The popularity of ATVs has grown tremendously over the years, reaching 9.5 million vehicles in 2007. Accordingly, the rate of traumatic brain and spinal injuries resulting from ATV accidents has also risen, especially in children. Between 1982 and 2007, nearly 9000 riders died in ATV accidents and approximately 40% of them were children under age
Vehicles and Roadways
Judge Finds Ford Concealed Evidence of Unintended Acceleration
Last month Judge Swigert, of Florida, overturned a jury verdict in Ford’s favor. The judge decided that that Ford had systematically concealed more than 30 years of data related to the problem of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and unintended acceleration (UA). The Judge’s 51-page decision lists Ford’s bad acts which include:
- lying to NHTSA,
- destroying evidence that
…
Distracted Driving: Drunk Driver v. Hands-free Cell Phone User
Who is more impaired – a drunk driver or a driver conversing on a hands-free phone? According to a University of Utah study and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it’s the driver conversing on the hands-free phone.
The University of Utah study showed that when controlling for driving conditions and…
Parents’ Liability for the Acts of Their Child
A parent can sometimes be liable for the harm his or her minor child causes to others.
Here are some situations in which, in California, a parent is automatically liable:
- When the parent has signed the child’s driver’s license application, and the child’s driving hurts someone (but the parent’s liability is limited to $15,000 per person
…
NASA Report: Toyota Off the Hook?
Does the recent NASA report spell trouble for the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the Toyota Unintended Acceleration Litigation?
No. Electronic malfunction was not the sole theory relied upon by victims of unintended acceleration. The strategy in most product defect litigation is (1) identify an aspect of the products design that caused the injury; and (2) show…
Tire Safety: 3 Things to Remember About Flat Repairs
Your tire is losing air. You drive to the gas station and learn you’ve "picked up a nail." The guy says he can fix the tire in 10 minutes with a "plug." He doesn’t even have to take the tire off the rim. Ten bucks. Wow. Sounds pretty good. And what’s the worse thing that can…
Consumer Group: NASA Report Doesn’t Prove There’s No Problem with Toyota’s Electronics
What, exactly, does the the widely publicized NASA report say about whether Toyota’s unintended acceleration problems are caused by faulty electronics? According to DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, the NASA report concludes that there is "no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration."
But the consumer group Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. does not believe the…
Air Conditioning Protects Against Injuries in Rollover Accidents
When a car shopper asks for a list of "must – have" safety features, I always mention air conditioning. That usually gets a chuckle.
How is an air-conditioner a safety feature? Simple. Half the people killed in rollover accidents were ejected — often through an open window. When windows are kept closed, occupants have a…
Improper Tire Placement and Wet Weather Accidents
A vehicle spins out on a wet road or highway. It crosses the median divide and ends up in oncoming traffic. If the vehicle is an SUV or van, it may even roll.
The driver wasn’t speeding. And the road may have been perfectly straight. So what happened? Just another hydroplaning accident? Driver error? Maybe.…
Windshield Repairs, Rollover Accidents, and Roof Strength
By now, most drivers know how dangerous rollovers are. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they make up only 3% of all accidents, but account for 31% percent of all traffic vehicular fatalities.
One reason rollovers are so dangerous is that, when a vehicle rolls over, its roof can crush down…