A separate HLDI study of insurance claims made by owners of motorcycles confirmed the findings of the earlier study. The study found that 22 percent of the 57,000 claims made between 2003 to 2007 were made within the first month of the policy. Presumably as owners got used to their bikes, the claim rate dropped over time; it dropped by 30 percent in the second month of ownership and almost two-thirds after six months.
]]> The early months are especially difficult for owners of "supersport bikes"-bikes that have high power to weight ratios and can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. The study found that over 50 percent of insurance claims involving these types of bikes occurred within the first 90 days.Inexperience is a Likely Explanation
Matthew Moore, vice president of the HLDI, explained that the studies' results suggest that motorcycle accidents and injuries during the first year are most likely caused by driver inexperience. "Operating a motorcycle is a fairly complex task," said Moore; it requires the operator to shift gears, release the clutch and regulate the throttle all while watching out for traffic and maintaining balance.
Safety experts recommend that inexperienced motorcyclists complete a safety course, such as ones given by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, to become familiar with their new bikes and develop their skills before venturing out on the road alone.
Source: "Data Show Risk Highest for New Motorcycle Riders," Insurance Journal, April 17, 2012
]]>It is common knowledge that people are getting into car accidents because of distracted driving while using technology. In an effort to curb the negative impact of technology use on road safety, a few states ban all use of hand-held mobile phones behind the wheel, and more than half ban texting while driving.
However, dashboard technology is exploding, with more and more computerized and Internet tasking available at the push of a button or even by voice activation. What about the danger of a driver distracted by trying to browse the Web on the dashboard while trying to negotiate rush-hour traffic?
]]> The NHTSA is proposing voluntary guidelines for cars that incorporate such systems. For example, the guidelines would not allow a driver to perform extremely distracting tasks like texting, dialing or using the Internet while driving, because the on-board system would be designed to prevent these features from working when the car is moving.The guidelines also call for clear, obvious placement and design of features and gadgets on such technologically laden dashboards, as well as designs that will allow drivers to accomplish key tasks efficiently within a certain number of seconds to minimize distraction.
The agency held a series of three public hearings in mid-March in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles to gather feedback on the proposal.
While the proposals make good sense, critics worry whether government oversight of motor-vehicle design will be able to keep up with the pace of technology development. And the proposals are voluntary, even if adopted, rather than having the teeth of mandatory regulations.
Source: "As car tech advances, can distracted drivers keep up?" John R. Quain, foxnews.com, 3/13/12
]]>Distracted driving is a national concern, especially in this era of rampant cell phone use. The headlines are constantly full of news about various state and federal authorities taking steps to control and sometimes criminalize mobile phone use while behind the wheel in an effort to prevent car accidents.
]]> Talking on a mobile phone while driving impacts negatively on a driver's visual, auditory, tactile and cognitive resources that would otherwise be devoted to driving.The bill is on Governor Scott Walker's desk in Madison awaiting his signature in order to become law.
The legislation was written by state Rep. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, in an effort to increase teen-driver safety. The Chippewa Herald cites the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the fact that drivers between 16 and 19 years of age "consistently have the highest traffic crash statistics of any age group."
Despite the divisiveness of recent Wisconsin politics, this particular bill had bipartisan support and passed unanimously in both state chambers of government. Under those circumstances, it seems likely that Walker would approve the bill.
The mobile phone ban would cover only teenage drivers under 18 with temporary or graduated drivers licenses, which only allow one other teen in the car and limit driving to certain times of day.
Source: The Chippewa Herald, "Bill banning cell phones for young drivers goes to governor," March 15, 2012
]]>However, the cameras were not enough; diligence in staff washing their hands only increased by approximately six percent with the cameras in place. So officials got a little more creative. They decided to post signs outside the ICU that lit up with messages like "Great Shift" based on the compliance rates for hand-washing. The higher the rate of compliance, the more encouraging the message.
]]> It worked: the rate of staff washing their hands rose 81 percent. And the measure had staying power. After three years, the rate of compliance is at 86 percent.Why such an emphasis on washing hands? The Centers for Disease Control shows that nearly two million patients per year get an infection while hospitalized. That is one in 20. For patients with already compromised immune systems, these infections can be devastating, hard to treat and even life-threatening. Studies have shown that hand washing by health care professionals is one of the easiest ways to avoid passing infections to patients.
Washing hands prior to contact with any patient, after contact with contaminated surfaces and prior to any invasive procedure is a simple act that can make a great difference in the effort to reduce infection. Hospital patients' loved ones should be sure to wash their hands before and after visiting them. It is also a good idea to request that all health care professionals assisting in the care of a loved one wash their hands if you notice that they have not done so prior to contact.
