Off-Highway Adventures
Off-highway adventures are a fun and exciting activity for many people who are enjoying a holiday weekend. However, those who take part in such activities need to follow the rules and take proper safety precautions. Accidents with off-road vehicles occur and when they do, the consequences can be serious, as they were in this case. Fortunately, the victim survived the injuries, but still has a long way to go as he continues to face a long and expensive road to recovery.
There are a number of different vehicles that may be driven off-road. These include dirt bikes, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), dune buggies and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs). In this case, witnesses say that the vehicle that hit the teen on the dirt bike was a dune buggy.
OHV Safety
Off-highway vehicle riding is particularly popular in remote desert areas such as Dune Buggy Flats. There are some important safety precautions that should be taken when riding off-road vehicles. According to recreation.gov, OHV safety should include wearing a helmet and gloves, wearing appropriate footwear, and riding only while sober.
They also advise bringing along tools and survival gear in case your vehicle breaks down. You should also have other safety devices such as a flashlight, map, radio, and cell phone. It is also best not to go off-roading alone. In this particular case, witnesses indicate that the driver of the dune buggy responsible for the crash may have been intoxicated.
How a San Diego Personal Injury Attorney can Help
Collisions such this one may result in severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Some injuries, such as head trauma and spinal injuries, may result in a lifelong disability. Victims of ATV crashes and their families may need to take legal action to obtain the money necessary to cover their immediate and ongoing care. A San Diego personal injury attorney will review the details of your case and help you recover the compensation you deserve. You may be entitled to money for medical treatment, rehabilitation costs, and future medical care. You may also be allowed to recover money for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and for legal fees.
If you were injured in an off-road accident do not delay. Contact the experienced legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss your accident today.
]]>The results of the study were published recently in the Journal Psychopharmacology. The researchers compared two groups of drivers-one consisting of senior motorists in the 55-to-70 age category, and the other consisting of younger motorists in the 25-to-35 age category. They found that no driver in either group had drunk enough alcohol to place him above the .08% maximum legally permissible blood-alcohol level. However, when senior drivers drank even one alcoholic beverage, it affected their driving abilities considerably.
The results of the study are interesting, because there has been quite a bit of research into the effects of alcohol on teenage drivers and young motorists, but there hasn’t been enough literature on how alcohol affects a senior motorist’s driving abilities. This is even though senior motorists may already be at a much higher risk of impaired driving abilities as they begin to age. There may be age-relating concerns, like loss of balance, loss of coordination, judgment deficiencies, or delayed responses about age-related challenges that do affect a senior motorist’s ability to drive safely. When alcohol is being introduced into this equation, those driving challenges seem to magnify.
If you are a senior motorist in the above-55 age category, you must understand that even having one drink could impair your driving abilities enough to cause an accident.
]]>The increase in hit and runs is part of an overall increase in fatal crashes over the last several years. Not surprisingly, the majority of fatalities occur to pedestrians and bicyclists. The rise in deaths may be due in part to an increase in the incidences of distracted driving.
Distracted Driving Continues to be a Problem
Distracted driving continues to be a problem for drivers in California and across the country. There are three main types of distracted driving. These include taking your mind off driving, taking your hands off the wheel and taking your eyes off the road. Distractions may include a variety of actions such as eating, talking to passengers, reading, and grooming. The most common cause of distracted driving is the use of cell phones for texting while driving.
Texting and cell phone use while behind the wheel are the most serious forms of distracted driving. That is because they actually cause all three types of distractions at once. You take your attention away from driving, your eyes off the road, and your hands off the wheel to read and send text messages. Texting while driving is illegal, but it is still a common occurrence.
Hit and Run Accidents
Hit and run accidents are often serious, especially when they involve a pedestrian or bicyclist. A driver is required to stop if he or she is involved in an accident. Sometimes, however, a driver fails to stop. This can happen for a variety of reasons. The driver may not have a valid license, may not have insurance, or may be wanted on a warrant. Other times, the driver could be driving while intoxicated or driving while distracted.
Fortunately, in the majority of hit and run accidents, the police eventually track down the vehicle and driver. Often there is video surveillance or there are witnesses to the event that provide details to law enforcement. When the driver is located, he or she may face a variety of charges such as leaving the scene of an accident. The driver is responsible for negligent driving and is held liable for any medical costs and damages that occurred due to the accident.
