Springfield Missouri Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As Springfield personal injury lawyers, we know that distractedness is a common contributor to car accidents in Missouri and throughout the United States. While many drivers assume that driver distraction always involves cell phone use, there are actually numerous "secondary tasks" that can have a negative effect on driving performance. In this post, we share five of the most common driver distractions.

Eyes off the road: Five dangerous driving distractions

1. Using cell phones and other handheld electronic devices. By now, most people know that talking or texting while driving reduces a driver's ability to assess roadway situations and respond to them safely. Texting drivers are 23 times more likely to cause a crash than non-texting drivers, and using a cell phone - whether handheld or hands free - impairs a driver as much as having a blood alcohol content of 0.08%. The bottom line? Put your phone away when you're behind the wheel, and appoint a passenger to answer any texts or calls that require an immediate response.

2. Reaching for objects inside the vehicle. While many drivers don't immediately associate this task with the problem of distracted driving, it is an extremely common form of driver distraction. You take your eyes off the road (just for a moment!) to reach for a cell phone, a sandwich, or an object that's fallen into the floorboard. However, that "moment" of attention can be vital: at 55 miles an hour, a vehicle can travel half a football field in a matter of four seconds. It's extremely dangerous to take your eyes off the road even momentarily, and especially so when traffic is congested.

3. Looking at something outside the vehicle. External distractions - such as auto accidents, billboards, and even the scenery - can draw a driver's full attention away from the road. In particular, it's very common for a Missouri driver to cause a crash because he or she is looking at the aftermath of an earlier wreck. Resist the temptation to shift your focus to a non-driving related object or event.

4. Reading. Whether it's a text message, a map, or a newspaper, reading while driving can have catastrophic consequences. At a minimum, reading takes your eyes off the road and your mind off the task of safe driving - and depending on what you're reading, your hands may also be off the wheel. If you're behind the wheel and you need to read something immediately, find a safe place to pull over.

5. Grooming/putting on makeup. Applying makeup is another disturbingly common form of driver distraction. According to a study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), touching up your makeup while driving makes your crash risk about three times higher.

Continue reading ""Secondary tasks" divide drivers' focus, cause Missouri car accidents" »

Despite numerous national campaigns and safety initiatives, the problem of distracted drivers continues to plague motorists in Springfield, Missouri and throughout the U.S. In this post, our personal injury lawyers share 10 facts about distracted driving and its connection to serious car accidents and their resulting injuries.

Distracted driving: 10 shocking facts for Missouri drivers

1. Numerous studies have shown that certain forms of distraction (i.e. drowsiness, conversations) actually cause greater impairment than alcohol - in fact, a driver using a cell phone is more impaired than a driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08%. Despite this research, more than 7 million people firmly believe that their driving is unaffected by these behaviors.

2. Every single day, more than 15 people are killed and over 1,200 more are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver.

3. When a driver is listening to music or conversation while behind the wheel, the amount of brain activity associated with driving decreases by nearly 40%.

4. In a Nationwide Mutual Insurance Study, 80% of respondents admitted to engaging in blatantly hazardous behaviors while driving, including changing clothes, painting fingernails and shaving.

5. Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to cause a crash serious enough to result in injuries. Contrary to popular belief, hands-free phones have not proven to be substantially safer than hand-held devices.

6. A State Farm Survey of 1,000 drivers found that 48% admitted to "webbing" (accessing the internet) while behind the wheel in 2012, compared to 29% in 2009.

7. Distracted driving is now the number one killer of American teenagers. The Pew Research Center reports that 40% of teens say they have been in a car with a driver who used a cell phone in a way that put his or her passengers in danger.

8. While all forms of driver distraction can prove to be catastrophic, texting and driving is especially dangerous. Texting involves all three main forms of distraction: visual (eyes off the road); manual (hands off the wheel); and cognitive (mind off the task of driving).

9. Texting drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in an auto accident than non-texting drivers.

10. On average, sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for about 4.6 seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that's like driving the length of a football field, blind.

