accident research

Published on: November 18, 2009

Study Reveals Teen Texting While Driving is Dangerously High

Study Reveals Teen Texting While Driving is Dangerously High

A new study that included teens from Atlanta, has revealed some frightening statistics that should cause great concern to Georgia personal injury lawyers. The study included 800 teens between 12 and 17, and 74 more in 9 focus groups in Atlanta, New York, Denver and Ann Arbor. According to the study, about a quarter of teens aged between 16 to 17 years admit to having texted while at the wheel.

However, it’s not that fact – scary as it is – that worries us the most. Almost half of the respondents between 12 and 17 years old in the Pew survey, admitted that they frequently see their parents texting while driving.

Published on: July 22, 2009

NHTSA Suppressed Data Proving Cell Phone Use While Driving Raises Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html?_r=1

Previously undisclosed documents that have now been made public, courtesy the Freedom of Information Act, show that federal auto safety agencies had access to thousands of pages of research that showed a clear risk of increased number of accidents because of cell phone use by motorists.In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had that information back in 2003, but chose not to make it public.

The documents have been obtained by two consumer safety groups, Public Citizen and the Center for Auto Safety who filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act.The documents have been published by the New York Times.

Published on: February 12, 2009

Study Shows Importance of Car Seats

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new report underscores the importance of car seats in saving infant and toddler lives in the event of an automobile accident. New research by a California group indicates that the chances of toddlers and infants dying in an accident drop by as much as 75 percent when they are strapped into these safety seats.

Of course we’ve always known that car safety seats are very effective at reducing fatality rates in children who tend to be the most vulnerable victims in the event of a collision, but this study manages to hit home just how important these seats can be to protect their occupants.The two researchers who conducted the study, Thomas Rice and Craig Anderson, analyzed data from nearly 6000 accidents between 1995 and 2006, and compared the information to arrive at some startling statistics. In the case of babies below the age of one year, the odds of dying in a crash declined by as much as 73 percent, while in the 1-2 year age group, the odds of dying went down by 76 percent. 2-3 years olds had a reduced risk of fatality that was close to 60 percent if they were properly restrained in a car seat.

Of course, it goes without saying that these benefits are only valid if the car seats are of high quality, and meet all safety standards for children’s products.There’s no point in having a child strapped in a seat with improper buckles that can snap open in the event of a collision, or one that has defective clips that can slip open, releasing the child from the safety of the seat.Child seats also need to be made of safe materials with sufficient padding that can actually cushion a child from the force of impact during a collision.Stricter standards and demands for more safety features by parents have led manufacturers to design and create safer car seats, but safety issues continue to crop up every year. The unfortunate fact is that these issues come to light only when there is an unfortunate accident that exposes the instability of a defective car seat.

Published on: February 4, 2009

Top Factors that Contribute to Auto Accident Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A Forbes report presents a fascinating look at accident fatality statistics, going beyond the usual cut and dry numbers.Using data compiled from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Traffic Safety Center at UCB, the report provides a breakdown of the most dangerous times for motorists to be on the streets, and the data is just as apt for Georgia as it is for other states.

Saturday happens to be the most dangerous day of the week, which isn’t surprising because this is part of the weekend, with a higher risk of drunk driving.August is the most dangerous month of the year, and the hours between 5 and 6 pm are the most dangerous minutes to be on the road. The first day after a snowstorm increases your risk of an accident-related fatality by 14 percent, and if you escape an accident on Thanksgiving, there’s reason to be doubly grateful because the weekend is the most hazardous time of the entire year to be driving.The Fourth of July tends to be the most dangerous day of the year.

This doesn’t mean that merely being on the roads during these dangerous times is enough to up your risk factor.Simple acts like wearing seat belts and driving within posted speed limits markedly reduce a person’s risk of being involved in an accident.People who were talking on their cell phones were up to four times more likely to meet with an accident. Drinking and driving was, not surprisingly, another factor in causing accident-related deaths.