Advanced Search

I was the passenger in a car accident, what do I do?

Every time motorists accept a passenger into their vehicle, they form an upspoken agreement that they’ll both do what it takes to make the drive a safe one. Yet it is the driver’s ultimate responsibility to maintain the passenger’s well-being as long as that person is a passenger. Reckless, negligent driving – including drunk, drugged, or distracted driving – puts everyone in danger, especially those who are not in the driver’s seat. In case of an accident those behaviors cause or contribute to, the passenger retains the right to hold the driver liable for damages and losses that result.Click to learn more about car accidents in which the passenger was hurt.

Car accidents that involve an elderly driver can be complicated

If an elderly driver hit you, you may be feeling lots of emotions. Not just from the trauma of having been in a car accident, but the reluctance to bring a claim against an older person. However, the truth of the matter is that you were injured in an accident, and the person who hit you may present a continued threat against him or herself and other drivers. Filing a claim may then not just help you come to a full recovery but perhaps convince the older driver to look for safer modes of transportation. For insights on what to do next if you've been injured by an older driver, follow this link.

Motor vehicle accidents are a common occurrence in Detroit and across Wayne County. Many crashes are completely avoidable, caused by drunk drivers or distracted drivers. Whatever the cause, car accidents are a major safety and economic issue for the Detroit community.

Motorcycle accidents are a common occurrence in Detroit and across Wayne County. Detroit is popular with motorcyclists, and with so many bikes on the roads, the number of collisions is high, and motorcycle accidents are a major safety and economic issue for riders in the Detroit region.

Truckers are a growing motorist group using Michigan’s highways, and commercial trucking accidents occur regularly in Detroit. When a truck crash happens, serious injuries and fatalities are a common result.

Common causes of commercial truck accidents in Detroit

According to IIHS, a large percentage of trucking crashes are caused by:

At one point or another, everyone is a pedestrian. As the expense of driving and insuring a vehicle rise, more and more people choose to walk to their destinations. As the number of pedestrians increases, so do the number of pedestrian accidents. To see where the Detroit region ranks in terms of pedestrian collisions nationally, please go to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

As mass transit systems grow across Michigan, bus accidents occur regularly in Detroit. When a bus crash happens, serious injuries and fatalities are a common result.

Common causes of bus accidents in Detroit

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over the past 10 years:

The number of buses involved in fatal crashes decreased from 274 to 251, an 8% drop;

According to Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in 2012, 726 lost their lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes nationally, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S. The death rate from bicycle crashes is high due to the relative lack of protection bicyclists have in an impact with a motor vehicle.

Motor vehicle accidents are a common occurrence in Washington, D.C. Many crashes are completely avoidable, caused by drunk drivers or distracted drivers. Whatever the cause, car accidents are a major safety and economic issue for the Washington community.

At one point or another, everyone is a pedestrian. As the expense of driving and insuring a vehicle rise, more and more people choose to walk to their destinations. As the number of pedestrians increases, so do the number of pedestrian accidents. To see where the Washington, D.C. region ranks in terms of pedestrian collisions nationally, please go to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.