Michigan Is The 9th Most Deadly State For Car Crashes

A recent article by 24/7 Wall St., an online news site that publishes news articles about finance, technology, and other current events, ranked the 50 states in order of deadliest car crashes. This ranking was determined by looking at the number of car accident deaths in each state during 2016, and then adjusting that for population so the numbers read as fatalities per 100,000 people. In the listing of each state, 24/7 Wall St. also listed the number of car accidents in 2016 prior to the adjustment, the percentage of seatbelt use, the deadliest car accident holiday in each state, and the percentage of the car accidents that occurred in a rural area.


Michigan, despite having about a 95% seatbelt use, had the 9th highest number of fatal car crashes in 2016 at 1,064 deaths! According to the Michigan State Police, in 254 of the car crash deaths, alcohol was involved, in 139 drugs were involved, and in 141, both alcohol and drugs were involved. In 206 of the 1,064 fatal car accidents, the passengers or drivers were not wearing a seat belt. In fact, those not wearing seat belts were 44 times as likely to be killed in a car accident than those who were wearing seat belts. Finally, 52 of the 1,064 fatal car crashes occurred in the snow and 72 occurred in the rain, but a whopping 609 occurred in clear weather! 24/7 Wall St. also stated that rural areas are more dangerous locations for car accidents because they often have higher speed limits and are lined with trees and telephone poles. Proving this correct is the fact that 40% of Michigan’s fatal car accidents occurred on rural roads. 

The Michigan State Police reports that 30.6% of fatal car crashes occurred at intersections. They compiled a list of the most dangerous intersections in Michigan based on the number of car crashes that occurred at each intersection in 2016. The most dangerous intersection of the year was Ford Road at Lilley Road, with 85 car crashes, 26 of which lead to car accident injuries. Trailing right behind is 12 Mile Road at Dequindre Road, also with 85 car crashes, and 20 car accident injuries. Another infamous intersection where many metro Detroit car crashes occur is the intersection at 12 Mile Road and Telegraph Road, an area notorious for having a high speed limit, and having heavy rush hour traffic.

Out of the 1,064 car crash fatalities that occurred in Michigan in 2016, it is safe to say that many of them could have been prevented since most of the car crashes occurred in clear weather. In fact more car crash deaths were caused by drugged driving or drunk driving than were the caused by bad weather, and drugged driving and drunk driving are completely preventable actions! It is up to each driver to prevent car accident injuries and car crash fatalities by following safe driving practices in order to lower Michigan’s reputation as a car crash prone state.

Everyone knows someone who has been in a terrible car accident, and as a result, has suffered painful and life altering injuries, not to mention the medical bills that go along with them. There is no excuse for irresponsible and reckless driving practices. If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to a negligent driver, contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM. Our attorneys fight for Michigan’s injured drivers. 

The 3rd Annual Flint Water Festival

Photo Credit: Shannon Millard, The Flint Journal

As Independence Day nears, so does the 3rd Annual Flint Water Festival. This event takes place from 5 PM-9 PM at Riverbank Park in Downtown Flint, Michigan. The Flint Water Festival was created by a nonprofit organization called RICH Kids, Inc., a non-profit group based in Flint that aims to create safe entertainment and education programs for the youth in the Flint area who have felt the detrimental social and health effects of the water crisis. The purpose of the The Flint Water Festival is to raise funds for water and resources to combat the negative health effects of the recent water crisis, as well as create a fun and enjoyable event to lift the spirits of the Flint community. The festival not only raises awareness to local communities about Flint’s lack of clean water, but lack of clean water globally. According to water.org, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people worldwide access clean water, 844 million or 1 in every 9 people, do not have access to clean and safe water.

According to CNN, “In 2011, the state of Michigan took over Flint's finances after an audit projected a $25 million deficit. In order to reduce the water fund shortfall, the city announced that a new pipeline would be built to deliver water from Lake Huron to Flint. In 2014, while it was under construction, the city turned to the Flint River as a water source. Soon after the switch, residents said the water started to look, smell and taste funny.” In fact, in August and September of 2014, multiple boiled water advisories were issued, as coliform bacterium, “a warning sign that E. coli or other disease-causing organisms may be contaminating the water” was found in Flint’s water. Then, “Tests in 2015 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Virginia Tech indicated dangerous levels of lead in the water at residents' homes.” As such, it has been 4 years since Flint, Michigan has had clean and safe running water. Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assisted Flint by providing water, lead test kits, and filters, the assistance ended in August 2016. Because of the loss of federal aid, the Flint Water Festival has been accepting donations to purchase water to give to Flint citizens for free.

In addition to giving out free water, the Flint Water Festival has live music, games and prizes, inflatables for children to play on, an interactive art collage that attendees can help create, and free giveaways such as lead reducing tumblers and first aid kits. The night will end with a firework finale over downtown Flint, Michigan.

As Flint continues to struggle for clean water, the Flint Water Festival gives the people of Flint an opportunity to relax and celebrate while bringing awareness to both their community’s and the world’s water crises.

If you are not from Michigan or are unable to make it to the Flint Water Festival, donations can be made on their website or by clicking the button to the right.

Want to help us buy a pallet of water for Flint? Your contribution will make an impact at the Flint Water Festival, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. Thank you for supporting such an important cause. We've included information about Flint's current situation below.

The Michigan Law Firm, PC handles all types of motor vehicle accident cases. Our accident attorneys make the legal experience as easy for clients as possible, so that victims of auto accidents can focus on recovering from their car accident injuries instead of fighting with insurance companies. Contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM, for a free, legal consultation.

The NSC's Guide to a Safer Driving

This June, the National Safety Council (NSC)  is celebrating National Safety Month. Each week has a different area of focus, and this week’s goal is to raise awareness on the dangers of driving and to advise on the most effective ways to drive safely. According to the NSC, over 40,000 people were killed in fatal car accidents in 2017 alone! This number is nearly 6% higher than in 2015. It is key that drivers begin to take measures to ensure they are able to come home to their family safely each night.

The first step to becoming a safer driver is eliminating any dangerous driving habits that one might have. According to the Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA), in 38% of fatal car accidents, the driver was drunk. While the number of drunk drivers has been slowly but steadily decreasing, the number of drugged driving is on the rise. Of 44% of fatal car crashes, drivers were under the influence of non-alcoholic drugs, the most common drug used being marijuana. 

These drunk driving deaths and drugged driving fatalities are a shame since all of these car crash fatalities are avoidable! With technology constantly evolving, there are a few simple ways to get back home safely while under the influence. If someone anticipates a night of drinking, they should try to arrange a designated driver. Public transportation is also always available in metropolitan areas; in Detroit, the Q-line is a safe transportation option for drunk people. If drinking in an area without public transportation or finding a sober friend is difficult, the easiest way to avoid drunk driving is to hail a ride with a rideshare app  like Uber or Lyft. A safe and quick ride home is just a push of a button away. Much like driving under the influence, driving while sleepy is another form of impaired driving and can be just as dangerous.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 25 people reported having fallen asleep behind the wheel in the past 30 days! The American Academy of Sleep Medicine discusses a study which shows that about 21% or car accidents from 2009-2103 were caused by drowsy drivers. Drowsy driving accidents can be prevented by getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep regularly, and avoiding drugs or medications that can cause drowsiness prior to driving. As road trip season comes around, it is important to remember to take breaks every 2 hours, or every 100 miles of driving, and if possible, switch drivers. Preventing drowsy driving car crashes is an important way to create a safe driving environment for everyone on the road.

Another common factor in dangerous driving is distracted driving. In today’s fast paced society, it can be tempting to glance down at a  phone notification on the drive to work, or send a Snapchat of a funny bumper sticker on a pickup truck, but it only takes a few seconds of distraction to cause a distracted driving car accident. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association (NHTSA), in the 4 to 5 seconds it takes to read a text message while driving at 55 miles per hour,  the car will have traveled the length of a football field. In today’s busy world, people want to consolidate their time as best as possible, and try to be multitasking experts by eating or doing makeup while driving. However, by pulling over to send a text, eating a Big Mac inside the McDonald’s, or waking up a few minutes early to put on lipstick can create a safer commute for all drivers on the road. Distracted and impaired driving is irresponsible, and preventable. It is each driver’s responsibility to create as safe of a commute as possible.

