Before you make any decisions regarding filing a claim, it is important that you learn about your legal options and our experienced Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyers of Bisnar Chase can help. Suffering an injury in a Bakersfield car accident can turn your entire life upside down. Chances are you have to miss work and you may need expensive medical treatment and rehabilitation services.
You may begin to wonder how to cover your bills and what options you have to get the support you need during these tough times. Our Bakersfield car accident attorney will earn you the compensation you need to recover damages you have encountered after the auto collision.
The law firm of Bisnar Chase has collected over $800 million for injury victims for forty years. Call 949-203-3814 for free case analysis with a top-notch legal team member.
You do not have to suffer at the hands of a careless driver. Call now.
Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer
Bakersfield, California Auto Accident Conditions
At least eight people are injured in Kern County car accidents every day. According to California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 96 people were killed and 3,020 were injured in Kern County car accidents.
During that same year, there were 24 deaths and 1,065 injuries in the city of Bakersfield as a result of traffic accidents. Citywide, including the San Joaquin Valley, there were also 25 fatalities and 240 injuries that resulted from alcohol-related crashes. There are injustices in these deaths and the Bakersfield personal injury attorneys at Bisnar Chase are dedicated to setting these accidents right.
Hazardous Intersections to Look Out For in Bakersfield
According to 23Abc, in one year five people died in a time period of three weeks in Bakersfield intersections. There is one intersection that has caused many fatalities among locals and travelers alike though.
One of the most dangerous intersections in Bakersfield has been the Nord Avenue and Rosedale Highway. A total of 45 car accidents have occurred just from this intersection. California Highway Patrol released a statement encouraging drivers to be safe on the road.
California Highway Patrol Officer, Robert Rodriguez said that “We want to continue to reduce those (fatalities), and we can’t do it alone. We need the public’s help. With that we are asking the public to just do what you are supposed to do while driving and hopefully we can work together and get our fatality rate down.”
Bakersfield Crashes & Distracted Driving
It is easy to want to multi-task in this busy day and age while driving. Distracted driving though, can leave drivers with deadly consequences. Distracted driving can consist of eating and driving, using the phone for texting or calling or putting makeup on while driving.
The Bakersfield Police Department has reported that in just one year there had been 22,000 car crashes due to distracted driving. If caught driving without paying attention it can cost you up to $162 dollars in fees.
Tips to avoid distracted driving:
- Only use your cell phone for emergency situations
- Refrain from eating while operating your vehicle
- If tired pull off the highway to rest for a small time period
- Try to restrict a crazy amount of movement in the car, especially with children
- Multi-tasking should be done when you are not in your car
How to Prevent a Car Accident
There are many ways in which Kern County can avoid getting into a car accident in Bakersfield:
- Put away your cell phone: Not only is this a suggestion, it is also the law. Distracted driving is a common cause of Bakersfield traffic accidents. Texting, checking a map, making a call and reading email are all extremely dangerous activities if your vehicle is in motion. If you must check your phone, pull over to the side of the road or find a nearby parking space. Resume driving once you have conducted your business.
- Stay sober: Again, this suggestion is also the law for Kern County. Intoxicated drivers put everyone on the roadway at risk. If you have been drinking, you should call a cab, request an Uber or Lyft driver to pick you up, or have a friend drive. Alcohol and drugs can affect your ability to focus, to make sound decisions, and to react to changing roadway conditions.
- Check your speed: It is your responsibility as a driver to control the speed of your car for the safety of all Bakersfield drivers and Kern County drivers. Just obeying the speed limit is not enough to prevent an accident. You must also slow down when approaching a turn, when the roadways are wet and when the traffic is congested.
- Check your blind spots: When turning or changing lanes in Bakersfield or Kern County, it is important to look for smaller vehicles such as motorcycles that may have pulled up alongside your vehicle.
- Know and obey the traffic laws: Do not speed, disregard stoplights or stop signs and always yield to oncoming traffic when making a turn. Ignorance is not an excuse and will not be a good defense in the court of law.
Seatbelt Regulations in Bakersfield, California
California holds strict seatbelt laws to ensure the safety of drivers and young passengers. Seatbelt laws state that for children eight years and younger or persons under 4’9 need to be wearing a seatbelt. If you are caught driving without a seatbelt and you are under 16 years old, you can face a traffic citation.
