On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
According to a recent study conducted by the Automobile Association of America Foundation for Traffic Safety, teen drivers may be significantly less likely to be involved in an accident while driving without their friends in the car and with a parent instead. The findings, based on government data on teenage crashes from 2007 to 2010, support what previous research has shown, though they affirm them in a new context.
That new context is that every state now has a system of graduated licensing which puts some restrictions on teenage drivers. Though the laws vary from state to state, it is fairly common for them to restrict teens from having any passengers in the vehicle under the age of 21 or allowing only one young passenger, as well as nighttime driving.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Monday, May 14, 2012
A recent Fox News article took a look at new technology being developed in China by the car manufacturer BYD known as remote-control driving. The technology allows drivers to use a remote control system to start their vehicle, move it backward or forward, turn it right or left and to travel at a restricted speed.
The car manufacturer notes that the feature is a solution for allowing drivers to get their car out of a parking spot that isn't wide enough for the driver to exit once parked. The company also sells the feature on its ability to allow driver and passengers to be picked up curbside without encountering the elements. Unfortunately, remote control driving sounds like a recipe for disaster in terms of car accidents.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
According to recent research conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers, failure to use turn signals may be among the largest contributing factors when it comes to automobile accidents. When changing lanes, drivers apparently neglect to use their signals or turn them off 48 percent of the time. When it comes to making turns, the failure rate is about 25 percent.
According to the automotive group, failure to properly use turn signals causes around 2 million auto accidents every year, twice as much as distracted driving, which is involved in around 950,000 per year.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motorcycle Accident on Monday, May 7, 2012
Last week, the California Office of Traffic Safety released the results of a survey on lane splitting, a technique used by motorcyclists in which they share a lane. According to the survey, just over half of drivers in California are aware that lane splitting is legal in California, despite the fact that 87 percent of motorcyclists claim they use the technique. Interestingly, seven percent of drivers reported that they have attempted to prevent motorcyclists from lane splitting.
While lane splitting may make some motorists attempting to avoid a motorcycle accident uncomfortable, it is legal provided that the motorcycle riders engaging in it are doing so in a safe manner, maintaining their awareness of speed limits, traffic regulations and other circumstances on the road.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, May 3, 2012
An interesting article in USA Today discussed the topic current efforts to battle distracted driving, and the difficulties facing such a project. With so many people enjoying the use of cell phones nowadays. there is, as the article puts it, a "disconnect" between the desire to address the problem by reducing the use of cell phones while operating vehicles, and the desire to keep such technology available and useable for drivers.
Common wisdom is that cell phones are a major player in car accidents resulting from distracted driving. Interestingly, though, the research is not clear about this, because the police reports on which it is based are largely unreliable.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Products Liability on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Last week, a California man filed a product liability lawsuit claiming that a poorly designed motorcycle seat caused damage to his manhood and injured his sexual life. The suit was reportedly filed against BMW North America, who made the motorcycle, as well as Corbin-Pacific Inc, the maker of the seat.
The injury apparently resulted from a four-hour ride in May of 2010. Following the ride, the man was diagnosed with a severe case of priapism. The condition indicates a severe lasting erection, and the man claims he has suffered from impotency ever since, which at this point has been 20 months.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Our Sacramento readers may be interested in a case out of Minnesota involving Amy Senser, the wife of former Minnesota Vikings tight end Joe Senser. Jury selection in the case reportedly began on Monday in a vehicular homicide trial against Amy Senser. According to Fox News, she has admitted to being behind the wheel of her husband's SUV when it struck and killed a man on a highway exit ramp in Minneapolis last fall.
In addition to criminal charges, family members of the victim have filed a wrongful death suit against the Sensers seeking $50,000 in damages. The victim's family has reportedly expressed frustration about Senser's unwillingness to share the details of what happened on the night of the accident.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
An investigation which turned up numerous crashes and five injuries associated with the BMW 7-Series of luxury cars has federal regulators concerned and looking further into potential safety problems behind the auto accidents.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which began the investigation last August, recently announced it would be conducting an "engineering analysis," on the vehicles. The problem is apparently connected to a feature which allows for push-button starts and electronic transmission control.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, April 20, 2012
In our last article, we began looking at the issue of distracted driving and lawmakers' response to the problem. To sum up, while no states currently ban all cell phone use for all drivers, nine ban use of handheld devices. Text messaging is prohibited for all drivers in 25 states and D.C., and 30 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by new drivers. The federal government has also addressed the problem, in an effort to prevent automobile accidents
As a recent USA article points out, most of the attention on distracted driving has been focused on individual drivers, but many businesses are beginning to address the issue in their policies.
On behalf of Rushford & Bonotto, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, April 19, 2012
As our Sacramento readers are well aware, distracted driving is a big safety issue on the road, and is one of the leading causes of car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving encompasses a number of behaviors which take one's attention off the task of operating one's vehicle. Distractions can be visual, cognitive or manual in nature. Of all its forms, cell phone use is the most common.
A number of states, as well as the federal government, have recognized the problem, and have moved to reduce its occurrence by passing various laws. A new federal law prohibits commercial vehicle operators from using handheld cell phones while driving.
