Category : Car Accidents
A new Iowa law set to go into effect this week prohibits drivers from using their cell phones or other electronic devices while operating their vehicle. The phenomenon of distracted drivers and the damage done on the road has gotten increased attention in recent months.
The new law sets a moratorium for a year on police issuing fines for phone-related offenses.
“A good majority are pretty much addicted to those cell phones,” said Ron Bandy, an Iowa driver’s education instructor. “It will be extremely hard. It’s going to be like trying to overcome a drug addiction.”
According to a University of Utah study, the distraction related to texting is equivalent to having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent, which is the legal limit in most states.
There are exceptions allowed under the new law, including people involved in public safety work, health-care professionals involved in emergency situations, truck drivers with digital dispatch systems, and drivers who are getting safety-related information.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are eight states that have banned hand-held cell phone use (California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington). The District of Columbia also has a ban.
The law takes effect July 1, but there will be a one-year “educational period” where violators will be given a warning ticket.
If you have been the victim of a car accident that was caused by a distracted driver who was texting or using their cell phone illegally, it is best to contact a car accident attorney. Whocanisue.com can suggest a highly qualified car accident attorney in your area.
According to a research report released on Monday of this week, Florida traffic deaths have reached an all-time low in 2009.
Statistics still show that Florida highways are amongst the most dangerous.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety discovered that 2,563 people died in Florida crashes in 2009, which is substantially less compared to 2,983 in 2008.
The numbers in 2009 have dropped by almost 1,000 from the 3,533 deaths on Florida’s roadways in 2005.
The downward trend applies to many of the counties in South Florida. Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties are areas that are improving the most. However, more area-specific numbers will not be released until this summer.
Florida Highway Patrol officials are thanking the primary seat belt law as a major source for the decline from 2008 to 2009.
The primary seat belt law allows officers to pull over vehicles when adults in the front seat or children under 18 are not wearing seat belts. It was placed into effect in July.
Before the law, seat belt violators could be fined only after the police pulled the vehicle over for another reason.
FHP officials point to better laws, new enforcement mechanisms like unmarked police cars, better roads, harsher penalties for traffic violations and more educational opportunities as reasons for the continued downward trend.
This much needed decline in traffic deaths come at a time when the number of vehicles and drivers registered in Florida has been increasing for several years.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida’s I-95 highway is the deadliest in the country. Over a research period of five years, it showed that I-95 hosted approximately 1.73 fatal accidents per mile. That sounds astounding, doesn’t it?
An aerial view of Florida’s I-95 Highway
For anyone that has driven throughout Florida, these numbers may not surprise you. Florida residents apparently expected this outcome considering the number of accidents they witness and the number of crazy drivers they drive by on the highway.
In case you were wondering, here is a complete list of the 10 deadliest highways:
America’s 10 Deadliest Highways:
1. I-95, Florida
2. I-76, New Jersey
3. I-4, Florida
4. I-15, California
5. I-10, California
6. I-59, Louisiana
7. I-94, Illinois
8. I-93, Massachusetts
9. I-95, Delaware
10. I-55, Tennessee
With Orlando’s I-4 finishing in third place, it leaves us Florida residents wondering what the cause is. Do we really possess the worst drivers? Or is the driving conditions that are at play here?
Leave us your comments below.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/06/1666879/i-95-in-florida-is-nations-deadliest.html#ixzz0qC7mBrj1
According to recent research from Nielsen, people under the age of 45 send and receive three times more text messages than calls on their cell phones. We are beginning to create a society where people talk to each other less, but still communicate just as much, or more. And, since we are on the go all the time, that excess texting leads to more and more danger on the road.
There are 75 billion text messages a month. Many of those are sent and received on while driving. Texting while driving is a major safety concern. So much so, that it has gradually become outlawed in more and more states – 26 states, and Washington D.C., have banned text messaging for all drivers.
“Despite employing 100 billion neurons to process information at rates as high as 1,000 times a second,” says neuroscientist René Marois, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. “the human brain has a crippling inability to do two tasks at once.”
High-profile people like Oprah Winfrey are taking part in nationwide initiatives to curb the act of texting while driving in order to save lives. For Oprah, that means pleading with her audience to sign the “No Phone Zone” petition to raise awareness and lower texting and driving rates. According to the No Phone Zone website, 6,000 people die each year due to distracted drivers.
Oprah says “Uh-uh” to texting and driving.
According to a study done at the University of Utah, the level of distraction that driver’s experience when texting is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent, the legal limit in most states. And, according to the National Highway Traffic Association (NHTSA), drivers who use cell phones are four times as likely to get into injury-causing crashes.
Driver fatigue (or drowsy driving) is a serious concern in the US with thousands of accidents each year. SmartMotorist.com states, “In 2007 fatigue was involved in at least 18% of fatal accidents and accounts for about 7% of all accidents.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 police-reported crashes and kills more than 1,550 Americans each year.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides these sleepiness and drowsiness remedy myths:
- Caffeine or coffee helps (this is true, but only for a short time)
- I won’t fall asleep; I can control it. Sleep is not voluntary. You can fall asleep without knowing it.
- Opening a window
- Blaring the radio
- Exercise
- Relying solely on alert devices
Although based on recent research the myths stated above generally do not work since all individuals will respond differently.