Source: "Prevention: Cameras Can Help Ensure Hand Washing," New York Times, 2/6/12
]]>The study urged the NHTSA to improve its technological capabilities and called on the administration to retain a panel to assist in evaluating potential problems regarding high-tech systems that, like adaptive cruise control-an advanced cruise control system that can prevent car accidents by automatically adjusting the car's speed to maintain a safe following distance.
The popularity of computerized devices creates significant challenges for the NHTSA. According to Louis Lanzerotti, a physics professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, "the agency needs to plan for the future of electronics in vehicles."
]]> The final report of the study highlights issues raised by Toyota's recent problems with unintended acceleration. Toyota issued over 14 million recalls across the globe. The report also sparked congressional hearings, fines and overall fear that unidentified electronic issues might pose a serious safety risk to drivers and passengers.NHTSA paid $1.3 million for the study, according to the National Research Committee.
"NHTSA has already taken steps to strengthen its expertise in electronic control systems," said the agency. "But NHTSA will continue to evaluate and improve every aspect of its work to keep the driving public safe."
However, the NRC recommended several steps to deal with technical expertise. These included appointing a hired advisory panel to ensure that the NHTSA remains informed concerning advances in electronics systems.
Interestingly, these conclusions echoed those of NHTSA itself over a year ago, when the agency determined it needed to "increase its existing expertise in vehicle electronics and emerging technologies."
Source: "NHTSA ill-equipped to assess cars' high-tech systems, study says," Los Angeles Time, 1/18/12
]]>The new bill requires that the agency perform a field study of the proposed provision to be completed by March 2013. If supported by the study, the rule would take effect on schedule three months later. However, if unsupported by the study, the agency would be required to modify the rule and the current restart rule would stay in place during that process.
]]> The new bill has other provisions that also affect trucking safety. Under the bill, states could increase truck weight limits on interstate highways from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds, if the truck has a sixth axle.Another provision would give states permission to issue specific permits for total vehicle weight up to 126,000 pounds on segments of interstate measuring 25 miles or less. This provision has already met with opposition.
"Truck drivers know firsthand that heavier and longer trucks are much harder to maneuver and put additional stress on our already deteriorating highways and bridges," said Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) executive vice president Todd Spencer.
The OOIDA believes that the weight increase would also require smaller carriers to purchase new equipment they simply cannot afford.
The bill is still in its early stages and must be passed by both the House and Senate before it becomes law. Some of the provisions in the current bill may change before any final votes are cast, but it is important for truck drivers and anyone in the trucking industry to pay attention to laws that may affect their safety on the road.
Source: "House Highway Bill Challenges Hours of Service Restart Provision," Truckinginfo.com, 2/2/12
]]>That is why federal and state safety officials are finally trying to tackle car accidents caused by distracted driving by seeking to develop a comprehensive strategy against it. The strategy is designed to include elements of law enforcement as well as public education on the dangers of distracted driving.
Wisconsin is one of 34 states with laws against texting while driving. The law has been on the books for nearly a year now.
As important as these laws are in discouraging and punishing distracted driving, they have to be supplemented by aggressive public awareness campaign. To truly change behavior and reduce distracted driving crashes, people have to be shown how unacceptable - and how dangerous - multi-tasking behind the wheel really is.
]]> The new ad campaign against distracted driving involves a collaborative effort between several agencies. On the federal level, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is involved. NHTSA and the Ad Council (a private sector group) are joining with state attorneys general and consumer protection agencies to sponsor the campaign.The campaign is primarily aimed at young drivers from ages 16 to 24. It seeks to show them that trying to text and drive is a recipe for disaster because the mind cannot multitask safely when one of the tasks is driving a motor vehicle.
Although the campaign is aimed mainly at young drivers, distracted driving is a problem for drivers of all ages. The new campaign against it could be an important step at changing the culture that produces it.
Source: "New campaign targets texting while driving," USA Today, 10-28-11
]]>This means that modeling safe driving has to start with parents. It must include basics like keeping your hand on the wheel and your eyes on the road, not on an electronic device. Being sober and alert, not tipsy or fatigued, is vital as well.
Learning the importance of these things can't wait until drivers' education. And it will help prevent car accidents in Wisconsin and across the country.
Once teens do start driver training, it's important for parents to sit down with them and establish the ground rules or guidelines for driving. These guidelines should start with wearing a seat belt. They should also include such things as limits on number of passengers, a curfew, and restrictions on the use of cell phones while driving.
