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New Illinois Laws To Protect People From Injury or Death: 2012 Has Lots of New Safety Statutes on the Books

January 12th, 2012 by admin

In addition to the new law that lets motorcycles and bicycles run red lights in the State of Illinois that we posted about last week, a lot of other laws were passed by a busy state legislature that are intended to make life safer for everyone in Illinois, including the following laws that have been passed in hopes that injuries and death will be averted:

1.  Injuries or Deaths in Airplane Crashes. It is against the law in Illinois for anyone to shine a laser light into the cockpit of an airplane that is in the process of taking off or landing. And, yes, apparently this had been happening quite a bit in the Chicago O’Hare area. (House Bill 167)

2. Injuries or Deaths in School and Playground Injuries.  Now, Illinois school officials can suspend, or even permanently expel, any public school student who threatens another student or an employee of the school district, via the Web in online bullying. (House Bill 3281)

3.  Injuries or Deaths in Auto Accidents. Now, adults riding in the back seat of a car must buckle up just like those in the front seat, or face being fined and ticketed. (House Bill 219)

4.  Injuries or Deaths in Big Rig Crashes. Now, semi trucks can drive along Illinois roadways just like any small sedan at the exact same speed, not just in certain sections of trucking routes (Senate Bill 1913)

Posted in Auto Accidents, Defective Products, Motorcycle Accidents, Product Liability, Semi-Truck Crashes, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

NTSB Seeks National Ban on Drivers Using Any Electronic Devices While Driving on US Roadways

December 13th, 2011 by admin

One, single traffic accident – if it’s bad enough – can change how things work in this country, surprising though that might be in today’s complicated world.

Today’s example: a bad, bad traffic pile-up down in Missouri last year, where a teenager who was busy texting on his cell phone while driving along a Missouri interstate highway in his pick-up truck ended up crashing into the rear-end of a tractor trailer semi truck. That would have been bad enough, the teenage driver was killed in this crash, but that’s not the end of this story.

It’s now known as the Gray Summit, Missouri crash, where the 19-year-old pickup truck driver had sent 11 texts in 11 minutes right before he drove right into the back of a semi truck, including one text that was sent “right before impact.”

After the pickup rear-ended the big rig, seems that a chain reaction happened and there was a big pile up that included two school buses crashing one after another into the wreck. Tragically, a local high school band was taking a field trip by bus to the Six Flags St. Louis amusement park.

Two people died that day (one of the kids on the bus along with the kid who was texting) and 38 others were seriously injured. It was a horrific accident, and it got the attention of the powers that be at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Today, pointing directly to that one, single crash, the NTSB has issued a federal goverment recommendation of a national BAN on drivers using any kind of “personal electronic devices” whatsover while they are driving a vehicle on American roads. Of course, the NTSB can only recommend this to the states – however, states are listening.

The Governors Highway Safety Association is keeping track of the state laws that are being passed against distracted driving: no handheld cellphones, no texting, etc.

To see what the current laws are for Indiana, Illinois, or our surrounding states, go here.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Bus Crashes, Illinois Wrongful Death, Indiana Wrongful Death, Other Jurisdictions, School & Playground Injuries, Semi-Truck Crashes, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Thanksgiving Holiday Safety 2011 – Click It or Ticket It Campaign On Illinois and Indiana Roadways

November 22nd, 2011 by admin

Thanksgiving 2011 is here already and there’s lots of safety tips out there for you.  For instance:

However, there are going to be some folk out and about over the Thanksgiving holiday to make sure that you’re safe — this year, once again, police agencies all over Illinois and Indiana and the Midwest will be making sure that seat belts are being used as part of traffic safety as part of a national Click It or Ticket campaign, which will run November 24 – 27, 2011.

“Police agencies throughout the Midwest are joining together this Thanksgiving holiday with one simple goal – to get motorists to buckle up, which will save lives on our roadways,” said Michael Witter, Regional Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “We want all motorists to arrive at their destinations safely. While law enforcement officials will tell you that issuing tickets is never a pleasant experience, having to notify next of kin following a fatal crash is by far a worse scenario,” stated Witter.

State Police from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio are participating in the holiday mobilization according to the NHTSA.

