Posted on January 29,2019 in Uncategorized

When a driver is doing anything other than keeping his or her eyes on the road, it is distracted driving. When you think about distracted driving, you may think about someone texting or reading an email, but those are not the only things that can take a driver's attention. One of the most common and most dangerous types of distracted driving in Texas does not involve using a phone at all.

Eating while driving may not seem dangerous. In fact, most people have probably gone through a drive-thru to grab coffee and a pastry before work or picked up a burger to eat on the way home. Eating on-the-go is part of the American culture, yet the convenience may not be worth the risk. Eating while driving is a type of distracted driving, and it is quite dangerous.

Understanding the dangers

Texting while driving is dangerous because it can take a person's eyes off the road, cause his or her attention to wander, and make a person remove one or both hands from the wheel. However, consider the following things about distracted driving and why it can be dangerous as well:

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 Posted on January 03,2019 in Uncategorized

Let's be honest. Teenagers lack the experience to safely multitask while driving. For this reason, their parents often warn them not to use their cell phones, eat or do anything other than drive and pay attention to the road when they drive.

The question is whether Texas parents warn their teens about the dangers of having passengers their age in the vehicle. Did you know that with one peer passenger in the vehicle, the risk of an accident doubles? If a teenager has two or more peers along for the ride, the risk triples — and this is without adding any additional distractions.

Teens may not always follow the rules

If you have a teenager or two at home, then you know that they don't always do what you would prefer them to do. They may use their phones while driving and may even have several passengers in the vehicle with them. If your child can get them to follow the rules below, the chances of them making it to their destination safely could increase:

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 Posted on November 27,2018 in Uncategorized

You may have a number of concerns while on the road or while your loved ones are on the road. You certainly want to stay safe and never want to learn that a loved one has suffered injuries in an accident. Of course, you likely also know that a choice made by another person could easily result in a crash that has life-altering consequences.

In particular, a person making the decision to drink and drive could result in you or a loved one suffering serious or even fatal injuries. These dangerous drivers plague Texas roadways, and unfortunately, the odds are high that you or a family member will share the road with a drunk driver at some point.

Signs of a drunk driver

In some cases, you may notice a vehicle swerving or otherwise seeming suspicious, and you may wonder whether that vehicle has an impaired driver behind the wheel. Any time you have an inkling of impairment, it may suit your best interests to stay far away from that vehicle. Some other signs that may raise your suspicions include the following:

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 Posted on November 01,2018 in Uncategorized

As you pass vehicles on the road, do you ever wonder what the lives of those inside them are like? Are they happy or sad, rich or poor or single or married? Maybe you have wondered these things, or maybe you focus on more practical questions like did that driver got enough sleep last night? Is he or she on a cell phone? Is he or she too busy looking at a GPS system to notice you?

You have probably heard that there are more and more drowsy and distracted drivers on the roadways, so you wonder these things. However, you can't forget about the impaired drivers. Whether it's 7a.m. or 7 p.m., some drivers continue to feed their addictions — and some of them drive vehicles that weigh up to 80,000 pounds and dwarf your car in size. Yes, we are talking about big rigs, and the fact that many of their drivers suffer from addictions make them a danger on the roadways.

The problem could be worse than you think

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 Posted on October 01,2018 in Uncategorized

It happens to everyone. You are running late trying to get to your destination when a car pulls out in front of you and slows to a crawl. You can feel your blood pressure rising, and it takes all your self-control to keep from using your own vehicle to push the other one out of your way. Instead, you take a deep breath and try to keep calm. Eventually, the other driver turns off, and you go on your way.

You may have control of your emotions while driving, but not every driver is able to contain the rage that builds up when faced with these inconveniences. When a driver acts on those impulses, your life may be in danger.

Aggression or road rage?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about 66 percent of accidents that end in death begin with a driver's aggression behind the wheel. Aggressive driving includes any of the following:

• Tailgating
• Flashing headlights in your eyes

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 Posted on September 05,2018 in Uncategorized

It was this time last year when a lot a Texas drivers, perhaps including you, had to face the fact that their actions behind the wheel were dangerous. On Sept. 1, 2017, state lawmakers passed a law prohibiting drivers from texting. The law was heralded by public service announcements and campaigns outlining the dangers of taking your eyes off the road long enough to read or send a message on your mobile device.

Whether you had your own close calls with a phone in your hand or you are one of the countless Texas families who suffered injuries and loss due to someone else's distraction, you may have made a conscious decision not to text while behind the wheel. But that doesn't mean everyone else has.

How dangerous is texting?

Unfortunately, on the one-year anniversary of the passage of the law prohibiting texting and driving, police report having written thousands of tickets and warnings to drivers who persist in using their mobile devices while driving. You may have heard the familiar comparison that looking at a text message for five seconds while traveling 55 mph is like driving blindfolded the length of a football field. Safety advocates across the state share these additional facts about texting and driving:

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 Posted on August 03,2018 in Truck Accidents

Trucks are important to the Texas economy and the American economy as a whole, but there are strict regulations regarding how long a person can be behind the wheel of one of these vehicles. When a truck driver experiences fatigue, he or she is more likely to cause an accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has put regulations in place that limit how many subsequent hours a trucker can drive. Despite regulations, many truckers and trucking companies ignore these standards and continue to drive past the allotted number of hours. This comes from pressure to deliver loads faster and secure payment upon delivery.

Regulations regarding hours of service

Truck drivers may feel the temptation to drive for too long for many reasons. Hours of service regulations are in place to reduce the frequency of fatigue-related accidents. When a trucker is tired, he or she is more likely to drive recklessly, make mistakes and experience delayed reactions. The rules regarding the permissible number of hours a truck can be on the road are as follows:

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 Posted on July 02,2018 in Uncategorized

Most everyone has had a moment of inattention behind the wheel, whether it was while adjusting the temperature, trying to find a parking space or turning to address your children in the back seat. When you think about it, though, it's not difficult to see how a moment of distraction could end disastrously in a collision.

The reality is that negligent or reckless driving is preventable. Still, people get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol; they text and drive; or they willingly disregard the speed limits. If you have suffered injuries or lost a loved one due to a negligent driver, you may be considering the benefits of hiring an attorney to represent you in a personal injury claim or a wrongful death claim.

Dealing with insurers

Soon after your accident, an insurance adjuster will likely contact you, and he or she will want to resolve the matter quickly and put it to rest. In fact, the adjuster may have a check already printed out, supposedly to cover all your damages and losses, and you may think it is a generous offer. However, the first offer you receive from an insurance company is rarely the best you can do.

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 Posted on June 08,2018 in Uncategorized

Texas readers know that drunk driving is a significant problem in the state, and it poses a serious threat to the safety and well-being of every person on the road. There is no excuse for intoxicated driving, and even a small amount of alcohol can have an effect on a driver's ability to safely operate a vehicle.

If you are the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver, you have the right to take action and defend your interests. It is possible to hold these drivers accountable for their actions and irresponsible choices, and through a civil claim, you may be able to seek appropriate compensation for your losses, as well as your pain and suffering.

The effect of alcohol on a driver

Alcohol affects each person in different ways. You know that each driver is responsible for knowing when he or she has had too much alcohol and is not able to drive. Even one or two drinks can affect physical reaction and cognition. Consider the following facts about blood alcohol concentration and its impact on a driver:

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 Posted on May 08,2018 in Truck Accidents

If you suffered injuries from a Texas truck accident, you know how difficult it can be to put your life back together after this type of traumatic incident. Truck accidents can lead to serious damage and grave injuries, and often, these types of accidents are completely preventable.

Trucking companies and their insurance providers do not have your best interests in mind. You may receive an offer for a financial settlement after a truck accident, but this may not reflect the true value of your case and the amount to which you have a rightful claim. You would be wise to carefully consider the terms of any agreement offered to you before you accept or sign anything

Fighting for what you deserve

If the truck accident that left you injured was the result of the negligent or reckless actions of the truck driver, you would have a rightful claim to financial compensation. In some cases, it might be necessary to seek compensation through a civil claim, but often a trucking company may prefer to reach a settlement in order to avoid complex litigation.

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