Alaska Car Accident Lawyers & Auto Accident Legal Information
Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun, the Final Frontier, is the largest state in the Union. In such a huge state, the price of devastating vehicle accidents has been especially high. Vehicle accidents in Alaska can take a huge financial and emotional toll on victims and citizens. In 2001, there were 6,543 non-fatal traffic injuries and 89 deaths on Alaska highways, and vehicle property damage was calculated at over $50 million.
Whether you or a family member has been involved in a single car or multiple car accident in Alaska, a compassionate, qualified Alaska car accident lawyers and auto accident legal information can help ease the financial burden to you and your family. Lawyers with accident injury specializations have an extensive background in representing victims of accidents who are now suffering from painful and sometimes life-threatening consequences. Your physical well-being and your sense of security are too important to risk.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of an accident in Alaska, you deserve the help of Alaska car accident lawyers and auto accident legal information to help you navigate the state law and help you maximize your compensation. Don't let your window of opportunity slam shut - simply begin to fill out the free case review form today. You have rights!
Alaska Transportation Accident Statistics:
The varied terrain and dramatic weather of Alaska takes a heavy toll annually in vehicle accidents each year. Unlike other states, citizens of Alaska must regularly rely on different types of transportation such as railroads, bush planes, all terrain vehicles, and boats in order to go about their daily lives. Unfortunately, this means Alaskans face many dangers other Americans rarely consider. Because many people in Alaska rely on trucking to deliver vitally needed food, fuel, and medicine, Alaska has one of the highest large truck accident rates in the nation with 14 people killed in 2004 due to truck accidents.
There are 12.5 boats and personal watercraft registered in Alaska, and the U.S. Coast Guard reports that there are over 8,000 serious injuries and 800 deaths each year. With more boats on the lakes, rivers, and waterways of Alaska each year this tragic number will continue to rise in the future.
Facts About Alaska:
At 663,267 square miles, Alaska would be the 19th largest country in terms of size, and with only 626, 932 it ranks 47th in overall population within the United States. Water plays an important role in many aspects of Alaskan life. Alaska has 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline giving Alaska the longest coastline of any state, and with 3.5 million lakes of more than 20 acres, and over 92,000 square miles of water within the borders make Alaska a paradise for maritime enthusiasts and businesses.
Alaska was purchased from Russia on April 9, 1867, for the bargain price of $7,200,000. That means the United States nearly doubled in size for only $1.08 per square mile. Few people saw the use of such a large expanse of wasteland and tundra, until the Alaska pipeline began providing oil and natural gas to the lower 48 states and the rest of the world.
Alaska was admitted as the 49th state in 1959, and since then has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Unfortunately, several disasters, some natural, some manmade, have marred the scenic beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. Most famous perhaps is the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989, where an errant oil tanker spilled 30 million gallons of oil into pristine Prince Williams sound. The most powerful earthquake in the history of occurred on Good Friday, March 27, 1964, causing $1.8 billion in damage in 2005 dollars.
There are many unique transportation issues unique to Alaska. Juneau is the only state capitol in the United States that the majority of the people entering into it must come through a foreign country. Furthermore, there are no roads leading into or out of Juneau, and only aircraft or boats deliver people in and out of the city. Also, the islands of Attu, Agattu, and Kiska were invaded by the Japanese Army during the Second World War, creating the first American refugees since the Civil War.
Accident Stats Alaska
Fatal Vehicle Accidents in Alaska 2004: 101
- Economic Cost of Vehicle Accidents in Alaska: $475 Million
- Number of speeding related fatalities 2004: 38
- Percentage fatalities in alcohol-related crashes in Alaska 2004: 30%
- Motorcycle rider deaths in Alaska 2004: 8
- Pedestrian Fatalities in Alaska 2004: 10
- People in Alaska were more likely to be killed in light trucks (42) than passenger cars (27).
Deaths in Alaska by County 2004:
- Anchorage: 3
- Fairbanks: 9
- Juneau: 3
- Valdez-Cordova: 3