Continue reading "Distracted driving: 10 shocking facts Missouri drivers need to know" »

Distracted driving accidents continue to plague roadways in Missouri and throughout the country. An auto accident involving distraction happens about every 24 seconds, according to the National Safety Council. This year alone, American drivers using cell phones to talk or text have caused over 800,000 crashes. Here are just a few of the many distracted driving news items we've seen in 2012:

• This week, police in Edmonton, Canada observed a man texting while riding a motorcycle. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, the motorcyclist attempted to flee, but he lost control of the bike and struck an oncoming vehicle. The rider then left the scene on foot, but law enforcement officials were able to locate him quickly: after all, he left his wrecked bike behind. He now faces multiple criminal charges in connection with the incident.

• A 24 year-old Iowa woman was recently sentenced to five years in prison for causing a serious injury accident while texting: she crossed the center line and struck a motorcycle. The rider lost her left leg as a result of the crash.

• A Washington teen was nearly impaled after he ran off the road while texting and crashed into a fence. A fence post speared his windshield: "it nearly took his head off," said a state trooper at the scene. The 18 year-old man suffered facial lacerations.

• Moments before he drove into a ravine, a 21 year-old Texas man sent the following text message: "I need to quit texting, because I could die in a car accident." He survived, but suffered a punctured right lung, numerous facial fractures, a severe skull fracture, and bleeding of the brain. "He had to learn everything over again," his mother told NBC News. "He had to learn to speak with proper voice inflection. He had to learn how to convey emotion. Prior to the accident, he was an extremely intelligent child. He painted, he played music, he was a math whiz."

Distracted driving has proven to be especially deadly for teens, who already lead other age groups in terms of accident risks. In June, federal statistics revealed that 58% of high school seniors admitted to texting or sending emails while they're behind the wheel. What's more, distracted driving is the leading contributing factor in fatal accidents involving young drivers: it accounts for approximately 16% of teen traffic deaths.

Continue reading "The problem of distracted driving: Is there an app for that?" »

There's no question that distracted driving is a problem of epidemic proportions here in Missouri and throughout the county. Text messaging is one of the most popular forms of distraction for drivers, and most of us know how dangerous it is to send a text message while we're behind the wheel. But let's say you text a friend, knowing that he's driving, and he then causes an accident while reading or responding to the message. Can you be considerable partially responsible?

That's the question currently facing a New Jersey judge. A Dover couple recently filed a personal injury lawsuit connected to a 2009 distracted driving accident, and they're not only suing the at-fault driver, Kyle Best: they're also suing the young woman who sent him several text messages in the minutes before the accident occurred.

In September 2009, Best (then age 19) was texting and driving while commuting home from work, which caused him to drift across the center line into oncoming traffic. His pickup collided with a motorcycle ridden by David and Linda Kubert, who were both seriously injured: David's left leg was torn off above the knee, and Linda's left leg was later amputated because her injuries were so severe.

Immediately following the crash, Best told local police that he had simply looked down at his phone to see who had sent him a message. However, cell phone records revealed that Best texted the young woman just before 5:48 p.m. that day: she responded within about 30 seconds, and Best replied again. Seconds after sending that text, Best called 911 to report the accident. The records also show that the pair had exchanged multiple messages throughout the day: the Kuberts' lawyer, Stephen Weinstein, says the young woman was fully aware that Best was driving when she sent the messages, because she knew he was leaving work. He likened her actions to someone who enables a drunk driver.

"They were texting back and forth like a verbal conversation," Weinstein said, according to ABC News. "She may not have been physically present, but she was electronically present."

Continue reading "New Jersey Teenager Sued for Texting Friend While He Drove, Causing Crash: Is She Responsible?" »

Our Springfield, Missouri car accident attorneys believe that the vast majority of crashes are preventable: they don't have to happen. To help avoid car accidents, we've put together this list of 15 common causes: sometimes we all need a gentle reminder to help us drive more safely.