The NSC lists some simple safety tips to follow when deciding to get behind the wheel. The NSC encourages drivers to be aware of how a vehicle’s safety features work, as they can vary from vehicle to vehicle. However, the NSC also states that, “you are your best safety feature” as a reminder not to rely wholly on features such as blind spot alerts, as they can miss things and malfunction. Because of car malfunctions, it is important to take all car system alerts and warnings seriously. Ignoring safety alerts can be dangerous, as it can be difficult for people who are not auto experts to identify car malfunctions. While most warnings are for a loose gas cap or a faulty sensor, a check engine light could mean that the vehicle is in danger of catching fire or has low oil. It’s best to allow a professional to inspect the vehicle as soon as possible after the car displays an alert.

Another safety measure the NSC suggests to keep drivers aware of their surroundings is to clean all snow, ice, and mud off of the car prior to driving it. Cleaning the windshields is not always enough. In winter, driving a car with snow piled on top of it can impair the view of other drivers, when the snow flies off the top of a moving vehicle and onto other vehicles behind it. In addition, braking suddenly can cause snow to slide down from the roof of the car and to the hood, obstructing the driver’s view. Ice across windshields and windows can also severely impact the view of the road around the driver. No matter how short the drive, or how how much of a hurry the driver is in, it is not worth the risk of a car accident to drive in a car with obstructed views.

Since so many car accidents are preventable, the NSC has taken the fourth week of June to teach drivers which habits to avoid and which practices to follow. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving while sleepy, or driving with obstructed views are all unsafe decisions that drivers are choosing to make. The NSC reminds us that each decision a driver makes can affect the lives of everyone on the road around them, making it each individual driver’s responsibility to make the right decision each time they hit the road.

Car accidents may be common, but many of them are preventable. If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to a negligent driver, contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM. Our attorneys fight for Michigan’s injured drivers. 
 

June Is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

As June comes to a close, so does Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. The Alzheimer’s Association defines Alzheimer’s as the most common form of dementia that can cause problems with memory, behavior and thinking. While the illness can start off mild, it’s severity can increase overtime, and interfere with daily tasks and life and is typically found in people over the age of 65. And according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2013, as many as 5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer's. 

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s can affect day to day functions such as writing checks, dressing appropriately for the weather, identifying the day's date, and driving. While it is not necessary for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s to stop driving when the disease in its earliest stages, it is important to pay close attention to driving behaviors, as the number of driving errors may increase as the illness becomes more severe. The following are some of the warning signs that the Alzheimer’s Association suggests watching for, that indicate that an Alzheimer’s patient should stop driving.


How Alzheimer’s Affects Driving

  • Forgetting how to locate familiar places, such as the grocery store or a family member’s home

  • Failing to observe traffic signs

  • Making slow or poor decisions while driving such as driving at an inappropriate speed

  • Making errors in basic driving, such as driving at inappropriate speeds, hitting curbs and drifting between lanes, confusing the brake and gas pedals, and forgetting the destination during the drive

  • Difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast,

  • Impairs decision making abilities

A study done by the University of Ottowa in 2016 showed that drivers with Alzheimer’s were less likely to use their brakes appropriately - whether using them too much or not enough, more likely to be in the wrong lane, speed, disobey traffic lights, and more likely to lose control of their vehicle. These errors could lead to potentially fatal car accidents for both passengers and drivers on the road, as well as the Alzheimer’s patients themselves.

Failure to navigate a busy intersection properly or ignoring traffic signs can also lead to car accident injuries and fatalities. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s symptoms increase over time, and as the severity of the illness increases, the patient’s ability to drive safely without getting into car accidents decreases. In addition, as the patient’s ability to think and make decisions deteriorates, they are less likely to be able to react quickly to the scenarios around them, such as not recognizing that the driver in front of them has slammed on their brakes until it is too late.

Having a conversation with a loved one about not driving anymore can be difficult and it is important to approach the matter gently. The Alzheimer’s Association suggests sitting down with those who are close to and taking care of the loved one, and creating a plan for when they should stop driving, discuss alternate methods of transportation and setting up a GPS system in their car. The Alzheimer’s Association also recommends periodic assessments of their driving, as this allows close monitoring of their driving and whether they will be able to continue to drive safely.

When the time comes, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends beginning the conversation by expressing concern, and showing love and support, as this may be a hard transition for them, and explaining to them why they should no longer be driving, and why it is a safety hazard for them, as well as those around them. If they express anger or resistance, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends being firm but understanding and empathetic, explaining that while this is a difficult transition, but is something that must happen. They also suggest, that if necessary, consult their doctor and have them reinforce that it is time for them to turn in their keys. If there is still resistance, it may be necessary to take away their keys or their car entirely. Even though this may be difficult, it is a matter of safety and an effective form of accident prevention.

Arranging alternate forms of transportation does not have to be challenging, however, it will take communication between family members to ensure the loved one can get to where they need to be without too much difficulty. The most basic alternate form of transportation is to have family and friends drive the loved one when possible. They can take turns or shifts, and work around each others’ schedules. Unfortunately, this is not always the most convenient option, and it may be simpler to arrange for a taxi service instead. If there is not a taxi service available, there are transportation options created specially for elderly people; local senior citizens services and homes often provide transportation at low cost or free of charge. If possible, reduce the need for someone with Alzheimer’s to drive, by having groceries, prescriptions and other day to day necessities delivered.

It is important for the family and friends of those living with Alzheimer’s to understand the disease and create a supportive and loving environment to help them with this challenging time. Alzheimer’s Awareness Month aims to create an empathy and awareness around the illness. While many people have heard of the illness, many don’t know the extent of the effects that Alzheimer's can have on day to day life. Since Alzheimer’s is a fairly common disease, it is important for everyone to understand in order to support loved ones fighting the illness.

The Michigan Law Firm, PC handles all types of motor vehicle accident cases. Our accident attorneys make the legal experience as easy for clients as possible, so that victims of auto accidents can focus on recovering from their car accident injuries. Contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM, for a free consultation.

National Safety Month 2018

The start of June marks the beginning of National Safety Month. Each year, the National Safety Council (NSC) takes a month to emphasize the importance of safe practices in the home, on the roads, in the workplace, and within the community as a whole. Many people don't realize how dangerous some very commonplace practices can be. Simple things like looking at who liked your latest Instagram post when you are driving, not wearing a helmet while riding a bike around the neighborhood, or skipping out on safety glasses when working with heavy machinery, can lead to serious accidents and injuries. It just takes one poor safety decision to dramatically change, or even end a life.

Since, National Safety Month is a month long, each week concentrates on a different safety topic. The first week of National Safety Month focuses on emergency preparedness, to remind people that emergencies can happen anywhere and at anytime. It is important to be prepared for any emergency situation, from an active shooter to a tornado to a heart attack. For example, according to the NSC, approximately 10,000 cardiac arrests occur each year, but only 45% of United States employees are trained in first aid. According to EMS Safety Services, a, “corporation that provides instructor training and support internationally,” 70% of heart attack deaths occur before the victim reaches hospital. Learning first aid can help keep the victim alive until medical professionals are able to treat the patient.

Week 2 of National Safety Month focuses on wellness. Many of our day to day practices, such as lack of physical activity or not getting enough sleep, can put strain on our bodies. Therefore, the NSC reminds people to take a step back from their busy lives and care for their bodies by making healthy choices. For example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, eating an apple instead of potato chips, taking time throughout the workday to stand up and stretch, and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night are all healthy choices that lead people to being more alert and help avoid accidents.

The third week of National Safety Month alerts people to the dangers of slips and fall accidents, and how to prevent them. The NSC states that over 9 million preventable slip and fall injuries occurred in 2016. That is more slip and fall accidents than the entire population of New Jersey! In the workplace, approximately 800 slip and fall deaths occur, many of which can be prevented by following the correct safety procedures at all times, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly 700 of these workplace accident fatalities occurred when someone fell from a higher level to a lower level. Patrick Kapust, the director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Directorate of Enforcement Program, revealed at a presentation of the Top 10 OSHA violations, that improper fall protection is the most commonly cited safety violation, with 6,887 violations in 2017 alone! This is a shocking statistic considering that slip and fall injuries are the easiest to prevent, by doing simple things such as cleaning up spills and taking precautions when climbing ladders.

