New Years, the Super Bowl, and more recently, marijuana users’ self-proclaimed holiday, 4/20 Day, all appear to be associated with increases in traffic fatalities. Risks that have long been linked to alcohol and driving on Super Bowl Sunday and New Year’s Eve are now associated with impaired driving on April 20th, aka 420 (four-twenty) Day,… Read More »
Ignition Interlock Devices Deter Drunk Driving
Utilization of ignition interlock devices have become fairly widespread across the country to curb drunk driving. IID’s function as an onboard breathalyzer, preventing a car from starting if the driver is impaired. In many states the requirement to install an IID starts with a conviction an OWI second offense, a grossly elevated blood alcohol content… Read More »
Speed and Following Too Closely Factors in Iowa I-35 Pileup
A spokesman for the Iowa State Patrol believes that speed and following too closely were factors in the major car accident that occurred last week near Ames on Interstate 35. The pileup involved up to 70 cars, buses and trucks traveling during a snow storm that hit Central Iowa Monday. Unfortunately, one person was killed… Read More »
Distracted Driving Leads to Fatal Car Crashes
What’s in a name? Apparently, the term ‘accident’ may have something to do with how people view their responsibilities as drivers. Typically, when a reference is made to an automobile collision, people call it an accident. However, safety advocate groups would like to see these incidences called ‘crashes’ in order to focus attention on the… Read More »
Passengers in Car Raises Risk for Teen Car Accidents
According to a study released by the University of Iowa, distractions caused by passengers of teen drivers is a leading cause of car accidents. In fact, over the last several years, over 15 percent of teens got into a motor vehicle accident after being distracted by a passenger in their car. Although cellphones are the… Read More »
Preventing Teen Car Accidents
Many accidents are caused by distracted driving, often related to use of cell phones or smart phones to text, check in on social media and the like. 1 in 4 crashes involve a distracted driver, and all too often, drivers, their passengers and other motorists are injured when someone takes their eyes off the road.… Read More »
Red Light Runner Car Accidents
Tragically, Thursday afternoon a 74-year-old motorist was killed at the Des Moines intersection of MLK and Clark Street after being struck by a red light runner. Red light runners cause hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries every year. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, in 2015 alone, 771 people were… Read More »
Determining Fault in a Motor Vehicle Accident
Legally speaking, a duty of care is an obligation to avoid injuring someone or placing them in a dangerous situation – breaching this duty will typically result in a finding of negligence. Driving a motor vehicle comes with a legal responsibility, or a duty of care, to drive in a way that will not hurt… Read More »
Iowa Worker Injuries in Car Accidents Costly to Employers
Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death and injury for all ages. Many of these incidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work and employers may bear the cost for injuries that occur both on and off the job. Wearing a seat belt is the single most effective… Read More »
Bicycle Accidents Caused By Negligence
Last month, the Ride of Silence, took place to honor and pay respect to Iowans injured or killed on public roadways to raise awareness not only of the legal right of bicyclists to share the road with motor vehicles, but also to remind drivers of the presence of bicyclists in hopes of reducing car accidents.… Read More »
