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December 6, 2011
There are many simple things you can do when snow falls to safely get to your destination.
1. You should make sure your car battery is in good shape.
2. Fill up on windshield-washer fluid.
3. Make sure you have an ice scraper with you.
4. Check the tread on your tires..
If tires are nearing the end of their useful life, usually 40,000 to 60,000 miles, consider an “aggressive all-weather tire. ”
Once you’re on the road, slow down, don’t follow too closely.
Driving instructors suggest a 12-second following distance, meaning you can count to 12 between when the driver ahead and you pass the same point along the road, as opposed to 3 seconds for dry conditions.
If roads are in really bad shape, stay home, if you can. If you must go out, make sure someone at your destination knows you are coming.
So, what should you do to not slide off the road or into the car in front of you?
The loss of control in a slide can be shocking, and many drivers’ first reaction is to slam on the brakes. That is wrong.
That’s the worst thing you can do. Most people make the mistake of slamming their brakes on and your car becomes a huge sled. You have no control of it whatsoever.
If you are sliding, don’t step on the brake or accelerator. Take a deep breath, look in the direction you need to go and steer that direction. Your tires will regain their grip.
If you slide off the road in a snowstorm and get stuck, stay in your car and call for help unless there’s a warm and safe place immediately nearby.
And the most important winter-driving tool: patience.
Understand it’s going to take you a lot longer to get there. Take your time. Don’t be in a hurry.
WINTER WEATHER DRIVING RESOURCES
• cotrip.org: The Colorado Department of Transportation’s website has constantly-updated road conditions for every state and federal highway and numerous webcams.
• 511: Call this number for CDOT’s road conditions phone hotline, which offers general information on conditions and closures.
If you have been injured in an auto accident please call Doehling Law for your free consultation:
(970) 241-9370
December 21, 2010
Effective Jan. 1, 2011, Colorado law states that if you as an injured party cannot locate the party who injured you and such party’s insurance company then you can present an uninsured motorist claim under your insurance policy. (This assumes you have Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage on your policy.)
Make an appoint for a free consultation with attorney Gary Doehling if you have been injured in an auto accident.
September 19, 2010
The Governor’s Highway Safety Administration reports that there were over 4,700 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2009, noting the first time in 12 years that the number of fatalities has declined. In Colorado, the number of deaths decreased as well, down over 10 percent from the 2008 high of 98.
A recent report by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) states that there are nearly 175,000 registered motorcycles in the state. With more and more motorcyclist on the road, it is important for riders and drivers of other vehicles alike to take notice and help the number of accidents and fatalities continue the downward trend.
Staying Safe
Though experts recommend wearing proper protective gear while riding, including gloves, eye protection and a jacket, perhaps the best way to protect yourself is to wear a properly fitting helmet. In Colorado, the CDOT statistics note that two-thirds of those killed in motorcycle accidents during 2009 were not wearing helmets. Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) estimates that wearing a helmet can reduce motorcycle accident fatalities by up to 37 percent.
Though lack of head protection is a major factor in motorcycle related deaths, the use of helmets by riders has been consistently on the rise. The NHTSA estimates that in 2009, 67 percent of riders were wearing a helmet, up from 48 percent in 2005.
The other major contributing factor in motorcycle fatalities is the use of alcohol. As with the operation of any motor vehicle, you should avoid using alcohol if you plan on riding. The CDOT reports that 40 percent of all motorcycle accident deaths involved alcohol use by the operator last year, up 6 percent from 2008.
Increasing Awareness for Drivers of Cars and Other Vehicles
The insurance company Allstate has released a list of motorcycle safety tips for drivers of motor vehicles to keep in mind when sharing the road with motorcycles. The tips note that the main reason motorcyclists crash is because drivers of cars and other vehicles do not see them. Because motorcycles are smaller, they can easily disappear in blind spots and be closer in mirrors than they appear.
Giving motorcyclists enough room is also emphasized by Allstate. Bikers will often slow down by downshifting instead of using their brakes, meaning that drivers behind motorcycles may not see brakes lights as the rider slows down. Also, it is difficult for bikers to slow down or stop quickly on wet roads. Allowing more following distance in wet or slippery conditions can help save lives.
