Most Fatal Accidents Are Single Car Accidents

With all the scary stories in the news about head on collisions are drunk drivers, most folks who consider themselves responsible drivers worry about the "other guy" that could involve them in a terrible accident on the highway.  But the reality of the situation paints a different picture.  New data out from the NHTSA shows that 60% of the 1449 people killed in accidents in Virginia, Maryland and DC between 2004 and 2008 died fron single car accidents.  They accounted for 64% of Virginia's traffic deaths, 62% of the District's, and 53 of Maryland's.  Are these all so-called "freak accidents" that "just happen"?  Of course not.  While alcohol is always a statistical factor, there is more evidence all the time that distracted driving resultng from cell phone use and texting are also causative factors.  Additional common demoninators include speeding, and having a track record of prior traffic convictions and crashes. 

Mandatory Penalties For Texting While Driving

The Federal Dept. of Transportation convened a huge conference in Washington, DC this week to talk about the dangers of texting while driving.  This subject has been getting a lot of press lately, and it should.  The figues are sobering: 2,600 deaths, 342,000 injuries and a financial toll of $42 billion annually resulting from text / cell phone-use accidents.  In fact, reserach shows that texting is as dangerous as drunk driving when it comes to increased risk for the driver and others on the road.  My question is, why aren't our elected officals taking this seriously?  Most of the laws on the books so far, including Virginia's, are a joke.  Slap on the hand fines?  That won't get the job done.  What will get the job done is mandatory jail time.  Think about it.  If we have mandatory jail for DUI, and texting is just as dangerous, why not?  Will anything less change drivers' behavior?  I don't think so.  History has proven that catchy slogans and ad campaigns simply don't work.  Mandatory penalties (like a weekend in jail) do.  Check out today's Washington Post Article and tell me if you agree.

Commercial Drivers Texting On Mobile Phones Are A Menace And Cause Accidents

A highway safety group has petitioned the U.S. Dept. of Transportation to prohibit texting and cell phone use by commmercial drivers nationwide.  This comes in the wake of some horrific tractor trailer and commercial bus accidents resulting from cell phone use by professional drivers.  I say "it's about time."  As in "mandatory jail time" for any commercial driver that gets caught.  Think that's too heavy handed?  Check out the video on this link of a bus driver texting just before he crashes into a car.  It might change your mind.

Throwing Out DC Car Safety Inspections Is Insane!

The DC Government's decision this week to do away with mandatory car safety inspections is crazy. Some of my friends in the District are saying "cool, one less government intrusion," but the fact is, having safe cars on the road saves lives and a whole lot of health care costs.  Couple that with the fact that 35% of the cars tested annually in the District failed to pass, and what does that tell you?  Mayor Fenty claims $400,000 saved a year.  That's pocket change compared to the medical and legal costs we'll all bear, not to mention the damage to people's lives. Think the impact will only be the District?  No way.  Maryland and Virginia will be affected too.  Pure idiocy.

The 10 Worst Insurance Companies

The American Association for Justice issued a scathing report of what it believes to be the "10 Worst Insurance Companies" last year, and if you're a non-lawyer insurance consumer, the results may surprise you.  Think your in "good hands" with Allstate?  Not according to this report!  Based on court records and consumer complaints to insurance regulators, the AAJ lays out in shocking detail some of the hardball tactics that many insurers employ to "delay, deny and defend" against claims filed by their policy holders and those injured in accidents.  Not surprisingly, the report concludes that despite being heavily fined and sanctioned by regulators, many insurers continue to employ these unethical practices for the simple reason that it works.  Profits are up.  Way up!  For those of us that pracice in the personal injury space, these results are hardly surprising.  But for the rest of you out there, I strongly encourage you to read the AAJ's report.  While I do not agree with some of the more sweeping conclusions presented, I do believe that serious regulatory reform is warranted for the industry as a whole.  Read it here and draw your own conclusions.