In Illinois, it’s being publicized as Buckle Up Illinois and it’s being implemented alongside the state’s Drive Sober Illinois program with the state’s department of transportation running the show.  From the Illinois Department of Transportation, yesterday, the following news release:

With heavy traffic expected over Thanksgiving weekend and to boost roadway safety, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today kicked off the Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization with Illinois State Police (ISP) and local law enforcement agencies statewide. By the end of the weekend, Illinois motorists could see over 1,700 safety belt enforcement zones and 40 roadside safety checks conducted by over 200 law enforcement agencies, all with a special focus on safety belt violations and impaired driving during nighttime hours.

“Traffic safety is a central and inseparable focus of IDOT’s strategic mission- to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for our environment,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider. “During Thanksgiving weekend, IDOT and law enforcement agencies throughout the state will strongly promote safe driving by reminding motorists to buckle up and drive sober, every trip, every time.”

State and local law enforcement agencies are joining IDOT’s efforts to improve highway safety by removing impaired drivers, citing motorists who text while driving, and ticketing motorists who drive unbuckled.

During the holiday period, the Illinois State Police will patrol the interstates and conduct details directed at the Fatal Four moving violations, while placing a special emphasis on driving under the influence (DUI) and speed enforcement. The goal of the coordinated effort is to reduce traffic crash fatalities, promote safe driving habits, and discourage impaired driving, distracted driving and other unsafe driving behavior.

IDOT and law enforcement are also reminding motorists that, effective January 1, 2012, all vehicle occupants including back seat passengers will be required to wear safety belts, and children within appropriate age groups are to be properly restrained in child safety seats while traveling. Previously, the law applied only to drivers, front seat passengers and children. IDOT and law enforcement officials continue to encourage motorists to not wait until January 1 to ensure that everyone in every seating position is safely and properly restrained when traveling.

Illinois crash data over the last eight years (2003-2010) shows that back seat passengers who were killed in crashes were almost twice as likely as front seat passengers to be unbuckled.

During Thanksgiving in Illinois last year, 15 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes and nine of those deaths involved a drinking driver. In addition, 743 people were injured. Many tragedies could have been prevented if all motorists had made the right choices before hitting the road.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Bus Crashes, Motorcycle Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Semi-Truck Crashes, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Chevy Volt Fire Starts Days After Crash: How Safe Are Electric Cars? Volt Fire Sparks NHTSA Research Study into Lithium-Ion Vehicles

November 17th, 2011 by admin

Electric cars – they seem so smart to drive, and most of them come with a nice design and lots of cool options.   Especially with all the concerns about oil and gas prices (and usage).

Well, nothing’s perfect and the big news last week was when a Chevrolet Volt bought by the federal government for crash tests actually caught fire over three weeks after the Volt was used in testing — which means that now, lots of folk are wondering about how safe these lithium-ion vehicles really are, after a crash.

Three weeks after the crash, the Chevy Volt is on fire?  No wonder people are scratching their heads.

Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be checking into what happened to that electric car – and it’s already known that the crash testing did some sort of damage to the Chevy Volt’s lithium-ion battery.  How that crash resulted in a fire over 21 days later, that’s still a mystery.

The manufacturer is pointing the finger at the folk who did the crash tests, opining that they failed to follow standard safety protocols – and that the only Chevy Volt known to catch fire was this Crash Test Volt.

What happens if you own an electric car and you are in a crash?  Well, be careful and be aware of the unknown risks at this point – and remember, product liability laws are designed to protect you from harm in these kinds of situations.

From the NHTSA:

Electric vehicles show great promise as an innovative and fuel-efficient option for American drivers. These vehicles have already demonstrated their potential to save consumers money at the pump and help protect the environment — and they could pave the way to the kind of clean energy jobs that will help our country compete on a global scale. As manufacturers continue to develop vehicles of any kind — electric, gasoline, or diesel — it is critical that they take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of drivers — and first responders — both during and after a crash.

That’s why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working with all vehicle manufacturers to ensure they have the appropriate post-crash protocols. Let us be clear: NHTSA does not believe electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than other vehicles. It is common sense that the different designs of electric vehicles will require different safety standards and precautions. The Department of Energy and the National Fire Protection Association already collaborate to ensure first responders know the risks and the appropriate steps to take so they can perform their jobs safely given the shock hazard that a damaged electric vehicle may present, and NHTSA will work closely with these organizations to ensure that guidance for the emergency response community reflects the information NHTSA obtains.