Finally, Week 4 of National Safety Month focuses on safe driving practices. Out of the 4,000 workplace fatalities each year, 2,000 are caused by car accidents. Distracted driving is a leading cause of these car accidents. As a result, some companies, such as Cargill and Union Pacific, have created policies banning people from talking on the phone while driving to prevent distracted driving car accidents. However, it is the driver’s responsibility to follow these safety rules and precautions. That’s why National Safety Month takes a week to remind everyone why they should put their phones and other distractions away and focus on the road, and practice safe diving each and every day.

The NSC created National Safety Month in order to decrease the number of preventable deaths that occur each year. Ignoring simple safety precautions may seem like no big deal but it can create an unsafe environment for not only the rule breakers themselves, but for everyone around them. In order to reduce and prevent workplace injuries and deaths, people should take heed of the NSC’s safety instructions. After all, the best way to save lives is to prevent them from being in danger in the first place.

Workplace accidents and injuries are much more common than people realize. It is easy to brush off seemingly inconsequential safety practices, when we are not aware of the dangers of poor safety. To combat workplace injuries, distracted driving car accident fatalities, and other accidents due to unsafe practices, the NSC spends the month of June reminding everyone of the importance of safety at work, at home, and everywhere in between. If you or a loved one have experienced a workplace injury due to unsafe working conditions, please contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM. Our attorneys fight for the rights of Michigan’s injured workers.

How To Drive Safely In Fog

Hollywood relies on fog heavily in many movies and TV shows to set the mood of a scene. The horror thriller The Mist's entire plot is based around fog! The Mist is about a small town that is invaded by a mysterious fog which releases vicious creatures, that a group of townsfolk have to fight, to save their lives and their town. While ordinary, fog that doesn’t come out of a machine like a film set doesn’t give people nightmares for weeks like Stephen King’s story, it does come with its own horrors. Driving in fog, for example, can be a very scary experience because a lot of people don't know how to drive in fog. 
 
The Glossary of Meteorology from the American Meteorological Society informs that fog is a collection of water droplets suspended in the atmosphere in the vicinity of the earth's surface that affects visibility. Visibility distance is reduced by fog and heavy precipitation. Low visibility conditions cause increased speed variance, which increases car crash risk. Each year, over 38,700 car crashes occur in fog. Over 600 people are killed and more than 16,300 people are injured in these fog car accidents annually, according to the Federal Highway Weather Administration. 

According to the Detroit Free Press, early morning on January 10, 2018 there was a car crash on northbound I-275 at 8 Mile Rd. and another car accident on eastbound I-94 at Conner Ave, due to fog. These accidents are more recent, but like any good horror movie villain, fog has created other, more serious, accidents in the past and can still cause more car accidents in the future if drivers aren't careful. In April of 2015, a 60 car pile up was reported on a highway which left 2 people dead and over 2 dozen injured. The series of car accidents were caused by a dense fog that made it really hard for drivers to see where they were driving. The Detroit Free Press notes that drivers should be especially cautious of travelling through fog  when driving on bridges, overpasses, and ramps. 

The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA) reported that distracted driving during foggy weather is a main factor with car accidents. Fog makes it hard for people to see. Being distracted with something only adds to the chance of getting into an accident. The NHTSA reported that speeding while driving in foggy weather also contribute to the number of deaths each year from car accidents. 4% of car crashes in 2017 were caused by fog. 

Driving in fog can be difficult and requires more attention from the driver to safely drive. Any type of distractions that draw eyes away from the road in already decreased visibility, increase the risk of getting into a car crash. Here are some tips from the National Weather Service on how to drive safely in fog, if driving is unavoidable.

How To Drive In Fog

  1. Slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination.
  2. Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on. Use fog lights if you have them.
  3. Never use your high-beam lights. Using high beam lights causes glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.
  4. Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.
  5. To ensure you are staying in the proper lane, follow the lines on the road with your eyes.
  6. In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business and stop.
  7. If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don't mistakenly run into you.

Of course, it's always best to avoid driving in foggy weather, but the above tips may be able to help drivers safely navigate foggy conditions and avoid car crashes.

There is always a greater risk of car accidents occurring when mother nature throws a wrench at a driver’s plan to take the car out. Fog is one factor that increases the chances of car accidents. If you have been in a car accident and want a free consultation with a car accident attorney, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM. 

Could HUBO Robot Save Lives?

Source: Office of Naval Research

Whether it’s winter or summer, every two years people all over the world tune in for the Olympics. This year’s Winter Olympics were held in PyeongChang, South Korea. An important and arguably one of the most popular parts of the Olympics, is the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony contains performances and events that officially start the beginning of the Olympics.

One special event within the opening ceremony, is the lighting of the torch. The Olympic torch relay that is completed in today’s modern Olympics honors the ancient games that started it all. The ancient games took place in Olympia, Greece and used the sun to light the torch, to ensure purity. A flame burned on the altar of the Greek Goddess Hestia, and such fires were also lit on the altars of Zeus and Hera, during the ancient games. During the modern day Olympics, the flames are lit for the entire duration of the Olympics and are extinguished at the end of the games at the closing ceremony.

This year’s Olympic torch lighting was done a little differently. HUBO the humanoid robot, created by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science (KAIST) and was included in the relay race and ran the final leg of the relay in the city of PyeongChang,South Korea. HUBO was developed by Professor Jun Ho Oh from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST University, and is best known for being the winner of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotics Challenge in 2015.

The DARPA Robotics Challenge is a competition encouraging participants to develop semi-autonomous ground robots that can do complex tasks in dangerous, degraded, human-engineered environments, which falls in line with DARPA’s mission statement, “Creating breakthrough technologies and capabilities for national security.” In 2015, there were over 22 different robots created by robotics teams from all around the world, for the challenge. HUBO completed every challenge faster than any other robot in the DARPA competition. The challenges that the robots have to complete are tasks that can be used during any disaster situation. The tasks include:

DARPA Robotics Challenge Requirements

1. Drive a utility vehicle at the site.

Source: Office of Naval Research

2. Travel dismounted across rubble.

3. Remove debris blocking an entryway.

4. Open a door and enter a building.

5. Climb an industrial ladder and traverse an industrial walkway.

6. Use a tool to break through a concrete panel.

7. Locate and close a valve near a leaking pipe.

8. Connect a fire hose to a standpipe and turn on a valve.

KAIST university reported that the HUBO was mainly created for disaster rescue operations. While HUBO was created with ambitious goals, one more humble way it might be able to save lives is by helping car accident victims. Even if technology advances to only have autonomous cars on the road, there may always still be a risk of car accidents happening. In the present time, when 1.3 million car accidents happen per year, worldwide according to Safe International Road Travel, and over 1 million people are killed each year from car accidents, according to the NHTSA, HUBO may be able to help at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. One main problem with how we deal with car accidents today is the often times slow response time of overworked and understaffed first responders, especially in major cities like Detroit, which has a response time of about 52 minutes per accident, according to Bridge News.  

Source: Office of Naval Research

A robot like HUBO may be able to help create faster response times and in some situations, may provide safer and quicker help than human responders who may have to put their own lives at risk. HUBO can move debris and break through concrete walls, and may be able to adapt its skills to pry open a crushed vehicle, allowing people trapped in a potentially fatal situation under the vehicle's weight, to be helped. And HUBO may be able to cut metal faster than it takes a couple of firefighters to operate the jaws of life. So, not only can HUBO save lives quicker but it may make first responders’ jobs safer. First responders’ won’t have to move or cut open cars or large debris, so it lowers the risk of them getting injured while trying to help somebody who was involved in a car accident. 

Hopefully, HUBO will be fully operational and deployed in life saving situations, all over the world, very soon!

With technology advancing as quickly as it is, people should be aware of everything that technology has to offer. Robots like HUBO can have a huge impact on car accidents and help lessen the number of people injured or killed in car crashes. If you have been involved in a car accident, call a car accident attorney from The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free legal consultation.

