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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that the National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization campaign begins May 21 and will run through June 3, 2012.
This is part of the communications program for Click It or Ticket, a well-known campaign aimed at increasing the number of motorists using their seatbelts. In fact, it has led to what is now the highest usage of seat belt wearers at 86 percent, according to the NHTSA.
While the focus for wearing seatbelts is on all drivers and passengers, emphasis is being paid to those who are more likely to not buckle up. Research has shown that men between the ages of 18 and 34 are least likely to use a seatbelt.
Statistics from NHTSA show the following seat belt usage for each region in the U.S.:
In New York, driving while texting can lead to points on your license. This penalty, which was enacted in July 2011, aims to force more New Yorkers to keep their eyes on the road. Now two new states have taken a big step toward lowering their number of car accident injuries and fatalities last week. Both West Virginia and Idaho passed a law banning texting while driving, also called distracted driving, joining 35 other states in this important safety measure.
Both laws will officially go into effect beginning July 1, although C.L. Butch Otter, governor of Idaho, signed the new law on April 6, while West Virginia governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed it on April 3.
According to UltimateMotorcycling.com, this not only means a beneficial safety measure for car drivers, but for motorcyclists as well. The site quotes Peter Horst, spokesman for the American Motorcyclist Association, as saying “"Distracted or inattentive driving has become a major concern to the motorcycling community. Motor vehicle operators engaged in these behaviors are not just a danger to motorcyclists - they endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, roadside assistance and emergency medical personnel, highway construction workers, and law enforcement personnel. The AMA acknowledges that motorcyclists share this responsibility as well.”
These new laws aim to cut down on the number of car accident and motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities. According to the UltimateMotorcycling.com, the Idaho Office of Highway Safety noted that 1 out of every 5 car accidents in 2007 through 2009 involved distracted driving.
Contact a New York Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one were in a car accident, enlist the help of New York personal injury attorney Brian Lee today. Call 518-595-4407 to discuss your case and learn about your legal options.
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A teacher from the Schuylerville Central School District is facing possible jail time and vehicle assault charges after allegedly hurting a teen in a drunken driving case.
The teacher, 37-year-old Robert J. Thompson, was reported to be driving while intoxicated on November 20th. Thompson was driving in Saratoga Springs on Route 29 when he struck the vehicle of 19-year-old Clinton English.
At the time of the collision, Thompson was only charged with a felony DWI. Since that time, prosecutors have learned that English has severe injuries, including a broken vertebra. As a result, Thompson is now being charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter. With this new felony charge, Thompson faces up to 7 years in jail.
Thompson’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit and was measured to be 0.24. The Saratoga County car wreck occurred when he was on his way home after drinking beer at a friend’s house. Thompson previously said that the accident was his fault as he had been drinking and then fell asleep at the wheel. Thompson also has a past conviction of DWI from 2003.
It has been reported that English is still in a back brace from this Saratoga County DWI accident. His injuries have kept him from returning to his job at Sears and from returning to his classwork at Schenectady County Community College. Despite these difficulties, English remains upbeat and positive.
After posting bail, Thompson returned to teaching his elementary school special education class on January 6th. He will be appearing on February 17th in Saratoga Springs City Court.
The Saratoga Springs car wreck lawyers at Brian Lee Law wish those injured a speedy recovery.
A mother, whose child was fatally injured in a recent Saratoga County car accident, has been ticketed for her involvement.
The January 20th accident occurred on Corinth Mountain Road at approximately 4 p.m. Shiho Price, 39, was driving with her four children when she drifted over the yellow traffic line into oncoming traffic and collided with a pick-up truck driven by James Pitelli, 22.
Price’s son, 11-year-old James Eggleston, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The ongoing investigation into the fatal accident has led to the mother, Shiho Price, being issued two tickets. One ticket was for driving at a speed not reasonable and the other for failure to keep right.
The investigation has not yet determined what caused Price to swerve into oncoming traffic. It is also not know how fast she was travelling. Officers have pointed out that the accident happened at a curve in road and that the conditions were wet.
Price’s 3-year-old was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The 3-year-old has recently been listed in fair condition.
The other children in the crash, a 2-year-old and a 14-year-old, are both thought to be in fair condition at this time.
The driver of the pickup truck was neither ticketed nor hospitalized.
The Saratoga County car accident lawyers at Brian Lee Law offer our condolences to the family and friends of James Eggleston.
States and organizations across the country will take a stand to prevent motorcycle accident fatalities in May as they celebrate Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2010, there were 180 motorcycle accident fatalities in New York. No doubt these fatalities and injuries (and the subsequent motorcycle insurance claims that followed each accident) brought much pain, suffering and financial stress to those involved.
While the statistics do not determine whether these accidents were the fault of the motorcycle driver or other parties, it does bring to light the importance of safety when riding or driving one of these vehicles.
The NHTSA touts Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month as “a national initiative aimed at getting motorists and motorcyclists to ‘share the road’ with each other.”
