Roadway Deaths Increasing in Missouri

Roadway deaths are increasing in Missouri. Research finds that distracted driving is a significant cause of these tragedies.

2012-10-23

October 23, 2012 (Press-News.org) Roadway deaths from tractor-trailer collisions continue to be a problem nationwide and in Missouri. According a CBS news report, the number of roadway fatalities has increased by 21 percent from last year. A new study also reports that the number of fatalities from collisions in Missouri specifically involving tractor trailers also increased from 2010 to 2011. In 2010, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported that 105 people died from collisions involving tractor-trailers, but that number increased to 120 people in 2011. That number also does not include people who have been severely injured in tractor-trailer collisions.

Distracted Driving

Records of recent accident reports reveal that distracted driving is a major cause for the increase in roadway fatalities. Experts define distracted driving as anything that takes away the driver's ability to pay full attention to the road. Examples of distracted driving include talking on a cell phone, texting, changing radio stations and talking to other people in the vehicle. These actions can cause a driver to veer off the road or into another lane.

In many accidents, the police's accident report will establish that the vehicle travelled off the side of the roadway or crossed the center line. Many times, however, the police's accident report will not explain why the vehicle travelled out of its lane of traffic. A Missouri Highway Patrol Captain says, however, that many times the real explanation is that the driver became distracted.

Trucking Collisions

Trucking collisions are often traumatic experiences with serious consequences. An individual injured in a trucking collision can benefit from an experienced personal injury attorney. The lawyer can provide guidance, knowledge and assistance in obtaining any available compensation.

Article provided by Dollar, Burns & Becker, L.C.
Visit us at www.dollar-law.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Extreme Heat Leads to Workplace Deaths and Injuries

2012-10-23

Most individuals across the United States would agree that the summer of 2012 was one of the warmest in recent memory. Temperatures soared well above averages in various cities across the country. Because the summer season garners most of the construction work for the year, this past summer, thousands of employees were forced to work under the burning sun. Because recording-breaking heat can compromise the wellbeing of outdoor employees, health and public safety advocates are asking the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a rule protecting construction ...

New Mesothelioma Study Shows Skin Spots May Be Early Warning Sign

2012-10-23

Recently, a study released by researchers from the University of Hawaii revealed potentially life-saving information for individuals who have been exposed to asbestos. According to the scientific report, certain types of spots on the skin can indicate whether a person is susceptible to malignant mesothelioma. The spots, which resemble moles, occur in people who have a BAP1 gene mutation. Scientists believe the BAP1 gene acts to suppress tumors and prevent cancer. For people who have a BAP1 gene mutation, however, the gene's ability to restrain cancer does not function ...

Don't Tweet About This! Social Media's Growing Impact on Divorce

2012-10-23

One Texas judge recently told our law firm that 90 percent of all divorce cases before him involve Facebook and/or Twitter. Yes, folks, we are deep into the 21st century, a century where court cases can turn on a Tweet or a Facebook wall post. As attorneys, we have come to accept that social media is an important part of our divorce practice. Most people involved in child custody battles today are part of Generations X and Y, the two groups that use Facebook and other social media the most. Perhaps your divorce ended because you found out that your spouse cheated ...

New Jersey Fights Distracted Driving With "No Texting While Driving Day"

2012-10-23

The responsibility for reducing car accidents in New Jersey falls on everyone from drivers themselves to auto manufacturers and transportation engineers. One important means of reducing vehicle-related injuries and deaths is smart public policies to enhance criminal penalties for dangerous behavior and educate people about the consequences. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recently proclaimed "No Texting While Driving Day" statewide to remind drivers of the state's cell phone bans and the dangers of distracted driving. One important focus of such campaigns is ...

New Device Could Provide Early Detection of Brain Injuries in Athletes

2012-10-23

A new device developed by researchers at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology could be used in the future to immediately identify brain trauma among athletes in high-impact sports like football and boxing. Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, affect over a million Americans every year. The new technology could speed diagnosis and treatment of these serious injuries. New Device Can Detect Brain Trauma The new technology uses sensors that monitor the brain's small-yet-measurable magnetic field. The device provides essential, ...

Official Attitudes Toward Crime and Punishment Changing in Pennsylvania

2012-10-23

With a stroke of his pen in July 2012, Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Corbett changed markedly the state's policies that affect those convicted of crimes going forward. Specifically, the Criminal Justice Reform Act chips away at the long-standing state practice of automatically locking up criminals and throwing away the proverbial key by largely moving nonviolent offenders away from the general penitentiary population and attempting true rehabilitation. Amazingly for such a far-reaching measure, the bill passed both houses of the state legislature unanimously. However, ...

Personal Injury Suits and Insurance Settlements

2012-10-23

Personal Injury Lawsuits, in General Broadly, a personal injury lawsuit compensates a victim for harm sustained as a result of someone else's negligence. In most cases, the plaintiff is pursuing the defendant for reimbursement for property damage, physical harm, lost wages and other noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. After a car accident, the case begins when the plaintiff submits all evidence of the incident (including property damage or injuries) to the defendant or the defendant's insurance company. He or she makes a settlement demand on the defendant ...

New Ohio Distracted Driving Law Goes Into Effect

2012-10-23

When Gov. John Kasich signed House Bill 99 in June, Ohio became the 39th state to enact a law banning texting while driving to reduce motor vehicle accidents. The law took effect at the end of August, and a six-month-long warning period will allow law enforcement to warn distracted drivers until officers are eventually allowed to issue citations. Ohio's law against texting while driving provides that no driver shall use a handheld electronic wireless communication device to compose, transmit or review text messages. For most drivers, the law creates a secondary offense, ...

Recovering From the Long-Term Financial Effects of Filing for Bankruptcy

2012-10-23

Recovering From the Long-Term Financial Effects of Filing for Bankruptcy Going through bankruptcy is a stressful proposition, to say the least. However, for most people, the real anxiety lies not in the bankruptcy process itself, but rather in the fear of the unknown about what happens next. Will they be forever branded as being financially irresponsible? Will they ever be able to get a car loan? A mortgage? If you're considering bankruptcy but you're concerned about the potential future implications, don't despair. You are not alone in your fears. The good news though ...

New Jersey Imposes Grim Criminal and Civil Penalties for Fatal DWIs

2012-10-23

New Jersey Imposes Grim Criminal and Civil Penalties for Fatal DWIs Criminal defendants who drank alcohol, drove and caused innocent deaths have been convicted of serious crimes and sentenced to severe penalties in New Jersey state courts. Some examples from recent news reports: -In September 2012, a 29-year-old Paterson man pled guilty to death by auto and vehicular homicide for the death of a 22-year-old woman who had been a passenger in a car the man hit when he allegedly ran a stop sign while drunk. The defendant received a four-year prison sentence. After serving ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Younger men have higher risk for mortality and cardiovascular disease for type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes; whereas for women type 1 diabetes outcomes are worse at all ages