The company notes that 80 percent of motorcycle accidents will result in death or some form of injury, as riders lack the protection of a car and its safety devices like airbags and seat belts. It is important for all riders and drivers to be more aware and safely share the road during the peak riding season.
Article provided by Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C.
Please visit us at www.doehlinglaw.com
A Mesa woman was killed this morning after rolling her sport-utility vehicle, injuring two others.
The Colorado State Patrol said Courtni J. Bieser, 23, was driving east on County Road 330E, approximately 22 miles east of Collbran, when her 1996 Nissan Pathfinder lost control on a curve, went off the road and rolled multiple times down an embankment about 50 feet from the road. Bieser, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. The accident was reported just after midnight.
A front seat passenger, Joseph Bieser, 22, of Mesa, was wearing a seat belt and was treated at the scene for minor injuries, troopers said. Hannah Etcheverry, 18, of Collbran, was riding unrestrained in the back seat and was ejected. She was taken to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs reportedly in stable condition.
If you had benn injured in an accident you are welcome to contact Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C. at (970) 241-9370.
Four people were injured, one seriously, on Friday when a helicopter crashed while filming an Audi test on Pikes Peak, west of Colorado Springs, Colo. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Department and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred about a mile below the 14,110-foot summit.
An Audi spokesman, Brad Stertz, said, “The film crew was shooting a test run of the ‘Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak,’ a joint program involving Audi, the Electronic Research Laboratory in Palo Alto, Calif., and Stanford University. The goal of the project involves ascending Pikes Peak autonomously without a driver behind the wheel to demonstrate the capabilities of advanced driver assistance systems and GPS.”
In a telephone interview from the summit late Friday, Mr. Stertz said the pilot, whose name was not immediately released, suffered the most serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital where his condition was stabilized and subsequently listed in “good” condition. The three passengers had mostly minor injuries, and did not require hospitalization, he added.
Audi announced that the research program had been temporarily suspended, but would resume at an undetermined future date. The car was not involved in the incident, which happened “some distance” behind the car, Mr. Stertz said. Although he did not know the cause of the crash, he said weather was not a factor.
The higher the altitude, and the thinner the air, the more difficult it is to operate a helicopter; in most situations, helicopters need special clearance and must carry supplemental oxygen on board to fly above 10,000 feet. Stalling becomes a greater danger when hovering, or attempting to fly at very low speeds, like when filming a car negotiating the mountain’s zig-zag highway.
The summit of Pikes Peak has been the scene of many helicopter accidents, especially in connection with the annual hill climb race held on the mountain each summer.
Audi is a past winner and record-holder in the hill climb event, but Mr. Stertz said the TTS film project did not involve high-speed operation.
If you had been injured in an accident you may contact Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C. for your free consultation at (970) 241-9370.
July 28, 2010
Gary Doehling P.C. a personal injury law firm will be opening a new office in the Aspen, CO area September 1, 2010. Attorney Gary Doehling has been practicing law for over 27 years and has the experience to help you pursue auto and motorcycle related injuries.
You are invited to call Mr. Doehling at 970-241-9370 for your free consultation.
August 24, 2009
Gary Doehling is proud to support the “Rider Down Assistance Network”
Rider Down Assistance Network
Any one of us, at anytime, under any circumstances, can become a Rider Down —there is no discrimination.
Most motorcycle groups/clubs take care of their own, but what if the need was beyond their ability or the downed rider did not belong to a group/club?
Answer: A Rider Down Assistance Network (RDAN) throughout the valley encompassing the entire rider community.
Who: Any downed rider regardless of anything else —period. There would be no questions asked and no judgments made. The focus would be the need, nothing else.
What: A need could be short term financial, physical assistance, chores around the house, retrieving the bike, or any number of things.
How: Someone in need would call the RDAN coordinator with a description of the need. The coordinator would call established network contacts that would rally their group/club to the need.
To Make This Work: We need to establish a Rider Down Assistance Network consisting of contact names , email address, and phone numbers for each group/club in the valley as well as any businesses or people wishing to participate. Call the RDAN coordinator today with your contact information.
We also need to spread the word throughout the valley so that downed riders or families of riders can receive the assistance they need.
