5 hurt when SUV slams into Glendale Restaurant

photo: abc15.com
photo: abc15.com

5/25/2015, evening. This will be most likely a  so-called “non-traffic” crash because it appears to have begun in the private parking lot — so these injuries don’t “count”. Several serious, including one in critical condition with a head injury, and another with a partially severed leg. All pedestrians who were waiting outside for a table when an SUV driver somehow jumped the sidewalk and rammed into them while parking. Glendale police say they are investigating impairment and a driver’s surgical boot for possible causes. Continue reading “5 hurt when SUV slams into Glendale Restaurant”

San Tan Valley passenger killed in fatal hit and run

photo: PCSO
photo: PCSO

Collision occurred near the east entrance of Walmart on Hunt Highway, San Tan Valley (San Tan Valley is in the far south-east Phoenix metro area) Friday evening May 22, 2015. The fatality victim was a passenger in a van that was rear-ended while stopped.

police say: the suspect(s) were impaired, hit-and-ran, hid evidence, lied to police…

Continue reading “San Tan Valley passenger killed in fatal hit and run”

2 dead, many hospitalized after Bethany Home Road crash

The three vehicles were badly damaged, including one that was crushed. (Source: KPHO/KTVK)
The three vehicles were badly damaged, including one that was crushed. (Source: KPHO/KTVK)

You can’t spell carnage with c-a-r…

5/17/2015 Sunday afternoon Glendale, AZ 8100 block of Bethany Home Road: 3 vehicles, two dead, many hospitalized. Police say speed didn’t “contribute” but there you have a head-on on a high-speed arterial with multiple motorist injuries and fatalities. Continue reading “2 dead, many hospitalized after Bethany Home Road crash”

Car slams into bus stop, teen bystander killed

Another ped whacked on a Phoenix sidewalk — seriously, how often does this stuff happen? — this time at Glendale and Central Ave, Phoenix.   Austin Lipko-Benito was killed mid-day May 13, 2015 on the sidewalk along Glendale Ave. The crash occured because one of the drivers failed to yield to the other driver. Continue reading “Car slams into bus stop, teen bystander killed”

Traffic Safety Facts: Bicyclists and Other Cyclists

[Update: this article was written way back in 2011; since then i continued to update links to the yearly Publication; the 2020 data is currently most recent as of June 2023]

Each year, the USDOT, NHTSA (United States Dept of Transportation / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) issues a report called Traffic Safety Facts: Bicyclists and Other Cyclists xxxx. The report comes out about 18 months after the close of the calendar year under review. Continue reading “Traffic Safety Facts: Bicyclists and Other Cyclists”

Tucson cyclist dies two days after right-hook crash

4/20/2015 Lawrence Lacroix, 76 died of injuries (complications?) sustained in a collision with a right turning motorist. Both the cyclist and motorist were EB on Silverlake Rd when the motorist turned right at Cottonwood Lane, Tucson, colliding with the cyclist. Continue reading “Tucson cyclist dies two days after right-hook crash”

Parade of wrong-way drivers continues

Cheyenne Wheeler / MSCO booking photo
Cheyenne Wheeler / MSCO booking photo

The parade of wrong-way drivers suspected of being impaired continues in full force. So far, none of the drivers involved in the spate of fatalities in early 2014 have come to trial yet (one is dead, one remains hospitalized, and one has been charged and pleaded not guilty); though the wrong-way impaired driver that caused an Oct 2013 fatality has plead no contest to 2nd degree murder charges. Continue reading “Parade of wrong-way drivers continues”

Driving School

[ some of this information was moved from bicyclist-diversion-programs-around-arizona ]

There are two distinct types of “Driving School” in Arizona; the first one Defensive Driving is generally attended after receiving a traffic ticket but before any trial in order to have the violation automatically dismissed; and the second Traffic Safety School is generally where drivers who have been found guilty/responsible for more serious infractions are ordered to attend.

Traffic Survival School

cover of workbook used at all TSS classes (circa 2014): Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving and Young Adult Course Guide

None of the above is to be confused with Traffic Survival School (TSS); which is ordered or required when found responsible/guilty of certain infractions or any condition when a driver accumulates 8 points or more within 12 months on their driver’s license. Notably red light violations (see SB1118 46th/1st 2003 Chapter 236), Flashing red violation, causing any death/serious injury w/moving violation, agressive driving, and DUI (because of points; dui is 8 points). There are some extra provisions for drivers under 18 years old. Continue reading “Driving School”

Celebrity DUIs and other car criminals

There are tens of thousands of DUI arrests per year in AZ (39,746 in 2013 to be more precise). And that’s not counting the many of the over ten thousand hit-and-run drivers reported each year in AZ (11,402 in 2010 to be more precise), all of whom are criminals, thousands of them serious felons, few of whom are ever caught or charged. (hit-and-run from a collision with any injury is a felony, if the injury is serious or fatal the felony is likewise serious). Continue reading “Celebrity DUIs and other car criminals”

Mesa PD: Bicyclist struck, killed after riding through red light

April 11, 2015, morning. Cyclist 40’s/M was killed after riding into the intersection of Alma School Road and Southern Ave, Mesa on a red. Continue reading “Mesa PD: Bicyclist struck, killed after riding through red light”

Bicyclist dies after being struck by car near Apache Junction

Photo: Pinal County Sheriff's Office
Photo: Pinal County Sheriff’s Office

Friday April 10, 2015, early afternoon. Victim: Jameson Kennedy, 51/M. The driver told police “an animal ran out in front of him and the bicyclist on westbound McKellips Boulevard, causing the cyclist to swerve to the left. The driver swerved to the right, striking the cyclist from behind.”  Continue reading “Bicyclist dies after being struck by car near Apache Junction”

Narrow Lane / Wide Lane

Knox Road, between Mill and Rural Road, City of Tempe. Example "choker".
Knox Road, between Mill and Rural Road, City of Tempe. Example “choker”.

Although you won’t find many arterial roads with wide lanes (where bicyclists generally must ride as far to the right as practicable), many collector roads around the Phoenix area have them.

Check out one-road-4-treatments for the full story, this addition pictured at right , Knox Road in the City of Tempe has both narrow and wide lanes.

Police: DUI suspect left Mesa wreck with victim on hood

oh my. Alledged  drinking / Percoset / aggravated DUI / child abuse, fleeing the scene, resisting…

That was the scene in Mesa on Tuesday 4/7/2015 afternoon.

Should this woman be driving? — I mean should she have a drivers license?  Continue reading “Police: DUI suspect left Mesa wreck with victim on hood”

6 y.o. killed in parking lot backing crash w/UPS truck

April 4(?), 2015 ~4pm. Daylin Garcia Enos, 6/M killed after crashing with a backing UPS truck in a large apt complex in Tucson.

This is presumably a non-traffic incident, because of where it occurred, on private property; it won’t be reflecting in official traffic statistics… as a result it’s hard to know how common non-traffic MV fatalities/injuries are. They seems to be more common than I would have thought. Bicyclist Richard Leon was killed on a private street just this past November. Follow the non-traffic tag for a collection of these. Continue reading “6 y.o. killed in parking lot backing crash w/UPS truck”