According to the Shelby Star, Tim Smith, legislative coordinator for the Cleveland County CBA-ABATE branch, says May typically marks the beginning of riding season - when most motorcyclists begin their major routes.
The Shelby Star says Smith hopes the awareness month will help to prevent any motorcycle accident fatalities or injuries. “We want to be able to get out and ride and also make it home safely,” Smith says.
Other ABATE branches are joining in, too. In Beaver County, Pa., the local ABATE group is participating in an awareness ride beginning April 28 in cooperation with the McMahon Harley Davidson Dealership.
Contact a New York Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident or are considering filing a motorcycle insurance claim, contact New York personal injury attorney Brian Lee at 518-595-4407 to discuss your legal options today. We have a free eBook on dealing with insurance companies - Adding Insult to Injury: Dealing with Insurance Companies.
Take the thousands of bicycles that cruise the sidewalks and streets of New York each day, add in millions of pedestrians and the hundreds of cabs all over town, and you have a bona fide recipe for disaster. It’s no wonder the newspapers are covered in stories of bicycle-motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities. That’s why it’s important to stress bicycle safety, especially in New York.
Take a look at these bicycle safety tips from New York personal injury attorney Brian Lee. They can help prevent being involved in a costly, painful or even fatal bicycle-motor vehicle accident.
Bicycle safety tips to know:
Recently Christian Mathiesen, the Public Safety Commissioner of Saratoga Springs, announced some welcomed changes to a local apparent pedestrian hazard. The residents of Glenmore Avenue and West Circular Street have been concerned with the many drivers who try to avoid the light at West and Grand Avenue.
These drivers avoid the light by using the neighborhood Glenmore road as a shortcut. They then try to speed back onto Grand Avenue. Residents have reported dangerous driving behaviors, including drivers who screech their tires to try to get back onto Grand Avenue.
Residents say they are concerned for child and adult pedestrians. One resident stated that “I’m an adult and have been nearly hit while standing on the side of the road by people just racing to avoid the light on Grand.”
To prevent drivers from using Glenmore Avenue as shortcut, the road will be changed to a one-way street. Mathiesen said that “We think this will be a solution to the problem…. People will no longer be able to take that shortcut to Grand Avenue.”
The city will make this change for a trial period to evaluate if it helps cut down on the potentially hazardous situation.
The problem was first formerly reported by the SeeClickFix service. SeeClickFix has been implemented so that residents can more easily and directly report community fixes to issues that they encounter.
The Saratoga County pedestrian accident lawyers offer their hopes that this action will help reduce potential pedestrian injuries and make for a safer roadway.
Krystal Francis, 25, was found guilty in an accident that led to the death of a bicyclist, but she was only found guilty of driving with a suspended license.
Francis, after having driven on a suspended license, allegedly opened her door while she was in her parked car. In doing so, she struck Jasmine Herron, 23, off of her bike and into traffic. Herron was then hit by an MTA bus. Herron died as a result of her injuries from the accident.
After the accident, Francis left the scene of the accident and later returned. For this, she was initially charged with leaving the scene of an accident, which is a felony. Later, these charges were dropped because the law defines an accident as being caused by a moving vehicle—Francis’ car was parked.
Because of this technicality, jurors were only asked to decide on the charge of driving with a suspended license. The maximum penalty that Francis faces is 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
At the time of the accident, Francis, a recent graduate of art school, was working at a nearby coffee shop and rode her bike every day to work. Francis was an only child and her mother said that while she felt the conviction was a vindication, “It won’t bring my daughter back.”
Bike accidents and even deaths caused by open doors are one of the most common car-bike accidents in New York City and also in the Saratoga County area.
The Saratoga County bicycle accident lawyers at the Brian Lee Law Firm offer our condolences for this tragic loss.
On the morning of February 9th, a yet-to-be named cyclist was struck by a car at a New York City intersection.
The first emergency responder on the scene was the New York City Fire Department. They received a call at around 8:29 a.m. The man hit in the accident, reportedly to be in his 30s, was pinned under the vehicle for some time. It was later reported by the NYFD that the accident lead to a leg injury and cut to his head.
A witness of the accident, who was working at Subway, said that the car hit the bicyclist when it was turning left through an intersection.
Intersections are notorious for causing bike-car accidents. In fact, one of the most common points of collision for car-bicycle accidents is intersections. Out of the car-bike collisions that occur, 45% happen in or near an intersection.
As a result, cyclist experts emphasize the importance of understanding how to minimize the chances of being hit for riders. This can include slowing down, being more alert in an intersection, and making sure drivers acknowledge your presence.
Whether you are a New York City bike rider or a Saratoga County bicycle enthusiast, intersections should be handled with caution.
The Saratoga County bike injury attorneys at the Brian Lee Law Firm wish a speedy recovery to those involved in this New York bicycle accident.
How can I be safe and avoid a Saratoga County Pedestrian Accident?
What can I do to be safer when cycling in the winter?