Tips For Driving Over Potholes

It seems as though the freezing temperatures are finally a thing of the past! We've actually had snow in April for the last few weeks, but Michiganders are all preparing themselves for some warm weather that’s headed this way. The warm weather comes with a cost though: Potholes. Potholes are nothing new to Michigan residents, but drivers everywhere are dreading popping a tire or wrecking their car's suspension on the pockmarked roads this Spring.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) says, "Potholes are created when snow and ice melt as part of Michigan's seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. Moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes, expands and thaws, creating a gap in the pavement. As vehicles drive over the gap, the pavement weakens leading to a pothole." While trying to avoid potholes is a good idea to prevent vehicle damage, dodging all the potholes like your racing your friend in Mario Kart isn’t a good idea. Yes, you missed the pothole but you put yourself and other people at risk of getting into a car accident, since swerving erratically may cause you to sideswipe a car! Instead, by following these pothole driving tips by MDOT, you may be able to avoid pothole vehicle damage and car accidents!

Tips For Driving Over Potholes

  1. Be Vigilant - it's best to avoid hitting potholes whenever possible. That's easier to do if you're driving cautiously, and not tailgating, so you have more time to see and react to any potholes you're approaching.
  2. Be Cautious Around Puddles - they could be potholes filled with water. Since water is a critical component to forming potholes,
  3. Slow Down - If you see a pothole ahead and can't safely steer to avoid it, it's best to slow down, then release the brakes before you hit the pothole. 
  4. Vehicle Maintenance Helps - Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Over- or under-inflated tires are worse when they tangle with a pothole.

There are some potholes that are small and can easily be driven over without any damage to your car and there are some that can be very deep and many feet wide. The above pothole tips may help drivers navigate potholes with minimal vehicle damage, but sometimes it's not possible to avoid pothole vehicle damage. The best way to avoid pothole damage to your vehicle may be to avoid experiencing road damage all together! By reporting potholes to MDOT, and because of the recently approved road repair budget, it’s possible that all potholes could be filled this Spring before they cause too much damage to cars and to car owners’ wallets. But, if you do find yourself having to shell out cash to your mechanic because you couldn’t avoid a crater in the road, there may be a possibility that you can be reimbursed by the State of Michigan for pothole vehicle damage. However drivers should keep in mind that, according to The Detroit Free Press, there is a 30-day window, from the time a pothole is reported to when it is fixed, when road commissions and municipal street departments can avoid responsibility for damaged vehicles. The State of Michigan reimbursed only 9 of the 267 pothole claims for $1,000 or less made during fiscal year 2017, according to MDOT, but it still may be worth a shot. 

Potholes can be reported on the MDOT website or by calling 888-296-4546.

Every year tons of potholes are filled in hopes of creating safer roads for people to drive on. But potholes are an unavoidable, never ending cycle that reemerge each year, which is why car accidents due to potholes and other types of road damage occur each year too. Road damage accidents not only cause serious damage to vehicles but can also cause serious injury to people. For a free legal consultation with an auto accident attorney regarding road damage car crashes or any type of auto accident, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.

Rollover Car Accident Kills 2 Students

Every day, thousands of people are involved in car accidents. Some of those car accidents can result in rollovers. According to the NHTSA, more than 15,000 car crashes happen each day in the United States and of those accidents, 7,000 resulted in rollovers. The NHTSA splits rollover car accidents into two categories: tripped or untripped. “A tripped rollover event occurs when a vehicle runs off the road and is tripped by a ditch, soft soil, a curb or other objects causing a vehicle to roll over. An untripped rollover event happens when the tire/road interface friction is the only external force acting on a vehicle, thereby inducing it to roll over.”

According to the NHTSA, there are six main factors that cause rollover accidents:

6 Factors That Cause Rollover Car Accidents

1. VEHICLE TYPE - All types of vehicles can rollover. However, taller, narrower vehicles such as SUVs, pickups, and vans have higher centers of gravity, and thus are more susceptible to rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash.

2. SPEED - Fatal rollover crashes are speed-related more often than fatal non-rollover crashes. Some 40% of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding . Additionally, nearly ¾ of fatal rollovers took place where the posted speed limit was 55 miles per hour or higher.

3. ALCOHOL - Nearly half of all fatal rollover crashes involve alcohol . Impairment can result from any blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above .00 . Even a small amount of alcohol will negatively affect your judgment, muscular coordination, and vision, making you more likely to lose control of your vehicle.

4. LOCATION - Rural roads tend to be undivided and without barriers. They are thus more likely to be the scene of a fatal rollover. Almost ¾ of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas where the posted speed limit is typically 55 miles per hour or higher.

5. ROUTINE DRIVING - NHTSA data also suggest that over 90% of the vehicles in fatal, single-vehicle rollover crashes were involved in routine driving maneuvers (going straight or negotiating a curve) at the time of the crash. This further suggests that driver behavior (distraction, inattentiveness, speeding, and impaired driving) plays a significant role in rollover crashes.

6. SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASHES - NHTSA data show that nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. This means that the majority of rollover crashes and fatalities do not involve any other vehicle besides the one that rolled over, further suggesting that driver behavior plays a significant role in rollover crashes.

All of these are factors in rollovers, but sometimes the cause for a rollover accident is unknown. One example of an unknown cause of a rollover accident is the the story of  2 16-year-old girls, Darian Locklear and Julianna Ward-Brown. According to the Detroit Free Press, the girls were driving down I-94 near Williamston, Michigan, to their evening hockey practice when they lost control of the car and hit a tree in the median. The vehicle rolled and hit another tree. Police reported that they didn't have a cause for the accident and are still investigating the accident.

There are many different causes of rollover car accidents and now car companies are helping to reduce the chance of a fatal rollovers. Jeep has created a product that helps keep the car in tact in case of a rollover. It's called a Roll Cage and can be bought and installed to any Jeep. The Roll Cage is installed on the roof of Jeeps to help in the case of a rollover accident. It prevents the car from rolling and if the car does roll the passengers inside the vehicle have a lower chance of getting injured. These Roll Cages are a small step in the right direction to help create safer vehicles for people to drive. 

Accidents of all kind are very scary. It can happen and any moment to anybody. An important thing to remember is to always make sure you are driving safely and within the speed limit with all your attention on the road. A small distraction can have a big consequence. If you or someone you know has been in an accident call  call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free legal consultation. 

Don't Groom And Drive!

With only 24 hours in a day and a majority of those hours being spent on work or sleep, there isn’t much time left to spend on yourself, doing leisurely activities, running a few errands, and checking a few things off your to-do list. Grooming is a good example of a time consuming personal care task that people are finding they don’t have time for. So, to squeeze into morning routines while also taking advantage of rush hour, many people are grooming themselves while driving!

Applying a little lipstick or making a few fixes to your hair couldn’t possibly be a bad idea, right? Well, it is in fact a bad thing! Grooming while driving is part of a bigger issue known as distracted driving. 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 people were injured because of distracted driving in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

When people hear of distracted driving, they automatically think about texting and driving. While cell phone usage majorly contributes to distracted driving, it’s not the only factor. Applying makeup while driving is something that a lot of people do often. According to a recent study, around 1 out of 5 of female motorists have admitted to putting on makeup while driving, and nearly 500,000 car crashes are caused by women putting on makeup! 

Looking away from the road while driving for even a few seconds is enough time for a car accident to happen. Whether it’s putting on makeup or fixing your hair, distracted driving is 100% preventable! The Auto Alliance’s DecidetoDrive.org gives a few tips to help drivers prevent themselves from engaging in distracted driving.

Tips To Help Drivers Avoid Distracted Driving

  • Plan ahead. Poor planning is often the catalyst for driving and grooming incidents. Rather than placing your life and the lives of others at risk, plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to perform grooming routines before you leave the house.

  • Keep grooming items out of reach. If you take grooming items with you, make sure they are well out of reach. For example, instead of leaving brushes or makeup on the passenger seat, secure them in the trunk or in the back seat so you won’t be tempted to use them when you are operating the vehicle.

  • Pull over, if necessary. If you can’t wait to take care of a grooming need while you are traveling, pull over to the side of the road. The few extra minutes it will add to your commute are a small price to pay for highway safety.

  • The most important tip to avoid grooming while driving? Keep your eyes on the wheel and hands on the road at all times.

  • For additional tips, we encourage you to take a look at Decide to Drive’s “Wreck-less Checklist”—a handy guide with advice about how to avoid a range of distracted driving behaviors.

