Costs of Car Accidents in Ohio Rank High In CDC Study

The monetary cost of fatal car accidents in Ohio exceeds $1 billion per year.

2011-08-25

August 25, 2011 (Press-News.org) The carnage on America's roads is so constant that it's easy to become desensitized it. It's important, however, to take a moment and ponder the scale of the pain -- and consider what can be done to lessen the terrible toll.

In 2010, an estimated 32,788 people died in car accidents. These numbers represented a slight reduction from the year before, in which more than 33,000 people were killed and over two million more were injured in traffic-related crashes. Even so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its participation in the United Nations' Decade of Action for Road Safety campaign, has announced startling findings from its analysis of financial losses associated with motor vehicle deaths. These findings shed light on the sheer scale of the problem of vehicle accidents, both in Ohio and across the country.

Where Ohio Ranks in Car Accident Costs

The CDC is the nation's leading public health agency. In its study of car accidents, the agency reviewed a wide range of data concerning car accidents and attempted to quantify the financial impact of the deaths and serious injuries people suffer in them.

The analysis revealed that 10 states shouldered more than half of the costs for national highway fatalities. The highly populated states of California, Texas and Florida topped the list. But Ohio ranked ninth with $1.23 billion in total losses. In the Buckeye State, with a population of 11 million, traffic fatalities cost residents a total of $13 million in medical costs and another $1.21 billion in work losses.

Ohio's Highway Safety Plan

Like other states, Ohio has a federally mandated Strategic Highway Safety Plan that is intended to reduce human losses on the road. Although the number of fatalities has come down somewhat in recent years, the human losses remain immense.

The CDC study contains recommendations for further improvements in safety. The recommendations include better enforcement of seat belt laws, enacting universal motor cycle helmet laws for all riders, and instituting a stricter, more comprehensive graduated drivers licensing system for new drivers.

In the age of the text message, further efforts to confront and discourage distracted driving should also be on the table.

Understand Your Options After an Accident

When an automobile crash does occur, it tragically changes lives. It may be life-changing not only for the injured person, but for his or her family. And the personal costs to families impacted by motor vehicle deaths are far more than monetary. A family that loses a child, sibling or parent loses the coherence of the family group in way that impacts all family members for the rest of their lives.

If someone in your family has been injured or killed in a car crash, contact an experienced personal injury in your area to discuss your legal options. A lawyer can help you assert your rights and pursue appropriate compensation for your injures.

Article provided by Gervelis Law Firm
Visit us at www.gervelislaw.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Unexpected adhesion properties of graphene may lead to new nanotechnology devices

2011-08-25

Graphene, considered the most exciting new material under study in the world of nanotechnology, just got even more interesting, according to a new study by a group of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. The new findings -- that graphene has surprisingly powerful adhesion qualities -- are expected to help guide the development of graphene manufacturing and of graphene-based mechanical devices such as resonators and gas separation membranes, according to the CU-Boulder team. The experimentsshowed that the extreme flexibility of graphene allows it to conform ...

Investigation of Fatal Indiana Stage Collapse Causing Controversy

2011-08-25

The state of Indiana is still recovering from the tragic stage collapse that caused the death of five people and seriously injured over 40 others. More than anything people want answers as to how such a terrible accident could occur. The collapse happened at the Indiana State Fair last Saturday before the band Sugarland was set to perform before about 12,000 fans. Unexpected 60-70 mph winds were initially blamed for the fatal concert stage collapse, although investigations have been ongoing. Concerns About Independence Earlier this week questions were raised, however, ...

A new nuance to neurons

2011-08-25

A fundamental new discovery about how nerve cells in the brain store and release tiny sacs filled with chemicals may radically alter the way scientists think about neurotransmission – the electrical signaling in the brain that enables everything from the way we move, to how we remember and sense the world. According to the scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who conducted the research, the discovery doesn't change the players involved so much as it reveals that the rules of the game are very different than previously assumed. Better understanding ...

New Texas Traffic Laws Scheduled To Hit the Road in September

2011-08-25

On Sept. 1, 2011, a number of new modifications to the Texas traffic code take effect. Not surprisingly, this means more restrictions for some Texas drivers. However, the thrust of the new laws actually allows for greater freedom on Texas roadways. Young Drivers' Cell Phone Ban Currently, those Texans granted a provisional license are prohibited from using a cellular phone in any capacity (both talking and texting) for the first 12 months. After Sept. 1, the cell phone ban will be strengthened to include every driver under the age of 18. Increased Speed limits Texas ...

Handsome annual reports cause investors to value company higher

2011-08-25

Coral Gables, FL (August 23, 2011) – As firms begin the 2011 annual report process, which many do at this time of year, they may want to pay closer attention to the way those reports look. A recent study out of the University of Miami School of Business Administration found that investors, regardless of their experience, place a higher value on firms with attractive annual reports than they do on those that produce less attractive reports. The study found that annual reports that utilize more color are perceived to have at least one percent higher annual revenues than ...

Data Collection Devices Could Soon Be Required in Vehicles

2011-08-25

Most of us are familiar with the so-called "black boxes" used in airplanes that often capture information pointing to the cause of a crash. However, not everyone is aware that similar technology is available for automobiles. In fact, if you have purchased a new car within the last few years, it is likely an event data recorder ("EDR") is already keeping track of your driving habits. Now, a new rule proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") could mandate that all vehicles contain EDRs. Benefits of Event Data ...

Scripps Research scientists define cellular pathway essential to removing damaged mitochondria

2011-08-25

JUPITER, FL, August 23, 2011 – In a joint research effort with researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and with help from scientists at The University of Pennsylvania, The University of Minnesota, and the National Institutes of Health, investigators from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have defined a specific protein complex that allows cells to rid themselves of damaged mitochondria, which are the energy producing machines of the cell. "This protein complex is already being targeted in cancer therapeutics," said John Cleveland, chair ...

New Research Shows Many Drivers Unprepared for Challenges of the Road

2011-08-25

Every year, GMAC Insurance, one of the largest auto insurers in the United States, conducts a study that examines drivers' knowledge of the rules of the road. The GMAC Insurance National Driver's Test has become a widely-respected litmus test of the general state of safe conduct on the nation's highways. This year's results, although a marginal improvement over 2010, still reveal a sorely-lacking emphasis on care behind the wheel for a large segment of American motorists. Nearly One Fifth of Drivers Would Be Unable to Pass Written Test In 2011, 5,130 licensed drivers ...

Tennessee Supreme Court Approves Forms for Uncontested Divorce

2011-08-25

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently approved the use of certain forms to be used in uncontested divorces throughout the state. Where litigants do not own real property or have minor children, they will be able to use plain-language forms to facilitate simple divorces. The Court incorporated a new rule making the forms acceptable in all Tennessee family courts beginning September 1, 2011. The forms will help parties in filing an "agreed divorce," which is also known as an uncontested divorce. The instructions that will accompany the forms will cover a range ...

Novel cytokine protects mice from colitis

2011-08-25

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affects more than 1 million patients in North America, results from an uncontrolled immune response triggered by environmental factors, such as bacteria, in people genetically predisposed to the disorder. Ulcerative colitis, or inflammation of the lining of the colon, is one such condition. The aberrant immune response found in IBD is prompted by different cytokines – small signaling proteins secreted by various cells, including immune cells – that activate the immune system, causing chronic inflammation. Now researchers led ...

Costs of Car Accidents in Ohio Rank High In CDC Study

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: