Problems with Child Car Seats Make Accidents Leading Cause of Injury, Death for Children

Seven out of 10 parents are strapping their children into child car safety seats that are incorrectly, leading to unnecessary injury and death among children in automobile accidents.

According to recent research presented by Dr. Karen Judy, an associate professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, the prolific misuse of child safety seats across the United States have made car accidents the leading cause of death and disability among American children.

Any child under 80 pounds or shorter than 57 inches should be in a car seat or child safety seat. But that safety seat needs to be installed the correct way to properly protect the child in case of a car crash.

The following tips should always be followed when placing a child in a children safety seat:

• Infants less than a year old and weighing 20 lbs and under should always be placed in a rear-facing position.
• Children older than 1 years old and weighing more than 20 pounds should be placed in a forward-facing car seat until they are four years old or weigh more than 40 lbs.
• Children between the ages of 4 and 8 should use a booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches or taller.
• All children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat to avoid crushing injury from air bags. Safety seats should always be installed in the back seat.
• Avoid using second-hand car seats and only use car seats that you know have never been in an accident. Do not use any car seat older than six years old.
• When securing a child in a safety seat, make sure that the harness is level with the shoulders and that the straps are tight and secure.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided a system of child safety seat inspection stations across the U.S. It is recommended that anyone installing a child safety seat into a car for the first time take the car and seat to one of these inspection stations, where a trained individual will make certain that the seat is installed correctly.

Car Accident Crash is Leading Cause of Teen Death

A new government report estimates that 35% of teen deaths every year are caused by a car accident crash, making it the leading cause of teen death in the U.S. by a wide margin. Read more

Maryland Auto Accident Deaths Declined Last Year

Reflecting what appears to be a national trend, the Maryland Highway Administration is reporting that the preliminary number of fatal Maryland auto accidents dropped last year to the lowest number in several years.

About 550 people died on Maryland roads in 2009, according to state officials. That is down from 591 in 2008, and in 2007 there were 614 Maryland automobile accident deaths. The numbers have been trending downward, even as the number of Maryland drivers has increased.

Throughout the United States there has been a drop in fatal auto accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reporting that 33,963 traffic fatalities were reported across the U.S. in 2009, down 3,298 from 2008; a 9 percent drop.

Some experts attribute the decline in traffic accident deaths, the lowest in 55 years, to the economic recession. As Americans have less money to spend, they drive fewer miles, putting themselves collectively at less risk of getting into a traffic accident. Before 2008, when most believe the economy bottomed out, the number of traffic deaths regularly surpassed 40,000.

However, there may be a number of other factors involved, from laws to technology.

Maryland Cell Phone Ban Passes: Will Reduce Risk of an Auto Accident Injury in Maryland

Governor Martin O’Malley is expected to sign a Maryland cell phone ban passed last week by the state legislature, making it a crime to talk on hand held cell phones while driving. The legislation is another step forward in making our roads safer and reducing the number of automobile accidents in Maryland. Read more

Identifying Risk of Car Accident Injuries for Older Drivers

A recent study provides some new information about the potential causes of auto accidents involving older drivers and the risk of a personal injury from a car accident for drivers over 65 years old. Read more

Insurance for Maryland Auto Accidents Could See Increase If Legislation Passes

The Maryland House of Representatives is considering legislation that would raise the minimum required automobile insurance coverage in Maryland, providing much needed protection for motorists and pedestrians injured in Maryland auto accidents. Read more

Motor Vehicle Accidents Send Millions of People to the Emergency Room Every Year

A new federal report has found that nearly 3.5 million people needed emergency room medical treatment due to a motor vehicle accident injury in 2006, and those auto accidents cost the lives of almost 44,000 people. Read more

National Labor Day Drunk Driving Crackdown August 21 to September 7

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be conducting a national Labor Day drunk driving enforcement crackdown from August 21 to September 7, in an attempt to curtail an expected increase in fatal drunk driving accidents that traditionally occurs during the Labor Day weekend. Read more

Washington DC Metro Train Accident Lawyers

Potential lawsuits are being reviewed by our personal injury lawyers on behalf of individuals impacted by Monday evening’s Washington DC Metro accident, which killed nine people and injured more than 70 others. Read more

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Accident Lawsuit Filed by Family of Trucker Killed in Fatal Crash Last Summer

A Maryland wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of John R. Short, Sr., a truck driver who was killed in an accident that occurred when an on-coming vehicle entered his lane on the Bay Bridge last August, causing his truck to plummet into the Chesapeake Bay.

The complaint was filed against Candy Lynn Baldwin, the 19-year old woman who was driving the 1997 Chevrolet Camaro that caused the accident. However, the Baltimore Sun also reports that the family has placed the Maryland Transportation Authority on notice of their intention to file a claim under the Maryland Tort Claims Act for the failure of the bridge to prevent the truck from falling off of the bridge, as an investigation found that the metal bars holding the concrete barriers had eroded prior to the crash.

The Maryland truck accident lawsuit was filed in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court. According to the Sun:

The suit states that Short swerved to avoid a head-on collision but was sideswiped by the Camaro and slid across the bridge and through the concrete barrier. The tractor trailer fell about 30 feet into the Chesapeake Bay, and Short drowned in the cab of his vehicle.

Short’s truck was the first vehicle to crash through one of the safety barriers in the 56-year history of the bridge.

Next Page »