ROAD SAFETY: WILL FEDS REGULATE FAT TRUCKERS?

By now, we all know it’s not healthy to be overweight. Medical reports rail against excess body fat, citing statistics that show even a few extra pounds can cause serious illnesses, from diabetes to heart ailments. Americans trying to stay healthy fight battles with their bathroom scales every day all over the United States.
But what about other people’s fat? Can it kill us too? Yes, according to sleep scientists at Harvard University. Their studies of the link between being overweight and sleep apnea have the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration considering new rules to require screening of overweight truck drivers. Harvard scientists estimate that 28 percent of commercial truck drivers on U.S. highways suffer from mild or severe sleep apnea. The disorder shuts off airways, causing them to wake up dozens, even hundreds of times every night, leaving them generally fatigued and often, grievously sleep deprived. People with sleep apnea have a tendency to nod off during normal activities. A few seconds asleep at the wheel of an 80,000 pound truck rolling down the highway could easily be fatal to nearby drivers.
While the federal government is looking seriously at new rules to curb sleep apnea in overweight truckers, it has no deadline for implementing them. Supporters say the rules could help prevent the truck accidents that kill more than 5,200 people a year and injure another 100,000. Critics say the rules could idle up to 40 percent of the truckers on American roads. Meanwhile, successful treatments for sleep apnea include a device that supplies oxygen during the night and keeps airways open, leaving truckers with sleep apnea rested and ready to go.

HELP FOR VICTIMS IS A PRIORITY AT MADD

A knock at the door rousts a woman out of bed. Her husband is off on his motorcycle doing an errand. One look at police on her front porch and she guesses the awful truth. He’s been killed. The man who hit him was drunk. A man driving his family to Mexico for a Christmas vacation is rear-ended at 90 miles an hour by a drunk driver. His wife and son are dead at the scene. His mother dies later.
A woman in a pickup truck is knocked off a freeway overpass in the dark by a drunk driver and left to die in a ditch. Her husband and son find her body two hours later when she doesn’t come home.
Accidents like these occur every day. Those grieving for loved ones killed by drunk drivers say the pain never ends. That’s where Mothers Against Drunk Driving steps in. MADD offers them a range of services, from money for groceries and funeral expenses to accompanying families to court during legal proceedings against drunk drivers that can last for months, and sometimes, years. The money in Texas comes from a state fund for victims. MADD can access it in three to five days, according to the Director of Victim Services in MADD’s San Antonio office.
“MADD is an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on and a hand to hold,” says Jennifer Hathaway, another MADD executive in Texas, describing the services the organization provides to those who have lost loved ones to drunk driving anywhere in the country. Staffers at MADD are trained to help victims with all aspects of a drunk-driving crash as long as they are needed. Contact the Victims Helpline at 1-877-MADD-HELP. Attorney Jim Adler, who has represented victims of drunk drivers for more than 30 years, is a strong supporter of the one organization entirely devoted to helping victims of drunk drivers. Jim Adler & Associates is underwriting a video to make more people aware of the services that MADD offers drunk driving accident victims.

REMINDER: STAY ALERT TO STAY ALIVE

On the morning of June 10, 2009, a blowout on a Houston freeway triggered a cascade of events that could have been fatal for the drivers involved. A blowout caused an 18 wheeler to jackknife and slam into two cars. Miraculously, all the drivers walked away unhurt; even the driver of the pickup truck with the tire that suddenly failed. There’s a lesson in the accident for all drivers. They can be in serious danger in the blink of an eye.
According to experts, most accidents happen in two seconds, barely enough time for drivers to react to the danger. But they agree that vigilance saves lives. They urge drivers not to talk on cell phones, send text messages, and eat or drink while driving. Drivers who need to engage in any of these seemingly harmless activities should pull over and park.
In 2007, 41,059 people died in accidents on American roads according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those between the ages of 21 and 24 had the highest fatality rate. Those between the ages of 16 and 20 had the highest rate of injuries. Statistics show that teen drivers are three times as likely to get into a fatal accident as others. Yet these are the drivers who frequently text, talk, eat and sometimes “dance” behind the wheel to the upbeat sounds of a favorite rock band while driving. Parents need to make their teens aware that accidents happen in seconds.
“Stay alert and stay alive.” It’s a good motto on the road anytime for every age. Combined with defensive driving techniques, vigilance pays off.

DECEMBER DRIVING ALERT

Watch out! You are entering one of the most dangerous driving seasons in America. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that Dec. 22, 23 and 24 are “among the deadliest days of the year for all drivers!” With all the stress and anxiety associated with the holidays - hyped this year by a down economy - distracted drivers and drivers afflicted with a dangerous case of road rage could make the entire month hazardous.