]]> Many of these guidelines are reflected in graduated driver's license (GDL) laws. There is no substitute, however, for parental involvement in getting teens to agree to abide by them.It's true that many states could benefit from stronger GDL laws. And that is the intent of the proposed federal law known as the STANDUP Act. The Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act would set stricter standards for the states to follow.
As important as those standards are, however, teaching safe driving has to start with parental responsibility.
Source: "Teach teens to drive safety - and save their lives," JSOnline, 10-5-11
]]>How dangerous do the roads get on this long weekend? Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit group supported by the insurance industry, puts September 2 as second behind only July 4 for motor vehicle deaths in a single day.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is trying to help Wisconsin and other states make driving safer on the Labor Day weekend by operating a nationwide program called Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." The goal is simple: to get drunk drivers off the road and therefore prevent car accidents.
The program began on August 19 and runs through September 5. It involves over 10,000 law enforcement agencies around the country. The Department of Transportation is partnering with these agencies on an advertising campaign intended to deter drunk drivers by making them more aware of the possibility of arrest.
]]> Ray LaHood, the U.S. transportation secretary, is vocal about his department's commitment to bringing down the number of drunk driving accidents. Though the number of deaths has come down somewhat in recent years, "drunk driving remains one of the leading causes of death and injury on America's roads, LaHood noted.Almost 11,000 are people every year in vehicle crashes in which alcohol is involved. The hours between midnight and 3 am are a particularly risky time for these fatal accidents, according to federal data.
Maybe drunk drivers think their chances of getting away with it increase in the hours before dawn. But the ad campaign seeks to make the point that these drivers can be busted at any time.
Source: "Labor Day Weekend Warning: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over," Forbes, 8-31-11
]]>According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 238 people were killed in Wisconsin in 2009 in motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol. Nearly 4,000 people were injured.
This level of calamity from drunk driving accidents should scarcely be surprising, considering that the rate of drunk driving in Wisconsin is the highest in the entire United States. In a federal survey in 2009, more than 1 in every 4 Wisconsin adults who responded admitted to having driven a motor vehicle while intoxicated in the last year.
With so much drinking and driving going on, law enforcement agencies have their work cut out for them. But even with over 40,000 OWI convictions a year, it's hard for the police to keep up. Research studies have shown that people arrested for drunk driving usually drive drunk many times before they are pulled over for the first time.
]]> This is, quite, simply, a recipe for wrongful death and serious injury.Between 40 and 50 percent of fatal traffic accidents in Wisconsin are currently alcohol-related. It could be that Wisconsin's passage of a mandatory ignition interlock law for certain convicted drunk driving offenders will help bring the number of accidents down.
At present, however, the interlock requirement does not apply to all OWI convictions. It applies to convictions involving a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or higher. And it applies to second or subsequent OWI offenses. But it does not apply to first offenses involving a BAC under 0.15.
Source: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/drunkdriving/
]]>We don't intend to demonize these drivers. We understand they are under a lot of pressure. But they should not be violating hours-of-service limitations. And they should not be given the temptation to alter logbooks that should accurately record the hours a trucker actually works.
To remove that temptation from truckers, and improve safety on the road, federal regulators are looking to an electronic tool. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is finally getting serious about this. The agency is testing an onboard driver monitoring tool intended to gather better data than ever before on how trucker drivers really drive.
]]> FMCSA is in the midst of a multi-year research study that measures how drivers perform in vehicles equipped with electronic onboard monitoring systems. A total of 270 trucks, from three different carriers, are involved.The onboard system is designed to do more than ensure better record keeping by truck drivers. The system is interactive and provides electronic warnings to drivers on things like lane departures and forward collisions. And yes, it does also contain observation systems that are supposed to detect driver fatigue.
In an onboard system like this, truck drivers are no longer solitary cowboys out there on the interstate range. They are, rather, key human actors in a larger regulatory system. In that system, protecting human lives is just as important as turning the wheels of commerce.
Source: "FMCSA Testing Driver Monitoring Systems," Trucking Info, 6-30-11
]]>Every year, nearly five million people suffer bites or other attacks from dogs. Many of these bites and attacks involve injuries to children. The physical injuries can be serious and result in extensive scarring, even after surgery. The emotional trauma from the attack can have long-term consequences, especially for children.
National Dog Bite Prevention Week is sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It is also supported by insurance companies. According to estimates by the Insurance Information Institute, insurers paid out over $412 million in claims in dog bite cases in 2009.
