The Dangers That Come With Drunk Driving

Image Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9b-Q9Z2VLH09aVmirD4qyKtQMleqtJwgwDFpow5DIkUfnDvHzuQNYPyrBso8Cmy0AlOUcJA6MIk5XlM_DzwO3yH09z_1cBMNcOLqQhX6hRR17wGG0flNc3wF_6JKpbhAGKDuebv56doQ/s1600/drunk+driving.jpg

Drinking has many health benefits
Drinking alcohol isn’t necessarily bad. In fact regular (but moderated) intake of alcoholic drinks has health benefits that can really improve one’s overall health condition. However, too much of everything can’t be good for you. High alcohol levels can get one drunk, make them lose their inhibitions and at times, make them do things that they’d regret later on.

Drunk Driving is bad.
Because it can make someone lose his or her concentration, drinking and driving are some things that don’t really get along well. It does not matter if one person has a strong sense of control; alcohol will still have an effect to one’s driving. You lose your reflexes, and your senses don’t seem as sharp as when you are sober. This makes you unable to react quickly to various hazards that come your way. Moreover, one becomes more daring when they are drunk, leading to irresponsible maneuvers and ultimately, accidents. According to a group of Los Angeles personal injury lawyers, drunk driving has been the cause of thousands of recorded road accidents in the country. These have caused thousands of injuries and deaths every year.

An accident caused by drinking
One Sunday morning, an accident happened that got eight injured people rushed to the hospital for treatment. According to police reports, an alleged drunk driver rammed the vehicle that he or she was driving on two cars that were on an intersection, waiting for their time to pass. The impact caused a multi-vehicle collision causing the damage to the cars and injuries to the victims.

Government efforts to stop drunk driving
Given the extent of the accidents caused by these incidents of drunk driving, the government has been doing their best, coming up with new programs to help make people realize further the bad effects of drunk driving. Also DUI checkpoints are done every now and then to apprehend drunk drivers. These along with the implementation of anti-drunk driving laws are some of the measures being taken by the government to help prevent, if not stop DUI accidents from happening.

As a driver, you are given a great responsibility of being control a victim. As this is more of a privilege than a right, you should be responsible when you are behind the wheel of a vehicle and try to put safety on top of your priorities.

Everything You Need to Know This Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Image Source: http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/4f/dc/4fdc0541b6c21d7772aa94dd02f44a67.jpg?itok=hD1RDs6f

The month of May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. As such, federal and state traffic safety organizations and traffic law enforcement agencies are making it a point to raise awareness about how to safely maneuver the motorcycle on the road. This national initiative does not only cater to riders, but also to motorists in general who share the road with the former.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is once again spearheading this awareness campaign. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has expressed his optimism with it, saying that safe riding and cooperation among all road users must be increased to essentially reduce the number of deaths and injuries in U.S. roadways.

Aside from the NHTSA providing pointers to both motorcyclists and motorists on how to share the road with each other, the federal traffic safety agency is also raising awareness about how dangerous motorcycle accidents can be. These include statistics and other vital information with regard to such unfortunate occurrences.

Here are some them:

• NHTSA statistics for the year 2011 showed that 4,612 motorcyclists died on U.S. roadways. This was a 2-percent increase from the previous year. Said figure accounted for 14 percent of all highway deaths. Per vehicle mile, it is said that motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to get killed in a crash than vehicle occupants, and 5 times more likely to get injured.
• The primary cause of death of motorcyclists in the U.S. is head injury. This is due to the lack of helmet usage. With helmets, the estimated number of lives saved, according to the NHTSA, was more than 1,600 in 2011.
• Another common cause of accident deaths involving motorcycles is alcohol consumption. About 42 percent of motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2011 had blood alcohol concentration levels of 0.08 or higher. Said percentage was the highest among any other driver. In addition, the likelihood of injury or death in alcohol-induced motorcycle riding is greater at night than during the day.

These important pieces of information would benefit a lot of motorcyclists in avoiding accidents on the road. Meanwhile, every Los Angeles motorcycle attorney is hoping that awareness of safely motorcycle riding must not only observed this month, but all year round as well.

NHTSA’s Reminders Regarding Sharing the Road with Motorcyclists

 Image Source: http://0.tqn.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/3/-/0/-/share_the_road.jpg

The month of May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It is a national initiative that seeks to encourage motorists and motorcyclists to look out and “share the road” with each other, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is one of the many traffic safety organizations to spearhead the said awareness campaign.

Statistics from the NHTSA shows that despite the decrease in auto accident deaths in the United States over the years, mishaps involving motorcycles otherwise increased, especially during the past 14 years. The only exception was in 2009, where there was a 16-percent decline.

Part of the NHTSA’s aim this Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is to provide motorists the knowledge as to how to deal with motorcyclists on the road. As such, the federal traffic safety agency has a list of reminders for drivers to help prevent motorcycle deaths and injuries. Here are some of them:

• Avoid distracted driving. This will prevent collisions with motorcyclists and other further tragic consequences.
• Use signal lights before changing lanes or merging with traffic. That way, motorcyclists will be able to determine which lane to position, therefore avoiding collisions.
• Check rear view and side mirrors while entering or leaving a lane. A motorcyclist can be hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot, which is why the motorist must check both mirrors before making a turn at the intersection or while changing lanes.
• Provide motorcyclists the right of way. Give the motorcyclist enough time to turn left or right on an intersection or making a lane change before proceeding.
• Always look out for road hazards. What may seem to be a minor inconvenience for a motorist may be a major one for a motorcyclist. The latter may change speed or adjust position upon encountering road hazards such as potholes, gravel, and wet and slippery surfaces, among others.
• Allow distance when following a motorcycle. This is recommended since motorcycles stop quicker than most vehicles, especially when they make a maneuver or a full stop.

Meanwhile, every Los Angeles auto accident attorney agrees with the NHTSA’s reminders, likewise advising car, truck, and other four-wheeled vehicles to watch out and share the road with other motorcyclists.