Friday, December 17, 2010

Unlicensed Teen Falls Asleep, Crashes Big Rig

The driver’s inexperience and ignorance of traffic laws will surely get him in trouble and so responsible motorists would never allow an unlicensed person to drive a vehicle for whatever reason.

However, this is not the case in a recent big rig accident involving a sleepy, unlicensed teen.

A 16-year-old driving without a license reportedly fell asleep while on an eastbound big rig. The rig flipped and crashed a few feet from a mobile home park. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured and there were no reported damages to any of the mobile homes nearby.

According to authorities, a 20-year-old man who was supposed to be driving the big rig allowed the teen to drive as he took a nap while travelling along the 210 Freeway before 4 am. The big rig was hauling some 36,000 pounds of whipped cream and sour cream.

Apparently, the teen was also sleepy and so he made an unsafe turn that result to the rollover crash. Aside from the man and the unlicensed teen, there were also two occupants of the big rig aged 3 and 13.

Rescuers searched for the children initially thought to be trapped inside the big rig but they were eventually found safe and hiding in nearby bushes.

The unidentified designated driver of the big rig should have never allowed the teen to drive especially during a time when fatigue and lack of sleep will affect his good judgment and the bulk of the vehicle will make maneuvering harder.

If he really is sleepy, then, the driver should have just pulled over and taken a nap or a break rather than endanger the lives of the occupants by letting the unlicensed teen drive.

It may not be the first time for the teen to drive illegally but it shouldn’t be encouraged by adults around him because it will certainly result to traffic violations and, possibly, serious vehicle accidents.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Bicyclist Injured In Front of Rio Hondo College in Whittier

A bicycle accident in front of Rio Hondo College in Whittier injured one person this week.

According to reports, the collision happened shortly after 8 o’clock in the morning along Workman Mill Road.

The driver, in an act of kindness, brought the injured bicyclist to Beverly hospital where he was treated.

Although the CHP is still investigating the collision, it is highly likely that it will be ruled as an accident and no criminal charges will be filed.

Now the question is: what if this kind-hearted driver offers to settle the case with the victim? Should he accept?
Well, the answer is no.

Although the driver is to be commended for transporting the bicyclist to the hospital, it should be known that it is actually his duty under the law.

California law does not specifically say bring victim to a hospital, the law does state that motorists involved in a road traffic accident should provide reasonable assistance to those who are injured and that includes arranging transport to a hospital.

Now, back to why the bicyclist should not accept the settlement.

The truth is the bicyclist does not know yet the extent of the injuries he sustained, the damage to his bike, and its overall effect on his life.

He might accept the settlement then regret it later on once he realizes that the amount he got is not enough to cover the expenses caused by the injuries he sustained from the injuries.

My advice is that he should consult a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer for guidance and he should not worry too much about the kind-hearted driver.

This is exactly what car accident insurance is for.