1. Distracted Driving. We never cease to be amazed at the number of accidents that happen simply because drivers aren't paying attention to the road. These accidents are among the easiest to prevent: jus put away your cell phone, your make up kit, and your lunch. Don't fiddle with the radio, or turn around to talk to backseat passengers. When you drive, just drive.

2. Speeding. When an accident involves a speeding driver, the impact of the collision is increased - and it follows that resulting damages and injuries will be considerably more severe.

3. Drunk Driving. It's old news that drinking and driving is dangerous, and yet Missourians are charged with DWI every day. So, we'll say it again: never drink and drive. Never. (No drugs either.)

4. Reckless Driving. Don't speed, tailgate, or change lanes too quickly. There are a number of driver excuses for this behavior ("I was running late"; or "She was going 25 in a 45"; or "There was only a small gap and I had to change lanes"): none of them are worth having an accident over.

5. Rain, Snow & Ice. If roads are hazardous, slow down. You will need extra time to stop, and to turn safely, and to change lane, and, frankly, to perform nearly all driving maneuvers. If you can't see - or if you don't feel safe - find a good place to pull over.

6. Running Red Lights & Stop Signs. If the light is yellow and you haven't reached the "point of no return," stop. (Even if you have the green light, it never hurts to keep your eyes open.)

7. Teenage Drivers. Teens are inexperienced, easily distracted, and, often, careless. Share this list with your teenage drivers.

8. Night Driving. Slow down at night. Don't overdrive your headlights.

9. Design Defects. Be sure you keep track of safety recall information for your family's vehicles. You can use www.recalls.gov as a resource.

10. Unsafe Lane Changes. Take your time and wait until you have sufficient space. Plan ahead, but if you miss a turn or exit, continue forth and turn around in a safe place.

Continue reading "15 Reasons Why Car Accidents Happen In Springfield, Missouri " »

Our Springfield, Missouri car accident attorneys are always happy to hear about initiatives that aim to curb distracted driving, especially in teen drivers. We applaud the Springfield Council of Parent Teacher Associations (SCPTA) for sponsoring the Save-A-Life tour, which visited two local high schools this week: students from Central and Hillcrest participated in activities to promote awareness about the dangers of texting and driving.

Save-A-Life is well-known for its national high-impact alcohol awareness program: its drunk driving simulators have been widely praised for their ability to provide a sober perspective on the effects of alcohol on the mind. Last year, with support from the Missouri Eye Institute, the SCPTA brought the tour to Parkview and Glendale: students and faculty alike reported that the drunk driving presentations were hugely affecting. "They bring people to talk who really know what they're talking about," said Dawn Thompson, SCPTA president.

This is the first year the tour has offered presentations and simulation activities that address distracted driving, and Thompson said the SCPTA felt that it was a timely, relevant subject to discuss with students. "Since a lot more accidents are happening now with distracted driving, we thought this was the way to go. It affects more kids. It seems everybody has a cell phone now," Thompson said.

And she couldn't be more right. Here are just a few of the staggering statistics that reflect trends in teen driving behaviors:

• Teen drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident caused by distracted than any other age group. (NHTSA)
• 40% of American teens say they have been passengers when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger. (Pew)
• 3 out of 4 teens say they own cell phones. (National Teen Driver Survey)
• 48% of teens say they talk on a cell phone, at least sometimes, while driving. (National Teen Driver Survey)

Save-A-Life's distracted driving program uses a combination of personal accounts, videos, and distracted driving simulation to present its message. Students at both high schools saw photographs of car accident damage. They also heard from the friends and family members of people who were injured or killed because of texting and driving. Then, juniors and seniors used the texting and driving simulator, which was equipped with a steering wheel, an iPod touch (which received frequent text messages), and a large screen to simulate the roadway and traffic.

Continue reading "Save-A-Life Tour Visits Springfield, Missouri High Schools, Promotes Teen Awareness of Distracted Driving Risks" »

As Springfield, Missouri car accident attorneys, we've written a great deal on this blog about the dangers of distracted driving, particularly driving while texting. We know firsthand how often this behavior results in injury and fatality accidents. Now, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending that all fifty states implement a total ban on the use of cell phones (and all other portable electronic devices) by all drivers, except in emergency situations. What's more, this recommendation was prompted by the findings of an accident investigation that happened right here in Missouri.

