So many awful incidents of death and trauma over a drunk driver has still not taught us that you cannot go behind the wheel of any vehicle if you have consumed alcohol. In fact, the amount of alcohol is really subjective since some people get tipsy over half a glass of table wine, while others need about a keg of beer or more to feel a hit. People who drink must know their limit regardless of what the law says. It’s just part of responsible driving. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, so accidents will happen from drunk driving. The best you can do is to stay clear of these drivers as much as possible.

Not all drunk drivers drive at night

A drunk will drink at all times of the day or night. He or she might even know the time or day it is. Of course, this is the worst scenario, and does not happen as often as night drunk driving, but you cannot disregard this fact, so be on the lookout for haphazard driving anytime you’re on the road.

Slow down in intersections

People who are drunk tend to step on the gas harder and faster than normal, and this pertain to corners as well. When you reach an intersection, don’t assume that just because there’s a Stop sign on each corner, it will be followed.

Leave a lane open

Don’t drive in the middle of the road just because there’s no other car on the road. Stick to your lane, preferably the inner lane because drunk drivers usually drive fast, so will tend to overtake often.

Avoid bar areas

If you are driving at night, try to go around the bar areas or where there are known restaurants that allow heavy drinking. If you must, you should consider taking a detour, safe enough to get you where you need to go without any incident. Naturally, avoid dark streets as your detour.

Avoid early morning to dawn driving, biking, or walking

This is the riskiest time to go out. If you can hold off going out on your bike, taking a walk, or driving anywhere, then do it. You should know your neighborhood and route by now, so you know the places that tend to be used as a racing track for people coming home from a night of partying. If you have early work schedules or graveyard shifts, find a traveling partner, or make sure someone knows when you leave your place of work or leave your home to get to work.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

As we can read in Washington Post an 18-year-old man from California died on Tuesday after being struck and dragged by a bus in Woodbridge, Virginia, reported by police and a friend.

“Prince William County police said Jose Chavez of Shafter, Calif., was struck by a bus about 9:30 p.m. Monday while crossing the Gideon Drive and Dale Boulevard intersection. They said Chavez was trapped beneath the bus and dragged about 50 feet. Police said he died Tuesday at a hospital”

“A friend, reached in Shafter, said Chavez arrived in Northern Virginia about a week ago to visit relatives and look for a job.”

“The bus was said to be privately operated. The driver was identified as a Florida woman.”

Police in each jurisdiction said the matter is under investigation.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

You may not need an attorney today, but if you or any person that you know would like to speak to a lawyer, just call our office at 1-888-870-4470.

It’s been a harrowing time recently for Toyota.  The company is under worldwide scrutiny on the heels of recalling more than 8 million vehicles mostly because of a defect that causes the accelerator pedal to stick.  The situation grew more intense for Toyota yesterday as two leading company officials appeared before Congress to explain the situation from the company’s standpoint.

According to CNN:

“Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles in connection with possible unintended acceleration. Separately, the 2010 Toyota Prius was the subject of a recall due to complaints about its brakes. Even with Toyota’s long-time reputation for brand loyalty among consumers, dealers have seen sales plunge and continue to field phone calls from concerned drivers.

The first of three congressional hearings on Toyota’s recall problems began Tuesday in the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. Chairman Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, has said his panel’s preliminary review of 75,000 pages of Toyota’s internal company documents raised significant concerns. In particular, Toyota boasted of saving $100 million by dodging a more extensive recall of the Toyota Camry and Lexus.”

Saving costs is one of the central missions of any business.  In general, when a product is found to be defective, one of the points of analysis is a basic cost comparison.  If the potential for legal liability outweighs the cost of a recall, then the recall is usually the next step.  If the analysis concludes the opposite, companies will generally not take on the expense of a recall.

If you or someone you love has been harmed by a defective Toyota, you need the help of Sacramento defective products attorneys with a successful track record of taking on even the largest corporations.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

It has not been a positive few weeks for Toyota.  Recently, the company announced a massive recall of more than 2 million vehicles because of problems with the accelerator pedal.  Now, just days later, the company is beginning a recall of its best-selling brand and most prominent model of recent times, the Prius.  This represents only the latest in a string of Toyota recalls dating back to last year.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

“A reluctant Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday announced a global recall of its flagship Prius and other gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, even as executives suggested they weren’t required to do so.

