highway 280 near Energy Park Drive in St. Paul.
Saturday morning, a Cedar, Minnesota woman was killed by a passing car on 35W as she stood on the side of the road after an earlier accident.

The overall yearly numbers continue to drop for the year, but if we continue to see weekends like this they will rise. With Fall bringing us winter type conditions, hopefully people will be careful. More will be found out over the coming weeks as to the causes of each of these collisions, so it's to early to tell if the common causes of speed and alcohol were involved in any of the incidents. In all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Street Racing Can Be Deadly

Mike Bryant — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:36:00 GMT

The number of people who are dying on Minnesota roads continues to decrease, which is very positive news. Of those who still unfortunately die, the factors are often speed, lack of seat, belts and drinking. Apparently, there have been reports for some time of drag racing taking place in the Midway area of St Paul.

Last Sunday, a young woman sped through a stop light on University and and killed a young man on his way home. Beyond hitting another car, a utility pole was knocked over on the corner and just missed hitting a local bar. The driver is being held on potential charges of vehicular homicide. The man was dead at the scene.

Hopefully, this will put an end to the racing that transversed a heavily traveled section of one of Minnesota's bigger cities. Street racing is dangerous and in many cases can be deadly. It involves innocents who have no interest other then simply being on and crossing the road. Bret Hanna has been writing on the topic for a while now and has some video's that are worth watching.

These incidents have to be a wake up call for everyone. The St Paul case is a tragedy for the man's family . Those innocent individuals will all suffer forever and our condolences go out to all of them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Worries On The Rise That This Is Becoming Another Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads

Mike Bryant — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:42:00 GMT

Memorial day weekend was a tragic one in Minnesota as eleven people were killed. Unfortunately, the last weekend of June is also seeing a increased number of road deaths. The scary numbers are that on an average weekend, two people are killed. So far we have seen five already.

Friday morning, a East Bethal woman was killed as she tried to cross from northbound highway 65 and tried to turn west on to Sims Road when a southbound sport-utility vehicle (SUV) struck her vehicle. The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff's Office and the State Patrol.
Friday afternoon, a motorcycle carrying an Alexandria, Minn., couple rolled after hitting a deer in Otter Tail County. The driver was killed and his passenger wife is in critical condition.
Friday evening, a Rochester bicyclist was killed after he was hit by a commercial truck at the base of an exit ramp from Hwy. 52 in Rochester. The ramp had one lane closed at the time for construction.
Late Friday night, a teenage girl was killed in a one-car crash at Duluth Street and Brunswick Avenue N in Golden Valley. A teenage boy in the car was arrested and is facing pending charges. The young woman was thrown out of the car and struck her head.
Saturday morning, two cars collided about 6 a.m outside a Dairy Queen in Victoria. The State Patrol said roads were wet at the time. One of the drivers was killed.

The overall yearly numbers continue to drop for the year, but if we continue to see weekends like this they will rise. With Forth of July weekend on the horizon, hopefully people will be careful. More will be found out over the coming weeks as to the causes of each of these collisions, so it's to early to tell if the common causes of speed and alcohol were involved in any of the incidents. In all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

Also sorrow goes out for those that were in the massive collision down in Oklahoma. You hate to see that anywhere.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Driver Was Drunk And It Can Happen To Anyone

Mike Bryant — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:21:31 GMT

Joe Crumley covered the start of the story yesterday, of the man who was killed when he was waiting at a bus stop and hit by a car. It's now clear that the driver, that jumped the curve, was drunk. But look at what the Minneapolis Tribune tells us about her.

Saturday started out as a joyous night for Kirsten Driscoll as she celebrated her daughter's high school graduation at a party in St. Paul's Crocus Hill neighborhood.

But just after midnight, Driscoll's life as a wife, mother and volunteer from Minneapolis' affluent East Isles neighborhood took a drastic turn. Authorities said that at 12:11 a.m. Sunday, while driving drunk, she crashed into a pedestrian and a Metro Transit bus shelter at E. Lake Street and 39th Avenue S.