In a recent study, the NHTSA examined all of the activities that people engage in while driving and 8% of people admitted to grooming while driving. It’s important to note that women applying makeup aren’t the only groomers who are distractedly driving. Men and women have both been known to shave while driving and even brush their teeth! Grooming while driving sounds silly but is understandable because everyone wants to look good, especially when they’re about to meet other people! What is not understandable however, is continuing to groom while driving after realizing how many distracted driving car accidents have occurred due to this. Since April is Distracted Driving Awareness month, hopefully people will now take the time to gargle mouthwash and comb their hair at home, in a parked car, or on the side of the road, instead of while operating a motor vehicle!

Distracted driving is 100% preventable and 100% likely to get distracted drivers into legal trouble if their distracted driving behavior causes a car accident. Legal trouble aside, distracted driving car accidents can also lead to serious injuries and even death. Not only does distracted driving risk the life of the distracted driver but also everyone else on the road. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a distracted driving car crash, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM, for a free legal consultation with a car accident attorney.

Beware Of Wrong Way Driving Car Crashes

WRONG WAY! DO NOT ENTER! Seeing a bright red sign next to the road that says, "WRONG WAY" on it, would make most people understand not to drive down that particular road. However, driving the wrong way on a highway happens more times then you would think, which is why the Michigan State Police are urging everyone to watch out for the reckless drivers who have been driving the wrong way down the highway. In Metro Detroit, according to the Detroit Free Press, tipsters call 911 to report 15 to 20 wrong-way drivers a month, although only 4 to 6 of those drivers have been caught on street surveillance cameras. Out of all those reported drivers, some wrong way driving incidents result in car accidents which cause serious injuries or even death.

One wrong way driver who caused a car accident was 65-year-old Mary Okke from Plainfield Township, Michigan. Ms. Okke died in August of 2017 after she drove her car the wrong way on U.S.-131 and hit a charter bus, just north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Another wrong way driving car crash fatality was caused by Councilman, Michael Stack. The 59-year-old was driving the wrong way on I-275 in Canton when he struck and killed a young newly engaged couple in December of 2017. According to the Oakland Press, police said he had no alcohol in his system when he was driving, but they found an open bottle of vodka in his car. Finding the open bottle of alcohol led police to do a drug test to determine if there were any narcotics in his system, but all tests came back negative.

While police have determined that alcohol was not a factor in the Councilman's car crash, unfortunately that isn’t always the case. In early December, freeway cameras recorded a car driving the wrong way on I-75 heading north. Driving the car was a 27-year-old woman named Tonya Berta from Ida, Michigan. The police discovered that Berta's 1-year-old child was hidden under a blanket in the backseat. The Michigan State Police were not surprised when they found out that Berta was under the influence of alcohol. Fox2Detroit reported that Ms. Berta "was sentenced to 3 years of probation and 8 months in jail on the charge of operating while intoxicated with an occupant less than 16 and possession of a controlled substance, second or subsequent offense." 

Source: Google Maps - Partial Cloverleaf Ramp at I-94 and Gratiot Avenue in Detroit 

Alcohol may have played a significant factor in Ms. Berta's car accident, but like the other 2 wrong way driving car crashes, alcohol isn’t the only cause of wrong way accidents. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has said that 60% of wrong way entries to freeways occurred at the old-fashioned design for ramps called “partial cloverleafs.” Partial cloverleafs are ramps that place the exit and entry ramps right next to each other, which can be confusing to drivers. These types of ramps can be found at I-94 and Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.

Another factor that could cause these wrong-way accidents is the time of day when the car crash occurs. A lot of car accident fatalities have happened late at night or early in the morning, when it is still dark outside and more difficult for drivers to see.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, “Nationwide, wrong way drivers cause about 360 deaths a year. In Michigan from 2011 through 2016, 8 motorists died in such crashes.” There have been almost half the amount of car crashes from wrong way driving in the last few months than there have been in 5 years. In an attempt to lessen the chances of wrong way driving, MDOT has made efforts to reduce the chances of drivers accidentally driving down the wrong ramp. As of July of 2017, MDOT has been installing better signs and new lane guides at highway entrances and exits that will help people navigate the highways more easily. However, placing larger signs next to highways does not mean that it is OK to drink and drive by any means. Drugs or alcohol should never be consumed before or while operating a motor vehicle.

When driving, it's always best to make sure full attention is kept on the road. Taking your eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, is enough time to take a wrong turn on a road you aren't meant to drive on. If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, call 844.4MI.FIRM to have a free consultation with an accident attorney at The Michigan Law Firm, PC. 

How To Handle A Dog Bite!

Today is National Pet Day! So pet lovers will be spending the day cuddling their cats, feeding lettuce to their turtle, watching TV with their gold fish, and most commonly, head head to the park with their dogs! Dogs are man’s best friend, which is proven by the fact that according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMA), there are about 70 million dogs living in U.S. households. Since this is such a large number of dogs, it’s not hard to believe that there must also be a large number of dog bites in the US. In fact, more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs every year, and 1 in 5 people require medical attention after being bitten. As The Michigan Law Firm, PC blog informed readers the other day, family dogs and stray dogs are equally likely to attack, if provoked.

However, just because a person doesn’t provoke a dog doesn’t mean that a dog won't approach the person. Let’s say you’re hanging out in your backyard all by yourself, when all of a sudden a huge, growling dog jumps over the fence and into your yard. You didn’t invite it in! The dog didn’t ring the doorbell and bring you a casserole! You don’t want to make a sudden move and anger the dog into attacking you and you don’t see the dog’s owner anywhere! Or may it’s a stray, it's mouth is foaming after all! You’re cornered with nowhere to go, so you slowly try to reach into your pocket for your phone, in order to call for help. But it’s too late! Your subtle movement was enough to threaten the dog and before you know it, you’re on your back, putting your arms up to defend your body from the 70 lb beast trying to maul you.  You kick out in self defense and manage to shove the dog off of you and you use the momentum to your advantage and run inside your house and lock the door. As you lean against the door, catching your breath after Cujo's attack, a searing pain rips through your arm. You’ve been bitten.

So, what should a person who was involved in a dog attack accident do in the event that they experience a dog bite? Well, the AMVA gives the following post-dog bite advice:

What To Do After A Dog Bite

  • If the dog's owner is present, request proof of rabies vaccination, and get the owner's name and contact information.

  • Clean bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible.

  • Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if it's after office hours.

  • Contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records.

Even seemingly harmless nibbles that break the skin should be taken seriously to prevent a dog bite injury from worsening, especially if it’s a stray of a dog you don’t have the medical history of. And in the case of a larger or deeper bite, Dr. Amy Flowers, DVM says it is possible that there could be damage to muscles, tendons, or nerves. If the bite is deep enough dog bite victims may need stitches to close the wound. Dog bite injuries that are swollen, red, or warm to the touch indicate signs of infection and should be brought to a doctor’s attention. If the dog bite injury is serious enough, it may even require surgery. Dog bite surgery may sound like an exaggeration to some, but The American Society of Plastic Surgery reported that nearly 29,000 reconstructive procedures were performed in 2016, to repair dog bite injuries.

Everyone should also remember that not all dog bite injuries are caused by interactions with stray dogs. According to the AVMA, 36.5% of households have at least 1 dog, and people with 2 dogs in the household are more likely to be bitten. Even if a dog is your best friend and very well trained, dogs are still animals and they can still bite, in certain situations. While the AMVA’s tips on how to prevent dog bites are useful to avoid facing a dog bite injury, sometimes dog attacks can’t be avoided. Therefore it’s best to have the knowledge of how to treat a dog bite in your pocket. 

With over 70 million dogs in the United States, there is a high chance of people getting into dog bite accidents. Medical expenses aren’t the only cost rising out of a dog bite, since according to the AMVA, dog bites accounted for one third of homeowners liability claims, in the last year! If you have been bitten by a dog and are unsure what the next legal step is, contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free legal consultation to personally meet with a dog bite attorney.

Takata Air Bag Inflators Recalled After Explosion Caused Fatality

The Takata airbag scandal is not new news to readers who follow The Michigan Law Firm, PC blog. For those who are unaware however, in 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that Takata airbags were defective and could explode when deployed during a car accident, or even spontaneously due to wear over time. These exploding airbags have caused serious injuries and even death. The Detroit Free Press has recently issued a warning to all 2006 Ford Ranger drivers, in relation to defective Takata airbags, urging them to get their vehicles inspected immediately.

