Child Passenger Safety Week
At the beginning of August this year, two children were seriously injured outside of Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton after they were ejected from a Jeep during a car accident. Neither of the children were buckled up or secured within car seats, causing serious injuries to a 5-year-old and an 11-year-old who was run over by the front tire of the Jeep. Both these children were extremely lucky- as the results could have been much worse. Car Accidents are #1 Cause of Death For Children Car crashes are the number one cause of death for children under the age of 15. Most of the unintentional injuries and fatalities resulting from car accidents involving children are completely preventable just by making sure they are properly secured in safety seats and seatbelts. Unfortunately, more parents and guardians are either skipping this step when putting their kids in the car, or unknowingly making fatal mistakes when it comes to their child passenger seats resulting in hundreds of unnecessary deaths every year. Child Passenger Safety Week Between 2010 to 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 18,000 children under the age of 15 were involved in a car crash; 15.9% of the children died in these crashes. To help spread awareness and prevent further unnecessary child fatalities, the NHTSA named the last week of September Child Passenger Safety Week, followed by National Seat Check Saturday. From September 23 – 29, the NHTSA along with countless other national and local organizations launch active safety campaigns geared towards parents/guardians on the importance of car seat safety. Resources and events to assist on appropriately and properly installing car seats will be held throughout Long Island this week, and residents should be ready and willing to take advantage. Biggest Car Seat Mistakes Every 33 seconds, a child under the age of 13-years-old is involved in a car accident, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Car seats are vital to protecting our children when it comes to car accidents but if they are not being used properly, they may not do their job. NPR reports at least 43% of children who die in car accidents are not buckled properly in a seat belt or child passenger safety seat- most parents don’t even realize it. An article published in Fatherly highlights the seven most common car seat mistakes parents are making that could cause serious harm or even death to their children in a car crash: Installing Car Seats Improperly– Common installation mistakes include wrong angles, using the wrong belt, not securing seat correctly, not following the manufacturer’s instructions. Turning Car Seat Too Soon– According to new recommendations released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should keep their kids rear facing as long as possible. Yet, a number of parents turn their kids around well before just because it’s easier. Not Fastening Seat Top Tether- The top tether of the car seat can keep children facing forward from toppling in a car accident. Fatherly reports more than 64% of parents don’t even use the top tether and 50% aren’t attaching it correctly. Not Tightening Shoulder Harness Correctly- Leaving space in the harness is extremely dangerous and can cause your child to slip out of the seat and be ejected from the car. There should be no slack in the shoulder harness. Not Taking Off Winter Coats– Winter coats can cause a child to be loosely secured in a seat, even if it appears the straps are tight. There are an extra four inches of space between the coat and the child that can cause a child to fly out easily. Not Using The Right Seat- If children are in a seat that is too big or too small, they can be seriously injured in a car accident without the proper protection for their body. Missing Recalls- Not sending in the registration form for your car seat can cause parents to miss important safety recalls for their products that could put your kids in danger. Long Island Resources Parents on Long Island should take full advantage of local resources and events available during Child Passenger Safety Week, including participating in National Seat Check Saturday. Making sure your child’s safety seat is properly secured and appropriate for their size could save their lives and protect them permanent or disabling injuries. Nassau and Suffolk Counties both offer multiple sites for car seat installation assistance. Parents are required to make appointments before to ensure they have enough time to ask all the questions needed for their child’s safety: Nassau County BabySeat University Contact: George at 516-382-0262 Education and Assistance Corporation Department of Public Works, 170 Cantiague Rock Road, Hicksville By appointment only Se habla español Contact: 516-292-7362 Second location: 175 Fulton Ave., Hempstead By appointment only; Se habla español Contact: 516-292-7362 Garden City Police Department 349 Stewart Ave., Garden City Contact: 516-465-4121 Nassau County Traffic Safety Board 170 Cantiague Rock Road, Hicksville Tuesday, Wednesdays 12:30-1:45pm Contact: Christopher Mistron at 516-571-9664 North Shore LIJ Health System Cohen Children’s Medical Center, 269-01 76th Ave., New Hyde Park Select