If you were the victim of a hit and run crash there are several things you should do. First, call police and report the accident. Seek medical attention, even if you do not feel hurt. Many injuries become apparent later and some of them could be life-threatening. Head injuries are among the most common types of severe injuries that are reported along with broken bones and neck and back injuries.
If you were hurt in a hit and run crash, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Contact the legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss your accident today.
]]>New research data published by the American Automobile Association (AAA) finds that in addition to cell phone use, distracted driving also occurs with the use of other technology inside the vehicle, such as navigation systems and even the radio. Cell phone use has long been known to be a distraction. California has cell phone laws in place that prohibit the use of handheld devices for texting or talking while driving. Although these laws are in place, the fines are low at $20 for the first offense and $50 for any subsequent offense(s). Many people still text while driving, even though it is dangerous.
Technology and Distraction
Distracted driving may occur when the driver takes his or her eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off of driving. Texting while driving is extremely dangerous because it requires you to lose focus in all three areas. The same holds true for the use of other types of technology in the vehicle.
The recent AAA study found that in-vehicle technology that is provided as part of the car and other outside technology can also be dangerous and distracting. Vehicles that have infotainment systems have advanced capabilities that create new types of distractions for drivers. The study also looked at new vehicle technology with increasingly complex menus. Drivers must take their focus off the road to use touch screens or voice commands. These tasks are not related to driving and can therefore cause a distraction.
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Research
The latest research reviewed infotainment systems in 40 new vehicles. The study looked at both visual and mental demand along with the time it took to handle a function in the system. The task with the most distraction was programming navigation. This caused drivers to take their eyes off the road for an average of 40 seconds.
Of the systems that were reviewed, 17 caused very high demand, 12 had high demand, and 11 had moderate demand. The goal would be for manufacturers to create systems with low demand. The study also found that Apple CarPlay as well as similar Android systems were less demanding than in-vehicle systems, although they still produced moderate distraction. Even these non-native systems kept driver’s eyes off the road for 33 seconds. This would be about the length of SEVEN football fields when traveling at a speed of 45 miles per hour.
Distracted driving continues to be a major factor or contributing factor in many accidents. When a distracted driver causes an accident, it may cause serious injuries and damages to others. The distracted driver would likely be considered negligent. If you were seriously injured in an accident with a distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
Contact the experienced legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss your case today.
]]>The accident happened in the eastbound lanes of Ronald Packard Parkway at Broadway. The man who stopped to lend his assistance is the one who died in the crash. An attempt was made to provide CPR but the man could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the disabled Jeep Cherokee was transported to the hospital for treatment. His condition has not yet been released.
Hit-and-Run Driver Found
According to reports, the driver who fled was in a Toyota RAV 4. CHP later located the SUV and the 17-year-old driver. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI. The officers found drugs inside the vehicle along with a loaded handgun. The driver will likely be facing additional charges for the crash.
Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a criminal offense. The driver in this instance was negligent because he was allegedly driving while impaired. He failed to slow down and yield to another vehicle and did not stop at the scene of a fatal accident. Hit-and-run accidents occur all too frequently, often because the driver is either impaired, has a warrant, or is driving without a license.
Serious Injuries Caused by Hit-and-Run Accidents
Victims of hit and run accidents may face many different medical problems. Many times the vehicle that is responsible for the crash was speeding at the time of the crash, which can result in a substantial impact. In this particular accident, the victims were outside of the Jeep, so they were unprotected.
Accidents that occur at a high rate of speed are more likely to result in serious injuries or fatalities. Some of the most serious injuries are back and neck injuries, broken bones and head trauma or traumatic brain injury. Serious injuries can occur even at slower speeds. When severe injuries occur, the negligent party is to be held responsible. The injured party may be entitled to compensation for any damages incurred, including money for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages, among other things.
The family of someone who was fatally injured may also be entitled to compensation for funeral expenses and loss of enjoyment of life. If you or a loved one was hurt in a hit-and-run accident, it is important to speak with a personal injury attorney as soon after the accident as possible. Your attorney will handle all aspects of the case and will help get you and your family the money you need to pay for medical expenses. Contact the legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea today to discuss the details of your case.
]]>Accident Resulted in Serious Injuries
The woman was in the air for up to 45 minutes, much longer than the 10-minute ride that was scheduled. The woman finally crashed at an airport. She sustained severe injuries including a fractured skull, broken pelvis, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and multiple other broken bones. She is expected to remain hospitalized for about a month.