The Detroit Free Press also reported that, "inflators, which use ammonium nitrate as a propellant, can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. The problem touched off the largest string of auto recalls in U.S. history and forced Takata into bankruptcy and more than 180 people have been injured." In January of 2016, Ford recalled 391,000 Rangers in the U.S. and Canada from 2004 to 2006 to replace the vehicles’ inflators. The recall was announced after the unexpected death of South Carolina resident, 52-year-old Joel Knight in December of 2015. He was driving his 2006 Ranger when his airbag exploded randomly, and not due to a car accident.

In another similar defective airbag incident, Steve Mollohan from Hedgeville, West Virginia died while operating a 2006 Ford Ranger on July 1, 2017 when his airbag exploded. Even after that incident, as of July 28, 2017, only 3.7% of the recalled 2004 to 2006 Rangers in the U.S. had been repaired, according to the NHTSA. Recalls usually have a repair rate of around 75% after 18 months of the recall. Ford has tried everything to reach drivers in this situations and has encouraged drivers of recalled vehicles to get them repaired.

A separate recall was issued in November of 2017, also because of faulty airbags. The NHTSA reported that around 34 million cars are being recalled and 46 million defective airbags could possibly explode and lead to serious injury or death. More airbags are scheduled to be recalled by December of 2019, bringing the total number of recalls to around 60-75 million. Of those recalled, only 43% of the airbags have been repaired. If you currently drive a Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks North America (Sterling Bullet), Daimler Vans USA LLC (Sprinter), Dodge/Ram, Ferrari, Fisker, Ford, GMC, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, McLaren, Mercedes Benz, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Scion , Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, or Volkswagen, use the Recalls Lookup Tool to see if your car has been recalled. Ford has also said that loaner cars will be available to those who need them and repairs will be completed free of charge.

There are many cars out there that have been recalled, but not yet repaired. Drivers shouldn't hesitate in getting their cars fixed. It's better to be safe, than sorry and risk getting into a car accident or other type of dangerous situation. 

Every year many companies issue recalls to improve equipment or to implement safety measures. Ignoring recalls may lead to injuries, for example in the event that a vehicle's problem leads to motor vehicle accident. If you or someone you know has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM, for a free consultation.

A Healthy Economy Can Cause Traffic Accident Deaths

The Detroit Free Press reported that traffic accident deaths have decreased last year after a 2-year spike in deaths. They do caution however, that it's not time for celebration just yet. The National Safety Council (NSC) estimated that 40,100 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2017, which is down just under 1% from the 2016 total of 40,327. The NSC also said that it’s too early to tell if the decline in traffic deaths will continue to decrease, because the previous two years saw spikes in traffic accident deaths. Between 2014 and 2015, traffic accidents increased by 7%, making it the steepest increase in fatalities in the last 50 years. Before 2016, yearly traffic deaths had not yet reached 40,000. So, why the sudden increase in traffic deaths?

Forbes.com reported that 2009-2012 were the worst 5 years of the US economy since the Great Depression. In December of 2012, the number of people employed declined by 3 million people. That means that between those 5 years, 3 million fewer people were working and fewer people were driving on the roads to and from work. Having fewer people driving on the road caused the number of traffic deaths to decrease to the lowest deaths per year. Supporting this is NSC data which shows that the lowest traffic accident deaths per year occurred in 2011 with 32,000 deaths. 

Following 2012, the economy started to get better and more people were employed. While a rise in employment is great news for the economy and the employed individuals, more people began driving more miles, which caused the spike in traffic accident deaths. As the economy recovered people began driving more often by going out on weekends, driving down unfamiliar roads, and driving longer distances, and while driving engaged in distracted driving behaviors.

The recovering economy explains why there are more people on the roads, which also explains the increase in traffic deaths. The more people driving the more risk of car accidents. So what is the explanation for distracted driving being a factor in traffic deaths? Fortune.com called distracted driving a new “epidemic.” One cause for the distracted driving epidemic is cell phones. Fortune mentions that in a survey of 2,300 people about their driving habits, 56% of people admitted to using their cell phones while driving. They also reported that for every 11 miles driven, the average person is on their phone for 0.4 miles of the drive. It doesn’t seem like a lot of distance or that it could be very dangerous, but using a cell phone while driving is dangerous. Looking away from the road for any amount of time may lead to a distracted driving car accident. 

Touch screens inside car interiors are also a new driving distraction. A majority of new cars come with a touch screens instead of button and knobs. While the touch screen is a technological upgrade, it also requires users to look at the screen to select options, which makes it a big distraction. Although volume knobs and scanner buttons are also encourage distracted driving among other driving problems, they are a lesser evil because many people can reach out for these button without looking away from the road. In cases of a touch screen though, it's always safer to have passengers change settings in the car or to use voice activated commands, if a newer car has them. And if a vehicle has voice commands, it likely has Bluetooth, which helps avoid having to use cell phones to text or make calls, while driving. So, there are some new car technologies can prevent drivers from getting into distracted driving car crashes. Hopefully, these advancements along with a hopefully healthy economy will allow 2018 to continue the decline in traffic deaths!

As much as everyone loves staying home and ordering everything they need on Amazon with 2 day shipping, we can't avoid driving because of the risk of getting in a car accident. Instead, we should do our best to minimize the risk of car accidents by not engaging in distracted driving behaviors like using cell phones while driving. If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC to speak to an experienced car accident attorney. For a free legal consulataion, dial 844.4MI.FIRM. 

The Effects Of Car Accidents On Pregnant Women

Raw fish, roller coasters, coffee, and hot tubs. What do these seemingly random things have in common?

I’ll answer that one Mr. Trebek.

What is: things pregnant women should avoid!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!!!

Although all of the above things can be harmful to an unborn baby, another great pregnancy risk that almost all pregnant women take, without even thinking twice, is driving a car! Every year, according to SafeRide4Kids, about 300-5,000 unborn babies die in motor vehicle accidents. Also, the leading cause of miscarriages in the first trimester, is due to car accidents. However, telling a pregnant women to stay inside her house for nine months is unrealistic, because pregnant women work, shop, run errands, and travel, just like all other people.

In fact, according to Census Bureau Data, 66% of women worked while they were pregnant from 2006 to 2008, compared to the 1960s when only 44% of women worked at all during their pregnancies. Furthermore, 82% of women continued to work until less than one month before giving birth.

However, a Canadian study, from 2014, revealed that pregnant women are 42% more likely to get into a car accident than non-pregnant women. This is a serious statistic that clearly outlines that driving while pregnant may be unsafe. Why? Well, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigue and drowsiness can impair a driver’s judgement, as well as slow down their reaction times. Unfortunately, drowsiness and fatigue are two very common symptoms that pregnant women experience. If a person driving a car in front of them brakes suddenly, a fatigued driver  may not react in time to slam on their own brakes, to avoid rear-ending the car in front. While all people who drive or ride in vehicles are susceptible of getting into car crashes any time they are on the road, and thereby risk car accident injuries to themselves, it’s the effects of a car crash on an unborn baby that is the cause for concern here.

So what can pregnant women do to decrease the likelihood of getting into a car crash due to fatigue and drowsiness? Well, Dr. Donald Redelmeier, who led the Canadian study said, "We aren't recommending pregnant woman delegate their driving to their husbands...Young adult men are even more dangerous behind the wheel. They have even higher crash rates [than pregnant women]... Obey stop signs. Don't speed. Minimize distractions — standard safe driving habits...That seems like such incredibly banal advice to give. I realize that, but every one of our crashes in the study could have been avoided by a small change in driver behaviors."

Redelmeier also notes that his pregnant patients often ask about the risks of flying and roller coasters, but they don’t ever discuss road safety, despite car accidents being a larger threat to their health.