This has to be a wake up call for everyone. This is a tragedy for the man's family, as he was removed from life support today and for the family members of the driver. Those innocent individuals will all suffer forever and our condolences go out to all of them.

Please read this and remember that it is never safe for anyone to Drink and Drive.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Are Economic Times Saving Lives On Our Roads?

Mike Bryant — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:15:57 GMT

Interesting research came out of the Michigan Transportation Research Institution this month. Basically, they found that there has been a recent larger than expected drop in road fatalities in the last year. Their research, which was presented in the June issue of Injury Prevention, found that there has been a decrease in rural driving and in leisure driving.

It's clear that gas prises, unemployment rates, and general economic belt tightening is the cause for the reduction in leisure driving. It also seems that these same issues may be hitting the rural areas of the country harder and as a result, there is the same reasoning with this reduction.

"Rural driving is more risky than urban driving primarily because of high speeds, but there is evidence that it has recently decreased more substantially than urban driving," said Sivak, research professor and head of UMTRI's Human Factors Division. "Analogously, leisure driving is more risky than commuter driving because of higher speeds, greater involvement of alcohol and more nighttime driving, but we are more likely to reduce leisure driving, if needed, than commuter driving."

Anything that reduces road deaths has to be greeted with some relief. Hopefully, it will be learned from. We can save lives on the road, lets keep it that way.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Another Weekend Of Increased Minnesota Highway Deaths Continues To Cause Concerns

Mike Bryant — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:14:08 GMT

After the tragic Memorial Day weekend, the first full weekend of June is also seeing above average deaths on Minnesota roads. So far there have been 2 motorcycle deaths, a pedestrian killed and 2 more drivers from car collisions. The State Police continue to look into the reason for these increase losses.

In the two motorcycle collisions, both involved the riders being thrown from their bikes after cars turned in front of them. The Pedestrian was standing next to a stalled car on Highway 94 and is yet another example of the many ways pedestrians are in danger on the roads as Injuryboard member Steve Lombardi has been chronicling. The auto deaths involved high speeds and cars that were rolled. One of the vehicles was hit by a semi.

These numbers are particularly unfortunate considering that overall the number of highway deaths has been down for 2009. But, considering that speed, alcohol, lack of seat belts, and in two of the cases a motorcycle was involved, most of the deaths involve factors where the numbers continue to rise.

As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed last year on the same topic. In all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads

Mike Bryant — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:12:14 GMT

There have been eleven reported deaths on Minnesota roads this holiday weekend. This is more than past Memorial Day weekends and well above the usual weekend average of two to three. Hopefully, increased police presence and discussion about this increase will save some lives over the next couple of days.

The 11 people died in seven separate crashes between 6 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday. Alcohol played a role in several of them. The deadliest collision was a minivan that was broadsided in Olmsted County that killed four people. Of the eleven, a second death was reported in Olmsted, others took place in Cass, Dakota, Fillmore, and Aitkin Counties.

These numbers are particularly unfortunate considering that overall the number of highway deaths has been down again for 2009. But, considering that speed, alcohol, lack of seat belts and in one of the cases a motorcycle was involved, most of the deaths involve factors where the numbers continue to rise.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Seat Belt Use Will Save More Drivers Lives

Mike Bryant — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:26:00 GMT

Last week, I blogged about the recent MnDot warning about the increased number of road deaths at the start of 2009. This past week saw a few more cases. Looking closer at the numbers, indicates that a majority of those who have died were not wearing seat belts. This is a troubling trend and should remind everyone of the importance of wearing your seat belt.

These findings also raise the issue of if the legislature should look at tightening the law on seatbelt usage. One way to do this would be to make not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense. In other words, allow police stops for a person not wearing a belt and not as a add on offense after a stop for another reason. While there are concerns that this would potentially add a simple excuse to stop more cars, these death numbers may support such issues.

The Department of Public Safety says we could save 30 lives and prevent up to 400 serious injuries per year because of this law. The potential savings in emergency responses and medical expenses could make a real difference. This trend will need to be watched closely.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant