Posted by rozeklawoffice on March 22, 2010 under Avoiding Car Accidents, Car Accidents, General, Safe Driving Tips, Wisconsin Law | 
Nationwide and throughout the State of Wisconsin, authorities are reporting more crashes caused by distracted drivers.
According to a National Highway Traffic Administration study, distracted driving accounts for 80% of all car accidents.
The Top 7 most distracting tasks that should be avoided while driving include:
- Reaching for a moving object
- Reading and Writing
- Applying Makeup
- Dialing a Hand Held Cell Phone
- Eating, and Drinking
- Texting, Talking and Listening on a cell phone
- Adjusting the Radio or CD Player
The most common distraction that causes the most car accidents involves dropping one’s cell phone while trying to dial or text and then trying to pick it up while driving. Reaching for dropped objects is twice as dangerous as other non-driving tasks including reading and changing the radio channel.
Not paying attention when driving can result in relatively minor car accidents such as collisions in parking lots; however, many times it results in serious crashes causing extensive damages, injuries, and fatalities. The good news is that distracted driving is avoidable.
According to the Wisconsin AAA, the average driver makes approximately 200 driving decisions per mile. As the number of activities increase so so the chances of an accident. And today, more than ever, we have so many opportunities to be distracted, changing songs on your iPod, glancing at the DVD your child is watching, entering an address into your navigation system, and texting a friend. A study done by the Virgina Tech Transportation Institute found that for every 6 seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road.
To reduce distractions, plan ahead. Map out your route before entering the vehicle. Eat before you leave the house. Shut off your cell phone and put it out of site. Once in the car, make a point to concentrate on keeping your hands on the wheel.
Many individuals do not believe that anyone will know if they are texting or talking on the cell phone and happen to be in an accident. It is important to understand that even if you are in a car accident caused by another driver, the insurance company will request your phone bill, review it, and determine if you were talking or texting at the time of the accident. If you were injured in the accident and are pursuing the other driver’s insurance for medical bill payment, you may loose your case based on your phone records.
Now before the Wisconsin State Assembly is a bill that was passed by the Wisconsin Senate banning texting while driving. This ban is proposed to help keep our roads safe. To assist with getting this bill approved, visit legis.wi.gov to contact your local legislator and request the passage of this bill.
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For more information on Wisconsin Car Accidents or to speak with a Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney about an accident that involved distracted driving.
Tags: car accident and fatalities, car accident and injury, Car Accidents, cell phone and car accident, distractions and car accidents, texting and car accident, wiconsin car accident attorney, wisconsin AAA, wisconsin car accident, wisconsin car accident and injuries, wisconsin car accident and phone records, wisconsin distrated driver, Wisconsin texting ban
Posted by rozeklawoffice on February 18, 2010 under Recreational Accidents, Safe Driving Tips |
Wisconsin recreation safety specialists recommend that you take the following 6 top precautions to stay safe this winter when snowmobiling:
1. Slow Down: Speed is a contributing factor in nearly all fatal snowmobile accidents. Moderate speed is urged to allow for adequate reaction time in any situation.
2. Always Carry a First Aid Kit: The kit should include a flashlight, knife, compass, map and waterproof matches. And a cell phone (turned on for emergencies- but never in use while driving.
3. Dress Appropriately: Always wear a helmet! Also wear goggles or some form of a face shield to prevent eye injuries from twigs or flying debris. Wear layers, water proof material, and make sure there are no loose strings or materials to catch on things you drive by.
4. Avoid Water and Ice: The thickness of ice is always tricky to judge. Wisconsin weather changes rapidly and water movement tends to be unpredictable by the eye alone. Snow cover can also trick people into thinking the ice is solid and it also can prevent the ice from solidly forming.
5. Stay On Marked Trails: Always be on the alert for fences, tree stumps, and other ground impediments. If there is not a marked trail, stay on the right shoulder of the road.