Adults are not susceptible to these traffic fines either. DMV.org affirms that driving without a seatbelt can lead to a $50 dollar fine and penalties on your driving record.
Refusing to put on a seat belt can lead to serious injuries such as broken bones and a serious brain injury as well.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Bakersfield
Car crashes occur for all kinds of reasons, often involving the careless or reckless actions of other drivers on the road. The most common causes of auto accidents in and around the Bakersfield area include:
- Distracted driving.
- Speeding.
- Running red lights.
- Ignoring stop signs and other road signs.
- Unsafe lane changes.
- Tailgating.
- Poor road design.
- Bad visibility.
Some car accidents are also caused by dangerous faults with the vehicles involved. For example, instances of sudden acceleration or brake failure can occur at no fault of the driver. Other dangerous auto defects, such as faulty airbags or seat backs, can cause more serious injuries in the event of a crash.
Recent California Automobile Laws
Since the legalization of marijuana in California, new driving laws have been instilled to protect drivers and pedestrians. This crime is classified as a DUI and if caught driving stoned this can result in criminal penalties. The consequences are much graver though when there is a car accident and a person is either injured or killed.
California lawmakers “prohibit smoking or ingesting marijuana or marijuana products while driving or riding as a passenger in a vehicle.” After enduring a blood test and the test confirms that a person has THC in their system the person may come up against fines, a license suspension or serious jail time.
There have also been modifications for California motorcyclists. Motorcycle drivers do not only have to have a cyclist license which is known as an M1 and M2 licenses but now cyclist now need to undergo a motorcycle training course if a person is 21 years or younger.
What to Do After a Car Crash in Bakersfield CA.
Accidents are common and even the safest drivers in Bakersfield can get hurt. If you are ever involved in an Kern County auto accident, it is important that you take the steps necessary to protect your rights. The actions you take immediately following the crash could affect your ability to receive fair compensation for your losses.
First, it is important to check if anyone has sustained an injury. Under California law, the authorities must be notified when someone has been hurt and you must remain at the crash site. While waiting for an ambulance and the Bakersfield police, it would be in your best interest to take the following steps:
- Write down the name, number and insurance information for the other drivers involved.
- Collect contact numbers from anyone who may have witnessed the accident.
- Take photos of the crash site, tire skid marks, the damaged vehicles and your injuries.
- Write down everything you remember about the accident before your memory gets fuzzy.
- Do not admit fault for the crash.
- Get your account of the incident into the police report.
- Accept an offer to ride in an ambulance to the hospital.
- Receive medical attention right away.
- Keep records of your medical bills.
- Write a journal of your day-to-day struggles.
- Use caution when dealing with insurance companies.
How to Deal with Insurance Companies After a Car Accident
Whether you choose to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the driver responsible for the crash, you will likely have to deal with a number of insurance companies. It is highly recommended that you seek legal aid from a Bakersfield car accident lawyer.
Insurance adjusters are skilled at finding ways to save money. Although they may sound friendly and eager to help, they are neither your friends, nor will they help you.
If you do talk to insurance adjusters, it is important to ensure that you do not contradict yourself. What you say will be used against you. Do not allow them to record your conversations and do not give them formal statements. Please contact an experienced personal injury lawyers of Bisnar Chase for a free consultation at 949-203-3814.
Speak to a Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a Bakersfield car accident or Kern County car accident, it is important that you learn about your legal rights and options. Financial support may be available for all of your losses.
For example, a successful personal injury claim against a careless driver can result in support for medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning potential, pain, suffering, the cost of rehabilitation services and other related losses. Accepting an inadequate claim can hurt your chances of pursuing fair compensation. Make sure you understand the potential value of your claim before making any decisions. If you do not understand your potential value for compensation, let the Bakersfield car accident lawyers at Bisnar Chase help you out.
The experienced Bakersfield car accident lawyers at the law offices of Bisnar Chase have forty years of experience upholding the rights of injured victims and their families. We have significant experience successfully dealing with insurance companies. We are skilled negotiators who will not rest until justice has been served. We will win your case and we fail you don’t have to pay.
