How Distracted Driving Can Get Things All Screwed Up

 
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is any activity that diverts a person’s attention away from driving. Sending or reading text messages, fiddling with a cell phone or smartphone, eating and drinking causing the driver to let go of the steering wheel, excessive talking to passengers, grooming or putting on make-up, reading including maps, fiddling with a navigation system, watching a video, even the excessive adjusting of a radio, CD player or MP3 player all count as distractions when driving.

Facts about distracted driving

Most people don’t recognize the ill effects of distracted driving. In fact, a lot of people believe that distractions can really affect one’s skills, preventing them from being successful in avoiding accidents as hazards suddenly pop out of the road.  In fact, the number of those involved in accidents got lower at 387,000 in 2011 compared to the 416,000 involved in accidents back in 2010. However, the number of people who died increased to 3,311 in 2011, 64 deaths higher than the recorded 3,267 deaths because of crashes brought about by distractions to the driver, 64 cases higher than the number of casualties for the same period in 2010. These staggering numbers prove the point that distracted driving can really get one person into serious trouble.

The aftermath of an accident caused by distracted driving

Beyond the numbers mentioned in the statistics, the damage caused by such accidents can be devastating. For one, crashes bring about damage to property. Accidents can cause damages to the car of both parties, as well as other structures on and off the road. These accidents can also cause bodily injuries which hurt or leave a victim temporarily and permanently disabled.

Running after irresponsible drivers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
If the negligence of a driver has caused an accident that resulted to damage to one’s property or worse, caused one to get injured or dead, the driver can be held liable for personal injury. By filing a personal injury claim through the help of a car accident attorney in Los Angeles, one victim can avenge what has happened to him or her. This will help them get compensation to have the damaged properties fixed. More importantly though, such repayments can be used by one to get the treatment, medication, and rehabilitation that they need, while also being paid of the earning they should have received while they are unable to work because of these disabilities. This will help these poor victims rebuild their good life that they’ve almost lost when this accident happened.

So when you’re out on the road, keep those distractions away and focus on what you should really be doing; driving—nothing more, nothing less.

The Dangers of Drunk Driving that You Cannot Ignore

Image Source: http://duilawyernow.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DUI-Lawyers-Now.jpg

Every year, hundreds of thousands of road accidents are recorded. With these accidents, hundreds of thousands of people get injured, thousands die, and millions of the lives of people are challenged because of these unfortunate incidents. That is why, the government, through the Department of Transportation is making a campaign to help lessen the instances of these accidents. Through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the government is coming up with ways on how to minimize if not completely avoid these accidents from happening. That is why the NHTSA has been coming up with campaigns, left and right, to help curb the number of accidents, if not to completely prevent them from happening.

Safety in Numbers
One of the programs that the NHTSA started is its “Safety in Numbers” awareness campaign series. This campaign is centered in providing numbers from various statistics to help remind drivers of their role in keeping all of the country’s roads safer. In its recent installment, the campaign focused on the dangers brought about by drunk driving. Over the years, impaired driving has caused thousands of accidents that left thousands dead, and some others injured.

The dangers of impaired driving
According to the latest installment of the Safety in Numbers campaign by the NHTSA, the agency revealed that 9,878 people died because of drunk driving in 2011. This accounts for 31 percent of all the motor vehicle crash deaths. These numbers show that while the overall number of deaths recorded because of motor vehicle accidents have steadily declined over the years, the number of deaths because of drunk driving has been growing lately.

Other more interesting figures reveal that:

• 1,612 of the people who died in impaired driving accidents were passengers whose drivers have BACs of .08 or more; additionally, 91 of those who died were child passengers
• 1,049 of those who died were occupants of the other vehicles
• 710 pedestrians or bicyclists died after they got involved in a crash

A car accident attorney in Los Angeles says that these alarming numbers are the best proof that drunk and impaired driving should once and for all be stopped. That is why this Los Angeles lawyer called on all road users to keep safety in mind to prevent these to help lessen, if not to completely prevent these accidents from happening again.

The Perils of Distracted Driving in the Realm of Law Enforcement

Blasting sirens, breakneck speeds, and aggressive pursuits: these are what we typically describe a perfectly normal police response. Whether they are responding to an accident on the road or chasing down a culprit who had just stolen a car or has done some law violation, the pursuits we see on TV news footage and even in real life are just the regular duties of the elements of most law enforcement agencies.