Toyota’s quality chief, Shinichi Sasaki, said at a press conference here that the problematic brake systems in the recalled cars “meet safety standards,” a comment implying the company isn’t required legally to recall the vehicles. But Toyota decided to take action and update software that controls the brake system in order to “be in accordance with the spirit” of those standards, Mr. Sasaki said.”

It’s believed that the recall affects more than 400,000 Prius vehicles.  The brake systems have shown themselves to be dangerous in different models around the world, and the recall reaches from the United States to Japan to other markets on different continents.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a defective Toyota vehicle, you need legal help.  Contact the Sacramento defective products lawyers who have years of experience in holding large corporations accountable for releasing dangerous products to consumers.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Toyota is a brand of automobile that’s long been known by consumers for its quality, dependability and overall safety.  As a result, the manufacturer has enjoyed a growing market share for years.  However, it only takes one problem for that reputation to be damaged, and that appears to be what’s happening all over the world in the wake of Toyota’s announcement that it is recalling 2.3 million vehicles.

According to CNN:

“Toyota Motor Sales USA is recalling 2.3 million vehicles to correct a problem that could cause the vehicles’ gas pedals to stick.

This new recall is separate from an on-going recall of 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to correct a problem in which the pedals could become stuck under a loose floor mat.

Drivers should not pump the brakes as this can deplete the brakes’ power assist. In the event the pedal becomes stuck, the vehicle can be brought under control with firm and steady application of the brakes, the automaker said.

The vehicle should then be driven to the nearest safe location, shut off, and a Toyota dealer should be called for assistance.

The vehicles covered under the recall are:

2009-2010 Toyota Rav4, Corolla, Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 Camry, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra and 2008-2010 Sequoia.”

The situation continues to develop as Toyota searches for answers.  In the meantime, if you or someone you love has been injured by a defective Toyota or any other defective product, you need the help of Sacramento defective products lawyers who have the experience and track record necessary to hold large, multi-national corporations accountable for the harm they may have caused.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Overview

Far too many teens keep dying in nighttime car accidents. In fact, sixteen-year-old night drivers are twice as likely to die in fatal car crashes than their peers driving only during the day. Car accidents remain the “leading cause of death among American teens, [causing] more than one-third of all deaths of 16 to 18 year olds.” In 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that almost thirty-five hundred (3,500) 15-to 20-year-old drivers [died that year] and an additional 281,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes.”

Hardly a month goes by before we hear about another local teen dying behind the wheel. According to the California Highway Patrol, on September 29, 2009, an eighteen-year-old El Dorado youth died late at night after his car veered off Highway 49 and struck a tree.

Some authorities say careful parents should never allow their young teenagers to drive after 9 p.m. at night. After all, the later teenagers are behind the wheel, the more likely they are to drink while driving or encounter dangerous drunk drivers out on the road.

Possible Solutions

There are a number of ways our society can try and stop this senseless loss of life. Three different approaches are outlined below.

A. Graduated Licensing

While nearly every American state has this type of licensing program, far too many states fail to carefully monitor and enforce them. “Graduated licensing” means that our youngest drivers are required to keep gaining more driving experience (while receiving added instruction), until they’re adequately trained to receive a full license. During the first six months teens drive under a “learner’s permit,” they must:

• receive a set minimum number of hours of adult driving supervision;
• restrict their night driving;
• restrict the number of passengers that can ride in the car with them; and
• never drink alcohol (or misuse any other type of drug) while driving.

B. Active Parenting of New Drivers

While teens rarely admit it, they usually crave their parents’ approval and are eager to demonstrate their driving skills. It’s important for responsible parents to regularly ride with their teens, encouraging them to master as many new driving challenges as they can.

Furthermore, parents can help their teens during their first six months of driving by occasionally getting behind the wheel and demonstrating their own preferred ways of handling difficult driving situations. For example, it can be very useful to a teen to watch how a parent successfully merges onto a freeway while speeding cars fail to slow down in the nearest open lanes.

It’s equally useful for teen drivers to see their parents: (1) choose to park a bit further away from particular destinations so they can avoid the increased chance of getting hit in a crowded parking lot; (2) decide to avoid heavily traveled roads and freeways in favor of slower-moving traffic on quieter back streets; (3) choose to avoid speeding on through intersections every time traffic lights suddenly turn yellow; (4) always taking adequate time to correctly parallel park their cars; (5) choose to avoid using a cell phone to make or receive a call (or send or receive a text message) while driving; (6) decide to stop in a safe place and ask for directions when in unfamiliar areas; (7) always fastening their seatbelts, regardless of how short their errands may be; and (8) choose to never drive above a posted speed limit.

C. Choosing the Safest “Wheels”

Although small, sophisticated sports cars rank high on many teens’ lists of preferred first vehicles, these types of cars can be very difficult for new drivers to maneuver on the roads. Teens should also avoid large SUV’s (sport utility vehicles) that are top heavy and more likely to “roll over” during a crash. Likewise, cars with “sky roofs,” fancy stereo systems and amplifiers, worn tire treads and poorly maintained brakes should never be purchased by (or for) new teen drivers.

Parents should remind teens that while it’s wise to keep fuel economy issues in mind, it’s always more important to choose cars that have a reputation for holding up well in collisions. Of course, driving the family car is often the best way to start out since kids are less likely to take risks when they must answer for damaging that car.

Conclusion

It’s important to share the information set forth above with your teen and to regularly ride along as he or she attempts to master the art of driving. While riding as a passenger, be sure to compliment all of your teen’s good driving skills, in addition to noting any errors they may make. Teens are more likely to listen to you if they think they’re receiving a fair appraisal of everything they do.

If anyone in your family has been harmed in an auto accident, please feel free to contact our law firm for help. We’ve successfully assisted thousands of auto accident clients for nearly twenty years.

With the media currently paying so much attention to driving while texting or talking on our cell phones while behind the wheel, it’s far too easy for many of us to accidentally fall back into some of our former distracted driving habits. We may forget that many activities that prevent us from carefully watching the road can make us up to four times more likely to be in an accident.

Just think back on all of your driving destinations during the past 30 days, recalling the time of day you made each journey and who was riding with you. Now honestly ask yourself, how many times did you lapse back into one or more of the following behaviors (each of which can be just as dangerous as texting while driving or talking on your cell phone):

• Eating part or all of a meal; drinking a beverage and then briefly looking off to the side to be sure you’ve placed it back in the console so it won’t tip over;
• Completing a quick shave (or applying facial make-up) while thinking the traffic in front of you remained at a standstill;
• Turning around and looking over your shoulder while disciplining an unruly child (instead of looking for a safe place to stop to handle this task);
• Reaching across the seat and below it, searching through the glove compartment and console, determined to locate your favorite music or motivational CD;
• Straining to see the GPS screen because you left your reading glasses at home;
• Reading the newspaper or a paperback book on your Kindle or other reading device;
• Using your “netbook” (laptop – or other similar device) to check your email, surf the Internet or put a few finishing touches on a job presentation or a paper due in school;
• Emptying out your overcoat, suit or slack pockets, desperately searching for coins for the upcoming toll booth (something you could have handled ahead of time);
• Reviewing a handheld map with such intensity that you don’t even notice the cars next to you moving forward or hear the cars behind you honking for a moment or two;
• Entering data into a device used for deliveries while driving, instead of handling that task while safely parked.

As you can see, most of us have been guilty of frequently engaging in one or more of these activities while driving, putting ourselves and others at great risk. Just remember, as a simple rule of thumb: Don’t do anything behind the wheel that forces you to take your eyes off the road for even a brief second. It’s during such brief moments that some of the worst accidents occur, maiming people for life or even taking one or more innocent lives.

Most drivers concentrate on improving safety skills tied to navigating around on their local streets and roads. However, far more time should be spent honing skills needed for running even brief errands on local (or interstate) highways. Big rigs and other large trucks pose special dangers to all drivers since their heavy weight can make accidents more deadly, their large “blind” spots can make it hard to see smaller vehicles and they often carry dangerous (flammable) cargo.

On October 21, 2009, a big rig traveling in Stockton down the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 suddenly veered across the median and hit multiple cars in the northbound lanes. While the early reported accident injuries were minor, many victims of such accidents are far less fortunate.

According to the University of Michigan’s Traffic Research Institute’s Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents Factbook (2006) regarding the years 2002 – 2006:

• An average of 5,200 large trucks were involved in fatal traffic accidents each year;
• California was one of the three states that reported the highest number of annual large truck accidents;
• There was an annual increase in the number of people killed in truck-related accidents between 2002 and 2006, rising from 5,314 in 2002 to 5,537 in 2006;
• The annual number of truck drivers killed in accidents during these same years increased from 664 to 784;
• Each year, an average of 363 pedestrians and 79 cyclists (including bicycles, unicycles and tricycles) are killed in traffic accidents involving trucks.
• Conventional large truck accidents, (See page 33), have increased significantly since the late 1980s. These involve the vehicles favored by most U. S. professional truck drivers who regularly haul large loads across the country. However, between 2002 and 2006, the number of accidents involving these vehicles stabilized a bit-although the overall numbers were still much higher than they were back in the late 1980s.

While the facts presented above involved rather general information, the following statistics provide more detailed data. These next facts address the specific types of truck drivers involved in the accidents, the weather conditions and the types of trucks involved in the accidents between 2002 and 2006 (See pages 31, 47 and 59):

• A bit surprisingly, about 84% of the accidents occurred on dry roads and about 87% of them took place on good weather (no precipitation) days;
• The majority of the collisions (about two-thirds) took place in rural areas during the day;
• October tends to be the most dangerous month and January tends to be the least dangerous (in terms of the average number of reported accidents);
• Eleven (11%) percent of the accidents were caused by a non-truck driver who crossed over the center line of the road and hit the truck head on;
• Looking only at fatal accidents: 30% occurred on state highways; about 25% on interstate highways and 23% on U. S. highways;
• As for the types of trucks involved in the fatal accidents, 74.2 % of them belonged to Class 8, which placed them in the heaviest Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) class. The October 2009 accident referenced above was called a “big rig” collision – it probably involved a vehicle in one of the heavier classes;
• It should be noted that about 58% of these 2002 – 2006 statistics involved tractor-semitrailers;
• About 30.5% of all the trucks involved in these fatal accident statistics were straight trucks without trailers;

• Sixty-eight (68) of the tractor-semitrailers and 23 of the straight trucks involved in fatal accidents were carrying flammable liquids at the time of the collisions. (Fortunately, almost 30% of the trucks were empty);
• Over one-third (33%) of the trucks in these accidents were just handling local trips (within 50 miles of their base) at the time of the fatal collisions;
• At the time of their accidents, sixty percent (60%) of the truck drivers “had no driver factors recorded.”
• Less than three percent (3%) of the truck drivers involved in the fatal accidents had been drinking and less than two percent (2%) had been abusing drugs just prior to their truck-related deaths;
• As was the case in the Stockton big rig accident, the failure to keep driving in the proper lane is the most common factor involved in large truck accidents;
• Excessive speed (or speed inappropriate for the specific stretch of road) was the second most common factor involved in the fatal big truck accidents.

Review this type of information can help all of us since it makes us aware that many stereotypes involving big rig or large truck accidents are untrue or misleading. For instance, we are just as likely to be in an accident with a big rig on a bright sunny day as we are on a rainy day. However, the month of October frequently proves to be an unusually dangerous month for big truck accidents.

Those of us living and working in California should pay special attention to these statistics since our state regularly records some of the highest numbers of annual big rig accidents.

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a serious big truck accident, please feel free to contact us for a free assessment.

If you’ve traveled down many highways surrounded by big rigs, you’ve probably thought about your own mortality many times. While a number of responsible big rig drivers slide behind the wheel every day, many other large trucks are driven by road hogs who show little respect for the much smaller vehicles all around them.

Although big rig drivers don’t cause every accident, as was the case in one 2009 Sacramento area crash, colliding with these large, heavy vehicles often leaves many injured or dead. When two big rigs and five smaller vehicles collided during a dust storm in southern California in early 2009, five of the victims had to be hospitalized and eight more required medical treatment at the scene. All of these deadly accidents may leave you wondering what any of us can do to better protect ourselves.

