Posted on March 31, 2017 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

A 79-year-old man was lucky to survive a car collision. However, soon after exiting his vehicle to survey the damage, a passing car fatally struck him while he was on foot. The fatal incident happened in Prince George's County.

Maryland State Police say that the first car accident was a minor one between the 79-year-old man and two more cars. The man wasn't faulted for the first accident that led to him stopping on the side of the road. That accident happened after a female driver hit the senior man's car and another vehicle.

After the crash, authorities rushed the female driver to the hospital for treatment. The older man was the only fatality in the collision.

At this time, no one has been charged in the accident. The Maryland State Police are continuing to investigate evidence gathered from witnesses and at the accident scene. As police investigate fault, they will likely review whether the driver who struck the man was distracted, inattentive or in violation of any laws. Following police investigations, the State Attorney's Office of Prince George's County will make the determination on charges.

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 Posted on March 24, 2017 in Car Accidents

The warning signs that you need new brakes should never be ignored. Indeed, your cars ability to stop is one of the most vital features that you require to avoid getting into a crash. However, if you're not a mechanic, you may not know how to identify the tell-tale signs it's time for a brake job.

Here are a few things you should definitely take note of to keep your brakes in the finest operational condition:

— Listen to any strange sounds your brakes are making: Sometimes brakes will start to make a very high-pitched squealing sound every time you apply them. This isn't a sign that something is wrong. In fact, your brakes are still functioning well, but they might not for long. There is a small piece of metal imbedded in your brake pad, and after the brake pad gets worn down — and it's time to replace it — that metal shim will start to press against the brake rotors, and it will make a loud noise. If you hear that noise, it's time to get new pads.

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 Posted on March 17, 2017 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Car accidents happen and sometimes they're unavoidable or just the result of the sort of ordinary driving errors that everybody makes from time to time. When you're the victim of a drunk driver, however, it can be hard to keep your cool on the scene simply because you know that accident was avoidable.

Try to remember that drunk driving accidents need to be approached like any other accident — the only difference is that instead of both you and the other driver going your own ways in the end, the drunk driver is likely going to jail — at least until he or she is tested and booked and able to bond out.

There are some basic steps you need to take at any accident scene — just tailor them a little to fit the situation:

1. Call the police and, if necessary, call an ambulance. When a drunk driver is involved, you want to let the authorities handle as much of the scene as possible.

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 Posted on March 10, 2017 in Car Accidents

Even though winter is still having its way with parts of the northeast, spring is just around the corner. The spring months are prime times for dense fog to accumulate on highways, making driving even riskier than usual.

Below are some tips for safer driving in foggy weather.

— Slow down when driving through patches of fog, The unpredictability and different densities of fog is extra dangerous after dark and before dawn. Never drive faster than you can see the road ahead.

— Headlights should always be on in fog, but not your brights, which can create visual illusions and blind other drivers.

— Turning on the hazard lights when traveling through particularly dense fog can help others spot your vehicle before they are right on top of it.

— The white line on the edge of the roadway is often referred to as the "fog line." Drivers can follow the fog line to guide their course.

— Because traffic slows when the fog rolls in, be alert for brake lights ahead.

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 Posted on March 03, 2017 in Truck Accidents

Truckers are responsible for very large vehicles that are very heavy and can do considerable damage. This is one reason why semi truck accidents are so horrible. The federal government has stepped in to try to reduce the number of truckers who are fatigued, but they can only do so much.

One thing that you have to consider with trucker fatigue is that there are many causes of it. While one of the most common causes is not getting enough rest, other factors like driving on familiar roads, driving irregular hours and medical conditions can also lead to fatigue.

Limiting the driving time for truckers is one step that the federal government took. For truckers who are carrying products, the limit is 11 hours per shift. For truckers who are operating passenger carrying vehicles, the limit is 10 hours per shift. These time limits are only for driving.

If the trucker does non-driving duties on a shift, those hours increase the number of working hours. For property carrying drivers, total working shifts can't be longer than 14 hours, but only 11 of those can be driving. For passenger carrying drivers, working shifts can be up to 15 hours, but only 10 of those can be driving hours.