Though car accidents pose dangers to pregnant women and their unborn children, driving a car isn’t the only way pregnant women can get into car accidents. Pedestrian car accidents also pose a threat to pregnant women. The Michigan Law Firm, PC blog recently covered the tragic pedestrian car crash involving Broadway actress Ruthie Ann Miles. Ms. Miles was walking across a crosswalk in Brooklyn New York after leaving a church service, accompanied by her friend and their respective children, when a driver  lost control and hit them. The accident took the lives of Miles’ four-year-old daughter, her friend’s one-year-old son and a nearby male pedestrian. Miles was pregnant at the time of the accident, but fortunately, the baby is reportedly unharmed.

Life is unpredictable and car accidents always happen. Whether they are fatal car accidents or just car crashes that cause a few cuts and bruises, any car crash is even more dangerous to a pregnant woman, and especially to a pregnant woman who may be suffering from fatigue or drowsiness. The Michigan Law Firm, PC understands how devastating car accidents can be. Our attorneys handle legal situations for car accident victims so they can focus on taking care of themselves and their families. For a free legal consultation, call 844.4MI.FIRM.

Car Accident Severely Injures Broadway Actress And Kills Two Children

When accidents happen, people often explain them away by saying that, "bad things happens to everyone." This saying is true because everyone in the world is at risk for being involved in a car accident, including celebrities. Celebrities are often forgotten about when it comes to accidents and sometimes it can come as a shock to the public when they are injured. On average, around 3,287 people are killed each day from car related accidents and celebrities have the same chance of being one of those people that everyone else does. One celebrity that was recently involved in a car crash is Ruthie Ann Miles.

Ruthie Ann Miles is a Broadway actress who made her debut in the musical, “The King and I,” which won her a Tony award in 2015. Ruthie was walking across a crosswalk in Brooklyn, New York with one of her friends, Lauren Lew, and both of their children, when a woman lost control of her car and hit them. According to the The Washington Post, Miles’ four-year-old daughter and Lews' one-year-old son were killed in the car crash instantly. Both women and a 46-year-old male pedestrian, who was also hit, were hospitalized for their injuries. Miles was pregnant at the time of the car crash, but thankfully, her unborn baby is unharmed.

The driver of the car was Dorothy Burns, a 44-year-old woman from Staten Island, New York. The Washington Post reported that the woman was sitting at an intersection in Brooklyn when her car began to move forward. According to nearby pedestrians, the car started moving slowly then sped up and struck the victims. A law enforcement official said that Burns was not drunk at the time and has not been charged. USA Today reported that Burns suffers from multiple sclerosis and had a seizure while stopped at a red light, which caused her to lose control of her car. Investigators looked at Burns’ medical records and said that if doctors have never prohibited her from driving, she may not face any charges.

After news broke that Burns suffers from seizures many people were angered that she was able to drive. Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “She should never have been allowed to have been driving a car after what we know of these other violations.” He also said that measures were going to be taken to prevent such car accidents from happening again. “People who get behind the wheel of a car need to understand that they have a weapon in their hands,” de Blasio stated. One thing that Mayor de Blasio is known for is promoting Vision Zero, a traffic safety campaign that is, “committed to helping communities reach their goal of Vision Zero - eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries -while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.”

Vision Zero focuses on reducing traffic accidents in major cities like New York. They believe that making smaller changes in not only major cities, but smaller suburban areas, can have a huge effect on saving the lives of many people in car accidents. Some strategies that they use to implement traffic accident safety are, lowering speed limits, redesigning streets, implementing meaningful behavior change campaigns, and enhancing data-driven traffic enforcement. If these car accident reducing strategies can help large cities like New York, maybe they can help reduce car accidents in Detroit too. The residents of Metro Detroit are used to the non-stop construction anyway, so why not make a few changes with the roads that possibly prevent future car accidents! 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there are 4,092 pedestrian motor vehicle deaths and 59,000 pedestrian car crash injuries each year. Taking action and making small traffic safety changes, like those Vision Zero implements, can greatly reduce the number of people killed in car accidents each year. Another thing that people should be aware of is their personal health in relation to road safety.Conditions such as seizures, as well as simple issues like not have an up-to-date prescription for glasses, may impair driving. Drivers who are unaware of health issues that impair driving or choose to ignore them, may be putting the lives of innocent people on line, every time they drive. The way to prevent car accidents due to medical conditions is to go to regular checkup with healtcare professionals and to be 100% cleared to opearate a motor vehicle. 

Driving safety and road safety are important factors in preventing accidents, but  the person driving the car is just as important. By making sure that you are medically cleared to safely operate a motor vehicle, individuals  can prevent future car crashes from occurring and saves them from making a call to a car accident attorney. However, car crashes happen every day, for several other, non-medical reasons. If you or someone you know needs more information on how to handle a car accident, contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC by calling 844.4MI.FIRM. Our experienced accident attorneys offer free, legal consultations.

Life With A TBI

Brain injury Awareness Month is recognized every March by The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) to raise awareness for brain injuries, the severity of brain injuries, and also the toll brain injuries take on the entire family of a person with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The BIAA leads the country in spreading awareness on how TBIs affect a person's life and how completing even the smallest tasks can be a struggle. The BIAA’s mission is very important, since according to their research, every 9 seconds, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the BIAA, in part with TBIs becoming part of everyday conversation due to press like the NFL head injury scandal, knowledge on TBIs is increasing and TBIs are being discussed more often. One example of TBIs gaining national attention is their use as plot points in TV shows.

Source: Giphy, ABC's The Fosters

One show that is incorporating TBIs is The Fosters, a popular show that airs on FreeForm. During the show's latest season, one of the characters, 16-year-old Jesus, was involved in an accident and was knocked unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital and ended up in a medically induced coma. It was later revealed that he suffered from a (TBI). The show documented Jesus’ fight with his TBI through multiple rehab centers and through the transition of returning home. The Fosters gives a perfect example of the struggles someone who has sustained a TBI faces. This depiction, though fictional, is in line with the same awareness that the BIAA is trying to raise on the difficulties of TBIs. Giving a character a TBI on the show was not only a major plot twist, but it also educated the show’s demographic of people aged 12-34, who might not have previously known what traumatic brain injuries are.

Although The Fosters is a fictional show, accidents like Jesus’ happen all the time in real life. One real life person living with a TBI is 13-year-old Paul. BrainLine, a national multimedia project that offers information and resources to help people prevent, treat, and live with a TBI, discuss Paul’s story on their blog. Paul was once just like any other kid his age who enjoyed spending time with his family and playing sports outside with his friends. Paul’s whole world was turned upside down after an afternoon of bike riding turned into a car accident. Paul was immediately taken to the hospital following the car crash but was left with life changing injuries. While his TBI wasn’t diagnosed at the ER, TBI symptoms manifested while he was still admitted to the hospital due to car accident injuries. Paul was soon diagnosed with a TBI that left him immobile and in a vegetative state. His recovery was very slow and he fought hard to accomplish things that most people do without even realizing it, like lifting his eyelids, moving a finger, or saying a word. After spending many months in the ICU, Paul was transferred into a TBI rehabilitation hospital. While in the rehabilitation hospital, Paul had to learn how to walk, talk, and do simple everyday tasks all over again.

After a long journey in the rehabilitation hospital, Paul was finally able to return home with his family. However, the problems stemming from the car crash TBI weren’t over yet, and Paul’s journey was nowhere near finished. Even after leaving the rehabilitation hospital Paul was still dependent on a wheelchair and walker. His parents still had to assist him with everyday tasks including self care, such as dressing and bathing. The stress level in the house was extremely high, according to Paul’s mom. Paul’s siblings struggled to get used to what they referred to as their “new” brother. Other than the stress of dealing with the TBI itself, Paul’s parents felt very guilty that all of their time was put toward taking care of Paul, and felt like they were neglecting their other children. Eventually, Paul’s parents knew they needed help balancing everyday life and taking care of Paul, so they asked for help whenever they needed it. Paul’s mom said regarding taking care of Paul and his TBI,

“The care giving was both never ending and exhausting. We had to recognize our own limitations, shed any guilt, and ask for help from our community, friends, and family.”

As years passed Paul continued to improve and was eventually able to return to school, but couldn’t do it on his own. BrainLine says that according to his parents, “Paul needed an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) geared toward his specific needs. He underwent a neurophysiology examination, which is concerned with the relationships between brain function and behavior and considers how injury may affect learning, communication, planning, organization, and relationships with others.” A personal aid was offered to Paul by his school to help him keep up with all the other students. He was also given a personal laptop to do assignments on. Graduating high school was a huge accomplishment for Paul, but was only the beginning to many other hard challenges.