In the near term, NHTSA is focused on identifying the best ways to ensure that consumers and emergency responders are aware of any risks they may encounter in electric vehicles in post-crash situations. The agency has asked all of the manufacturers who currently have electric vehicles on the market (or plans to introduce electric vehicles in the near future) to provide information on the protocols they have established for discharging and handling their lithium-ion batteries — including any recommendations for mitigating fire risks in these vehicles. Ultimately we hope the information we gather will lay the groundwork for detailed guidance for first responders and tow truck operators for use in their work responding to incidents involving these vehicles.

NHTSA has carefully investigated an incident involving a fire in a Chevy Volt that occurred more than three weeks after that vehicle had been crash tested as part of the agency’s New Car Assessment Program on May 12 of this year. NHTSA has concluded that the crash test damaged the Volt’s lithium ion battery and that the damage led to a vehicle fire that took several weeks to develop after the test was completed. That incident — which occurred at the test facility and caused property damage but no injuries — remains the only case of a battery-related fire in a crash or crash test of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, despite a number of other rigorous crash tests of the Chevy Volt separately conducted by both NHTSA and General Motors. In the coming weeks, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, NHTSA will conduct additional testing of the Volt’s lithium-ion batteries and will continue to monitor these vehicles — as the agency does with all vehicles on our nation’s roadways — should any safety issues arise.

Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe the Volt or other electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, all vehicles — both electric and gasoline-powered — have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash. NHTSA urges the following precautions in the event of a crash involving an electric vehicle:

  • Consumers are advised to take the same actions they would in a crash involving a gasoline-powered vehicle — exit the vehicle safely or await the assistance of an emergency responder if they are unable to get out on their own, move a safe distance away from the vehicle, and notify the authorities of the crash.
  • Emergency responders should check a vehicle for markings or other indications that it is electric-powered. If it is, they should exercise caution, per published guidelines, to avoid any possible electrical shock and should disconnect the battery from the vehicle circuits if possible.
  • Emergency responders should also use copious amounts of water if fire is present or suspected and keeping in mind that fire can occur for a considerable period after a crash should proceed accordingly.
  • Operators of tow trucks and vehicle storage facilities should ensure the damaged vehicle is kept in an open area instead of a garage or other enclosed building.
  • Rather than attempt to discharge a propulsion battery, an emergency responder, tow truck operator, or storage facility should contact experts at the vehicle’s manufacturer on that subject.
  • Vehicle owners should not store a severely damaged vehicle in a garage or near other vehicles.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Defective Products, Product Liability, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Pay As You Drive Car Insurance: Think Twice Before You Plug In That Monitoring Device Into Your Car

November 1st, 2011 by admin

Insurance companies are aggressively promoting the latest gizmo – a little device that you place on your car, provided for free by the insurance carrier – telling customers this is a great thing, it will save them money.  Saving money these days?  Of course, lots of people are listening.  But should they be taking up these offers?  Maybe not.

The insurance companies are for-profit companies and they want to keep claims down, because claims mean they have to pay money out of their pockets.  Serious personal injury claims mean lots of money they may have to pay to claimants; wrongful death claims, even more.

So when insurance companies point to saving lives, remember that they’ve got their own bottom line in mind.  This may be great news for their shareholders, but it may not be so great for you, their policy holder.

The Gizmo: Pay As You Drive or Pay As You Go Plans

Lots of companies are offering these programs, from Progressive to AAA.  They send you a small, cute electronic device to plug into your car or minivan or SUV, and once installed, this gizmo records data for the insurance company.  Lots of data: from how well or badly you use the brakes, to the amount of miles you drive each day, to how fast you drive, and what time of day you are driving your vehicle.  After a set amount of time, the carrier will let you know if your premiums are going to benefit from the data that has been collected via the device.

The gizmo doesn’t guarantee a lower premium.  The device collects a lot of information on your vehicle, and if it falls into certain categories, then you may be eligible for a discount.  This is important to remember.

