The Top U.S. Holidays That Are Dangerous for Drivers

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Holiday celebrations in the United States create opportunities for friends or families to be together. Whenever these festivities fall on a weekend, people often go to bars to basically enjoy some company. Families go out on long-distance car trips and enjoy the mood of going on vacation. However, heavy traffic and high rate of car crashes are already a given in these times of the year.

Basically, the rate of motor vehicle accidents in the United States tends to become much higher whenever holidays approach. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) always make it a point to advise motorists who are planning to go out on holiday weekends to drive safely, because the agency knows the implications of road activity in such events.

The NHTSA even identified the holidays in which drivers are to experience the dangers of being in the receiving end of collisions and other forms of accidents on the road. Here are some of them:

•    St. Patrick’s Day. It may not be a legal holiday in the U.S., but celebrating the third Sunday of March has always been a tradition of wearing green and consuming alcohol. However, the latter has always been a problem, especially for the roads. In 2011, NHTSA analyses showed that crashes as a result of alcoholism claimed a person every 53 minutes. Moreover, about 34 percent of crashes during said day were connected to drunk driving.

•    Christmas. Aside from family dinners and being with the whole family, the Christmas celebration is often accompanied with last-minute shopping. In fact, the days leading to the 25th of December is often regarded as one of the deadliest days to be on the road, according to the NHTSA.

•    Halloween. Most children go out on Halloween night to score some treats in the neighborhood. However, they are often at risk of getting hit by moving vehicles. In fact, it is regarded as the no. 3 holidays for collisions among pedestrians.

•    Thanksgiving. Family bonding is the main theme of the Thanksgiving celebration, where the members go out to eat turkey and satisfy themselves with food. However, traveling on such important day is often unbearable, which results in an aggressive driving mood, which would then result in an accident. On average, deaths due to crashes during Thanksgiving weekend reach up to 573.

On the next holiday, always remember to keep safe when going out with friends or family, especially on driving. Every Los Angeles car accident lawyer also advises drivers to exercise caution when driving at any time of day, holidays or not.

Toyota’s Hard Road to Recover After their Global Vehicle Recall Woes

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Toyota has been one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles in the world. One of the best Japanese automakers, it has been enjoying sales successes not just on their domestic market in Japan, but also in other countries. Toyotas are preferred by car buyers from the first world countries, even the developing ones.

One of the brand’s strong qualities is its dependability and reliability. Its vehicles are relatively easy to maintain and can really go the distance. As shown in one of Top Gear UK’s episodes, a Toyota vehicle, a Hilux pick-up in particular, still has managed to run and continue functioning in spite of all the harsh things done to it by the show’s presenters. When one thinks about a durable and dependable car, the brand that first comes to mind is Toyota.

However recently, the carmaker has been facing a lot of problems about its cars’ quality. Remember the dreaded Toyota recalls?  In late 2009, the carmaker had started conducting recalls of various models in the US and other countries across the globe.

As of October 10, 2012, the Japanese carmaker has already recalled millions of vehicles for various faults. This has spawned a number of complaints from its millions of affected customers. This also led to the filing of a number of class suits against the auto giant.

Consequently, the recalls have affected Toyota’s standing in the global market. From being the number 1 automaker in the entire world, the brand has dropped a couple of places, falling behind General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.

Also, Toyota is also currently facing several cases after victims from accidents caused by the vehicle defects. In Los Angeles alone, customers have hired their respective Los Angeles accident attorney and filed cases against the carmaker.

And so, after a series of investigations held by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyota has formally agreed to pay $17.35 million in civil penalties. This is the maximum fine allowable under the law. The biggest Japanese automaker was asked to pay the fine after it failed to report safety defects to the federal government in time. Additionally, this action is the single highest civil penalty amount to be paid to the agency for violations stemming from a vehicle recall.

So how can you avoid ending up getting a defective vehicle? There are a lot of ways that can help you with choosing the vehicle you’d buy. Informing yourself is the key. You can read online reviews, or check owners’ forums so you can see the issues that the vehicle you’re eying has.

So as a discerning customer, you should be more careful with the choices that you make. Before giving up that hard-earned money, make sure that you nothing but the best to stay away from lemons.

Avoiding Rain-induced Car Mishaps on the Road

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Time and again, the government has been making repeated calls for motorists to be very careful when out on the road driving. Just last year, excessive rains in the Southern California have caused multiple accidents. The drivers and victims of these vehicles may have already talked with a Los Angeles car accident attorney for insurance claims.

These accidents were due to the continuous rains that happened in the SoCal area last year. As it is, rains can cause the roads to be slippery. Water on roads cause hydroplaning that leaves a vehicle with little or no grip at all.

This consequently leads to loss of traction and ultimately accidents. So does this mean that one has to stop driving when it is raining? Of course not! All you have to do is follow these very useful tips that will let you drive through the most torrential downpours minus the accidents.