The woman is lucky to be alive. She could have succumbed to her injuries. Instead, she survived, but will be facing a long road to recovery. Head injuries, in particular, are quite serious. A head injury can lead to a cerebral hemorrhage and the patient must be closely watched-over for the first 24 to 48 hours to ensure that the injury does not get worse.
Head trauma is not the only serious injury that occurred. A fractured pelvis often requires surgical treatment, as do other broken bones. The collapsed lung must be monitored to ensure that the patient does not contract pneumonia, a common occurrence after such an injury. Multiple injuries require a variety of treatments that could mean a lengthy recovery period.
Cause of the Accident
Witnesses say that they are not sure if weather played a role, but there were storms moving through the area at the time of the accident. Some questioned whether the parasailing company should have gone out when bad weather was approaching. In any case, the parasailing company should be held responsible for the accident.
The owners and operators need to be careful when they provide services such as these parasailing jaunts. They were likely negligent in not providing a safe trip due to the rope breaking and poor weather conditions.
Unfortunately, many of these small parasailing boats are not properly insured. Because they are not located in the United States, they are not subject to the same restrictions as companies in the U.S. However, the company is still negligent in its actions and legal action may be necessary. The woman in this case will suffer a huge medical bill. In addition, she will likely need to undergo rehabilitative treatment and is not able to return to work soon. Also, the woman suffered a great deal of emotional trauma while she was being tossed around in the air for all that time. She may consider taking legal action against the company the owned the boat or the boat operators.
If you or a loved one were injured while on a vacation out of the country, there is something you can do. Contact the legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea today to discuss the details of your accident.
]]>Head-On Crashes
Head-on crashes are among the worst types of accidents and often result in serious injuries or fatalities. A head-on crash typically occurs when one vehicle crosses over into the oncoming lane of traffic. The accident happens quickly and the other driver has nowhere to go, so the accident is often very severe. Depending on the speed of the vehicles and other factors, the occupants of the vehicles could suffer life-threatening injuries.
Drifting into the other lane of traffic can happen more often when a driver is drowsy or is driving under the influence of alcohol. In this case, the police suspect DUI and will be conducting blood tests to determine the driver’s blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. Luckily, the occupants of these vehicles did not seem to suffer major injuries.
What are the Most Common Causes of Crashes?
Accidents and road fatalities had been on the decline for two decades when the numbers again started to climb. There may be some reasons for this uptick in the number of accidents and injuries. One of the most commonly reported contributing factors to a car accident is driving while distracted.
Distracted driving is driving while doing something else that keeps you from paying close attention to the road. There are three main types of distracted driving including taking your eyes off the road, taking your hands off the wheel, and taking your mind off the task of driving. Some activities combine more than one of these. For example, texting while driving takes your mind off driving, your hands off the wheel, and at the same time your eyes off the road.
Another common cause of accidents continues to be driving while intoxicated. In California, as in other states, the legal drinking limit is 0.08% BAC. With the influx of new car services such as Uber and Lyft, people should no longer be tempted to drive after having hit the bar. Unfortunately, it still continues to happen. As in this particular crash, driving while drunk can have serious consequences and rarely ends well. Drivers are putting themselves and others at risk when they get behind the wheel after having been drinking.
Those who were injured in a head-on crash may be entitled to compensation from the negligent driver. Certainly, when a driver crosses into the oncoming lane of traffic he is driving in a negligent manner. If you were seriously injured due to a car crash, you may seek money for your damages. Contact the experienced legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss your case today.
]]>Open Water Drowning
The organization’s report provides insight into open water drowning and tips for keeping children safe. Open water drowning occurs in the ocean, lakes, ponds and rivers, and is more likely to occur than drowning in a swimming pool. 150 families a week are impacted by an open water drowning. Surprisingly, most drowning occurs to teenagers 15 to 19 years old. About a quarter of the deaths happen to youngsters under age 5.
Boys are more likely than girls to drown in open water. There are a number of factors that make swimming in open water dangerous.
The depth of the water is difficult to calculate, and there may be sudden drop-offs. There may be a dangerous undercurrent and there is often limited visibility. When you swim off shore it can be hard to judge your distance from shore and you can quickly get too far away to safely return. Water may be cold and there might be a rocky bottom or vegetation under the water.
Tips for Preventing Open Water Drowning
There are some things parents can do to help minimize the risk of drowning. Teach children the differences between swimming in open water and swimming in a pool. Even children who are able to swim in a pool might run into difficulty in open water. Provide swimming lessons and do not allow children who are not able to swim to get into water that is more than waist deep.