You probably remember seeing the horrific story on the news last year. A 19 year-old Missouri man, Daniel Schatz, was traveling on the highway near Gray Summit. The Missouri Highway Patrol estimates that his pickup truck was moving at 55 miles per hour when it struck the back of a semitrailer, which had slowed down because of highway construction. Then, the pickup truck was struck from behind by a school bus, which actually overrode the pickup. Finally, a second school bus collided with the first bus.

Schatz and Jessica Brinker, a 15 year-old girl on the first bus, were both killed. 38 people were injured. The buses were carrying about 50 students from St. James, who were traveling to Six Flags for a field trip.

The findings of the NTSB investigation showed that the pickup truck driver had either sent or received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before the collision occurred. The subject of the messages, between the driver and a friend, involved plans to attend the county fair. The cell phone records do not conclusively show that Schatz was typing at the moment of the accident, but, according to NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman, they do provide evidence of a driver who was distracted in every way: manually, cognitively, and visually. "Driving was not his only priority. No call, no text, no update is worth a human life."

Continue reading "NTSB Recommends Nationwide Cell Phone Ban for Drivers After Investigating a Missouri Rear End Accident" »

Ash Grove Missouri car accident lawyers know that quite often warnings are just empty words with no real meaning. The warning that "texting and driving causes car accidents" seems to be one of those phrases that a lot of people can ignore, especially teenagers. It might be for the reason that most of us take more than just words to get a message across. And in Ash Grove, Missouri on October 25, 2011, at the Ash Grove High School, the students were given the texting and driving message in a visual aid setting in order to provide a very powerful "reality" about the dangers of texting and driving.

Mock Accident at Ash Grove High School
Imagine walking up to a scene of blood, an amputated arm, twisted metal, and bloodied people lying around what used to be a car. Then realize that those people are your friends.

The mock car accident scene uses all of these components to totally immerse the students, and anyone else who is watching, into the reality of the dangers of texting and driving. With make-up, fake skin, fake blood and a wrecked car the scene looks pretty real. It is made even more so when a kid with an "amputated arm" is air-lifted from the scene by a real Lifeline helicopter. These mock scenes are so real looking and seeming that some students have even fainted.

Very Real Consequences
Pam Holt, St John's Regional Health Center's Injury Prevention Coordinator, participated in the event. St John's provided the support and props. Ms. Holt helped create the "amputated arm" with a Dixie cup, fake blood and creepy skin. The purpose of the "amputated arm" is to show that death is not the only consequence to car accidents. If this student had really experienced this car accident his life would be changed forever, not only from this life-long and debilitating injury, but from medical bills to insurance bills to a major change in his life-style and that of his family's.

Continue reading "Texting and Driving Mock Car Accident in Ash Grove, Missouri Provides Realistic Experience for Scoffers" »

Before winter sets in, the call of the open road is stronger than ever in the Fall. The sun on your back, the fresh air on your face, the wind bustling around you as you drive your motorcycle down the road, these are the very reasons many people choose to travel by motorcycle. Nothing can beat traveling along a road and feeling so close to it and your surroundings. However, as with everything, there are perils. And the Springfield, Missouri motorcycle accident lawyers want to remind you and also point out the dangers of sharing the road with distracted drivers. Motorcycle accidents are primarily caused by another driver's failure to see or allow for the motorcyclist. Many of these types of accidents are caused by a distracted driver.

Distracted Drivers and Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents lead to greater injuries and loss of life than car crashes. The very thing that makes a motorcycle appealing also makes it more dangerous for the rider in an accident. The lack of a protective roof and doors also makes the motorcycle more difficult to see and to detect in traffic. Add to this a distracted driver and the chances of a motorcycle accident increase dramatically.

A distracted driver is anyone not paying full and careful attention to the task of driving. From talking on a cell phone to texting to trying to read a map a distracted driver has their attention on something other than driving. During the moments of shifting focus from the road and the traffic to some other task, a driver becomes a hazard to other motorists but this hazard is especially great for a motorcyclist.