The insurance company will argue that these gizmos help them assess risk and they can give discounts (here’s the saving money part) to customers who are low-risk for filing a claim.  For example, take two policyholders who drove a total of 5000 miles in 6 months: the one that drove 4800 of those miles in a single trip to take the kids to DisneyWorld over Spring Break is at lower risk than the driver who slowly built up that total in a daily commute on a heavily-trafficked interstate.

Sounds smart, but that’s not the whole story.  By collecting information on how you drive, when you drive, and where you drive, the insurance company sure is getting lots of personal information on you.

Privacy? Not only are consumer groups concerned about how these gizmos may be violations of your basic privacy rights, now and in the future, but consider this:  when a serious accident occurs, insurance adjusters appear on the scene to evaluate things – for the best interests of the insurance company.

Rest assured, the data collected by these gizmos is going to be used in the future by insurance companies not to lower premium costs but instead to try and deny coverage and forego paying out money on high dollar serious personal injury claims.  Watch, this is going to happen.

Be careful out there.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation | No Comments »

Construction of High Speed Rail from Chicago to St. Louis: How Safe (or Dangerous) Is It? Railroad Dangers Are Real.

October 27th, 2011 by admin

Right now, money is still being put together to pay for the planned high speed rail system that will serve the 284 mile Chicago – St. Louis Corridor.  Moreover, there’s still lots of chatter about making things even bigger: this week, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced it wants to add more trips between Joliet and St. Louis, for example, which means more tracks.  Two tracks instead of one.

Corridor Tracks Divided Up Between Railroad Companies

Already, various railroad companies have divied things up: Canadian National (CN) has two tracks already set along its section of the corridor (Joliet – Chicago); Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) has one track in place between between Joliet and Godfrey. In a section that UPRR shares with Kansas City Southern (KCS), one track is set for 10 miles, and then two tracks are ready along another 19 miles. Meanwhile, the Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) is getting ready for tracks along its 3 mile portion of the Corridor, going over the Mississippi River Bridge and into the St. Louis Terminal.

The High Speed Rail Project has been designed to take some of the travel burden from the cars and planes that currently serve as transportation between Chicago and St. Louis (well, 99% anyway). The goal is to construct two tracks along the Corridor. It’s believed that the new High-Speed Rail will reduce vehicle miles by 1.3 million miles.

What exactly will the High Speed Rail Project do?

From the IDOT website, the following description of these fast trains is given:

IDOT is taking an incremental approach to implementing high-speed rail in the state, similar to how many European countries have implemented high-speed rail service. The 110 miles per hour service on the corridor has the necessary environmental documents, and construction began on September 1, 2010. The public will get first glimpse of 110 mph passenger service between Dwight and Pontiac as early as 2012. IDOT embraces the idea that a network of different but connecting rail services operating at up to both 110 miles per hour and 220 miles per hour may best serve the state’s travel and economic development needs. IDOT recently submitted a grant application to the Federal Railroad Administration for an Alternative Analysis and environmental studies for 220 miles per hour service. However, the application was not selected for funding. Trains operating at 220 miles per hour will be subject to a higher level of safety standards which require grade separations for any rail/highway crossings, dedicated right-of-way and fencing. The development of such a system will take a considerable length of time.

Railroads Are Dangerous — Risk of Serious Personal Injury or Death Now and Later

Railroads, normal ones much less these fancy 220 mph speed demon trains, are dangerous.  Construction of railroads is very risky and workers get seriously injured in the building of these things.  Moreover, once they are built, railway workers are at risk for severe injuries and even death just by doing their work, on the job at the railroad.

Railway workers can be seriously injured from things like equipment failure, driver mistakes or human error, improper supervision, and countless other things.  In fact, it’s so dangerous to work on any railway (much less High Speed Rail) that special federal laws have been passed to protect railroad workers, e.g., The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).

Finally, there are all sorts of dangers to the public at large from railroads:  crossings are extremely dangerous in the best of conditions.

Last year, for example, a tragedy that struck a high speed train in Spain was used as an example by local experts of what can happen here, with the proposed new High Speed Rail project.  There, a group of folk tried to run across some tracks after they got off a train, and were crushed to death under the wheels of one of these speeding express trains.

The sad reality is that people are going to be injured or killed from High Speed Rail here — history proves it’s a question of when, not if; therefore, safety concerns should be paramount here as the designs are being nailed down and the budgets are being discussed.  This project needs to be as safe as it can be, from planning stages on paper through actual High Speed Rail use in the years to come.