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 Posted on February 24, 2017 in Truck Accidents

The transition to the Trump administration has been accompanied by changes for a variety of industries, and the transportation sector is no exception. In light of the administration's refusal to promulgate any new regulation through a "freeze" period, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is struggling to reduce truck accident risk without the regulatory tools they were promised. This could lead to an increase in the number of semi truck crash events in Virginia and other locations, according to experts in the transportation industry.

Reports indicate that a proposed rule to install speed limiters in all big-rig trucks could be effectively considered dead before it ever had the chance to be implemented. That rule would have limited truck accident risk by preventing drivers in both newer and older vehicles from exceeding the speed limit. This change could have had positive effects for drivers throughout the nation by lowering the severity of trucking accident incidents caused by speeding drivers.

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 Posted on February 17, 2017 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

If you get in a collision on a bicycle with a vehicle, you are lucky to survive it. If you are able to get up and walk away from it, you may be so overwhelmed that you brush off the need for police and/or ambulances.

Don't be that guy (or gal). One attorney who is based out of Seattle but provides advice to cycling enthusiasts from all over offers you some tips to preserve your rights.

At the scene of the accident, insist on calling police and making an official report. Police reports establish basic facts — the time of day, weather conditions, the state of the driver. It contains names, addresses and insurance information you may later need to file a claim.

Additionally, cyclists should never admit fault or minimize their injuries or the damage to their bicycles.

It's also important to obtain immediate medical evaluation and treatment. Even if you feel okay after the wreck, consider that could be due to the adrenaline coursing through your veins after surviving what could have been a fatal accident. That alone can mask injury symptoms.

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 Posted on February 10, 2017 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

A few years ago, the American Bus Association Foundation commissioned a study to determine how large and active the motorcoach industry was in parts of North America. The result was the Motorcoach Census of 2014. Below are some of its findings.

The industry is particularly robust in the United States, with 32,825 motorcoaches being operated by 3,330 different companies. Perhaps surprisingly, 94 percent of those were small companies owning and operating no more than 24 motorcoaches. Yet they offered more than 255 million passenger trips, racking up 46 percent of the mileage for all motorcoaches.

In 2014, there were 604 million passenger trips when Canadian figures are included. All told, passengers traveled more than 61 billion miles that year.

Motorcoaches companies offer charters, tours, sightseeing ventures, shuttles to and from airports, commuter services and special services and operations.

In 2014, 128,300 individuals found employment with the industry. Of that total, 71,900 were full-time and 56,400 were part-time. The smaller companies offered the lion's share of the jobs at 60 percent.

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 Posted on February 03, 2017 in Drunk Driving Accidents

This year, no matter your game day plans, make sure that they do not involve driving after consuming alcoholic beverages. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is an uptick of deaths linked to alcohol consumption on Super Bowl Sunday, a day traditionally celebrated by drinking.

AAA is offering a few tips for game day celebrations that can eliminate the need for getting behind the wheel after downing a few too many beers.

The Senior Public Affairs Specialist for the automotive agency stated, "Make your winning drive a sober one and designate a driver before you stock up on the wings, nachos and beer. Don't fumble when it comes to safety."

Below are some suggestions for a safer celebration.

— Pre-arrange a ride with a designated driver.

— Call a sober friend or relative for a sober ride home.

— Use a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft, or call a taxi.

— If you are at a friend's house, sleep it off for a few hours or spend the night where you are.

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 Posted on January 27, 2017 in Drunk Driving Accidents

They don't call it "beer gut" for nothing. For a very few unlucky individuals, chowing down on a meal consisting mainly of carbohydrates winds up getting them intoxicated without ever taking a sip of liquor.

How can that be? These patients actually have a rare medical condition known as auto-brewery syndrome where their digestive tracts produce large quantities of brewer's yeast.

That's the magic ingredient needed to ferment sugar into alcohol, as any home-brewer can tell you. So in the hours after consuming meals laden with sugars or carbs, these unwitting folks find themselves experiencing all of the side effects of alcohol intoxication — unsteady gait, dizziness, difficulty operating motor vehicles and even hangovers.

One man got himself drunk so often — even being buzzed on his way home from Sunday church services — that his suspicious wife purchased a Breathalyzer to test him for "closet drinking."

His gastroenterologist finally figured it out after hospitalizing him and testing his blood alcohol content periodically. Even when they ascertained he had consumed no booze, his BAC at one point was.12 percent, well in excess of the legal driving limits in all 50 states.

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