If you were asked why there are speed limits in California, would you say that it's to reduce the amount of accidents that happen? If so, this is a common misconception. The reduction of speed limits actually started out largely as a fluke. Speeds were reduced in the...
Should we wear helmets in the car?
Most people don't wear any safety gear while they drive. These same people may be very adamant about wearing helmets while biking or skateboarding, but they would never wear one in a car. Instead, they trust that the car's design -- the crash impact zones, seat belts,...
Car accidents are a major reason for childhood deaths
Parents go to great lengths to keep their children safe. They buy them safety equipment—like bike helmets—for dangerous activities, they take them to the doctor when they're sick, and they work hard to keep an eye on them at all times. However, children are still...
How many chances does a truly problematic truck driver get?
Stating that his "continued operation of a commercial motor vehicle … puts the motoring public at imminent risk for serious bodily injury or death," federal safety regulators took action to permanently take away the driving privileges of one commercial truck driver...
Are commercial trucking inspectors simply overburdened?
Every day across the country, and in every state from California to Maine, roadside inspections of commercial trucking rigs are carried out. And for good reason, obviously. America's 18-wheel tractor-trailers and other roadway giants are colossal entities on state and...
National traffic safety news: mixed results, with an alarming trend
In the realm of traffic accidents, a decidedly mixed state of affairs -- let's call it a good-news, bad-news scenario -- seems to be operative in the United States, at least from a national perspective. On the one hand, and as reported in a recent media article...
California teen driving law: no decal, but lots of other mandates
A provisional driver's licensing law for teen motorists has been in force in California for many years, with myriad age- and experience-specific prerequisites (hurdles, if you will) that must be satisfied en route to any teen obtaining a full-privilege license. Would...
DOT/car maker pact: all good now, or just an uneasy alliance?
The auto-manufacturing industry has long shown that it chafes under a regulatory regime that primarily focuses upon rule making and punitive actions. And, on the flip side, federal regulators have equally shown that they are sometimes not up to the task of keeping...
Relevant info: What is going on with the Takata air bag recall?
Many readers of this personal injury blog throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area and the South Bay might reasonably want to be apprised of material updates to the subject matter cited in the above headline question. Here's why: The Takata air bag recall...
NHTSA: strong safety response needed to a worrisome 2015
Fatality statistics relating to motor vehicle accidents that occur in California and nationally can sometimes seem a bit ironic and overwhelming. Take this one: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32,675 people died in vehicle crashes...