Washington Personal Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Regan Zambri & Long Law Firm : DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog

Automobile safety groups recently revealed the innovative Jordan Rollover System (JRS), a superior test device for analyzing the strength of a vehicle's roof as well as the automobile's rollover crash protection.  The system tests vehicles under "real-world conditions".  Unfortunately, the automobile industry doesn't want you to see the test results and they balk at federal requirements for stronger vehicle roofs. Continue Reading...

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Video game consoles are always popular gifts for the holiday season. Retailers are reporting they can’t keep the latest and greatest gaming devices on their shelves.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is releasing information on how to keep gaming devices from overheating.

Since 2000, the CPSC has received reports on 226 incidents involving electronic game systems. 107 of those reports indicated some form of overheating or fire, including 15 cases of injury.

To promote safe use of these devices the CPSC offers the following tips:

• "Read the owners manual for information on how to install and use the gaming device.
•  Do not place the system on soft surfaces, such as a bed, sofa or carpeting that can block   ventilation openings.
•  Do not place the system in confined areas, such as an entertainment unit, bookcase or rack, unless the space is well ventilated.
•  Do not install the system near heat sources, such as heat registers, radiators or heaters.
•  Do not overload electrical sockets with too many devices.
•  Do not expose the system to extreme heat or cold.
•  Keep the system on a level surface.
•  Turn the system off when not in use.
•  Unplug the system in the event of storms or severe weather.
•  Never use a game system with a damaged power supply cord.
•  Only use attachments that are specified as compatible by the manufacturer."

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As recently reported by the Associated Press, a recall order has been issued for "about 2.3 million Christmas light sets, imported by Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., because the wires can separate from the plugs or light sockets, which poses as an electric shock and fire hazard. The Consumer Product Safety Commission received one report of a person receiving a minor shock after touching a light string. Hobby Lobby received one report of melting wires.

The following light sets are included in the recall: 100 Count Indoor/Outdoor Super Bright Mini Light Set; 50 Count Classic Colors Indoor Super Bright Mini Light Set; 150 Count Indoor/Outdoor Ribbon Style Net Light Set; 100 Count Indoor/Outdoor Miniature Trunk Net Lights Set and 300 Count Indoor/Outdoor Hang-Straight Icicle Light Set. All colors for each set are being recalled. The recalled light sets have either E-214285, E-124315 or E-65692 printed on the upper left side of the white tags attached to the wire.

Hobby Lobby stores nationwide sold the lights from June 2006 through early December 2006. Consumers should return the lights to a Hobby Lobby store to receive a Hobby Lobby exchange card. For more information, contact the company at 800-326-7931 or visit http://www.hobbylobby.com or http://www.cpsc.gov."

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator Nicole R. Nason recently called for a comprehensive solution to a tragic problem – children who are backed over by motor vehicles.  The agency submitted to Congress a report on the effectiveness of various backover avoidance technologies currently available to consumers. NHTSA intends to work with safety advocates to educate parents and other caregivers about the importance of educational programs like "Spot the Tot" while pushing for improvements in video technology that provides drivers with a view behind a motor vehicle.  Please review the NHTSA press release for more information.  

If you have any questions related to this important issue, please email the attorneys at Regan Zambri & Long or call us at 202-463-3030. 

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration (NHTSA) has announced its "Drunk Driving:  Over the Limit  Under Arrest"  Campaign.  The Campaign consists largely of a promotional planner designed to assist communities in preventing  drunk driving related fatalities.  "The intent of this promotional planner is to provide you with marketing materials, earned media tools and marketing ideas you can distribute to fit your local needs and objectives while at the same time partnering with other states, communities and organizations all across the country on this promotional program." 

Please review the promotional planner for more detail.   

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Earlier this year, the D.C. Council passed the Pedestrian Protection Bus Safety Amendment Act of 2006.  The purpose of the act is to protect pedestrians by prohibiting motor vehicle drivers from passing on the left and pulling in front of a bus in order to make a right turn when the bus is at a bus stop or intersection to pick up or discharge passengers.  The vehicle must stay or merge behind the bus before turning. 

During the month of December, warning notices are being issued to drivers.  D.C. government agencies are informing drivers and encouraging them to be careful of pedestrians around buses.   Beginning on January 1, 2007, violators will be fined at least $100.00.

This law applies to the following public transit buses that  operate in the District: Metrobuses, Downtown Circulator, Georgetown "Blue Buses," Maryland and Virginia state commuter charters and Tourmobile vehicles.

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According to tortdeform.com, Senator Trent Lott is fighting for his rights as a consumer.  It appears his home was devastated by Hurrican Katrina and his insurance carrier, State Farm, will not pay him what he thinks he is owed for his losses.  Like many victims of the hurricane, Mr. Lott does not want to be victimized a second time by his insurance carrier.  He has reportedly hired a trial attorney to represent his interests against State Farm.