6. Travel In Pairs: Most snow mobile accidents result in personal injury. The most dangerous situation occurs when a person is injured alone. If you have to travel alone, please tell someone your destination, planned route, and approximate time that you will be returning.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a snowmobile accident and needs advise, contact an experienced Wisconsin Snowmobile Personal Injury Attorney to help you understand your rights.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on January 8, 2010 under Avoiding Car Accidents, Car Accidents, General, Safe Driving Tips |
Despite the fact that studies have proven texting while driving is 4 times as likely to cause an auto accident then driving under the influence of alcohol, automakers and high-tech industries have come together once again to provide the latest technology to distract drivers from…you got it, driving!
High tech industries such as Google see great profit in linking up with automakers to provide the latest and greatest technology. At this years Consumer Electronic Show, the new “infotainment systems” were revealed. These systems comprise of various electronic devices that are set within an automobile’s dashboard. They display information such as 3-D maps/driving directions, high definition video, and web pages. The items will hit the market this year and will soon become standard equipment offered in new vehicles.
Safety advocates believe this could prove to be very dangerous. Research has proven that mobile device usage while driving is an increasing cause of accidents and injuries for both drivers and pedestrians. Unlike Ford’s new system which only will work when the car is in park, Audi’s new system lets drivers pull up websites as they are in motion.
Automakers claim safety is their top priority, however, most of the new infotainment systems leave the driver as the responsible party for limiting their own use.
The industry giants state they are just giving consumers what they want and the things that I-Phones and the Internet have trained them to expect. Safety advocates believe these new options will increase the already alarming statistics of accidents and injuries on the road.
For more information on Safety and Car Accidents.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on December 21, 2009 under Car Accidents, Safe Driving Tips |
Aggressive driving is a major concern of the American public, ranking at or near the top of traffic safety issues in national surveys of motorists. Americans are very concerned about aggressive driving, at least when it’s done by “the other guy.”
Studies have found aggressive behavior increases under states of stress and that certain driving situations such as traffic congestion can evoke stress. Moreover, an aggressive driving act by one driver can trigger a disproportionate response, sometimes even escalating to the level of “road rage.” Be aware that road rage is a criminal act of assault which may stem from a confrontation that occurred on the road.
According to results from the 2008 AAA Foundation’s Traffic Safety Culture Index (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2008), 78% of respondents rated aggressive drivers as a serious or extremely serious traffic safety problem. However, many of the same people reported driving in ways that could be classified as aggressive.
The following are indications of aggressive driving:
• Following improperly
• Improper or erratic lane changing
• Illegal driving on road shoulder, in ditch, or on sidewalk or median
• Passing where prohibited by posted signs, pavement markings, hill or curve, or school
bus displaying warning not to pass, passing on wrong side, passing with insufficient
distance or inadequate visibility or failing to yield to overtaking vehicle
• Operating the vehicle in an erratic, reckless, careless, or negligent manner or suddenly
changing speeds
• Failure to yield right of way
• Failure to obey traffic signs, traffic control devices, or traffic officers, failure to observe
safety zone traffic laws
• Failure to observe warnings or instructions on vehicle displaying them
• Failure to signal
• Driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limit
• Racing
• Making an improper turn
Based on analysis of fatal crash data from 2003 through 2007, The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that potentially aggressive actions, including speeding, failure to yield the right of way, reckless driving, and the others discussed previously, were reported in 56 percent of fatal crashes. The fact that 56 percent of fatal crashes involved such actions—even if not all of them were committed intentionally and with aggressive motivations—speaks volumes about the great need for traffic safety cultural change.
It is very important for drivers to honestly assess their own driving practices. To be truly safe and responsible drivers, people must discard notions that they can safely perform unsafe behaviors because of their above average skills, and they must stop simply “blaming the other guy.” Helping motorists understand the scope and magnitude of aggressive driving and other inappropriate behaviors, and instilling an appreciation for the magnitude of the threat posed by
these acts, is a vital first step in achieving the positive traffic safety culture we envision.
For more information on Car Accidents
Tags: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, aggressive driving, failure to signal, failure to yield right of way, fatal crach data, fatal crashes, illegal driving, racing, reckless driving, road rage, traffic safety