However, officers who engage in emergency responses and police pursuits on a regular basis, while exercising professionalism in the line of duty, are often beset with the possibility of encountering accidents.

As it is, driving while on pursuit of a criminal on a heated chase often involves multitasking on the part of the officer. Looking at it, police officers often engage in distracted driving practices, which we all know is one of the primary factors as to why accidental injuries and deaths happen.

Distracted driving explained

Basically, distracted driving, among normal motorists, is more than just using the cell phone to text or call while driving.  Activities that are usually done simultaneously with driving are often diverse. They include fidgeting on the car stereo, eating and drinking, talking to a companion inside the vehicle, and picking up a loose change on the floor of the vehicle, among others.

In the United States, distracted driving is one of the lingering problems in the realm of traffic safety. In fact, in 2011, some 3,331 people were killed in car crashes involving a distracted driver. The figure was a 1.9 percent increase from the previous year, which stood at 3,267. Conversely, related injuries decreased by 7 percent in 2011, from about 416,000 in 2010 to around 387,000.

Multitasking during police responses and pursuits

Police officers, for one, often engage in multitasking activities while driving, and that is a part of their job. However, such duties would often take away the officer’s attention away from his or her driving. From complex ones such as entering queries into the mobile data terminal or MDT, to as simple as talking to a fellow officer on the police radio, multitasking while on the line of duty can be dangerous.

In fact, many officers have died in accidents while performing pursuits and emergency responses. Interestingly, in 2009, statistics showed that they often involve those who already had vast experience in law enforcement, particularly 35-year-old officers who had served 9 years in the police force.

Efforts to curb distracted driving in law enforcement

Despite most law enforcement being exempted from laws that prohibit distracted driving, there are states whose agencies have applied such legislation to its police force who exclusively deal with emergency responses and pursuits. One of them is the State of Washington. In Florida, it mandated hands-free voice communication to its troopers, despite the state’s lack of such statute.

Meanwhile, every Los Angeles car accident lawyer informs that there are no relevant laws yet with regard to distracted driving in California’s law enforcement. While there are existing laws in the state with regard to the use of mobile phones while driving for motorists, California authorities might as well pursue a similar statute for the benefit of those who respond to emergencies and pursuits.

New Statistics Show Common Types of Car Accidents

For most motorists, getting involved in a car accident is really something to worry about. Aside from the resulting damage and repair costs that car owners may have to shoulder later on, there are other factors that motorists should not be overlooked. For the most part, accidents on the road are not only caused by driver error, but also road hazards including animals crossing the road, potholes, and the like.

While a two-vehicle collision remains to be the most common form of road accident, it accounted for less than half of the incidents reported by people looking for insurance. This is according to a study made by CarInsurance.com, which is a website that provides auto insurance data and shopping tools.

The survey in which the study was based on covered around 42,000 online auto insurance quotes that were given from September of 2011 to February 5 of this year. Said auto insurance quotes were from drivers who reported incidents of car collisions in the last five years, all of which were single-vehicle policies for collision, comprehensive, and liability coverage.

According to CarInsurance.com, over a third of all incidents involved vehicles hitting a parked car, sustaining damaged due to inclement weather conditions or road debris, vandalism, or unsuspectingly hitting an animal crossing the road. As such, insurance rates differ depending on the type of accident a driver gets involved in.  For instance, between a driver hitting a runaway deer or a tree, both may incur similar damage but the latter may increase one’s insurance rate.

Meanwhile, here is a list of percentages for every reason why vehicles included in the report was damaged (rounded off):

• Struck another vehicle – 23 percent
• A vehicle struck the driver – 22 percent
• Single-car accident (e.g. rollovers) – 8 percent
• Act of nature (e.g. weather condition) – 6 percent
• Struck parked car or a tree – 5 percent
• Insurance holder’s parked car struck – 5 percent
• Debris (e.g. hitting a pothole) – 3 percent

Road accidents can be troublesome, especially if those involved have to deal with insurance and repairs. It is even more worrisome if they have to deal with injuries because of these unfortunate events. But then, they are entitled to personal injury damages, especially if the accident is caused by the other party’s negligence. For such occurrences, injured parties may have to consult with the best car accident attorney in Los Angeles for them to be entitled compensation.

Car Accidents in Los Angeles, California: Common Causes and What You Need to Do

Auto accidents in Los Angeles are nothing uncommon. Given the fact that this progressive California metropolis is teeming with public and private vehicles, particularly cars, as well as being home to some of the busiest thoroughfares in the United States, it is no surprise that the city is not only known for its traffic jams but also for its incidents of vehicle accidents.