Getting a job and figuring out what he wanted to do after high school was another difficult decision Paul and his parents had to make. Even though Paul had made tremendous improvements, he was still not the same person he was before the car crash. He walks off-balance, his voice is slow and monotone, and he is slightly slower to process information, to form a thought, or to respond to a question. Paul eventually got a job after high school and worked at a local retail store where he started as a greeter, moved up to sales clerk, and then cashier. Ten years after his accident, at the age of 23, Paul is now attending Lesley University where he is studying the Threshold Program in Boston and is living independently. He also volunteers at the hospital that took care of him and speaks about TBIs and the importance of bike and car safety.

Stories like Paul's show that traumatic brain injuries don’t just affect the live of the person suffering from brain trauma, but that a TBI leaves everyone in the family changed for the rest of their lives as well. Paul’s mom shared,

“Despite all the miraculous gains my son has made over the years, my heart often remains heavy. When I look into my husband’s or my children’s eyes, I can still see the lingering fear, the permanent scars.”

Hospitals and the sounds of ambulances have permanently scarred Paul’s parents and siblings. Paul’s mother continued,

“the sound of an ambulance or the sight of a hospital can evoke tears as we relive and experience flashbacks to that unthinkable day of the accident.”

To help people cope with the ways TBIs can disrupt a family’s life, the BIAA offers webinars that people can watch online to educate themselves on all topics related to traumatic brain injuries. Some such topics include up-to-date TBI research, possible TBI treatment options, TBI rehabilitation, and how families can learn to manage living with someone has a TBI.

Whether you are riding a bike or driving a car, you may be at risk of sustaining a TBI. Being knowledgeable about what traumatic brain injuries are and how they affect individuals and families may result in people taking more caution while engaging in physical activities or even driving, in order to prevent traumatic brain injuries from occurring. Traumatic brain injuries like many other car accident injuries not only harm the victim’s health but oftentimes bring up legal burdens for the injured person and their family as well. Our lawyers are experienced in helping families who are struggling with brain trauma handle their legal problems while they focus on their recovery. Call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM to meet with a car accident TBI attorney for a free consultation.

Oakland County Deputy In Critical Condition After Being Hit By Car

David Hack is an Oakland County Sheriff Deputy. On January 4, 2018, around 7:00 AM, according to the Detroit Free Press, Hack was policing an accident that had occurred in front of Rochester Adams High School, in Rochester Hill, Michigan. Deputy Hack was standing in front of his car when he was struck by a Ford Taurus driven by a 24-year-old college student who was on her way to Oakland University. David Hack was taken to Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills by the Rochester Fire Department.

According to Click On Detroit, since the car accident, David has opened his eyes three times. It was reported that he is still in critical condition and has not regained consciousness, but is now stable. Deputy Hack's family is staying hopeful and his wife believes that he is aware that his family's presence in the hospital room.

Deputy Hack's car crash comes as yet another disheartening police car accident, since only six weeks ago, a Oakland County Sheriff Deputy passed away after he was also struck by a car on Thanksgiving day. The Detroit Free Press reported that Deputy Eric Overall, "had just deployed tire-deflating stop sticks on the southbound side of M-15 at Seymour Lake Road and was "well off the roadway" when the driver purposely swerved to hit him at about 12:30 a.m." 22-year-old Christopher Joseph Berak, the driver who hit Overall, has four prior convictions for marijuana possession and for resisting and obstructing police. 

While Oakland County and Michiganders may be surprised to hear about both of these police accidents, car crashes involving law enforcement officers are more common than most may think. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released statistics that found that 86 law enforcement officers were killed during in line-of-duty incidents in 2015. Of those 86 fatalities, 29 were police car crash deaths. 

While Deputy Overall's death was ruled a homicide, Deputy Hack's car crash was likely a non-intentional accident. While there is no surefire way to avoid causing a car accident, drivers would do well to always pay attention to their surroundings when operating a motor vehicle. For police car crashes in particular, one way to avoid car crashes with cops is to know how to respond when you are being pulled over by a law enforcement officer. The Michigan Law Firm, PC blog has previously discussed Michigan State Police Lieutenant Rob Davis' tips on what to do when a police officer pulls you over. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that each year 4,092 pedestrians are killed in motor related accidents. It's important for drivers to always be aware of their surroundings and to watch out for other cars as well as pedestrians. No matter how vigilant a driver is however, car accident can and do happen. If you have been involved in a car accident due to a negligent driver, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation with a car accident attorney today.

Christmas Lights May Cause Distracted Driving Accidents

With Christmas just around the corner, houses, shopping complexes, and office buildings all around, are decorated in shining lights, Santa sleighs, and reindeer. While receiving gifts may be most peoples' favorite part about the upcoming holidays, Christmas decorations are another cause for excitement, as they bring out creativity and even competition, to see who has the best displays. In fact, the whole premise of the movie Deck The Halls, is, "two neighbors having it out after one of them decorates his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space!" Visibility from space may be a stretch, but many businesses, homes, and even cities in Michigan, go all out in lighting splendor during the holidays. Driving to see these Christmas light spectacles is a very popular Christmas pastime. 

In fact, there are multiple holiday light displays throughout the Metro Detroit area which hold up traffic and draw crowds of pedestrians. Downtown Rochester, Michigan is famous for its outstanding light display throughout that connects all downtown storefronts. Restaurants and small shops are decorated in different colors, which gives the entire strip an amazing glow. Citizens of Michigan can view this sight by driving through downtown but also enjoy parking, walking around, and taking pictures with their family and friends. For those who don't like to leave the comfort and warmth of their car, Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe is a popular holiday decoration destination. The houses in this neighborhood are known for the extravagant Christmas lights and people from all across the Metro Detroit area come to see them.

While the light shows and displays are so dazzling, it is for the reason that they are eye catching that they may also be dangerous. Looking at lights while in a car causes attention to veer away from the road and may in turn cause drivers to become involved in distracted driving car accidents. These distracted driving car crashes might not only involve other cars, but in such high traffic areas, may lead to distracted driving pedestrian accidents. A few weeks ago, in Massachusetts, a local news outlet reported that a 62-year-old man was hit by a car while crossing the street to view a popular Christmas light display that is put up every year. He was hit by a 23-year-old who was driving through the light display. This is just one example of the many distracted driving car accidents that can occur relating to both pedestrians and drivers during the holiday season. And although that distracted driving pedestrian accident occurred in Massachusetts, similar winter car crashes can occur to families talking selfies in downtown Rochester or couples driving through Lake Shore Drive.  

Whether you are a pedestrian or a driver, one thing to always remember is to be aware of your surroundings and know that your actions can affect the lives of others. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day 9 people are killed and around 1,000 people are injured due to distracted driving. That's over 12,000 people who get injured because of distracted driving! 

If you plan on driving to see holiday lights this year, choosing a designated driver, as you would to avoid drunk driving, may be a good idea. A designated driver would not look at the holiday decorations and instead would focus on the road so the rest of the vehicle's occupants can enjoy Christmas spectacles without worry. If you plan to take in the holiday spirit via walking, try to wear reflective clothing and move in a group so as to be visible, and try to stay on sidewalks and walkways, so as to avoid stepping in the road. While there is no surefire way to avoid being involved in a distracted driving car accident or a distracted pedestrian crash, by staying alert and staying in your lane (or sidewalk), any potential accidents can hopefully be avoided.

Pedestrians and drivers who want to take pictures of the holiday displays should be aware that cell phones are a huge contributor to distracted driving and adding Christmas lights just begging to be photographed and tweeted into the mix, doesn’t help. Getting the perfect Instagram picture is not worth a call to a car accident lawyer. Telling your accident attorney that you got hit by a car because you walked into the road while taking a selfie with Santa in the background not only sounds embarrassing, but may cause you deal with a ridiculous number of Michigan car insurance legal issues. 

The holiday season comes with an infectious spirit that causes people to drink eggnog, go caroling, and decorate their houses with lights. While driving around town to look at holiday light displays is a popular event, drivers and pedestrians should always remember to be aware of their surroundings and take precautions to prevent distracted driving car accidents. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC, at 844.MI.FIRM, for a free consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney.