Blog Posts in 2015
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FMCSA: commercial vehicles an outsized roadway risk nationally
Posted By Eliot ReinerHere are two quick takeaways from accident-related data concerning commercial vehicles that was released last week by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For starters, those vehicles -- large trucks and buses -- are noted by a national media article discussing the FMCSA findings as being "disproportionately involved in crashes on the road." And, second, given that commercial vehicles ...Continue Reading -
Bicyclists and distracted riding: a legislative focus
Posted By Eliot ReinerBicyclists in California and nationally obviously need to be protected while out on the road. Do they need to be protected from themselves, though? That is one material tangent focused upon in a recent media look spotlighting distracted bicycling across the country . Perhaps some of our readers have seen a bicyclist in or around Sacramento with one hand on the handlebars and the other firmly ...Continue Reading -
Injury outcomes in motor vehicle accidents: widely varying
Posted By Eliot ReinerWhen someone is injured in a vehicle accident, that can obviously signify many things. Some people luckily walk away from a car accident relatively unscathed, with perhaps just a bruise or minor sprain to show for it. Others, of course, are not that fortunate, with their injuries being significant or, in worst-case scenarios, fatal. Tragically, that latter outcome is far too common in the ...Continue Reading -
Feds dole out grant money for California traffic-safety programs
Posted By Eliot ReinerWe would surmise that most -- if not virtually all -- of our readers in Sacramento County and elsewhere across California are thoughtful, considerate and calm drivers. That doesn't stop your blood from surging and heart from pounding, though, when some hyper-aggressive and out-of-control motorist beams in on your life summarily by making reckless and endangering movements within inches of your ...Continue Reading -
Who is at risk for getting into a bicycle accident?
Posted By Eliot ReinerRiding your bike can be great, from both a transportation standpoint, as well as a fitness one. Many people like knowing they are getting their heart rate up and getting around, without having to get into a car. Given the fact that bike riding is a rather positive activity, it is particularly troubling to learn just how many people are hurt or killed in bicycle accidents each year. According to ...Continue Reading -
NHTSA holds airbag manufacturer responsible for its negligence
Posted By Eliot ReinerIf you're one of our regular readers, then you've probably seen one of our many posts regarding defective airbags, particularly those manufactured by the Japanese company called Takata. Months ago, for those who don't know, the company fell under scrutiny when it was discovered that its airbags were not only defective, they were highly dangerous as well. As we explained back in a June post, and ...Continue Reading -
Time changes can pose challenges for drivers
Posted By Eliot ReinerA lot is going on this upcoming weekend. For one, it is Halloween weekend, with Halloween coming up on Saturday. Also, this upcoming weekend signals the end of daylight savings time for this year. At 2 a.m. on Sunday, the clocks will go back an hour here in California and we will be back on standard time. Thus, it is important to not forget to set your clocks back this weekend. However, this is ...Continue Reading -
Safety regulators working to reduce fatigue among truck drivers
Posted By Eliot ReinerStudy after study continues to confirm what has been intuitively known for most of human history: Adequate sleep is very important. Lack of sleep can have both immediate and long-term negative consequences. It impairs our ability to learn, to regulate body functions and to pay attention to our surroundings. When work suffers as a result of fatigue, most people fear getting fired or disciplined. ...Continue Reading -
Driver 'has medical emergency,' dies in car accident
Posted By Eliot ReinerThe next time you are driving, take a glance in your rear-view mirror. Chances are, you will not see a car rushing up behind you way too fast to stop in time. That is the opposite of what a Sacramento motorist saw in their mirror recently. The result was a serious collision that, unfortunately, cost the lives of two people. According to KCRA-TV , a motorist was driving on Highway 99 when an SUV ...Continue Reading -
Looking at California's strict liability dog bite statute, P.2
Posted By Eliot ReinerIn our last post, we began speaking about California’s strict liability dog bite statute, particularly the elements a plaintiff must prove when pursuing a case under the law. As we pointed out, the elements which are necessary to prove under the law do not include any reference to negligence. Because the strict liability statute does not involve the issue of negligence, it does not matter whether ...Continue Reading -
Looking at California's strict liability dog bite statute, P.1
Posted By Eliot ReinerWhen an individual is attacked by a dog, the first order of concern is always their safety and health. Once the medical consequences of the attack have begun to be addressed, most attack victims turn their attention to the question of compensation. In some cases, dog attacks can result in serious wounds with permanent scarring and loss of mobility or function. In such cases, seeking just ...Continue Reading -
Families of victims outraged by GM's paltry criminal settlement
Posted By Eliot ReinerOur post earlier this week discussed a settlement between General Motors and the Department of Justice. The $900 million GM agreed to pay may seem like a lot of money, but it pales in comparison to the company's overall annual revenue. It also pales in comparison to the $49 billion bankruptcy bailout that GM received from the American taxpayers in 2009. In addition to issuing relatively small ...Continue Reading -
General Motors criminal settlement may be just a slap on the wrist
Posted By Eliot ReinerWith all of the pressing news of late, one big story has gone fairly unnoticed. In September, General Motors agreed to pay $900 million to settle criminal complaints filed by the United States Department of Justice. The charges, of course, were related to the GM ignition-switch recall scandal that was responsible for an untold number of car accidents and at least 124 deaths. To be sure, $900 ...Continue Reading -
New bill brings hit-and-run crash alerts to California roads
Posted By Eliot ReinerIf you've ever driven on a roadway in California, or elsewhere in the country, then you've probably noticed those large light-up displays that tell you things like expected freeway times or alert you to accidents ahead. We often appreciate the information provided on these signs because they inform drivers about road conditions in order to promote public safety. But these signs aren't just used to ...Continue Reading -
Can a falling TV cause a brain injury in a child? Some say yes
Posted By Eliot ReinerThink back to your childhood and the television set you had. If you're like many of our readers, it was probably clunky and rather heavy. If you bumped into it, it likely didn't move much. With advancements in technology though, this isn't the case anymore. Large tube televisions have given way to sleek-and-slim LCD screens that weigh a fraction of their older counterparts. The cost of larger ...Continue Reading
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