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Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety administration (NHTSA) issued a proposed rule which would drastically restrict the public’s access to “early warning data” compiled by the automobile and tire industry, concerning potential defects and other safety hazards.   Following the Ford-Firestone tragedies, Congress required NHTSA to create the early warning database to protect the public’s right to know about developing evidence of safety concerns.  According to Public Citizen, NHTSA attempted to thwart the will of Congress in 2002 with a proposed rule, but that effort failed. Recently, NHTSA proposed the same rule in an effort to once again restrict the public's access to information Congress intended to provide.   For more information, please feel free to visit www.citizen.org.

If you or a family member believes that you have a case involving safety hazards in cars, please contact us on-line at Regan Zambri & Long or call us at 202-463-3030 for a free consultation.  If you would like to receive our complimentary electronic newsletter, please click here.

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Among Americans ages 4-34, motor vehicle crashes on public highways are the most common cause of death, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Motor vehicle deaths were third nationally in terms of years of life lost, following only cancer and heart disease, despite being ranked eighth across all age groups in terms of quantity. They also trailed cancer and heart disease as causes of death for ages 35-44.

If you or a family member believes that you have a case involving an auto accident, please contact us on-line at Regan Zambri & Long or call us at 202-463-3030 for a free consultation.  If you would like to receive our complimentary electronic newsletter, please click here.

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Most fireplace users don't think twice before putting wrapping paper into their fireplace after the holiday unwrapping is completed.  But, they should.  Wrapping paper contains flammable components that can create a very dangerous flash fire.  In addition, fireplace flues should be cleaned once each year and all fireplace fires should be extinguished before going to bed.  The top five causes of home injury and death are fires and burns, falls, poisoning, choking and drowning.

Locally, a recent two-alarm fire was blamed on failure make certain ashes were completely out prior to placing them outside the home.  In this instance, the hot ashes sparked a blaze, which in turn ignited a propane tank from a gas grill.  In this instance, fire damage was spread to an adjoining townhouse and nearby condominium.  

For a more complete list of fireplace safety guidelines, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA) website.

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On December 11, the Association of Trial Lawyers of American changed its name to the American Association for Justice.  Changing the name to the American Association for Justice is an important step in the campaign to protect and strengthen the civil justice system. Continue Reading...

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According to a recent story in The New York Times, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is set to announce a new campaign to change drunken driving laws in 49 states to require that even first offenders install an ignition lock device that tests drivers and shuts down the car if it detects alcohol.  Many states already require the devices for people who have been convicted of drunk driving several times.

Last year, New Mexico became the first state to make them mandatory after the first offense. With that tactic and others, the state saw an 11.3 percent drop in alcohol-related fatalities last year.
Officials say interlocks for first offenders are not a panacea but will reduce repeat offenses. They say the next step will be a program to develop devices to unobtrusively test every driver for alcohol and disable the vehicle. The automaker Saab and a medical equipment company already have devices that may be adapted for that very goal.

If you have any questions concerning this subject, please  call our firm Regan Zambri & Long at 202-463-3030. 

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2005 there were 16,885 alcohol-related fatalities in traffic crashes.  About 40% of all traffic-related deaths are alcohol-related.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), activities that have reduced fatal alcohol-related fatal crashes include minimum legal drinking age laws, "zero tolerance" laws, sobriety checkpoints, stronger DUI prevention activities, special penalties in some states to protect children from drunk drivers, and  reviews of community-based interventions by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services (an independent, nonfederal panel of community health experts).

A  blue-ribbon panel of experts was appointed on November 20, 2006 to study new technologies aimed at decreasing drunken driving on the nation's roadways.  Members of the technology panel include the U.S. Transportation Secretary,  the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) vice president, as well as other groups.  According to Susan Ferguson, the IIHS vice president, "We need to take a close up look to determine which of these technologies are up to the job.  We can't catch all of the drunk drivers on the road before they get into accidents."

Some of the technologies being considered in this study include:

• Ignition interlocks that screen alcohol-breath and prevent a vehicle from starting if the breath test is failed.
• Infrared cameras that monitor eye movement to determine whether someone has been drinking.
• Tissue spectroscopy that uses a light on the skin to analyze its chemical makeup and alcohol content.

Forty-five states allow courts to require ignition devices.  Some states already require ignition interlocks for first time drunk driving offenders. In many other cases, courts do not order them, despite laws in 20 states requiring them for repeat offenders.  Last year, an estimated 80,000 interlock devices were on the roads, in contrast to the 1,400,000 drunken driving arrests.

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As reported recently by the Washington Post, "The National Transportation Safety Board urged the federal and state governments to forbid motor coach and school bus drivers from using cell phones while driving, except in emergencies.

The recommendation came in an NTSB report on a non-fatal bus accident on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Alexandria in November 2004. The tour bus of Catholic school students from Massachusetts slammed into a low, stone overpass along the parkway, crushing the roof and injuring 11 teenagers on a class trip, according to police and the NTSB.

The bus driver was talking on a hands-free cell phone at the time of the accident, and he told investigators he did not see the signs on the parkway that alert motorists to the height of the overpass, the NTSB said."

