September 15-21, 2019 is Child Passenger Safety Week
September 15-21, 2019 is Child Passenger Safety Week and September 21, 2019 is National Seat Check Saturday. Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council, the organizations have launched a new series of public service ads (PSAs) that remind parents and caregivers to protect their child’s safety at every stage of life from infant to teen, by making sure they secure them in the appropriate car seat for their age, height, and weight. The ads created for Child Passenger Safety week link to a page that helps parents identify the safest seat for their child.
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Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is dedicated to stopping deadly driving behavior that contributes to the loss of thousands of lives every year. They are using the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign during the week of August 16- September 2, 2019 to remind drivers that drunk driving is a deadly epidemic that takes the lives of more than 10,000 people each year.
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August 4-10, 2019 is Stop on Red Week
The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) is partnering with organizations and communities across the country to raise awareness about the dangers of red-light running during National Stop on Red Week. Each day of this week focuses on different safety themes around red lights, useful statistics and information.
Running red lights is a common safety problem on our roads; a study of 19 intersections without red light cameras in four states found a violation rate of 3.2 per hour per intersection (Hill & Lindly, 2003). According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 890 people were killed in car crashes that involved red light running in 2017. An additional 132,000 people were injured by drivers running red lights that year.
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What is the Deadliest Date of the Year for US Car Accident Fatalities?
Thousands of people are killed in fatal car accidents every year. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that there were 34,247 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2017; killing a total of 37,133 people.
Fatality rates vary dramatically from the season to season and even from day to day. If you had to guess the deadliest date of the year for car crashes, you would probably pick a holiday associated with drinking or a date in the winter date because of the risk for bad road conditions. Most people would be shocked to know that a date in August was identified as the deadliest for car accidents in a study completed by the IIHS. Data gathered between 2012 and 2016 identifies August 2nd (yes, today!) as the date with the highest US car accident fatality rate; 505 people were killed on that date during this period and overall August accounted for 15,914 deaths.
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Top 9 Most Dangerous Intersections in Bellingham
The risk for car accidents increases at intersections because cars are traveling in opposite and intersecting directions on two or more roads. In Bellingham, there are nine intersections that stand out for being the site of the most car accidents each year. According to an article on the Bellinghamherald.com, Bellingham police received reports of 1,350 accidents within city limits between January, 2016 and June, 2017.
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How to Choose a Car Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you may be wondering if you can trust the at-fault car insurance agency to agree to a reasonable settlement (hint: probably not). Great car accident lawyers know how to place a value on your claim and how to negotiate with car insurance companies to get you a fair settlement for your injuries. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain: auto accident lawyers do not require any payment upfront and are only compensated out of a percentage of the settlement. If you are looking for the best car accident attorney in Bellingham, how do you know you’re choosing the right one?
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Honda Recalls 1.1 Million Vehicles After Air Bag Injury
In another blow to airbag manufacturer Takata, Honda chose to recall 1.1 million Acura and Honda vehicles in the United States after a Takata air bag inflator injured a driver. The Takata airbags, that are already linked to the biggest automotive recall in U.S. history, can explode and shoot pieces of sharp metal at the driver and passengers when the air bag inflator is deployed during a crash. Ironically, the air bag inflators are meant to be a safety feature.
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Whatcom County Residents Overconfident about Ability to Navigate Roundabouts
As local drivers are aware, many single-lane and double-lane roundabouts have been installed around Washington state in the last decade as a way to reduce car accident injuries and keep traffic moving more smoothly. Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than traditional stop signs or signal-controlled intersections, according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.
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Senior Drivers Over the Age of 85 Have Car Accident Fatality Rate 9 times Higher Than Younger Drivers
In 2009, there were more than 33 million licensed drivers over the age of 65 in the United States and that number is estimated to grow to 70 million by the year 2030. Americans are living longer lives than previous generations but that means many are outliving their ability to drive safely by seven to 10 years. Cognitive, visual and physical declines mean that many elderly people are not able to drive as safely as they once were.
Most elderly drivers recognize their limitations and choose to stop driving in the dark, in rush hour traffic or far away from home even if they resist giving up their license. If you have an elderly parent who is still driving but you don’t feel should be, the first step is to have a discussion and ask them to get an evaluation at the doctor.
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Chickens Running Around 1-5 After Semi-Truck Accident
About 4 a.m. on Monday, February 11, a large tractor-trailer hauling live chickens crashed on I-5 in Olympia, Washington. The accident happened near the exit to U.S. 101 where the truck hit the jersey barrier and knocked down a street light. The driver was not injured.
Three southbound lanes and two northbound lanes were blocked as state troopers conducted the crash investigation and crews cleaned up the scene. The crash made a slow morning commute worse as there was ice and snow on the roadway.
The chickens were found running around the freeway and it was not immediately known how many of the chickens were captured, how many escaped and how many were killed. Based on its size there is a possibility that the truck was carrying hundreds of chickens.
The truck driver was cited for an alleged left-lane violation and negligent driving for driving too fast for weather conditions. Truck drivers are held to a higher standard for driving in the left lane than other drivers. While there are allowed to pass in the left lane, they need to get back into the right lane as soon as they can get back over.
What makes semi-truck accidents unique?
- The average fully-loaded big rig truck weighs at least 80,000 pounds compared to the average passenger vehicle that weighs in at 3,000 pounds. The disparity in the weight and size of the vehicles puts the passenger vehicle at tremendous disadvantage.
- The large size of big rigs places limitations on the driver’s ability to accelerate, brake and turn; their visibility may also be limited.
- Truck drivers and manufacturers are held to higher standards than most other drivers so there is a higher likelihood of reimbursement for your injuries.
Top 10 causes of Semi-truck accidents
According to a study by the U.S Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were 10 common causes of truck accidents.
- Traffic congestion
- Brake problems
- Driving under the influence
- Speeding
- Roadway problems
- Inadequate surveillance
- Fatigue
- Unfamiliarity with the area
- Failure to stop in enough time
- Over-the-counter drug use
Other big rig accident causes include distracted and negligent driving, limited ability to maneuver, inadequate training, systems of compensation that encourage faster driving, and unrealistic driving schedules that cause drivers to be over-tired or rushed. CNBC conducted interviews with regulators, industry, lawyers and victims and found additional reasons for trucking accidents. They found that in some cases trucking companies don’t screen for problem drivers and government is too slow to force new safety technologies or restrictions onto truck manufacturers and drivers because of the trucking industry’s tremendous contribution to the U.S. economy.
If you have lost a loved one or been injured through no fault of your own, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the justice and fair compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring, tireless and experienced personal injury attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County and surrounding areas since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
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