Rising gas prices and environmental concerns have led many Americans, including Indiana residents, to adopt walking and cycling for everyday commutes. These choices benefit the planet and personal health, but pedestrian accident risks remain a significant threat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the latest data (from 2021) paints a disturbing picture, with 7,388 pedestrians dying in traffic crashes and more than 60,000 suffering injuries throughout the U.S. Learning more about high-risk pedestrian accident scenarios can improve your safety when walking a ..read more

For people facing their first Operating While Intoxicated charge in Indiana, concerns about potential jail time are common. It is important to understand the likelihood of incarceration in such cases. Several factors come into play when determining the possibility of jail time after a first OWI conviction. Offense severity The severity of the offense plays a key role in determining the likelihood of jail time. OWI offenses undergo classification based on various factors. Some of these include blood alcohol concentration level, whether property damage or injury occurred and if there were any mi ..read more

The young adult years can be trying times for families and their offspring. Young people often make mistakes, and some of them can result in criminal charges. Should a young person’s bad decisions as a teenager result in lifelong, adverse consequences? Some people believe that better alternatives exist to course-correct than incarcerating young people and effectively throwing away the key for decades. Understand the immediate and long-term consequences If you and your family receive public benefits or live in Section 8 housing, your child could be taken off your benefits and be denied the righ ..read more

While it is a relatively rare occurrence, car accidents can result in fires. The electrical and fuel components can be damaged during a collision, meaning that only a spark is needed to ignite the vehicle. If a driver or passenger is unable to exit the vehicle quickly in these conditions, they are likely to suffer burn injuries. Burn injuries are separated into four categories based on their severity. Outlined below are the four different grades of burn injuries. First-degree burns First-degree burns are relatively minor. These types of burns only impact the outer layers of the skin. While the ..read more

Children may be negatively impacted by their parents’ divorce, at least for a time. However, co-parenting plans help ensure that can children get attention from both parents and maintain a healthy relationship with each parent under most circumstances. While co-parenting can be beneficial for children, it can be challenging. Sometimes, situations arise where supervised parenting time or supervised visitation may be required. Parental alienation In cases where a child is showing signs of distress or reluctance to spend time with one parent, indicating potential parental alienation, courts may o ..read more

Managing virtual visitation when co-parenting a teen generally involves some unique challenges and opportunities alike. Virtual visitation arrangements, executed via video calls, messaging apps and social media, offers a flexible and dynamic way to stay connected. This is an important effort for divided families to make, as teenagers who are navigating their formative years, generally benefit from maintaining a strong relationship with both parents. However, these kinds of arrangements require careful planning and sensitivity to a teenager’s needs and schedules. Scheduling Establishing a consi ..read more

When looking at car accident statistics, you can often divide drivers into different groups. For example, teen drivers have a very high accident rate when compared to drivers in their 30s or 40s. This helps to show where the risks lie on the road and why many accidents occur. One question that people sometimes have is whether or not men or women cause more car accidents. Is it safer or more dangerous for drivers to be of a specific gender, or does it make no difference at all? Men are involved in far more accidents All you have to do is look at fatality rates to see that men are involved in ma ..read more

Informing your family about a divorce is never easy, especially for couples over 50 undergoing a gray divorce. Your children, grandchildren and other family members may not understand why you are making this decision, creating tension and additional stress. However, there are ways to approach this sensitive situation that can help minimize the emotional impact on your family members. Choose the right place and time Selecting an appropriate setting for this conversation is important. Opt for a quiet and private space where everyone can feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions wit ..read more

The legality of the traffic stop preceding your operating while intoxicated (OWI) arrest is crucial to your drunk driving charges. It could make or break the prosecution’s case against you. Therefore, it helps to understand the fine line between a legal and illegal traffic stop if you are facing drunk driving charges. Generally, law enforcement officers need a legally justifiable reason or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity to stop you. It could be exhibiting erratic driving behavior, having a broken tail light, speeding or committing other traffic violations. The police cannot simply p ..read more

Birdnesting, also known as “bird’s nest custody,” is a co-parenting arrangement wherein children remain in one home, and the parents take turns living with them. This unique approach aims to create a stable environment for children while allowing parents to maintain a sense of continuity in their lives. In a birdnesting arrangement, the parents rotate in and out of the family home based on an agreed-upon schedule. While one parent resides with the children, the other lives in a separate residence. This setup fosters consistency for the children while requiring parents to coordinate effectively ..read more