Risk of Injury High for Springfield, MO Motorcycle Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly 80% of motorcycle accidents involve at least one fatality. Many times a motorcycle accident involves cuts, scrapes and bruises. The more serious injuries are broken legs and head injuries. Without a helmet the possibility of spinal injuries greatly increases, as does the chance of serious head injuries. And no matter what the physical injury, the emotional trauma suffered in a motorcycle accident can be quite severe. Add in the costs associated with motorcycle repair and a motorcycle accident can be debilitating.

Continue reading "Distracted Drivers and Motorcyclists Don't Mix in Springfield Missouri" »

Springfield Missouri car accident lawyers were pleased to see the national Arrive Alive Tour in our own city of Springfield last week. The Springfield, Missouri Police Department, Greene County Sherriff and the Central Bible College partnered together to bring the tour to Greene County. The Arrive Alive Tour was held at Central Bible College's main campus on Wednesday September 21, 2011.

Arrive Alive Tour in Springfield, Missouri
The Arrive Alive Tour is a national tour that travels across the country to demonstrate the dangers of driving while distracted and also driving while intoxicated. Each year Arrive Alive focuses on the major issues causing car accidents in the United States. Distracted driving continues to be a major problem. So this year the tour is about showing the dangers of driving while texting.

The Tour allows people to get into a vehicle with a simulator. Discs are placed under the wheels of a real car so the driver gets a true experience of riding and turning on the road. Sensors are connected to the steering wheel, brakes, and gas pedal of the car to allow the driver to steer and accelerate and brake as if they are actually driving while the sensors interact with the computer that runs the simulation. The driver wears a 180 degree virtual reality headset so they are totally immersed into the driving experience, including images showing the windows and the rear-view mirror.

While driving in the simulator, the driver receives a text message and attempts to read and answer the text. The driver gets to see what can happen in real time, from driving off the road or crashing into another vehicle to running over a pedestrian. The simulation is made even more real by the issuance of citations to the driver after they exit the vehicle. Law enforcement officers are on hand to explain the legal ramifications of what the driver just experienced, including court costs, lawyer fees, jail time, insurance issues and injury results.

Continue reading "Arrive Alive Tour Comes to Springfield, Missouri" »

If you were driving through Greene County Missouri on Interstate 44 at the end of summer, you probably noticed more Greene County Sheriff officers than usual. That is because the "HEAT was On". The weekend of September 17 and 18, 2011 was the last weekend for the Summer of 2011 HEAT Is On Campaign and the Greene County Sheriff's office used grant money to beef up traffic enforcement along I44. In fact officers from the Oklahoma state line to the Illinois border were all part of the statewide effort to crack down on distracted and impaired drivers on I-44.

The Heat is On is a national campaign designed to reduce the number of traffic injuries and traffic fatalities by reducing the number of car accidents through awareness and enforcement efforts. HEAT stands for High Enforcement Action Teams. And the campaign uses federal grant monies from the Division of Highway Traffic Safety to pay extra officers to perform targeted enforcements while still keeping the normal patrol levels throughout the rest of the county.

HEAT in Greene County and Throughout Missouri
The HEAT officers target drivers who are speeding and driving aggressively. They also look for impaired drivers and the lack of seat belt use. But the ultimate goal is to stop anybody who is not driving safely. Programs like this one have contributed to a large reduction in car accident related injuries and deaths.

In Missouri the largest number of fatal and serious car accidents over the past five years has occurred between July and September. In 2005 more than 1,200 people died in car accidents in Missouri. With strong efforts and powerful campaigns such as the HEAT Is On, this number dropped to 821 in 2010. And nobody wants to stop there.

Continue reading "Greene County Sheriff Joins Statewide Effort to Crack Down on Distracted and Impaired Drivers" »

Stone County car accident lawyers want you to know about the dangers of speeding and the lack of driver attention as contributing factors to car accidents. The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) responded to another fatal car accident on Sunday afternoon September 18, 2011. This is the 73rd fatal car accident for Troop D, or southwest Missouri, for MSHP this year. This one was a single car accident which occurred northeast of Galena, Mo. on Horsecreek Road around 2:30 in the afternoon.

