Fatal Crash on Madison Avenue Involving Sinda Dumas
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. Car accidents are always traumatic, and turn tragic when they cause the death of someone in our community. On May 3, 2017, a fatal crash on Madison Avenue occurred when a woman was ejected from the car during a collision.
My heart and prayers go out to the family and friends of all those involved at this difficult time.
What Happened?
A Dodge Challenger was traveling east on Madison Avenue at excessive speeds. The female driver lost control when she swerved to avoid another vehicle. According to California Highway Patrol, the Challenger went off the roadway and slammed into a utility pole. The passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the car and later passed away due to the serious nature of her injuries. The deceased has been identified as 28-year-old Sinda K. Dumas, from Marysville.
No information has been released as to what caused the accident. It usually takes a week or ten days for the investigating agency to prepare a report of their findings. If you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to contact and experienced accident lawyer who can take the time to throughougly investigate the accident. An accident attorney can determine if negligence on the part of the driver and/or another party caused the collision that claimed the life of someone you love. Contact an experienced attorney for more information.
Seat Belt Laws
It is tragic when equipment that has the potential to save lives is not used. It is equally tragic, if not more so when that equipment is used and fails to perform correctly.
Certain laws and regulations have been put in place in order to protect pedestrians, drivers, and passengers of all ages. According to DMV.org and the CHP, seat belts are required to be worn by both driver and passenger at all times when riding in or operating a motor vehicle. Children who are under the age of 8 and smaller than 4 feet and 9 inches tall are required to use a child safety seat or booster in the back seat of the vehicle. When using this equipment properly, both driver and passenger have a greater chance of being protected during an auto accident and avoiding traumatic injury.
Seat Belt Defects
According to the CDC, in 2014 there were 12,802 incidences were a seat belt played an instrumental part in saving a life during a potentially fatal crash. It is speculated that there are close to 6,000 incidences where seat belts were used but due to a defect failed to perform their proper function and resulted in a fatal crash.
Common Seat Belt Malfunctions
Unlatching by force
This happens when a seat belt unlatches during the impact of a collision. The buckles that are most susceptible are those that do not have a lock for the latch. Contact your car manufacturer to discover whether your car is equipped with protection against unlatching by force.
The “False Click”
This occurs when a seat belt acts and sounds as though it has securely latched, but has failed to do so. Always give a good tug on your seat belt to confirm that it is secure. A latch that is pulled out with less than 5 pounds of force is not securely latched.
Lack of Durability
In older vehicles, the seat belt can become frayed and damaged. This is a potential hazard as the force of impact during an auto accident may cause the seat belt to break apart. Always confirm that your seat belt has retracted sufficiently. A loose seat belt is more prone to malfunction than one that is tight. It is important to know that the proper materials and weaving were used during the seat belts construction to withstand a collision’s forces.
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Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. Car accidents and their injuries are traumatic, especially when it involves a wrongful death. I have been serving the Sacramento community for over 35 years and I am here to help people receive compensation if they or any member of their family suffer a personal injury or wrongful death. Please call me at for free, friendly advice. Or, you may call my toll-free number (800) 404-5400.
You can visit the following websites to see how I am rated by my clients:
I am a member of the California section of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group of top trial lawyers in the country who have settlements of over a million dollars on behalf of their clients.
You may look at my Past Verdicts and Settlements here.
Visit www.autoaccident.com, to learn more.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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