However, defensive driving techniques are always the best idea whenever you are behind the wheel. True, the gasoline crisis has reduced the number of drivers on the road. But road rage could be on the increase as people continue losing homes and jobs during the coming months.

The decline in driving spawned by the rise in the price of gas at the pump is “the largest continuous decline……the nation has experienced” says the Associated Press. Highway deaths are dropping too. The U.S. Department of Transportation says 31,110 people died on the nation’s roads from January through October 2008, compared to 34,502 during the same period in 2007.

But that’s no reason for you to relax. While 2007 set a new low of 41,059 highway deaths, the AA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that’s a highway fatality every 13 minutes! If you are injured, Jim Adler & Associates is a phone call away. (1-800-505-1414) www.jimadler.com

Car safety factors to become more visible for consumers

Kick the tires. Check under the hood. All finished and ready to buy? Not really. What about the most important component of any new vehicle: safety? Sure, you can check for yourself online or elsewhere, but do you really have authoritative answers? Maybe not – not yet. But starting with 2010 model cars, you will. When they hit dealerships in 2009, they’ll be the first to be sold under improvements to a federal government five-star safety rating program. As a result we will have – for the first time – an overall safety rating combining side, frontal and rollover crash tests. New cars also will gain a first-time rating on new crash-avoidance technologies, such as lane departure warning systems, electronic stability control and forward collision warning systems. This rating will alert consumers as to whether such elements are optional or standard features on the new vehicle they’re considering. Until then, you should do all you can to check out a car’s safety before you buy it. Getting a car in your favorite color is one thing. Having a car that’s as safe as possible is everything.

SUV Roof Crush|Double Lane Change

Are SUVs Crashworthy?

They are big. They make you feel safe. But under certain circumstances the SUV is a hearse. It’s a vehicle that can easily take your life in a rollover accident or inflict catastrophic, life-altering injuries. Some experts say, the very height and size of an SUV limits its crashworthiness. Manufacturing defects, such as weak roofs and improper safety restraint systems, further reduce the SUVs ability to protect passengers in accidents. Not one single SUV received the highest safety rating awarded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association in 2003. In 2005, NHTSA reported that approximately 10,000 people die each year in vehicle rollover accidents, many in SUVs. Sixty percent of these victims weren’t wearing seatbelts. According to data in 2007 from Consumer Reports, another 24,000 victims suffered catastrophic injuries including paralysis and brain damage in rollovers.

The Danger of the Double Lane Change in an SUV

The rate of SUV rollovers is two to three times greater than that of cars. Because SUVs have a higher center of gravity and because their height makes them more top heavy, they are more prone to rollover, especially when swerving abruptly to avoid hitting an object or person. Double lane-change is a test that measures the maneuverability of the SUV. In real life, a double lane change often occurs when an SUV driver is trying to avoid an accident. This sudden maneuver can easily cause the SUV to tip on two wheels, resulting in a roll over. This type of rollover occurred frequently in 2000 with Ford/Firestone vehicles, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured.

Tragedies Caused by SUV Roof Crushes

In rollover accidents, roof crush is the primary cause of serious injury and death. In 2005, NHTSA estimated that there are 596 fatalities and 807 serious injuries annually caused by passenger contact with a collapsed roof during a rollover crash. An SUV needs a strong roof to create the “survival space” necessary to protect occupants during a rollover crash. Despite heavy criticism from vehicle safety advocacy groups, SUV manufacturers are not installing the types of roll bars needed to protect occupants during rollovers. Manufacturers say it’s the force of the impact that causes injury and death, not the design of the roof. As long as they resist new roof safety designs, thousands of catastrophic injuries and deaths can be expected each year.

New Roof Standards Not Implemented

In 1973 the government created the Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 216 that measures the integrity of roof structure in motor vehicles. Under this standard, a roof pillar on a passenger car cannot deform more than five inches when subjected to a force 1 ½ times the vehicle’s weight or 6,000 lbs. Since this test applies only to vehicles that weigh six thousand pounds or less, and since most SUVs weigh more than that, they are virtually exempt from this 30-year-old compulsory standard. In 2005, NHTSA proposed a new roof crush standard that would increase vehicle weight to 10,000 to include SUVs. By March 2008 it had still not been approved.

SUV Safety Ratings | Crash Test Rating

Are you driving a car that can kill you in a minor accident? If it’s an SUV, it could. “In 2005, 60 percent of SUV occupants killed in crashes were in vehicles that rolled over.” And SUVs have a greater propensity in that regard. Despite the stabilizers on newer models, they can still roll over in minor accidents at low speeds due to their height and weight. Once an SUV is hit and it begins to slide sideways, it can easily roll over if it is “tripped.” What could “trip” an SUV? As the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety reports, it can be “a curb, guardrail, tree stump or soft or uneven ground… or when a driver tries to turn an SUV too aggressively at high speed.” If and when an SUV rolls over, occupants are subject to catastrophic injuries from SUV roof crush injuries.