]]> It is a myth that dog bite cases only involve large breeds like pit bulls, Dobermans and Rottweilers. In fact, dogs of any breed can bite and attack humans. A little terrier or Chihuahua can inflict serious damage, despite its small size.The data on the frequency of dog bites among children is well established. Fully 60 percent of dog bite victims are under the age of 12. Last year, there were 20 deaths among young children caused by dog attacks. There were also 13 other deaths, bringing the number of fatalities from dog attacks last year to 33 nationally.
Clearly dog owners need to do a much better job of restraining their pets.
If you or someone in your family was injured by a dog attack, contact an experienced Wisconsin personal injury lawyer at our firm to discuss your legal options.
Source: "It's Not the Breed, It's the Bite," PRNewswire, 5-10-11
]]>The background to the bill was a 2009 law that substantially increased minimum liability limits on car insurance policies. The 2009 legislation increased the minimum required coverage for accidents involving bodily injury or death to $50,000 for one victim. The amount for multiple victims was raised to $100,000. The figure for property damage is $15,000.
The 2011 legislation seeks to roll back those limits significantly. AB4 would make the mandatory limits $25,000 for bodily injury or death of a single victim, $50,000 for multiple victims, and $10,000 for property damage.
]]> Officials from the insurance industry assert that the 2011 legislation will reduce the number of uninsured motorists by making coverage more affordable. There are, however, major flaws in that reasoning.First of all, there is no evidence that cutting the minimum coverage in half would have the desired effect. Reducing the minimum limits could cause the cost of underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage to go up. This, in turn, may result in fewer people buying UIM coverage - interfering with that mechanism for properly compensating injured people.
In practice, the 2011 law could very well leave accident victims with less money than their claims really warrant. The fact is that $25,000 for bodily injury does not go very far in a serious accident. The medical costs of a serious injury are remarkably high. Lowering the auto insurance limits to $25,000 may therefore prevent many injured people from receiving the compensation that they need to move forward with their lives.
Source: "Wisconsin Passes Bill to Reduce Auto Liability Coverage Minimums," Insurance Journal, 4-6-11
]]>What Is a Moped?
The definition of a moped can vary by state. In Wisconsin, the Department of Transportation says that a moped must have its engine as an integral part of the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehicle could be considered a motor bicycle.
Mopeds, which have an automatic transmission, are sometimes known as scooters. In contrast to motorcycles, mopeds' engines are not larger than 50 cubic centimeters (CCs). Some states outside Wisconsin, like Tennessee and Illinois, define mopeds as having engines up to 150 CCs.
To drive a moped in Wisconsin, the rider must have a valid driver's license. Although the DOT recommends helmets for moped riders, Wisconsin law does not require them. The same is true of using the moped's headlight during the day.
]]> What Are the Concerns Surrounding Mopeds?Mopeds share the road with all types of vehicles, but they cannot go particularly fast. In addition, moped riders are vulnerable in crashes because of the lack of protection.
The drivers of cars and trucks may fail to see mopeds, just as they do with motorcycles. Moped riders can sustain serious injuries, such as broken bones, brain injuries, spine injuries, neck injuries and amputations.
More than 10 states are working to change moped laws, hoping to decrease the number of fatalities. Other states are working to require driver's licenses for moped riders, as Wisconsin already does.
Speak With an Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a moped accident that was caused by another person's negligence, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at our firm. You may have the right to seek compensation for your injuries.
Source: "Moped laws on agendas fatalities continue to climb," USA Today, 1-4-11
]]>Each state is responsible for creating its own rules to deal with distracted drivers. But led by Ray LaHood, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has started a campaign on their website featuring those who have been impacted by distracted driving. Laurie Hevier, from Wisconsin Rapids, presents her story in one of the videos.
Julie Davis, Laurie's mother, was walking on the side of the road when she was struck by a passing vehicle. The vehicle was traveling at 70 miles per hour when it hit Davis. No signs of braking were present. Julie died as a result of the impact, leaving her children and grandchildren heartbroken. The 19-year-old driver who struck Julie received a fine of $173.40 for inattentive driving.
]]> The DOT video underscores the fact that accidents due to distracted driving are entirely preventable. Drivers need to know how dangerous it is when they stop paying attention to the road. This message is especially important for teen or inexperienced drivers, as often they are not aware of the potential issues that may arise until it is too late.Financial compensation cannot bring back a loved one. But it is a way of holding distracted drivers accountable for the serious or even fatal car accidents they cause.
Source: Grassroots efforts continue seeking to end distracted driving, USDOT, 2-7-11
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