The press release by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB  reports that  "the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the 50 States and District of Columbia prohibit CDL holders with a passenger-carrying or school bus endorsement from using cell phones while driving those vehicles, except in emergencies. The Board also recommended that the bus associations develop formal policies for their members containing the same proscriptions.

The Board noted that the extent of the problem of cell phone use is unknown because of inadequate statistics, and the Board reiterated previous recommendations to the 20 states that do not have driver distraction codes on their accident investigation forms to add interactive wireless communication device use to those forms."

 

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During the holidays, families frequently include children in kitchen activities.  Constant and close supervision of children is critical to prevent injuries.   Because children have thinner skin, burns can be much more serious for them than for an adult.  Safe Kids Armstrong, a Pittsburgh chapter of Safe Kids, a worldwide organization working to prevent accidental childhood injury, offers specific common-sense suggestions to parents and caregivers while children are helping in the kitchen:

• "Never leave a hot stove unattended.
• Never hold a child while cooking or carrying hot items.
• Cook on back burners whenever possible, and turn all handles toward the back of the stove.
• Don’t allow children to wear loose-fitting clothing in the kitchen.
• Keep hot foods and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables.
• Tie up electrical cords of small appliances. A toddler playing with a dangling cord can pull a toaster or microwave down from a countertop.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector to alert everyone to get out of the house if there is a buildup of the odorless toxic gas given off by fuel-burning appliance."

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Bicycles are very popular gifts for children during the holiday season.   An important consideration when giving a bicycle is to include an appropriate helmet as part of the gift.  Frequently, when children have outgrown their old bike, they have outgrown their helmet as well.  

The benchmark for helmet safety is whether the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards are met.  General guidelines for helmet safety and purchase are provided by the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.   Included on the website are safety ratings for various helmets, recommendations for when to replace helmets,  guidelines for fitting helmets, recall information,  state helmet laws, and links to manufacturers. 

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Low light and dark conditions make bicycle riding more dangerous than usual.  Consequently, cyclists should exercise additional caution and make certain that their lights are in good working condition.  According to a recent article in the Medford (OR) News Tribune, bicycle lights serve three primary purposes:

• To help the rider see the road ahead.
• To be seen by others quickly and easily.
• To help oncoming motorists identify the direction the cyclist is traveling in (white lights are on the front of the bicycle, red or yellow behind).

"The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires all new bicycles to have a forward facing white reflector on the front of the bicycle, sideways facing white reflectors on each wheel, a red reflector mounted on the rear, and yellow reflectors mounted on the front and back of each pedal."

Other recommendations by the CPSC include:

• "Be sure your bike has reflectors required on all new bicycles by the CPSC bicycle regulation. Each bike should have front and rear reflectors, pedal reflectors, and side rim or wheel reflectors. Use front and rear lights (as required in many States) to help make your bicycle more noticeable to cars at night. Small battery-operated lamps strapped to your legs also help.
• Wear reflective clothing to make yourself more visible to automobile drivers. Wear a reflective vest, reflective bands on arms and legs, and reflectorized tape on helmet.
• Always wear a good helmet with a rigid (but crushable) interior material which may help absorb the force of an impact. (This is important for daytime riding, too.)
• Never allow children to ride at night.
• Avoid riding on dark, narrow roadways where the posted speed limit is more than 35 mph."

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As we reported previously in the DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends electronic stability control (ESC) features for all vehicles by 2012, calling it safety technology on par with seat belts and air bags.   The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Consumers Union and Public Citizen all argue that the benefits of electronic stability control should cause the implementation schedule to be accelerated before the mandatory deadline of 2012.   Consumers Union also said that NHTSA should force auto makers to meet a 2010 for deadline for equipping all vehicles with electronic stability control (ESC) and should have used perspectives from groups other than automakers for its research.

However, according to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, the auto industry wants to modify that schedule significantly, citing technical concerns and more time needed. In a joint statement, the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers also warn that the NHTSA's estimates of the benefits may be "overly optimistic" and based on limited data. 

If you or a family member believes that you have a case involving an automobile crash, please contact us on-line at Regan Zambri & Long or call us a 202-463-3030 for a free consultation.  If you would Ike to receive our complimentary electronic newsletter, please click here.

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In order to reduce rising numbers of highway fatalities, more Americans must take steps to protect themselves, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters recently said in connection with a study released on November 28, 2006 announcing changes in the seat belt and helmet use figures from 2005 to 2006.

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According to a recent story by Guy Leonard, Prince George’s County Fire Chief Lawrence Sedgwick is pushing for legislation in Maryland that would compel tobacco companies to ship fire-safe cigarettes to smokers.  Sedgwick announced his plan after several cigarette-related burn injuries and one death in a four-day period.

Six states have laws requiring tobacco companies to sell fire-safe cigarettes, products that burn more slowly when left unattended, to customers.  ‘‘As a fire chief, I am outraged that cigarette products are manufactured and available that would save lives and reduce property loss, however are only distributed in six states,” Sedgwick said.  To find out more, please review the full story. 

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