There is a seemingly endless list of hazards that drivers face when they get behind the wheel. It can range from impaired drivers to bad weather to poorly maintained roads. Despite the many variables, the time of day does influence the likelihood of getting involved in a collision. Obviously, crashes can happen at any time, so drivers should always be on the defensive. Nonetheless, an awareness of the increased risk can help drivers make more informed decisions regarding their driving habits. Data broken down by time According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there were 33,244 fatal ..read more

Smartwatches are a marvel of modern technology, enabling users to use them as phones, send texts, track sleep patterns and other things. Unfortunately, they also are another gadget that can distract drivers behind the wheel of a car or truck. There is indeed hands-free usage, but a study out of the United Kingdom found that smartwatches are more dangerous than a regular phone. Why so dangerous? It comes down to the logistics of wearing a watch. Whereas a conventional cell phone needs only one hand to operate, one hand needs to touch the other wrist to operate the smartwatch. This essentially l ..read more

It is an unfortunate fact that some automobile accidents leave victims with life-changing and sometimes permanent injuries. These drastic changes to your physical condition might require accommodations, or adaptive aids to support you at home, when traveling, and in the workplace. These might include personal hygiene and mobility products or reconfiguring your vehicle and home. They could also include legally mandated accommodations that enable you to continue working. Learn what your options are, how they can help you continue to live an independent and productive life, and your rights with r ..read more

Photos of Los Angeles freeways taken in the early days of the pandemic were jarring. Those long stretches of concrete normally jammed to capacity were in those lockdown days of 2020 nearly empty. A smattering of scattered vehicles could be seen in shots taken from above. Similar images of nearly vacant highways, streets and roads could be found across the nation. More speed and recklessness According to a recent study, the few drivers who ventured out in Franklin County, Ohio, in February, March and April of last year were more likely to speed and drive recklessly. As a result, though the numb ..read more

Many drivers enjoy a nice, long road trip from time to time. It’s an opportunity to turn to your favorite radio or music streaming station, roll down the windows, and enjoy the scenery as you pass by. However, long drives, especially those that keep you on the road until the wee hours of the morning, also cause fatigue. It’s vital to avoid this and reduce the risk of highway hypnosis, a trance-like state in which your reaction times slow and you might even doze off behind the wheel. 7 tips for avoiding drowsiness while driving Keep your eyes moving. Especially on long rides down monotonous roa ..read more

Suffering due to automobile accidents isn’t just physical. The emotional distress experienced by victims cannot and should not be ignored. Yet far too many of us brush off the symptoms of emotional trauma as something we just have to “get over” and discount how they can seriously impact our relationships, job performance, and enjoyment of daily life. Just as you should seek medical help for any physical injury after a crash, you should see a mental health professional for evaluation, and if needed treatment, for your emotional injuries. Misunderstanding the effects of trauma Trauma is defined ..read more

Millions watch the Fast and Furious movies, which follow the adventures of street racers who went from fugitives to good guys who help government agents take down super-criminals. The stories are told with fast cars and nerves of steel. It is the stuff of fiction, but it seemingly helped inspire a rise in the street racing subculture, which went into overdrive during the pandemic due to empty roads and shutdowns. Unfortunately, the increasing numbers led to more injuries and deaths. For instance, last weekend in Downey, at the intersection of Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard, five were ..read more

If you go to the Tesla website, the company says that all its vehicles are equipped with Autopilot, a feature that “enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane.” However, Tesla notes that “current Autopilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.” According to a recently released study using on MIT Advanced Vehicle Technology data, despite Tesla’s important caveat about Autopilot’s capabilities, drivers are unable or unwilling to maintain “active driver supervision” once they’ve activated Autopilot. Increasing distrac ..read more

Traffic safety assumptions before 2020 were simple: If there are fewer cars on Los Angeles streets, there will be fewer car crashes. And if there are fewer motor vehicle crashes, there will be fewer crash injuries and fatalities. As we all now know, those assumptions were wrong. Though the level of Los Angeles traffic declined in 2020, the rate of fatal wrecks climbed (increased speed was a major factor) and so traffic fatalities were virtually unchanged from 2019 statistics. Now that we’ve passed the halfway mark of 2021, we can see that traffic safety hasn’t improved from last year. Eclipsin ..read more

A ..read more