After all, our family and friends are depending on it.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Illinois Wrongful Death, Indiana Wrongful Death, Job Site Injury, Other Jurisdictions, Railroad Workers (FELA), Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Work Related, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

2012 Vehicles To Be Rated Under Fed Government’s New NTHSA 5-Star Safety Program – Products Deemed Less Likely to Injure or Kill

October 18th, 2011 by admin

The federal government has revealed which 2012 model year vehicles it will test and rate for safety as part of its tougher testing standards, as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-star safety ratings program. Not all new cars get rated: this year, 81% of the 2012 passenger vehicles to be sold in the United States will be checked by the crash test dummies and 92% of the new models will get rollover tests.

Of those tested, the federal government makes recommendations on which vehicles have the best “crash avoidance” gizmos.  (This year, 38 models got top “crash avoidance” recommendations.)

Out of all the cars available to the American consumer, 42 passenger cars, 22 sport utility vehicles, 2 vans, and 8 pickups are rated, each getting an overall score.

“Our 5-star ratings program is a critical resource to help consumers make the best possible decisions about the cars they want to buy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “By revamping the tests and creating a more rigorous program last year, we raised the bar on safety for all vehicle manufacturers. People should remember: More stars, safer cars.”

Results for the 74 vehicles will be posted online at www.safercar.gov.

Here are the 2012 vehicles being tested for crash and rollover safety :

2012 Model Year Vehicle Test List

PASSENGER CARS

Acura TL 4 DR

BMW 328i 4 DR

(list continues) Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Auto Accidents, Product Liability, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Texting While Driving Is Much More Dangerous Than We Realized, According to New Research Study

October 6th, 2011 by admin

Texting (or emailing) while driving doubles a driver’s time to react to something on the road — and that makes texting even more dangerous than anyone realized until now.

According to a new research study released this week by Texas A&M University’s Texas Transportation Institute, it does not matter if the driver is typing his or her own message, or simply reading a message on their phone.

Reading or writing text messages — both are equally distracting and equally dangerous according to this new study.

According to the Deparment of Transportation, distracted driving was the reason for around 20% of U.S. traffic fatalities. While using a cellphone to talk or text is banned in most of the country, we all know that passing a law and having people stop doing that action are two different things.

Please be careful out there – don’t text or talk while you are driving.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Bus Crashes, Illinois Wrongful Death, Indiana Wrongful Death, Motorcycle Accidents, Other Jurisdictions, Semi-Truck Crashes, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Subaru Drivers: Get Your Subaru Checked Out Now – Subaru Recalls Over 500,000 Vehicles This Month

September 22nd, 2011 by admin

Subaru recalls seem to just keep coming.  Within the past 30 days, Subaru recalls have been issued for three different problems and now over 500,000 Subarus need to be fixed.

None of the recalls are for minor issues or cosmetic ones.  Each is dangerous and potentially deadly: (1) loose moon roofs, where the glass can pop off while you’re driving; (2) motors for windshield wipers that can burst into flame; and (3) (maybe the most frightening) control arms that corrode and break due to weather, leaving drivers without the ability to control the vehicle.

If you or a loved one have been injured by one of these product problems, then you may have a claim for damages and personal injury against the manufacturer (and others).  Here are the Recall Notices (all from NHTSA):

RECALL OF SUBARUS FOR CONTROL ARMS THAT CORRODE AND BREAK

Vehicle Make / Model:

Model Year(s):

SAAB / 9-2X

2005-2006

SUBARU / FORESTER

2003-2008

SUBARU / IMPREZA

2002-2007

Manufacturer: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

Mfr’s Report Date: SEP 06, 2011

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V464000

NHTSA Action Number: PE11011

Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

Potential Number of Units Affected: 295,123

Summary:

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.Consequence:
A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
SUBARU DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Notes:
THIS IS SUBARU’S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER WVX-34. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

______________

RECALL OF SUBARUS FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS THAT CATCH FIRE

Vehicle Make / Model:

Model Year(s):

SUBARU / LEGACY

2010-2011

SUBARU / OUTBACK

2010-2011

Manufacturer: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

Mfr’s Report Date: SEP 06, 2011

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V469000

NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

Potential Number of Units Affected: 195,080

Summary:

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2010, THROUGH MAY 20, 2011. COMPONENTS INSIDE THE WIPER MOTOR BOTTOM COVER MAY OVERHEAT.

