U.S. Pedestrian Fatalities Saw Significant Decrease, A First Over a Four-year Span

The latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics in motor vehicle crashes saw an increase in road user deaths. From 32,479 in 2011, the U.S. lost at least 33,561 people in roadway crashes in 2012, the year that covered the latest NHTSA data. The said figure was the first increase after six straight years of decrease in the number of deaths.

Upward trends were seen across many categories, including pedestrians. In fact, at least 4,743 pedestrians were killed in 2012, a 6.4-percent increase from the previous year. The 2012 figure accounted for 14 percent of the total number of motor vehicle crash deaths in the U.S. In California, of the 2,857 people killed, about 21 percent of them were pedestrians (621 people).

Increases in pedestrian accident deaths have been around for the past few years. However, a report released earlier this month saw a significant decline in this category, a first over a four-year span. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), in the first half of 2013, there were 1,985 deaths as opposed to the first half of the previous year 2012, which saw 2,175 fatalities. In all, it was an 8.7 percent fall between the two.

As the report from the GHSA suggests, it is projected that there would be a significant drop in pedestrian deaths in the year 2013 compared to the previous year, although the full stats are yet to be released. Dr. Alan Williams, the lead researcher for the GHSA, was surprised by this sudden change in trends. He didn’t state any one particular reason for the rise and fall of the pedestrian deaths, but he quickly thought that this was brought about by economics.

He theorized that as the economy recovered from the recession that happened in the late 2000’s, more and more people who once ceased driving their vehicles began going back to their old ways, only to worsen the trend of increasing fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. This is one of the reasons why the increase in 2012 was the first over a seven-year span.

Meanwhile, a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles commented on this report, saying that the decrease in pedestrian fatalities are brought about by continuous educational awareness on the part of local, state, and national government in instilling safety on the roads. California, in fact, had been making strides in doing so; it had 37 fewer pedestrian deaths year over year.

Latest Dog Bite Statistics: 2013 Data

Image Source: http://www.pavlovdogtraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aggression-dog.jpg

Despite dogs being known for their gentleness and loyalty towards humans, they are still known to possess aggression, regardless if they were provoked or not. When these canines direct their aggression towards either their owners or to other people, the results can be catastrophic. Indeed, when a dog is threatened, its tendency is to attack through biting. Also, if a dog owner fails to take care of his or her pet, the potential of biting him or her or any other stranger increases.

While constant care, companionship, and training are still imperative in keeping canines from showing aggression towards their masters and strangers, occurrences of dog bites still occur every year, resulting in injuries and fatalities.

In fact, from 2005 to last year 2013, at least 283 Americans died because of dog bite injuries. Of the said figure, about 62 percent of these deaths (176) involved pit bulls, making the dog breed the most lethal. Following pit bulls in the said category are rottweilers, accounting for nearly 12 percent, or 33 out of the total fatality figure within the 9-year period.

Moreover, in the latest dog bite statistics for 2013, a slight decrease in U.S. dog bite fatalities were seen. Last year, at least 32 dog bite-related deaths happened, which was a big difference from 2012 wherein 38 fatalities were recorded. Of the said 2013 figure, 25 of them involved pit bulls despite being regulated in housing areas for military personnel and over 700 cities in the nation. The most lethal dog breed accounted for only 6 percent of the total dog population in the nation.

Also, out of the 32 who died due to dog bites in 2013, 18 of them were children 7 years old or below, while adults aged 25 years old or older accounted for 14 of the fatalities. Of the 18 children, 11 of them were 4 years old or younger. In terms of gender, male and female deaths were the same, at 16 each. Furthermore, five of the fatal dog bite incidents happened in the State of California, all of which involved pit bulls and three of them resulted in criminal charges.

Meanwhile, a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles continuously reminds dog owners to exercise important measures with their pet canines so that fatalities can be avoided to them and to others. It would also help them avoid facing claims from the victims for their dog bite injuries.


Sources:
http://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/9-year-dog-bite-fatality-chart-dogsbiteorg.pdf
http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatalities-2013.php

Some Reminders in Getting Your Car Fixed After a Fender Bender

California, being one of the highly-motorized states in the U.S., is no stranger to motor vehicle crash incidents that result in serious injuries, fatalities, and expensive costs in property damage. These unfortunate occurrences are mostly attributed to certain factors such as distractions brought about by the use of mobile phones, as well as inclement weather conditions and fatigue. Fortunately, a large number of road accidents that happen in the state are simple fender benders, with passenger vehicle occupants, including drivers, escape unscathed.

But then, getting involved in a fender bender would definitely leave your vehicle badly-damaged. Typical vehicle parts that sustain minor to heavy damage include car doors and, of course, the car’s front and/or rear bumper. If your car is insured, then your provider can easily have your vehicle fixed right away. However, there are some reminders you need to keep in mind to make sure that your vehicle is back to its appearance before the accident happened. Here are some of them:

• Although your insurance provider can recommend a body repair shop that is capable of high-quality repairs at low costs, make sure that it is rated highly in business review sites like Yelp. If it has bad customer reviews, you might want to choose the body shop that you like.
• Inquire with the owner of the body repair shop about what replacement parts they use for repair. It would do you good if it uses new, original parts, as well as used parts. If it uses aftermarket parts, then you might want to look for another repair shop; such parts are just imitations of the original or used parts, and are usually inferior in quality and would easily deteriorate, therefore reducing the value of your vehicle.
• When you are about to pick up your refurbished vehicle, ensure that the warning lights in your dashboard are turned off. Typically in an accident, warnings lights for the airbag, low coolant, and check engine are on, and if they are after the repair, you might want to have your car’s programming fixed, as well as if there are electrical wiring that need to be replaced.

Putting these things into mind can help you a lot in ensuring that your car is back to its original condition and appearance, just like you the time you first bought it. Another reminder that you should always keep in mind in case of a fender bender is that if you feel you are injured, have yourself treated immediately. You may never know, but a whiplash injury may turn into something worse. Since fender benders are usually due to one’s negligence, you might want to seek legal assistance with a Los Angeles lawyer for brain injury and other serious injury claims.


Source: http://autos.aol.com/article/auto-body-repair-tips/