The Rider Down Assistance Network is coordinated by the Band of Brothers Motorcycle Ministry http://www.bandofbrothersmm.com/.
Call Gordon at 970-250-5849 or Brian at 970-260-5940
Rider Down Assistance Network
June 9, 2009
Did you know that many insurance companies do an electronic database cross-reference of information with the Department of Motor Vehicles to discover the names of all licensed people living in your household?
As an example, your son or daughter just turned 16 and they get their drivers license. The address placed on the license by the DMV is cross-referenced with all the addresses in an insurance company database. If it matches a home or auto address they have on file, they will notify you in short order that you need to place your son or daughter on the auto insurance policy and pay the proper premium.
Another example of how the systems put in place by an insurance company are no match for an individual.
If you have been injured in an auto accident or motorcycle accident, you would be well advised to call attorney Gary Doehling for a free consultation.
April 10, 2009
A recent article being circulated comments on the fact that the number of uninsured automobiles is rising dramatically due to the current economic conditions. This article simply reinforces claim manager Scott Krug wherein he addressed this very fact in his book, Buying Auto Insurance in Colorado, for the protection of you, your family and your passenger. Scott stated in the guide that Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury is perhaps the best coverage a person can buy as no matter what laws are passed to try and force drivers to buy auto insurance, the bottom line is that if a family cannot afford the coverage they will not buy or pay the premium. This fact puts all drivers in financial harms way as more and more drivers become uninsured.
You are invited and encouraged to contact attorney Gary Doehling for a free consultation if you have been injured because of an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Toll Free 866-941-9370 in Grand Junction, CO and serving all of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah.
September 17, 2008
I had previously blogged about ATV accidents and the necessity to have the proper insurance if you own or operate an ATV. I would now like to discuss motorcycle accidents and the importance of reviewing your insurance coverage prior to operating the motorcycle. I will focus on street legal motorcyles in this blog. Dirt bikes or other motorized bikes not licensed for use on public highways can be discussed in a future blog.
My experience as a former claims manager for an insurance company in handling bodily injury claims arising out of motorcycle accidents revealed that the injuries incurred by the motorcyclist and passenger are usually quite serious. The medical expenses are large, the lost wages are painful to the pocketbook, the at-fault party usually had very little insurance and the motorcyclist did not have the proper insurance coverage as well.
Again, having worked motorcycle accident bodily injury claims as an insurance claims manager, I can tell you that it is very important to review the following coverage(s) with your insurance agent and buy as much of the coverage(s) as possible. The coverage(s) are MEDICAL PAYMENTS COVERAGE & UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST BODILY INJURY COVERAGE . These coverage(s) protects you and your passenger should the at-fault party be uninsured or UNDERINSURED. Medical Payments coverage will pay your medical bills arising out of the accident up to the limit purchased by you regardless of who was at fault. These coverages are highly recommended even if you have health insurance. You may have health insurance, does your passenger?
You are invited and encouraged to contact Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm P.C. in Grand Junction, CO and schedule a free consultation with Gary should you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident in Colorado or Utah.
Toll Free 866-941-9370
Scott Krug, CPCU
Claims Manger
Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm P.C.
www.doehlinglaw.com
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The Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C. handles the following types of cases: Automobile Accidents, Oil Field Accidents, Spinal Cord Injuries, Wrongful Death, Nursing Home Negligence, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Lead Paint Exposure, Toxic Molds, Medical Malpractice, Insurance Bad Faith Claims, Airplane Accidents, Dog Bites, Drunk Drivers, Large Truck Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, School Bus Accidents, and Slip & Fall Accidents.
The Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C. serves the following areas: Western Colorado, Eastern Utah, Grand Junction, Montrose, Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Delta, Hermosa, Western Slope, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, Montezuma, La Plata, San Juan, Daggett, Uintah, Grand.
The legal information offered by The Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm and contained herein, regarding Colorado or Utah legal statutes and Colorado or Utah claimants' rights, is general in scope. No legal attorney / client relationship with our attorneys is hereby formed nor is the information herein intended as formal legal advice. Please contact a Colorado or Utah lawyer regarding your specific inquiry.See Terms of Use.
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