A 1987 Ford F350 ran off of the roadway, overturned, and struck a tree. The male driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The specific factors of this accident have not been made public and it is hard to know exactly what happened to create this type of car accident. An investigation reveals the specific facts. But we do know that single car accidents are often preventable and may involve driver error.

Main Causes of Single Car Accidents in Missouri
A single car accident, especially one involving rollover, often indicates excessive speed. However, every case is different. Sometimes, other factors can be involved that increase the likelihood of rollover and impact the severity of the car accident. A single car accident almost always occurs because the driver's attention lapsed somehow, sometimes for only a few seconds.

Common Driver Errors

• Driving too fast for the road, not prepared for curves or other hazards


• Driving too fast for road conditions, unable to slow or break because of wet roads or other hazards


• Driving too fast at night, unable to see or react to road changes or approaching hazards


• Driving while intoxicated, slow reaction times and poor decision making abilities


• Driving while drowsy, slow reactions or falling asleep while driving


• Distracted driving such as texting, cell phone use, map reading, or other activity requiring the driver's attention


• Over-correcting when the vehicle drifts or while steering to avoid a hazard

Two of the most common causes of fatal single car accidents are falling asleep at the wheel or driving while drunk. Distracted driving is a huge contributor to all car accidents. And in almost all cases excessive speed was involved and always contributes to the severity of the car accident.

Continue reading "Fatal Accident in Stone County Missouri a Reminder to Slow Down and Pay Attention" »

A newly released public service announcement shines light on the frequency of fatal car accidents in Ozark, Nixa, Stockton and elsewhere in the United States that are caused by a distracted driver. The U.S. Department of Transportation is behind this campaign that has been viewed more than 100,000 times since they launched.

"I thank all of the families of distracted driving victims who have bravely chosen to share their stories of loss with the world," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "The response to their heartbreaking stories has been overwhelming and their efforts to build public awareness are helping to save lives. I urge everyone to watch our 'Faces of Distracted Driving' series at distraction.gov and to remember: talking or texting while driving is not worth the risk."

Our Springfield car accident attorneys recognize how serious this epidemic is. Motorists around the country are losing their lives because of this careless driving habit, distracted driving. This video series shines light on just a few of these incidents in which tragic consequences have resulted from using a cell phone or texting while driving.

According to distraction.gov, nearly 5,500 people died because of motor-vehicle accidents that reportedly involved a distracted driver. Another 500,000 people suffered injuries from these accidents.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and your Springfield injury attorneys recognize that the key to reducing these accidents is you. Drivers need to focus their attention inward and examine their own driving skills. Using your cell phone behind the wheel gives you the same reaction time as a driver who is legally drunk.

The "Faces of Distracted Driving" campaign offers 30-second video clips from families around the country who have lost a love one because of an accident that involved a distracted driver.

Research on distracted driving reveals the following:

-Of the near 5,500 people who were killed in motor-vehicle accidents that reported the involvement of a distracted driver, nearly 1,000 of these incidents reported cell phone use specifically as the form of distraction. This represents nearly 20 percent of all distraction-related accidents.

-Drivers under the age of 20 have the greatest proportion of distracted drivers, far more than any other age group. Nearly 20 percent of teen drivers that were involved in a fatal accident were reported to have been driving while distracted.

-Motorists who use hand-held devices behind the wheel of a motor vehicle are four times more likely to get into an accident that is serious enough to cause injury.

-The number of drivers who were reportedly distracted at the time of a deadly accident increased from 7 percent in 2005 to more than 10 percent in 2009.

It is important to remember that distracted driving doesn't only involve the use of a hand-held cell phone or texting while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. There are a number of ways that a driver can engage in distractions while driving, all of which can result with a fatal accident.

Other types of driving distractions:

-Eating or drinking.

