Posted on 24 November 2013 by Monica Zech
From what I’ve seen, when it comes to those who drink alcohol and then drive – DUI drivers often have an “I don’t care attitude.”
This following news story is a prime example of that, proving my point.
Here’s a link to the story.
Girl Tweeted She Was 2 Drunk 2 Care And later caused a Fatal DUI Crash
Please be safe!
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Posted on 28 May 2013 by Monica Zech
Students mourn the deaths of their five friends…
From the Los Angeles Times
May 28, 2013, 8:43 p.m.
They called the Memorial Day wreck in Newport Beach the single worst solo-car crash in memory. They groped, and failed, to come up with a worse one.
The violent collision, just down the road from Fashion Island and the Newport Beach police station, killed five teenagers from neighboring Irvine, scattering debris and bodies across the pavement.
Police say the 17-year-old driver, Abdulrahman M. Alyahyan, a senior at high-achieving University High School, was speeding south in an Infiniti on Jamboree Road near Island Lagoon Drive when the car swerved out of control and struck a tree, the violence shearing it in two. What was left caught fire.
Abdulrahman and all his passengers were killed. Among them were two sisters who attended Irvine High School — Robin A. Cabrera, 17, a 12th-grader, and Aurora C. Cabrera, 16, a 10th-grader. Also killed were Nozad Al Hamawendi, 17, and Cecilia D. Zamora, 17, both 11th-graders at Irvine High School.
The car was so fragmented that firefighters initially believed two vehicles had been involved.
One of the car’s occupants was thrown partway out of the car, while the four others were hurled out completely, police said. Some of the victims’ injuries were so devastating that the coroner’s office had to rely on fingerprints to make identifications.
Newport Beach police said Abdulrahman had been speeding on a downhill stretch of road with a posted 55 mph speed limit. The road is a popular bypass between the 405 Freeway and Pacific Coast Highway.
“There are simply no words to convey the sorrow felt by our students and staff, nor are there answers sufficient to explain why five vibrant teenagers who were with us on Friday are gone today,” Irvine Unified School District Supt. Terry Walker said Tuesday.
Walker said counselors will be sent to Irvine and University High Schools to help students deal with the situation. Graduation ceremonies are approaching at both campuses.
On Tuesday, friends and schoolmates of the victims visited the scene of the crash.
“You never saw that guy frown once,” Aram Yaco, 17, said of Nozad.
Kelly Dunkle, 17, added that Nozad would compliment complete strangers: “He would just go out and tell you how good you are.”
Friends described Cecilia as “bubbly” and “one of the happiest people you’ll ever meet.” As Kelly recalled, “It was funny when she tried to be mean, because she couldn’t.”
Aram said the crash should serve as a reality check. “I think people should take it as a wake-up call,” Aram said.
Ida Lodriguito, step-grandmother to the Cabrera sisters, recalled them as “very loving and caring girls.” She said they were “raised in a nurturing atmosphere,” adding that they had died “so close to becoming adults.”
The girls’ uncle, Bernard Cabrera, said they appeared shy at first and had big hearts.
“Their dad could never say no to them,” he said. “How could you — they were always so sweet.”
Robin was known as an accomplished dancer with a captivating singing voice. Her younger sister Aurora went by Christine, or Tintin, after the comic book character.
On Robin’s Facebook page, friends and classmates left emotional goodbyes. One remembered her from science camp, others from dance and choir.
“I’ll always remember your sweet little voice everyday and all the little jokes we had,” one post said. “I know you’re an amazing dancer and now you’re a dancer in heaven.”
According to Orange County court records, an Abdulrahman M. Alyahyan was cited by the Irvine Police Department last month for improperly modifying a car’s exhaust system and violating his provisional driver’s license provisions.
Police would not confirm whether it was the same person who was driving the Infiniti that crashed.
Newport Beach, one of Southern California’s wealthiest cities, has a history of headline-seizing car wrecks linked to speeding.
In 2009, less than a mile from the site of Monday’s crash, the co-founder of the mixed martial arts apparel company TapouT was killed when his red Ferarri was struck by a Porsche, veered into a light pole and split in two. Police later estimated that the Porsche was traveling at 100 mph.
In 2011, three people were killed in a speed-related crash on West Coast Highway, including a former track star from Corona del Mar High School.
And in 1997, a speeding Chevrolet Blazer crammed with 10 Newport Harbor High School students struck a median and overturned, killing the son of an Orange County prosecutor, leaving one girl in a coma and injuring others.
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Posted on 20 May 2013 by Monica Zech
(May 20, 2013) – Road Rage On The Coronado Bridge Knocks Two People Off Their Motorcycle – Off Duty Cop Is Witness
Sadly “road rage” is still a problem on our roadways. Today, the driver of a BMW was seen driving reckless and after tangling with two people on a motorcycle, purposely cuts them off knocking them off their motorcycle. It just so happens an off duty police officer witnesses the crime – and the driver of the BMW is later arrested.
*Read the attached news release below from the California Highway Patrol.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2013
Road Rage on Coronado Bridge Results in Arrest
On May 18, 2013 at approximately 6:30pm, Phillip Eggers (7/27/88) of El Cajon was arrested after his involvement in a road rage incident on the Coronado Bay Bridge.
An off-duty San Diego Police Officer along with other witnesses, observed Subject Eggers driving a blue BMW M3 in a reckless manner while on the Coronado Bridge. After a brief encounter (while in motion) with a motorcycle rider and passenger, Subject Eggers was reported to be driving in the #3 lane, while the motorcycle was in the #2 lane, to the left side of the BMW. According to witnesses, Subject Eggers purposely swerved towards the motorcycle, striking the motorcycle and causing both occupants to be ejected off the motorcycle at approximately 5:40 p.m.