Consequence:
IF THE COMPONENTS OVERHEAT, THE WIPER MOTOR BOTTOM COVER MAY MELT AND POTENTIALLY CATCH FIRE.

Remedy:
SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR BOTTOM COVER ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Notes:
SUBARU’S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS WVV-32. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

__________

RECALL OF SUBARUS FOR MOON ROOF GLASS THAT FALLS ONTO DRIVER

Vehicle Make / Model:

Model Year(s):

SUBARU / LEGACY

2011

SUBARU / OUTBACK

2011

Manufacturer: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

Mfr’s Report Date: SEP 06, 2011

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V467000

NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY

Potential Number of Units Affected: 69,590

Summary:
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 3, 2010, THROUGH JULY 1, 2011. THE MOONROOF GLASS MAY COME LOOSE OR DETACH. THE AMOUNT AND POSITION OF THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE GLASS AND RETAINER WAS INADEQUATELY APPLIED.

Consequence:
THE MOONROOF GLASS CAN LOOSEN AND DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE DURING DRIVING, RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL ROAD HAZARD FOR OTHER VEHICLES, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:
SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE GLASS ADHESION CONDITION AND EITHER APPLY ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE OR REPLACE THE MOONROOF GLASS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Notes:
SUBARU’S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS WVW-33. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

Posted in Auto Accidents, Product Liability, Serious Personal Injury, Transportation | No Comments »

Distracted Driving Laws May Get Even More Stringent After DOJ Releases Info on Successful Law Enforcement Pilot Program “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other”

July 14th, 2011 by admin

The Department of Justice reports that pilot programs held in New York and Connecticut have resulted in a significant decrease in distracted driving accidents, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood calling the results “dramatic.”

Pilot Programs in Syracuse and Hartford Fight Against Texting and Cell Phone Use While Driving

Two cities were chosen as the locations where the government would experiment with increased law enforcement targeting texting and cell phone use by drivers along with a big public education media campaign to educate the two communities on the dangers of texting or talking on the phone while driving a car, truck, SUV, minivan, etc. 

And by “law enforcement targeting,” we mean giving lots of traffic tickets.

“These findings show that strong laws, combined with highly-visible police enforcement, can significantly reduce dangerous texting and cell phone use behind the wheel,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Based on these results, it is crystal clear that those who try to minimize this dangerous behavior are making a serious error in judgment, especially when half a million people are injured and thousands more are killed in distracted driving accidents.”

Federal Government and State Governments Shared Costs of the Pilot Programs

For each of the test runs, in New York and Connecticut, the Department of Justice put in $200,000 in federal funds with the state adding another $100,000 to cover the costs of increased police efforts as well as media costs (ads in the local newspapers, on the local television stations, etc.) They didn’t start from square one, however: costs were cut by mimicking the “Click It of Ticket” campaign as these two cities held their “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” distracted driving campaign.


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Studies Success of the “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” Pilots

The NHTSA surveyed public awareness at the Syracuse and Hartford driver licensing offices and their findings include:

  • In Syracuse, New York, because of high-visibility enforcement -– both handheld cell phone use and texting behind the wheel have declined by 33%.
  • In Hartford, Connecticut, where researchers initially identified drivers talking on their cell phones at twice the frequency (which left more room for improvement), there was a 57 percent drop in handheld use and texting behind the wheel dropped by nearly three-quarters.

Based on these numbers, the NHTSA is already promoting the implementation of these campaigns across the country, pushing for “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” campaigns with state legislatures, law enforcement agencies, and consumer safety advocates as well as manning its own Distracted Driving website at www.distraction.gov.

Which means that if states are willing to spend the money, there will lots more police pulling people over for using their cellphone while driving to give them tickets that will vary in cost depending upon which authority is issuing the traffic violation.   Be careful out there.

Posted in Airplane & Train Crashes, Auto Accidents, Bus Crashes, Motorcycle Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Semi-Truck Crashes, Serious Personal Injury, Spinal Injuries, Sports & Boating Accidents, Transportation, Work Related, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

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