• Slow down. When the roads are wet, chances are it is more difficult to put the vehicle to a stop. Driving slowly gives you more time to slow your vehicle down, helping you avoid mishaps.
• Stay in the middle lanes. Rainwater tends to pool on the road’s outer lanes. This lessens the chances of your vehicle hydroplaning.
• Give enough driving distance to the vehicle in front of you. This gives you more time to react, slow down, and steer your vehicle away from accidents.
• Try to drive on the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you. These tracks have probably less water, enabling you to enjoy much grip.
• Stop tailgating. It doesn’t only give you less time to react when the vehicle in front of you suddenly slows down. The water mists from the vehicle in front of you impairs your vision.
• Be alert. Watch out for brake lights and other things on the road. This lets you do the right things that needed when emergency situations arise.
• Employ engine braking. Take your foot off the accelerator to slow down instead of using the brakes. Brakes can lock up your wheels, causing you to lose grip. If you need to slow down, use the brakes with minimal braking force.
• Turn your headlights, fog lights, and/or the hazard lamps when raining. This increases your visibility on the road, letting you steer away from road hazards and helps others avoid you.
• Never drive through water if you can’t see the ground through it. If it is moving, your car could be swept. If it is not, your vehicle might stall.

The thing is these accidents could have been avoided if the drivers have only exercised proper driving habits. Officer Adam Eggleston of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), in an interview with the ABC said that “we believe it was just the rain” and warned drivers to “really reduce speed”. So follow the above-mentioned tips to ensure your safety when driving through the heaviest of downpours.

Safety Measures to Do Before Going on a Long Drive for Vacation

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Many Los Angeles citizens love to travel to other states via vehicles, and if you are one of them, then you should learn certain tips before hitting the road.

Every year, because of road accidents, thousands of people get injured in a supposedly fun vacation. This is why it is imperative for any Los Angeles driver to know how to avoid accidents especially in long trips.

The following are some of the helpful tips for drivers who are planning to go on a long trip for a vacation:

1. Check your vehicle – Make sure that everything in your car is in good working condition. Check the brakes, lights, oil, water, battery, air, and gasoline (BLOWBAG). If you are about to go on a long drive for a vacation, it would be best to have your vehicle checked by certified mechanics to ensure that it will not have a problem during the trip. Additionally, make sure that you have with you spare tools and supplies like tire, jack, wrenches, oil, water, and gasoline in case your vehicle suddenly experienced mechanical problems while on the road.

2. Know your route – Before hitting the road, make sure that you know the routes to and from your destinations. If you are not familiar with the routes, it would be better to use a reliable GPS device or a map. However, make sure that you will not be distracted by such tools because you could end up in an accident.

3. Get enough sleep – If your destination is hundreds of miles away from home, it is necessary for you to get a good sleep the night before the trip. You need to be in perfect condition when you are driving on a long trip; otherwise, you will feel drowsy and could get involved in a sleepy driving-related accident. Also, make sure to take some stops after a couple of miles just to refresh your mind and body.

4. Do not drive drunk – Alcohol could add some fun to the trip but it could also get you into a fatal or debilitating accident. Alcohol can impair your reasoning and driving competence, thus making you vulnerable to road accidents.

In case you get involved in a road accident and you are not at fault, it would be best to contact a Los Angeles car accident attorney to have your case assessed.

Ultimately, Los Angeles drivers must remember that vacations are best spent in a relaxing and hassle-free place, and not inside a hospital or a court room.

Damages You Can Recover in Distracted Driving-related Car Accident

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Sending text-based messages on your cell phone can be very helpful and fun at the same time; but if it is done at the wrong place and at the wrong time, disaster could strike.

 Accordingly, Los Angeles drivers should practice discipline when driving, and refraining from texting is one way to do that. Drivers who use their cell phones while driving are certainly closer to accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the year 2009 alone, more than 5,400 people were killed and at least 448,000 were injured due to distracted driving-related accidents.

 Although there are various forms of distracted driving, texting while driving is becoming the most common and dangerous act. Hence, it is a must for all Los Angeles drivers not to use their cell phone while driving to avoid major and fatal accidents.

 Accordingly, Los Angeles motorists or pedestrians who got injured in an accident caused by a distracted texting driver should file a personal injury case. Under the tort law, accident victims may be eligible for certain compensations if they were injured as a result of another person’s negligence or irresponsibility. Commonly, personal injury accident victims are entitled to these payments:

·         Payments for hospital and medication expenses
·         Payments for damaged property
·         Payments for loss of income
·         Payments for loss of future income
·         Payments for pain and suffering
·         Payments for emotional distress
·         Payments for mental anguish
·         Payments for loss of consortium

As it is, accident victims who believe that they deserve any of the said compensations should hire a Los Angeles car accident attorney to have their case pursued and represented. Hiring an attorney for a distracted driving- and negligent driving-related case in Los Angeles is advisable because a legal expert’s help is essential in establishing the case for the claimant to win just compensations.