Motorcycles have long been associated with freedom, thrill and a sense of adventure. However, for motorcyclists, the open road also comes with an element of increased danger. Motorcycles lack the crash protection of an enclosed vehicle, so it’s no wonder that even though motorcycles represent only 3% of the vehicles out there on the road and do only 0.6% of the traveling, motorcyclists make up 14% of the fatalities in accidents. Aside from serious injuries and long recovery times, the survivors of motorcycle accidents often face another problem: Anti-biker biases can affect their ability to re ..read more

Most adults in the United States don’t have enough hours in the day to fulfill all of their personal responsibilities comfortably. They may need to make difficult sacrifices, such as giving up hobbies or rest so that they can care for their children and fulfill their employment responsibilities. The average adult in the United States likely has not had enough sleep in recent days and could be experiencing some minor mood and health consequences as a result of low-grade, chronic fatigue. Yet, for those in certain professions, fatigue can be a major safety concern. In the commercial transportati ..read more

People are instinctively aware of how dangerous semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles can be in traffic. Their imposing size means that they tower over most passenger vehicles. There are very few things that can inspire a sense of fear more quickly than looking into a rearview mirror to see a commercial truck approaching rapidly from behind. The average 18-wheeler is a very unwieldy and imposing vehicle that could very easily cause a crash resulting in life-altering consequences for the people involved in the wreck. Some commercial vehicles are even more dangerous than the average semi-tru ..read more

Motor vehicle collisions are a fact of life for people in Missouri. Every day, crashes occur because someone doesn’t use their turn signal or they get distracted while driving. Collisions are the result of all kinds of different unsafe behaviors, some of which are more common than others. Drunk driving, for example, is something most people recognize as unsafe. However, many motorists don’t judge driving at high speeds that are over the posted limit for a specific area in the same way. Yet, speeding is one of the most common traffic violations, as many people habitually exceed the posted limit ..read more

Cars continue to get safer every year. New cars are equipped with a number of advanced technologies designed to keep people safer – both drivers and passengers alike. This reality has helped to prevent accidents and to keep people from severe injuries even when they are involved in a wreck. Unfortunately, there are those who believe this technology is making people worse at driving. Trusting the tech, they may take chances that they otherwise wouldn’t and then make mistakes as a result of their own complacency. An example of this could be if a driver looks away from the road, counting on an au ..read more

Some pedestrians walk almost everywhere for health reasons or to keep their personal costs low. Other people are only occasional pedestrians, such as when they want to stop at the ATM off the street before buying coffee somewhere. Regardless of how frequently people find themselves sharing the road with motor vehicles as pedestrians in Missouri, they will want to make their safety their top priority. Any crash that occurs could very easily lead to broken bones, brain injuries and other serious medical consequences. Although those walking, running or jogging on or near public roads can’t contro ..read more

Intersections are innately dangerous because they involve multiple lanes of traffic crossing each other. Stop signs, yield signs and traffic lights help manage the flow of traffic through intersections, yet collisions at intersections remain very common. In fact, research consistently shows that roughly a quarter of all traffic fatalities tend to occur at intersections each year. Municipalities have started making major changes to road design to reduce the risk generated by intersections, like installing roundabouts so that different roads don’t cross each other directly. Those who understand ..read more

Drivers in Missouri are required to follow traffic laws to the best of their ability. Abiding by rules such as the speed limit and using turn signals can reduce the likelihood of a crash. There are also separate rules that apply after a crash occurs. Motorists must carry insurance and will potentially need to provide coverage for the other parties involved in a collision if they are at fault for a crash. They could also be subject to a lawsuit and could end up ticketed or prosecuted because of traffic violations leading up to a collision. Sometimes, the threat of those consequences is enough t ..read more

If you’re like most motorcyclists, you are already familiar with this issue: You know you’re in plain view of another motorist in a passenger vehicle, but they still almost drive right into you – and you’re scared that one day you’re not going to be able to take evasive action fast enough to avoid a wreck. Those kinds of incidents are called “looked-but-failed-to-see” (LBFTS) crashes, and they often happen because of something known as “inattentional blindness.” What causes inattentional blindness? Inattentional blindness is a phenomenon related to the way that the human brain works (or doesn ..read more

Truck “platooning” involves a convoy of commercial trucks driving closely together, coordinating their movements through the use of advanced technology. This emerging practice, which is sort of an advanced form of “cruise control” for semitrucks, aims to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and increase road capacity. It’s not supposed to raise the risk of accidents to truckers and other roadway users, however –that can happen for a number of reasons. These are some of the concerns surrounding platooning. Limited maneuverability and increased risks One of the primary concerns with truck p ..read more