Watch children closely when they are in the water and never allow them to swim alone. Make sure kids know how to float and tread water. They should be able to swim with their head above water. Children should be able to jump into water that is over their heads and easily make their way to the surface. Children should wear life jackets when they are on a boat. Do not allow children to swim in areas that are not protected by lifeguards and heed any posted warnings.
Drowning can be prevented. While open water drowning is common, children also drown in swimming pools. Private swimming pools should be secured with fences and locked gates when not in use. Public pools should provide lifeguards, and children should not swim in water that is too deep for their abilities. If a child drowns due to someone’s negligence, the family may be entitled to compensation. Contact the experienced legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss the accident and get answers to your questions.
]]>Teen Drivers Involved in Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, IIHS, teen drivers are involved in more accidents that other age groups. The rate for fatal crashes for teens aged 16 to 19 is about three times higher than for older drivers. This may be due to a number of factors including that teen drivers are less experienced than other drivers and they may be more susceptible to distracted driving such as texting while behind the wheel.
Teens in California are subject to a provisional driver’s license if they are under the age of 18 years old. A provisional license means that they must adhere to some restrictions. The California Department of Motor Vehicles states requires teen drivers under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian or other driver over the age of 25 for the first year of the license whenever they carry passengers who are aged 20 or younger and anytime they drive between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM.
Also, it is illegal for teens to use any type of electronic device while driving. This includes the use of cell phones, GPS devices and other devices. The restriction does not allow the use of cell phones even in any mode including hands-free. If a teen is found to be in violation, he or she will receive a ticket, fine, and points on his or her license. If a teen driver receives two or more points within a period of a year, the license will be suspended for 30 days.
Improving Teen Driving
Teens and their parents must be responsible for ensuring the safety of the student driver. In fact, a parent will be held liable if their teen causes an accident. The California DMV provides a parent and teen training guide that will help parents ensure that their child is driving responsibly. In addition, a parent-teen contract is a useful tool that allows parents to hold their child accountable for safe driving. Teens pledge not to drink and drive, text while driving, or drive aggressively, for example. This information can be found on the DMV website.
If you are involved in an accident with a teen driver it is important to follow the same basic guidelines as for any other collision. Contact the police, seek medical attention and stay at the scene until police arrive. If you were seriously hurt, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and other damages such as lost wages and pain and suffering. Contact the experienced legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to discuss the details of your accident today.
]]>Bicycles and Automobiles Must Share the Road
There are traffic laws in place to control motorized vehicles as well as bicycles. Everyone needs to follow the rules of the road to ensure a safe roadway. Everyone must take responsibility for being as safe as possible. Of the bicycle accidents that occurred, the majority of them happened due to improper turns and bicycling under the influence.
Auto drivers must follow the traffic laws including those that pertain directly to bicycles. One law that drivers must know is that they must allow at least three feet between their vehicle and a bicycle when passing. Bicycle riders must also follow the law. For instance, they must stop at stop signs and obey traffic signals. They must pull over if there are five or more vehicles behind them. Additionally, bicycle riders must not ride while impaired or distracted.
Bicycle Accident Injuries
When a bicycle and a car collide the bicyclist often suffers severe injuries. According to the Trauma Prevention Program at the University of California, Davis, half of all bicycle accident deaths are the result of head injuries. It is important to note that California law requires bicycle riders under the age of 18 to wear helmets while riding. Although the law does not apply to adults, everyone should protect themselves by wearing a properly fitted helmet while on their bicycles. Approximately 87% of national bicycle deaths happen to adults over the age of 20.
Besides wearing a helmet, there are some other things bicycle riders can do to reduce their risk of accidents and injuries. When bicycling at night, always make sure that your bicycle has a working headlight and tail light so you can be easily seen by vehicles. Wear reflective clothing at night. Always wear proper shoes when bicycling and do not ride while barefoot or when wearing sandals. If you ride in traffic install a mirror so you can easily see vehicles without having to turn your head away from the road.
In addition to head trauma, bicycle riders suffer other serious injuries when they are in a collision with a motorized vehicle. The most common injuries include broken bones, back and neck injuries and internal injuries. Some injuries are quite severe and victims may require surgery and rehabilitative therapy.
If you were involved in a bicycle accident you may be entitled to compensation from the negligent driver. You might be owed money for your medical expenses, ongoing care, therapy treatments and more. Contact the legal team at the Law Office of Patrick G. Shea to schedule a consultation to discuss the details of your case.
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