Subject Eggers continued driving off the Coronado Bridge while the off-duty San Diego Police Officer followed the BMW to Glorietta Boulevard where the BMW came to stop. The off-duty San Diego Police Officer identified himself and held Subject Eggers at gun point until Coronado Police Department arrived on scene. After an initial investigation, CHP San Diego arrested Subject Eggers and booked him at San Diego County Jail on the following charges; 664/187 PC, 245(a)(1) PC, and 273(a) PC.
If you have questions or need further information, please contact the San Diego CHP office.
Safety, Service, and Security
Written by: CHP Media Information Officer Tommy Doerr, San Diego, California
Border Communications Center
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Posted on 30 March 2013 by Monica Zech
To reinenforce the safe driving messages heard at my presentations, I came across this news story in regards to “eating & driving.” In this news story the driver of a semi passes out while choking on food while “eating and driving.”
Safe Travels,
Monica Zech
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Posted on 05 January 2013 by Monica Zech
The DMV released a report noting the dangers of those driving with no license, or a suspended license. That these drivers cause many of the tragic collisions we see on on roadways. That was proven to me when my father was killed by a DUI driver on June 5th, 1992. The 23 year-old male DUI driver (.16 BAC) that killed my father was driving on a suspended license, due to previous DUI arrests. It took my father to stop him, but it took my father’s life as well. After the report below you’ll see a link to a more recent crash caused by a woman driving on a suspended license. DUI checkpoints often take dozens of these drivers off our roadways.
DMV News Release – December 20, 2012
Sacramento –A new California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) study found that suspended/revoked and unlicensed drivers are much more hazardous on the road than validly licensed drivers. The study, entitled Fatal Crash Rates for Suspended/Revoked and Unlicensed Drivers, found that compared to licensed drivers, suspended/revoked and unlicensed drivers are nearly three times more likely to cause a fatal crash. The study also found that unlicensed drivers tend to be more hazardous than suspended/revoked drivers.
The study used crash data over a 23-year period and looked at two-vehicle fatal crashes where only one driver was at fault. The study found that the at-fault crash risk of suspended/revolved and unlicensed drivers has not decreased over time.
Among the Report’s Key Findings:
The actual number of unlicensed drivers in California is unknown because these drivers do not come to the attention of the DMV until they are involved in a crash or convicted of a traffic violation.
Being cited for driving on a suspended/revoked license or while unlicensed can result in a 30-day vehicle impoundment, thousands of dollars in fines, time being added to a license suspension/probation period, or revocation of a license.
A DMV study by DeYoung (1999) found vehicle impoundment to be highly effective in reducing crashes among treated suspended/revoked and unlicensed drivers.
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Don’t Stand In Line, Go Online! Doing business with the DMV has never been easier. The DMV offers an array of services to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through its Website including online advance appointments for written and drive tests; vehicle registration and driver license renewals, selection of personalized license plates, changes of address and payment of fees via secure debit transactions. Customers can also effect transactions by calling DMV customer service at (800) 777-0133. DMV is a department under the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.
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Example of crashes caused by those driving unlicensed or on a suspended license:
Accused drunk driver pleads not guilty in fatal crash
http://www.cbs8.com/story/20495226/accused-drunk-driver-pleads-not-guilty-in-fatal-crash
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A woman who allegedly drove the wrong way while drunk on state Route 52, causing a head-on crash that killed the other driver, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
April Thompson, 23, was ordered held on $250,000 bail. She faces up to 10 years in state prison if convicted.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon said Thompson was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of state Route 52 around 1 a.m. last Saturday when she crashed her Chevrolet truck head-on into a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle driven by 25-year-old Jayme Alan Midlam. He died at the scene and Thompson was treated at a hospital for moderate injuries.
After the crash, Thompson started her truck again and tried to back out of the wreckage, but was unsuccessful, Runyon alleged. He said two witnesses pulled Thompson from the crumpled truck and she was heard saying “I just want to go home.”
Two preliminary alcohol screening tests were measured at .217 and .196 percent, Runyon said. He said full blood-alcohol tests were pending.
Thompson told police that she had one glass of vodka about 4:30 p.m. the previous afternoon and was on her way from her home in National City to her boyfriend’s home in El Cajon when the accident occurred.
“Suffice to say that an individual could not drink a standard glass of alcohol and reach the blood-alcohol level that the PAS device revealed that she was at,” Runyon told reporters.
The prosecutor said that while Thompson’s driver’s license may have been suspended, she may not have received notification that was the case.
Deputy Public Defender Sal Tarantino unsuccessfully urged Judge David Szumowski to set bail at $50,000, saying Thompson had no criminal record and was not a risk to flee.
But the judge said that based on Runyon’s representations, it appeared the defendant “had a lot more than a glass” of alcohol to drink the night of the crash. Szumowski set a bail review for Tuesday and a readiness conference for Jan. 14. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 16.
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(More to be added…)
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Posted on 17 September 2012 by Monica Zech
An Allstate Insurance survey discussed “When should teens begin driving, should that age be increased?” See what the survey
had to say:
http://blog.allstate.com/rethinking-the-minimum-driving-age/
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Posted on 26 June 2012 by Monica Zech
A teen was sentenced for causing a death while texting and driving – click on the following link:
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Posted on 07 August 2011 by Monica Zech
Celebrate “STOP” Red Light Running Week!
http://www.stopredlightrunning.com/
Yes! Red Light Cameras Save Lives!
Read the report….
http://www.stopredlightrunning.com/pdfs/IIHS%20Study%20Press%20Release%202.1.11.pdf
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