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Monthly Archives: July 2011

Technology May Help Senior Drivers Avoid Risk of Alabama Car Accidents

Jul 25, 2011 - Car Accidents by

Technology is being used to help keep older drivers safe on the road. Senior driving safety is among the fastest growing health and safety issues in the nation as the 70 million baby boomers begin hitting the doors to retirement. Our Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyers know many families struggle with the issue of helping parents or older loved ones determine when the time has come to hand over the keys. Such conversations can be difficult, even contentious; yet it is a critical step in the aging process and can prevent a family member from being involved in a serious or fatal Alabama car accident. In Florida, the Silver Alert program uses digital highway signs to locate lost or confused seniors; in the three years since the program’s inception, 44 older drivers have been helped.

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Fewer Distracted Driving Car Accidents in Tuscaloosa Could Result from Proposed Ban

Jul 20, 2011 - Car Accidents by

The feds are making a major push to outlaw cell phone use by drivers nationwide in an effort to reduce to risk of car accidents in Tuscaloosa and elsewhere caused by drivers distracted by cell phones and text messaging behind the wheel. Our Tuscaloosa car accidents lawyers are frequently called to represent victims who are injured or killed in an accident caused by a driver who was not paying attention; cell phones continue to be a leading cause of distraction. Carolyn McCarthy, a Democratic Congresswoman from New York, has introduced the Safe Drivers Act of 2011 in Congress, which would make using a cell phone illegal while behind the wheel, except in cases of emergency. Alabama is one of a dwindling number of states with a distracted driving law aimed only at young drivers under the age of 18, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. A few states — including Ohio and Florida — still have no laws at all. Some 38 states have passed some form of a text messaging ban. The jigsaw of laws — combined with some resistance to act at all — has Congress pushing a nationwide solution to the issue.

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NTSB’s Most Wanted List Targets Motorists Most Likely to Experience a Fatal Car Accident in Alabama and Elsewhere

Jul 11, 2011 - Car Accidents by

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) list of the “most wanted” drivers in the United States has been released. On this list are a number of drivers that are most likely to cause a car accident in Alabama and elsewhere. You bet drunk drivers in Alabama are on the list. These are drivers that cause serious and fatal accidents with alarming regularity — nationwide, more than one-third of all fatal crashes involve a drunk driver. Alabama is currently targeting drunk drivers. Governor Robert Bentley recently signed Senate Bill 361 into law. This law provides stricter penalties for those who have been convicted of a DUI in Alabama, according to WAFF 48 News. The new law requires that some convicted drunk drivers install ignition interlocks on their cars.

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Red-Light Cameras Coming to Even More Cities to Prevent Car Accidents in Alabama

Jul 5, 2011 - Car Accidents by

Red-light cameras will be installed in another city to reduce the risks of Alabama car accidents. Late last week, the Midfield City Council adopted a new ordinance that will allow for photographic traffic signal enforcement systems, or red-light cameras, to be installed at a number of intersections that have been deemed dangerous throughout city, according to Alabama Live. This ordinance could allow the city to be the first in Jefferson County to use red-light cameras to enforce traffic laws and to charge motorists a pretty penny for disobeying traffic signals. The ordinance was approved shortly after the state Legislature approved a bill, presented by Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Hueytown, which allows the city to use these red-light cameras. The bill was recently signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley. Our Tuscaloosa car accident attorneys understand the dangers of intersection accidents and hope these cameras deter red-light runners. Once they’re installed, if you’re busted speeding through a red light the city can fine owners of vehicles $100 for the offense. Officials say that red-light runners are a big problem in Midfield, especially along stretches of the Bessemer Superhighway in the city.

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Hear What Our Clients Have To Say

"I have hired Justin Smith to handle two separate automobile accidents that I was involved in. I have worked for several different attorneys during my lifetime, and I am fully aware that most attorneys take a while to respond to phone calls or emails. Justin has always been so quick to respond to any questions or needs that I have had during each process. He is such an attentive and steadfast attorney who has always shown unparalleled professionalism."
Posted By: Candace Crews

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