However, here are some safety tips that have been proven to reduce driver fatigue:
- Proper sleep
- Planning ahead – don’t drive when you know you will be drowsy
- Avoid alcohol or other drugs
- Don’t drive between midnight and 6:00 am
- Avoid the 2:00 pm slump
- Take a short nap, but allow enough time to fully wake before driving
- Proper treatment of sleep deprivation conditions
In order to reduce driving fatigue accidents and injuries, every driver needs to take responsibility for knowing the symptoms and how to prevent drowsy driving. Drivers need to practice extra care during peak accident times and when they themselves are feeling sleepy.
Learn more about driver fatigue prevention ideas and safety tips.
More and more Americans are riding their bicycles in order to reduce toxic emissions and live a “greener life,” but cyclists and parents of young riders should be cautious of the dangers involved with this mode of transportation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 698 people were killed in traffic accidents while riding their bicycle in 2007. An additional 44,000 people reported that they were injured in traffic accidents, but countless others may not seek medical attention for injuries sustained as a result of a collision with an automobile.
The first step towards reducing risk of death and injury in a bicycling accident is to wear a helmet, but don’t stop there.
The NHTSA recommends that bicyclers follow some basic guidelines to minimize their risk of injury and death in a cycling accident:
- Wear a properly fitted helmet every time you ride a bike, to reduce head injuries.
- Obey traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic.
- Increase visibility to drivers–wear a fluorescent vest or brightly colored clothing at all times.
- At night, use a front light and a red reflector or flashing rear light on the bike.
If you, or a loved one, have been injured or killed as the result of a negligent driver in a bicycling accident, you should contact an accident attorney to find out what rights you have and how you should proceed after the accident.
Unless you’ve been the victim of a hit-and-run accident, reporting an aggressive driving incident probably won’t result in an arrest of the other driver, but there are other important reasons to report aggressive driving.
Dangerous driving, may be a sign of other criminal activity, and your report to authorities could be very valuable. When making a report, gather as much information as you can about the offending vehicle and driver and relay it to police. This includes the color, make, and the model of the car as well as the license plate number.
If an aggressive driver seriously threatens traffic safety, such as driving on the wrong side of the road or through repeated traffic lights, immediately call 9-1-1. If you witness blatant but non-life-threatening reckless driving, report it to a non-emergency police number. Some state patrol websites let you file a report online.
A personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and determine liability. Most states have a statute of limitations that may prohibit you from filing a lawsuit if too much time has passed.
If you’re a defensive driver who wants to stay safe on the road, it’s important to learn the signs of aggressive driving. By treating emotional drivers with extra care, you can avoid confrontation, car accidents and serious injury or death. Keep in mind that you don’t have to provoke someone to be the object of their aggression.
Keep clear of drivers who:
- Pass too closely or too fast
- Block your right of way purposely
- Shout rude remarks
- Speed up or slow down rapidly
- Tailgate
If another driver tries to engage you in an argument or dangerous road behavior, it’s best to simply opt out. Don’t take the bait. Avoid eye contact, and if acting out becomes physically dangerous, pull over and call the police.
If you have been injured in an aggressive driving accident, you should consult with a personal injury attorney right away.
When selecting a personal injury attorney you’ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with aggressive driving cases; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?
If you have a short fuse, it’s important for you to learn how to avoid aggressive driving in order to prevent potentially fatal car accidents. Taking dangerous chances behind the wheel can result in a serious bodily harm and property damage, not to mention costly car repair bills. Take note of your mental state before you get behind the wheel, and practice some deep breathing if you are agitated.
As you drive:
- Remember your responsibility. Traffic laws exist to keep vehicles moving swiftly and safely, aggressive swerving puts everyone on the road at risk.
- Consider the other guy. Treat other drivers as you would like to be treated, with courtesy and forgiveness for little mistakes.
- Think before you act. Don’t drive aggressively in retaliation for another driver’s offense.
A personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and determine liability. Most states have a statute of limitations that may prohibit you from filing a lawsuit if too much time has passed.
If you knew how many accidents are caused by driver fatigue (aka drowsy driving), you just might change your sleeping habits! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that driving fatigue is responsible for at least 100,000 police-reported crashes and the resulting deaths of more than 1,550 Americans each year.
Driving Fatigue Statistics
The figures listed above translate to over 100,000 victims of driver fatigue accidents in the US. That equates to 274 people a day.
Below are a few more shocking drowsy driving statistics:
- 60% of adult drivers have said they have driven while drowsy in the past year
- 37% said they have fallen asleep while at the wheel
- 13% do so at least once a month
Additionally, four percent of those same drivers have said that they have had an accident or near accident because they were too tired to drive.
NHTSA also estimates that in addition to the 1,550 deaths each year, there are 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in economic costs associated to drowsy driving.
Driving Fatigue Victims
With all those crashes and injuries, the impact on the victims is immense. In addition to the NHTSA estimate of 12.5 billion in economic costs, one must factor in the multi-million dollar settlements that have been awarded to the families of the victims involved in driver fatigue accidents.
If the victim survives the crash, additional costs include:
Hospital
- Ambulance
- Rehabilitation
- Loss of employment
- Loss of insurance
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- And more
The costs of driver fatigue and drowsy driving are high and only skyrocketing. The personal injuries of the victims and the grief of the surviving families spread the cost of this epidemic to everyone.
Learn more about driver fatigue accidents and what victims can do about them.