-Grooming.

-Talking to passengers.

-Reading, and this includes road maps.

-Using a PDA of GPS.

-Watching a video.

-Surfing the Internet.

-Changing the radio station or using your CD player or MP3 player.

All motorists are urged to do one thing while they're driving -- drive. Focusing on the roadway will help to greatly reduce the risks and occurrences of these deadly and preventable accidents.

Continue reading "U.S. DOT's Faces of Distracted Driving Campaign to Help Reduce Risks of Car Accidents in Aurora and Elsewhere" »

Our Springfield Missouri Accident Lawyers are concerned anytime someone dies on our Missouri roads or highways and offer condolences to everyone who ever experiences this type of tragic event. A fatal car crash is devastating for all involved. A man from Exeter, Missouri has died from such a traffic accident.

Early Friday morning, shortly before 1 am on July 15, there was a truck accident on Missouri 37 just 3 miles south of Monett; a community which straddles Barry and Lawrence Counties. The man was driving southbound in a Ford pickup truck and crossed over the center line. The resulting traffic accident was a head-on collision with a semi tractor-trailer. The driver of the pickup truck, the man from Exeter, died from his injuries. The driver of the semi was unharmed.

According to Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) this is the 45th fatality for Troop D this year. Troop D covers Springfield and the surrounding southwest corner of Missouri. At this time it is unknown why the pickup truck driver crossed the center line.

This truck accident could have occurred for a number of reasons. Any time a car or truck crosses the center line the potential for a fatal accident is very high.

Common Reasons for Crossing The Center Line:

• Passing a slower moving vehicle
• Falling asleep behind the wheel
• Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
• Distracted by texting or cell phone use
• Swerving while distracted by a dropped item or other type incident in the vehicle
• Faulty vehicle or mechanical damage

Continue reading "Springfield Missouri Car Accident Lawyers Cite Exeter Man's Death As Reminder To Focus On Driving" »

Fourth of July in Springfield Missouri, is there a better way to spend an extended summer weekend than on your motorcycle? Probably not. But then everybody is out on the road this weekend. And that makes your enjoyment just a little more dangerous. Not only are the roads around Springfield more crowded than usual, the Fourth of July weekend creates distracted drivers and this means car accidents. Everybody is distracted by their celebration plans, the upcoming fireworks, and just plain getting the weekend started.

Springfield Missouri Accident Attorneys understand the joys of the open road. And while this weekend is full of promise, it also means the chances for a motorcycle accident are greater. This weekend will probably prove to be a hot one. To keep you as cool under the collar as possible, here are some tips for both motorcycle riders and vehicle drivers alike.

Safety Tips to Avoid Motorcycle Accidents:

• Stay Alert. Remember motorcycles are harder to see and can easily be lost in the "blind spots" of a vehicles mirrors. They can also be blocked by the posts around the windows and other obstructions to the driver's line of site.


• Plan ahead. Drive defensively by always looking down the road and around your immediate area. Plan your escape route or defensive driving maneuvers while you are driving. Do not wait until you need them. You won't have time. Look for ways out and expect to use them all the time.


• Remember the differences between vehicles and motorcycles. Motorcycles are small and easily maneuverable. They can stop quickly and turn easily. The larger the vehicle, the longer it takes to stop and the slower its reaction time.


• Do not assume someone sees you or knows you are there. Always make eye contact. At intersections or driving alongside someone, make sure that person sees you.


• Always follow all traffic laws and safety rules. While following the rules and precautions does not assure the avoidance of an accident, it can reduce the risk of a motorcycle accident and even the severity of one if it does occur.


• There is always enough time to be safe. Take a few extra minutes to protect yourself and to be aware of the vehicles around you.

Whether you are new to riding or an avid rider, Springfield Missouri Accident Attorneys encourage you to review requirements for motorcycle operation. You can download the most current Motorcycle Operator Manual from the Missouri Department of Revenue.

Continue reading "Springfield Missouri Accident Attorneys Offer Motorcycle Safety Reminders For Fourth of July Weekend Rides" »