Archive for May, 2009

VIRGINIA, MARYLAND DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

ALCOHOL IMPAIRED DRIVERS

mug of beer next to a set of car keys

Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

This December, during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month), consider what you and your community can do to make injuries and deaths from impaired driving less of a threat.

The Problem

  • According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.
  • In 2006, 13,470 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
  • In one year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This accounts for less than 1% of the 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol–impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.
  • Alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion a year.

Protect Yourself and Your Family and Friends

During the holiday season, and year-round, take steps to make sure that you and everyone you celebrate with avoids driving under the influence of alcohol. Following these tips from NHTSA can help you stay safe:

  • hand passing car keys to a alcohol drinking personPlan ahead. Always designate a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins.
  • Take the keys. Do not let a friend drive if they are impaired.
  • Be a helpful host. If you’re hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

Know How Communities Can Help

Proven community and state-level methods for reducing alcohol-impaired driving include:

  • Sobriety checkpoints. Studies found that fatal crashes thought to involve alcohol dropped by about 22% following implementation of sobriety checkpoints.
  • Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws. Studies found that raising the MLDA to 21 reduced crashes by about 16% among people ages 18-20 years.
  • 0.08% BAC laws. Fatal alcohol-related crashes declined about 7% after 0.08% BAC laws were passed.
  • “Zero tolerance” laws for young drivers. Three studies found that zero tolerance laws resulted in declines in fatal crashes among drivers ages 18.20 years of between 9% and 24%
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control

Posted in Library | No Comments »

TEEN DRIVERS

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Know Teen Drivers’ Risks

Parents are concerned about protecting their teen’s health and safety. But not everyone realizes that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens:

  • In 2006, 3,490 young people ages 15 to 20 — an average of more than nine a day– died in motor vehicle crashes, and another 272,000 were injured.

Overall, younger drivers lack experience on the roads and are less likely than older drivers to recognize risky situations. While lack of experience increases teens’ crash risk, so does driving with teen passengers while unsupervised. As the number of teen passengers goes up, so does the risk of a crash.

Fortunately, there are proven ways to reduce teen drivers’ risk on the roads. Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems, combined with parental management, can make a positive difference and make your teen a safer driver.

Know How Much Parents Matter

Is your teen driving or riding with other teens to prom?

Whether your teen’s prom is this season or on the horizon, know that you can play a key role in influencing his or her road safety behavior—on prom night and at all times. As a parent or guardian, you’re in a unique position as a driving teacher, supervisor and role model. You make the rules about when, where, and with whom your teen can drive. You can also help reinforce important messages about the importance of using seatbelts and the risk of alcohol-impaired driving.

Graphic: Map of United States
Find state-specific information on your GDL laws.
Typically, the three stages of GDL are:
1. A minimum supervised learner’s period.
2. An intermediate license (once the driving test is passed) that limits unsupervised driving under high-risk conditions, such as night-driving or driving with other teen passengers.
3. A full-privilege drivers license after completion of the previous stages.

Remember, as a parent, you make the rules about your child’s driving. You can help enforce laws and rules:

Know—and make sure your teen knows—that no alcohol is the law for young drivers.

In 2006, more than one in four young drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking. The severity of crashes increases when alcohol is involved. Drinking drivers are also less likely to wear seat belts.

Know How GDL Works

GDL laws differ by state, but the primary goal and format is the same across the country. Graduated licensing is a three-step process developed to let new teen drivers get their initial experience under low-risk driving conditions.

GDL programs are designed to improve teens’ safety and reduce their crash risk. Research has shown that the most comprehensive GDL systems are associated with motor-vehicle crash reductions of up to 40%.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

Tags:
Posted in Library, Personal Injury | No Comments »

Virginia, Maryland Boat Accidents

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Know the Facts

Recreational boating—enjoyed by over 70,000,000 Americans enjoy each year—can be a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends. And making boating safety a priority can ensure that it stays fun.

Consider that:

  • In 2007, 4,586 people were injured, and 605 died, in boating incidents. Of those who drowned, 9 out of ten were not wearing life jackets.
  • Over two-thirds (69%) of fatal boating incident victims drowned in 2007.
  • An estimated 427 lives could have been saved in 2007 if all boaters had worn life jackets.
  • Alcohol use was the leading contributing factor in fatal boating incidents.

Reduce Your Risk

Whenever you are headed out on the water, keep these tips from the U.S. Coast Guard in mind:

Wear it. Properly fitted life jackets can prevent drownings and should be worn by everyone on any boat, at all times. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are now better looking and more comfortable.

Don’t Drink. Alcohol use affects judgment, vision, balance, and coordination. Reports suggest that alcohol was a contributing factor in about one in five boating fatalities.

Take a Course. People operating boats can help keep their passengers safe.  Boating education courses teach the regulatory and statutory rules (“Rules of the Road”) for safe operation and navigation of recreational boats.

Photo: BoatGet a Vessel Safety Check. The Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free public service provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron volunteer organizations. For more information on the VSC Program, visit their web site: www.vesselsafetycheck.org.External Web Site Policy

Know about carbon monoxide (CO). All internal combustion engines, such as boat engines and onboard motor generators, emit CO, an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. In the early stages, the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to seasickness, but CO can kill in a matter of minutes. To avoid CO poisoning, be aware of the risk, ensure sufficient ventilation, properly install and maintain equipment, and use CO detectors, especially in living and sleeping areas.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

Tags:
Posted in Library, Personal Injury | No Comments »

Switch to our mobile site