These accidents either result in serious injuries or in tragic deaths. In fact, over 50,000 individuals sustained bodily injuries from such mishaps across Los Angeles County every year. Also, in 2008, a total of 667 car accident-induced deaths were recorded. Around 80,000 car accidents resulted in damages to property.

With these figures, it is easy to point out that motorists, no matter they are driving in Los Angeles or elsewhere in the U.S., are highly at risk of getting involved in either a devastating or fatal car crashes.

Common causes

Auto accidents often happen because of various factors. Some of them are often attributed to the carelessness of other motorists. Tort laws in California, as well as in the whole country, allows victims of such mishaps to file personal injury cases against liable parties who/that negligently caused them injuries and other damages in order for them to be awarded monetary compensation.

As a motorist living in Los Angeles, it is imperative that you are aware of the common causes of vehicle accidents that are attributed to negligence. Here are some of them:

• Failure to drive within the roadway’s speed limit. Since most roadways in Los Angeles are wide, it is easy for speed freaks to step on their car’s accelerators. Because of this, many of the accidents recorded in L.A. are caused by speeding drivers who go over the speed limit, especially in school zones and pedestrian crossings. Speeding drivers are the ones who cause collisions with other motor vehicles and private property, as well as pedestrian accidents.
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol. We all know that drinking and driving do not make a perfect pair since alcohol greatly impairs a driver’s capability to make sound decisions while operating a vehicle. This leaves him or her highly vulnerable to driving errors that could result in serious or fatal injuries.
• Driving while distracted. Los Angeles motorists who got involved in accidents are found to have been using their cell phones to text or call someone while driving, as well as eat or drink while behind the wheel. Such forms of driving distractions often result in serious, if not fatal collisions.

Seeking legal assistance for your personal injury claim

If in case you have been involved in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you must consider hiring an expert Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney who can aggressively pursue your interest. Your chosen legal representative will help you collect valuable evidence in order to establish the fault of the liable party, which would also determine the amount of compensation that may be entitled to you to cover your injuries and other damages.

Hit-and-run, Literally

 Image Source: http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wabc/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/6929514_600x338.jpg

Accidents are supposed to be gory, and life threatening. As you see on TV news, lots of people get injured and even dead because of such accidents. Over the years, tens of thousands of accidents have been recorded. These have caused simple to grave injuries to some, and death to others. Time and again, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has come up with many programs that are made to promote road safety and prevent such instances of from happening.

Bad case of a hit-and-run
However, there is one reported car crash incident that will make all the other seem normal. An unnamed pedestrian was walking along the road when the Mazda 626 car, driven by a 49-year-old James John Onak. The very strong impact of the crash had caused one le fog the victims to be left on the road where he was struck. What’s more gruesome is that the body of the victim remained in the car’s windshield and the passenger seat.

Ending car accidents is everybody’s job
The government for its part has been doing everything that they can to help ensure that accidents are prevented. That is why the Department of Transportation and the NHTSA has made a plea to millions of American drivers and car owners to help ensure that accidents like these won’t happen again. The authorities pointed out, that car owners should always follow the many traffic laws implemented across the country. Also drivers must make sure that they keep their vehicles in top shape by doing the necessary repairs and preventive maintenance jobs in it to keep it safe to drive. Finally, a driver should exercise defensive and safe driving all the time.

What should victims of car accidents do?
Just like what happened to the victim of the car accident mentioned earlier, thousands of people get hurt, injured, and die because of these accidents. In such cases victims of the families left behind by the victims can file for personal injury and wrongful death claims against the drivers of the vehicle that caused the accident. A Los Angeles auto accident attorney says that victims must prepare and file the necessary complaint to the proper courts.

A Los Angeles lawyer believes that stopping hit-and-run incidents is everybody’s responsibility. From the driver behind the wheel of the car, to the law enforcers, and even simple pedestrians; everybody who’s using or have used roads should work together and do their share to achieve road safety. Through this, he believes that justice can be served for the victims of injuries and deaths brought about by hit-and-runs.

Having Power in the Wrong Hands

Image Source: http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2009/nopq/2009-Nissan-GT-R-SpecV-Badging-1280x960.jpg

The Nissan GT-R has been one of the most celebrated supercars of this generation. It has been hailed as Japan’s only true supercar, a four-seat saloon car that beats other supercars that are twice its value. Despite its affordable pricing, the car packed advanced technologies that made it one of the most tuner-friendly cars the world has seen.

