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Boater Safety
Hitting the lake or river for some recreation may be at the top of your list this summer. Before launch, you need to be familiar with all requirements and safety standards. Let us take a look at the requirements by state.
Read More4th of July Safety
There is nothing more American than celebrating the nation’s Independence Day with your loved ones and friends. The 2021 holiday marks the resumption of pre-COVID-19 travel. Many will be on the roads and flying for the holiday. Although the celebrations can generate a lot of summertime fun, they are not without their risks. Here are a few common risks associated with the 4th of July and ways to mitigate your exposure.
Read MoreFacts About Brain Injuries
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a hit to the body, causing the head and brain to move back and forth quickly. Sudden movements, such as those experienced in car accidents, can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, resulting in chemical changes and sometimes stretching and damage to brain cells.
Read MoreHow the Use of Cell Phones Has Changed Driving
The idea that using a cell phone while driving is unsafe is no longer debatable. A study published almost 25 years ago in The New England Journal of Medicine titled Association Between Cellular Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions found that the use of cellular telephones in motor vehicles was associated with a quadrupling of…
Read MoreHang Up Or Pay Up
As we discussed in our previous blog, Missouri semi wrecks are on the rise. Due to their foreboding size and weight, semi trucks and tractor trailers can cause severe injuries and death. In May of 2012, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made it illegal for commercial drivers to operate hand-held mobile devices while operating a vehicle.
Read MoreMissouri Truck Wrecks Are on The Rise
Despite significantly reduced travel due to COVID-19, the Missouri collision fatality count increased in 2020. There were 988 Missouri traffic fatalities recorded in 2020. State law enforcement attributes this increase to speeding and encourages slower driving speeds. The Missouri Highway Patrol has ramped up its monitoring of the state’s roadways. Motorists are cautioned, the faster your rate of travel, the more severe a collision will be. It has become commonplace for Missouri drivers to travel at speeds in excess of 90 mph.
Read MoreATV Injuries and Deaths in 2020
The year 2020 has seen a surge of injuries and deaths related to the operation of ATVs, UTVs, and other recreational vehicles in Missouri and the Kansas City area. In early August, one teen girl was killed and her passenger was seriously injured after they lost control of the Polaris UTV they were operating on in Saline County. Their vehicle skidded off the road, hit a ditch, and overturned. During the same week, a 43-year-old La Monte man died after the ATV he was operating overturned while negotiating a curve, landing on top of him. And in September a 29-year-old female Forsyth resident was killed after her 2019 Honda Rubicon overturned, ejecting her.
Read MoreAn Attorney Reflects During Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
Riding a motorcycle is obviously more dangerous than traveling in an automobile. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycles account for less than 5 percent of all registered vehicles yet every year motorcyclists account for approximately 15 percent of all traffic fatalities. On the basis of accident rates per vehicle mile traveled, NHTSA estimates motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than car passengers to die in a crash.
Read MoreInsurance Coverage For Trucking Accidents is Too Low
We are regularly contacted by people who have been involved in motor vehicle crashes with semi trucks in the Kansas City area. The commercial trucking industry is one we are very familiar with and we have handled these types of cases many times over the years. This is an area of the law in which our lawyers have extensive knowledge and experience.
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