A New Crash Test Reveals Additional Faults

A recent test done by the IIHS shows that “side and rear impact crashes remain a weakness” in midsize SUVs. “The worst performers in the side crash test were the Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Nitro and Kia Sorrento, all 2008 models,” according to a recent CNN report. The fault lies with airbags and how well they protect occupants in serious side crashes. An IIHS spokesman said, “SUV’s should have an inherent advantage In such crashes because drivers and occupants ride up higher than in cars….but many cars perform much better in our side test than some of the SUVs in this group.” The Institute’s tests also show that the Jeep Cherokee and Chevrolet Trailblazer are “among the worst performers” in new tests at 31 mph. And two of Nissan’s midsize SUVs must be equipped with optional side airbags to perform well even at this speed. The bottom line should give consumers pause when it comes to serious side crashes in these SUVs.

Brain Damage Lawyer | Air Bag Injuries

Drivers who are vulnerable can’t avoid air bag injuries unless they disable steering wheel air bags. Air bag deployment is automatic when a car is hit hard enough in an accident. An air bag explodes out of the steering wheel at 230 mph with 1200 lbs of force. If it strikes a driver in the face and the driver survives - a big “if” – the brain may never recover from the blow.

Who are the most vulnerable drivers? Small women who have to sit closer to the steering wheel than 10 to 12 inches are the most likely candidates for air bag injuries, including brain hemorrhage, severed brain stem, broken neck, facial fractures, blindness and other catastrophic injuries. The original standard for airbag development was the average man - 5 ft. 8 inches tall, weighing 180 lbs.

Is that discrimination against women? If it is, the federal government is leaving them at risk until 2012. That’s when new federal rules governing air bags go into effect, mandating car manufacturers to make air bags “as safe for women and children” as they are for the standard sized man. A word to the wise is necessary here, however. Anyone, man, woman or child, can suffer traumatic injuries if they are too close to an air bag when it is released from the steering wheel, the dashboard, or the side of the car.

Airbag Fraud | Air Bag Repair

A February 2008 Reader’s Digest article “Dashboard Danger” is about airbag fraud, a new scam that puts lives at risk. As the magazine reports, if you bought a used car, you may not have an air bag at all. The space where it belongs could be stuffed with newspaper. Or, it could hold the wrong air bag for your vehicle if it’s been replaced after a wreck. The magazine says buyers have no dependable way of knowing if a car they are buying has been in a crash. Many depend on Carfax and AutoCheck for histories on cars they are considering. But consumer advocates warn that is dangerous. Internet sites may not have all the vital data needed to make an informed purchase. The Readers Digest article warns that: “…airbag fraud is widespread, persistent and deadly these days.” The best protection is to use common sense when it comes to air bag safety. Always ask about air bags when buying a used car. Know what air bags are standard for the model of car you are considering. Ask the dealer to certify that the air bags are in the car and that they have been installed correctly if they have had to be replaced.

SUV ROLLOVERS STILL THREATEN DRIVERS

While new models of SUVs have been improved to combat the vehicle’s propensity to rollover, thousands of older SUVs are still on the road, exposing drivers and passengers to catastrophic injuries, killing and maiming those who bought the vehicles for “safety.” While the SUV created the illusion of safety on the road because of its size compared to other vehicles, the image was deceiving. The older SUV is three times more likely to rollover than any other passenger vehicle, according to SUV Rollover Statistics www.onlinelawyersource.com. SUVs had the highest rollover rate of any vehicle involved in fatal crashes and the highest rollover rate for passenger vehicles in injury crashes. And rollovers are the deadliest types of accidents.www.pbs.org. They frequently cause head trauma - the most serious type of fatal and nonfatal injury in a rollover, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (www.suvrollovernews.com). Adding to the danger, “…the overwhelming majority of rollovers occur during ordinary situations,” says NHTSA, when a driver swerves to avoid a stopped car or accidentally veers off the road. Because the SUV has a higher center of gravity, it is less stable on the road. Defective tires have also played a role in older SUV accidents. And particular models of older SUVs are noted for being involved in serious rollover accidents. “In 2003, almost 4,500 people died in SUV accidents, a twenty two percent increase from 2001.” www.onlinelawyersource.com. Since older SUVs have none of the new built-in safety features that make them less likely to roll over, drivers of older models would do well to consult an attorney if their SUV is involved in an accident to make sure their legal rights are protected.