Jul 29 2012

Worst Cars List Cites Rollovers, Side Impact Crashes and Unreliable Seatbelts in Some Trucks and Cars, Per Consumer Reports

Other cars on the list of most dangerous cars on the road were the Chevrolet Colorado Super Cab, the Mazda CX-7, the Mazda CX-9, the Nissan Pathfinder, the Jeep Wrangler and the Suzuki SX4. There were no European automakers among the worst-scoring seven models, which contained three US-made cars and four Japanese-made models.

Here in Texas, we love our pick-up trucks. We use them for work, personal errands and fun with friends and family. But some Texas pick-up truck accidents involve one of the most popular trucks in the country: the Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up truck. It’s a top selling truck and yet has just been named as one of the most dangerous vehicles in the country, due to very poor safety ratings. That means Texas truck driver injuries could be avoided, if truck buyers take the time to read safety reviews before making their purchase.

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Jul 18 2012

Lawyers Post 7 Infamous Celebrity Car Accidents with Devastating Injuries

Car accidents can be tragic with devastating results such as paralysis, brain injuries, and even death. Unfortunately, no one is immune from motor vehicle collisions. Sometimes we make poor driving decisions, and sometimes those around us drive recklessly or negligently. Even though you can control your own speed, wear your seatbelt, and avoid distracted driving, you cannot control the actions of the other drivers on the road. Below is a discussion of some of the infamous celebrity car accidents that have occurred over the years. See:

1. James Dean – September 30, 1955 – 24 y/o

James Dean was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder; a Ford Tutor attempted to turn, crossing into Dean’s lane, causing a collision. Dean died shortly after the accident, and his passenger sustained a broken jaw after being ejected from the vehicle.

2. Princess Diana – August 31, 1997 – 36 y/o

Although we may never know exactly what caused this accident, whether the driver was attempting to evade Paparazzi, whether the driver was speeding or driving under the influence, one thing is clear: the car she was in hit a pole resulting in her death and two others.

3. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – April 25, 2002 – 30 y/o

Lopes was driving an SUV while speeding and she lost control, causing the SUV to flip over. She sustained a severe blow to her head that resulted in death at the scene of the collision.

4.Ryan Dunn – June 20, 2011 – 34 y/o

Dunn was drinking and driving when his car veered off the road and crashed into a tree. Both he and his passenger died in the accident.

5. Grace Kelly – September 14, 1982 – 52 y/o

While driving with her daughter, she likely suffered a stroke, causing her to lose control of her vehicle on a curve known as “Devil’s Curse.” Her Rover crashed through a barrier and went down the slope striking a tree.

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Jul 11 2012

Why Do Some Car Rental Companies Risk Renter Safety with Unrepaired Recalled Cars?

For professionals who travel frequently on business, the idea of being involved in a rental car accident while away from home is a continual possibility. When we’re in new cities, just driving away from a busy airport car rental lot can be daunting. New reports about car rental companies choosing not to do repair the vehicles they own which have been recalled make the prospect of driving a business trip car rental even more unnerving. I could mean rental car accident injuries while attending a business conference.

According to recent media report, Senator Barbara Boxer has asked car rental companies to make a public promise “not to rent or sell any vehicles under safety recall until the defect has been remedied.” The only company that took her up on her challenge was Hertz; all their competitors declined to make any such pledge. For anyone who was thinking of renting a car from one of those other rental companies, there is new worry about defective rented car accident injuries.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma personal injury lawyers at Jeff Martin Law hope Hertz’s competitors rethink their decision and that consumers become more vigilant about checking out the cars they rent, before driving them off the car rental lot. Once you know what make and model you’re renting, for instance, you could go online and check for any car recalls it may have had imposed on it.

In a letter addressed to Sen. Boxer, Hertz said its pledge was aligned with a “long-standing Hertz policy.” New legislation sponsored by Sens. Boxer and Charles Schumer would make it a legally binding issue, so that it would be mandatory for car rental companies to stop renting recalled cars until necessary repairs have been made. Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety says Hertz has been supporting efforts to write the policy into law.

Shahan says Avis Budget Group and Enterprise are among numerous rental car companies who are seeking to propose alternative legislation. One of the ways they want to change the language is so that it allows car rental companies to hold off on repairing recalled cars until it becomes “practicable”. Another possible modification to the legislation would let them only verbally apprise customers of needed repairs before rental agreements are signed.

Because Hertz has publicized their policies on this issue, they’ve set the bar for the car rental industry as a whole. Hopefully, car rental company competitors will respond in kind and rethink their repair policy. It could make roads and highways throughout the country far safer, particularly those just outside of airport car rental counters.

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Jul 10 2012

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in Massachusetts Save $400 per Motorcyclist Annually?, Says CDC

Hot off the presses: motorcycle helmets don’t just save lives, they save money as well-a lot of money. When someone is involved in a motorcycle accident, the last thing on the injured biker’s mind is money, and yet in our society, money talks. So the Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study from 2008 to 2010 to find out just how much is saved when motorcycle riders and passengers strap on a helmet before hitting the road.

According to the study, over $3 billion was saved in 2010 alone, with total costs saved due to helmet use ranging from $2.6 million in New Mexico to $394 million in California. Economic costs saved from helmet use per registered motorcycle ranged from $48 in New Mexico to $1,627 in North Carolina, with a median of $286. In Massachusetts, the savings was over $400 per registered motorcycle.

Massachusetts personal injury attorney Mark E. Salomone is always glad to hear of any new research that supports the prevention of motorcyclist injuries and their passengers. See : Worcester Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Having defended countless victims of motorcycle accident injuries, however, he knows how much helmets do to protect riders. “Every time riders take their bikes to the streets,” he says, “they’re placing themselves at risk of serious injury and death. When a motorcyclist is hit by a distracted driver in a high-speed collision or if their bike has brake defects, helmets are even more crucial, as they can prevent serious head injuries and brain damage. ”

Over 40 percent of motorcyclists killed in accidents between 2008 and 2010 did not have a helmet on, says the CDC report. On the other hand, helmets reduced fatalities by 37 percent for motorcycle drivers and 41 percent for passengers, which translated to 1,544 fewer motorcyclist deaths in 2010.

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