According to one study, out of nearly 1,000 truckers found to be at fault in highway accidents between 2000 and 2005, “at least one in four had been convicted of a criminal offense or received deferred adjudication before the crash.” (In a deferred adjudication case, a person’s driving record won’t indicate a conviction if he or she lawfully completed the probationary period.) This same research study found that, “More than 14 percent [of these same, at-fault drivers] had committed drug or alcohol offenses prior to their accidents, and more than one in 10 were felons.” Some states’ taxpayer dollars are actually used to train prison inmates to seek out these jobs.

While ex-cons may need extra help finding work, you do have to ask yourself if putting them behind the wheel of vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds is very wise, particularly if they’ve had substance abuse problems in the past.

This subject remains very complicated since “Employers have an incentive for hiring felons: a federal tax credit of $2,400 on the first $6,000 an ex-offender earns…” Joan Claybrook, who served for 27 years as the national president of Public Citizen until December of 2008, has noted that while some ex-cons might do fine in this type of work, other might not. As she put it “The job pressures truckers face and the fact that 5,000 people a year already die in large-truck crashes in the United States make felons and big rigs a potentially dangerous mix.”

Regardless of the backgrounds of various big rig drivers, the rest of us must find ways to keep ourselves safe while traveling alongside these huge trucks on our local roads and highways. The following facts and suggestions might help each of us drive more safely when in the presence of big rigs:

• An 80,000 pound truck traveling 65 miles per hour might need up to 300 feet to come to a full stop after the driver hits the brakes;
• While you’re in the process of passing a big rig, make sure you can fully see the front of the truck in the rearview mirror before pulling over in front of it;
• Bear in mind that when big rigs have to make a right turn, they often have to steer very far to the left to leave themselves enough room to make the turn. Therefore, never try to squeeze between the truck and the curb when the driver is doing this since you’ll greatly increase your chances of getting hit. (Big rig drivers cannot see directly behind or beside their trucks when making such maneuvers).
• Be sure to travel far enough behind a truck at all times, especially during poor weather conditions;
• Help support legislative efforts to prevent more triple trailer trucks from traveling down this country’s roads and freeways;
• Given the size of the big rigs, try to accommodate their lane changes and other lawful acts whenever possible;
• Always report big rig drivers who are driving dangerously to the local authorities (or state highway patrol) to protect yourself and others as soon as you can safely place such a call. Be sure to write down the driver’s company name, which state issued their truck’s license plate and the complete license plate number.
• When you’re entering a busy freeway, never assume the big rig driver coming up behind you can easily see you as you enter – be sure to leave the truck plenty of room to change lanes or continue approaching you at its current speed;
• Make sure you always keep your brakes, windshield wipers and tire treads in good shape so that you can react promptly and safely when a big rig or other vehicle forces you to make an unexpected maneuver;
• Big rig drivers often travel well beyond the speed limit to get their cargo to their next destination as soon as possible. Never try to outrun them. Excessive speed is nearly always a factor in accidents involving big rigs.

By keeping in mind the facts and suggestions shared above, you should be able to drive safely alongside most big rigs. However, if you are ever hurt in an accident with a big rig, please keep in mind that our law firm has successfully represented many accident victims in similar cases over the years. We can help you recover all that you’re entitled to receive under the law.

Honda is one of the leading automotive companies in the world, and despite the horrific downturn within the automotive market in general in recent months, Honda has held strong while other companies have suffered. However, the company took a drastic step today by recalling 440,000 vehicles because of a defect present in the airbag systems. Owners of the vehicles are asked to return the car to a dealer for the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

According to CNN:

“The recall involves driver-side airbags in certain 2001-02 Honda Accords, 2001 Civics and 2002-03 Acura TLs, the company said in a news release.

The affected vehicles will require the replacement of the steering-wheel-mounted airbag inflator.

“In some vehicles, airbag inflators can produce over-pressurization of the driver’s [front] airbag inflator mechanism during airbag deployment,” the release said. “If an affected inflator deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the cloth airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.”

The company will send a recall notice in the mail over the next few months, the release said. Owners may check their car’s recall status by visiting the Honda “Owner Link” Web site at www.owners.honda.com/recalls or the Acura “My Acura” Web site at www.owners.acura.com/recalls.”

Defective airbags can cause serious injuries for many reasons, and one of the least publicized is their tendency to deploy with too much force. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a defective vehicle, you need to contact the Sacramento defective products attorneys at Demas & Rosenthal, as the firm understands what it takes to hold those who place dangerous products into the market stream accountable.