Skyline GT-R
The Skyline GT-R has been setting record lap times around various race tracks across the globe. In the world of motorsports, this car is a certified classic, beating almost every car that is pitted against it in touring car competitions across the globe. It even received a full 140 kg weight penalty and even banned in some events because no other car could beat it.

The new GT-R
During the development, Nissan used the Porsche 911 Turbo as its benchmark. After more than 5 years of dedicated work, the new R35 GT-R was made. Unlike the previous Skyline GT-R, his sports car definitely looks the part. With a new aggressive styling, Nissan has put in a lot of electronic and technological systems in the car. These made the GT-R one of the most fun, “un-crashable” cars that one can find given its many driving aids.

Top Gear UK appearance
This car was featured on the very popular motoring program, Top Gear UK. In its first appearance in the program, the program show hosts had a race across Japan. Jeremy Clarkson rode a GT-R and the other hosts Richard Hammond and James May used Japan’s very fast and efficient public transport system. In the course of the race, the Clarkson got first in the Buddha of Road Safety. The first version of the GT-R lapped Top Gear’s circuit at 1.19.7, Making it faster than a number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes-Benzes, and Porsches. The second time it went around the famed track, it clocked in a 1.17.8 lap, that is faster than exotic supercars like the Pagani Zonda and the Bugatti Veyron. This have made the GT-R the most

Supercar in the wrong hands
Despite experts saying that the GT-R is hard to crash as it is very easy to drive, several GT-R owners have manage to ruin the car in fatal car crashes. Richard Gutierrez, an actor from the Philippines crashed his GT-R in 2009 after allegedly falling asleep behind the wheel of one. Also just recently, an improperly driven GT-R got airborne, lost control, and crashed. While powerful cars like the GT-R are fun to drive, having the wrong driver get behind its wheel is like a catastrophe waiting to happen. According to a Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney, most accidents happen because of the lack of skills by these cars’ drivers and the lack of discipline when driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received thousands of reports of car crashes across America. That is why a Los Angeles lawyer reminds the driver of such special cars to take special care when driving a sports car. This way, you can enjoy the great performance of these special cars without putting your life and others’ in jeopardy.

Recipe for A Car Crash

Image Source: http://cdn4.leftlanenews.com/photos/content/january2012/thumbnails5.0/car-crash_653.jpg

Almost every day, you see news about car accidents happening all over the country. Despite the programs and campaigns launched by the Department of Transportation through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there’s still a lot of recorded accidents everyday in the United States. Though there has been a slow but steady decline of reported accidents, it cannot be denied that accidents are definitely here to stay. But what exactly does cause a car accident? Here is what a Los Angeles lawyer shares.

A recipe for disaster

• Equipment failure is one of the major reasons why car accidents happen. When different parts of the vehicle like brakes, tire blowouts, thread separation, and steering or suspension components fail or breakdown, the result can be catastrophic. That is why to prevent accidents from happening, one should make sure that everything in their vehicle is functioning well. Brakes should be regularly checked if they are working well, tires should be visited every now and then for problems, steering and suspension systems must be looked at for components that need tightening or alignment.
• Roadway problems is one of the things that motorist blame as to why accidents happen. While the government is doing its best to ensure that roads in the United States are in their best condition, there are so many factors that affect the safety of the roadway. For one, the visibility of possible road hazards can dramatically affect a motorist’s safety on the road. The surface of the road can also affect one’s driving. Weather also affects the drivability of these roads so that’s why these roads need to be properly maintained all the time.
• A driver’s attitude. You see, the most important safety feature of every vehicle is its driver. By ensuring that you observe limits, follow the road rules, and avoiding super fast driving as it could get you into an accident. Too much aggressiveness on the part of a driver can cause big trouble for everyone on the road. failure to use turn signals or darting in and out of lane can be very dangerous. That is why one should stay disciplined, never forget to practice safe driving habits, and put safety above anything else. That way, roads will definitely be safer and accidents can be avoided.

According to a Los Angeles auto accident attorney, achieving road safety is easy. By following the above-mentioned tips, everybody can do their part in making sure that America’s roadway network is safe and that everybody can drive without fears and anxieties. This could help trim down and even prevent road accidents from happening. No more crashes, no more properties broken, people injured, and lives will be lost.