Category: Car Accidents

Jul 18, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Over a weekend in early June, off-duty Alabama law enforcement officers in St. Clair and Bibb counties stopped traffic in several locations. The researchers asked the drivers to participate in a “voluntary” anonymous study. The study involved asking the motorists to answer several questions, provide a blood sample, provide a throat swab and undergo a breathalyzer test. The motorists who gave blood were paid $50.00 and those who gave the throat swab were paid $10.00.  The survey is called the “2013 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drugged Driving.” It aims to determine how many drivers may be driving drunk or with illegal drugs in their system. Our Tuscaloosa accident lawyers know that answering this question is important to determine how the safety of our roads. Yet, while the study may have a noble purpose, some have expressed concern over the manner in which it was conducted. Concerns Over Research Safety Study According to Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which is the group that coordinated the study, the public was “very receptive” to the study and the experience was “all very pleasant.”

Jul 3, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

A crash recently in Central Florida claimed the lives of two developmentally disabled women, one in her late 70s and another in her 40s, who were being transported back from a day trip in a van when a tire blew out on the interstate, causing the vehicle to flip. Our Birmingham accident attorneys understand that in addition to the two women killed, two others, both staffers, were severely injured in the wreck. According to a spokesman for the agency, the van tires had been inspected prior to the trip. One of the tires was replaced when mechanics who, initially inspecting the vehicle for an oil change and windshield wiper replacement, noticed it had dry rot. However, it was a different tire that blew. The agency spokesman insists the vehicle was inspected after that tire replacement and was found to be “in good shape,” adding that the firm’s vans are routinely inspected, particularly prior to longer trips, such as this one.

Jun 27, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Laws related to cell phone use and education campaigns related to distracted driving usually stress the dangers of handheld phone devices. In fact, drivers may be required to use hands-free tools or urged to make use of Bluetooth and text-to-speech as a means of reducing the risk of a distracted driving crash. Unfortunately, recent studies indicate that hands-free devices may not actually be any safer than using a phone that you are holding onto. Our Tuscaloosa accident lawyers know that your brain is still focused on something other than the road whenever you are texting or talking, regardless of whether you have a hands-free device or not. The recent studies confirm not only that you face cognitive distractions from the use of a hands-free phone but also that texting via voice may be even more dangerous than sending a text the old fashioned way.

Jun 25, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Police, paramedics and EMTs are on the roads to respond to accidents and to monitor safe driving. What if, however, these first responders and law enforcement personnel are actually a safety-risk themselves? Police, EMTs, first-responders and paramedics have many electronic devices in their cars, are generally exempt from distracted driving laws and often depend upon using this technology while traveling through traffic at high speeds. Unfortunately, while these first responders may be immune from distracted driving laws, they aren’t immune from the risks associated with distracted driving. As the New York Times reports, one paramedic described the combination of technology use and high speeds as having the “potential for disaster.” Our Tuscaloosa accident lawyers know that such disasters have already happened, as there have been several documented accidents in which police or EMTs have caused serious accidents while using the technology in their vehicles.

Jun 23, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Recently, the NHTSA released estimates regarding the number of traffic fatalities in 2012. While the numbers have not yet been finalized, the news is not good. The NHTSA data shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of people who died in car wrecks over the course of the year. This is the first year-to-year increase since 2005. Our Birmingham accident lawyers know that the number of traffic fatalities has been steadily declining over the past six years, decreasing as much as 26 percent from near-record highs in 2005 up through 2011. Unfortunately, the 2012 increase indicates that it may be difficult to continue this downward trend. Still, if every driver makes a commitment to staying safe and if states continue to improve their driving regulations and safety enforcement, hopefully the traffic fatality rates can get back on the decline for 2013 and beyond. Preliminary Data Shows Significant Increase in Traffic Fatalities According to the NHTSA’s preliminary data, an estimated 34,080 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic accidents in 2012 as compared with just 32,367 in 2011. This would mean that the number of people killed in car accidents over the course of 2012 increased around 5.3 percent when compared with 2011.

Jun 10, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

For all the time and technology we’ve had to tackle the issue of fatal crashes in Alabama, we have yet to get a firm grip on the problem. Our Birmingham injury lawyers know that between 2/car-accidents/alabama-traffic-accidents-likely-to-increase-with-economic-recovery/ and 2011, there were nearly 600 people killed in some 530 crashes just in Jefferson and Shelby Counties. There were also more than 27,000 non-fatal crashes in those counties just in 2011, according to a report by the University of Alabama. Speed is often cited as a factor. So is the increase and traffic levels. But also, we have the issue of those who drive distracted. The number of fatal crashes between 2009 and 2011 spiked by approximately 22 percent.

Jun 6, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Dangerous vehicles and vehicle parts can be a contributing factor to serious Tuscaloosa car accidents resulting in injury and even death. Most of the time, when companies become aware of design flaws that could make their products unsafe, they issue a recall. Currently, we have one manufacturer who has issued a massive recall and another that is refusing to do so. It’s worth noting that a company can be held liable for accidents and injuries caused as a result of their defect, regardless of whether a recall is issued. Still, the issuance of one, particularly when there is a recommendation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, shows good faith that the manufacturer is doing all it can to protect the safety of consumers.

May 24, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

We kick off the summer travel season with the Memorial Day weekend holiday. Unfortunately, it also kicks off the most dangerous time of the year for motorists on the road. According to The Selma Times-Journal, Alabama State Troopers will be out in full force looking to bust irresponsible drivers. Our Tuscaloosa car accident lawyers understand that there were three fatal car accidents that happened during the 2012 holiday. That’s a number that’s down from seven in 2011. We’re hoping for zero this year. Alabama State Troopers will be out hunting dangerous drivers from Friday, May 17th through Tuesday June 4th. Through this safety campaign, troopers are urging drivers to buckle up, drive sober, avoid distracted driving and use caution while crossing highways and railroad tracks.

May 20, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

A measure has been proposed to lower the legal blood-alcohol content for motor vehicle operators. The proposed limit seems to be gaining support in Congress. Our Tuscaloosa car accident attorneys understand that the National Transportation Safety Board is urging the federal government and all 50 states to back a measure that would reduce the legal BAC threshold from the current standard of 0.08 percent down to 0.05 percent. The proposal was prompted by the fact that over the last 10 years, the number of DUI fatalities nationwide has hovered around 10,000 people annually. Impairment from alcohol plays a role in about one out of every three fatal crashes in the U.S.

May 19, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

There is no question that distraction behind the wheel is deadly, especially for teens. However, new research reveals that distraction – or more specifically, texting and cell phone use – results in more U.S. teen fatalities than drunk driving. Our Birmingham car accident attorneys know that this revelation may come as a surprise to some, but it’s been some time in coming, given the number of teens who now carry cell phones and how frequently they are used.