Saturdays and Sundays from March through November, 9am-12pm, call first for an appointment Contact: Debora Riccardi at 718-470-3352 Strapped In Car Seat Safety Visit us in Woodbury or House Calls Available Text or call: 516-521-3696 Town of Hempstead Department Public Safety 200 N. Franklin Street, Hempstead Wednesdays, 9am-1:30pm Contact: 516-538-1900 x217 Suffolk County Hassell Auto Body 390 Route 109, West Babylon Weekdays, 10am-2pm No appointment necessary Contact: Doug Hassell, Jr. at 631-587-5500 East Hampton Town Police Department 131 Wainscott Northwest Road, Wainscott Weekdays, 9am-5pm Contact: John Claflin at 631-537-7575 x208 Education and Assistance Corporation 80 Wheeler Road, Central Islip Se habla español; By appointment only Contact: 631-648-7100 x210 Good Samaritan Hospital 1000 Montauk Highway, West Islip Contact: Jill Bocchieri at 631-376-4109 Troop L 7140 Republic Airport, Farmingdale Call for open Saturday each month; others by appointment only Contact: Trooper Frank Bandiero at 631-756-3389 Southold Police Department 41405 Route 25, Peconic Contact: Henry
Red Light Camera Outrage
A woman from East Norwich was shocked when she received over $1,000 worth of traffic tickets in the mail for failing to stop at a red light. The resident had never gotten a ticket before and she doesn’t remember not stopping at the intersection cited on the violation. Another Nassau County man received 20 tickets all at once for violating the same red light camera in East Norwich; a camera he didn’t even know existed nor did he believe he had broken the law at. Nassau Residents Have Been Charged Thousands in Red Light Fines From One Intersection! A recent article published by Eyewitness News ABC7 reports residents in East Norwich are fuming at the installation of a new red light camera on Northern Boulevard and Route 106. Drivers continue to receive ticket after ticket in the mail for violating this light, even though most don’t remember breaking any laws. Some drivers are even receiving violations as many as 30 days past the date their initial violation occurred, followed but numerous other tickets shortly after for the same violation. Why are drivers getting so many tickets at this traffic light? Right-Hand Turns Gone Wrong All the tickets issued thus far at the intersection in question were related to right-hand turns. It’s legal to turn right on red at this location, however, according to the tickets, drivers are doing it ‘wrong’. When drivers approach the traffic light, they are typically expected to stop at the white line. When the camera picks up that a vehicle does not stop at the white line, they issue a violation to the driver for running the light. What’s rubbing residents the wrong way, aside from the obscene fines, is the manner in which the intersection is designed. The white line on Northern Boulevard turning onto Route 106 is 30-feet away from the corner where drivers have a safe visual of oncoming traffic. So instead of drivers stopping once at the line and again 30-feet ahead, drivers are rolling over the white line to stop once before turning right. The camera doesn’t pick up the second stop, assuming the cars are rolling right through the red light completely. Push To Forgive Violations Residents are less than thrilled with the violations from this red light camera, especially when they don’t arrive in the mail until a month later, and by then in abundance. Legislator Joshua Lafazan reported in the ABC7 article that he receives calls every day complaining about this aggravating light, and he’s not surprised. In his interview, Lafazan states, “If we’re going to penalize you nine, ten, eleven times when you didn’t know you needed to remediate your behavior, then shame on us.” Unfortunately, getting these violations forgiven is not as easy as complaining to the county. This particular red light camera is controlled by the state of New York and they don’t seem to be concerned. A spokesperson for the state agreed with the placement of the light, hopeful in its ability to encourage drivers to approach the intersection more carefully. However, most residents believe it’s unreasonable to expect drivers to alter their driving habits simply by handing out hefty fines, particularly when residents aren’t aware they are doing anything wrong until they are thousands of dollars deep in violations. How Red Light Cameras Work Red light cameras operate solely upon prediction, according to an article released by Endurance. Because these cameras are meant to catch violators who run red lights, the footage must begin recording prior to the incident to catch the driver in the act. Here are the three qualifications vehicles are supposed to meet before a violation is issued by a traffic camera: Vehicles approach an interaction when the traffic light is red. Vehicles are going above a certain speed upon approaching, triggering the camera footage to start. Vehicles continue to pass through the traffic light, resulting in the camera taking a picture of the license plate that results in a ticket. In the case of the red light cameras in East Norwich, the camera is recording and ticketing every vehicle who does not make a complete stop at the white line, snapping a shot of their license plate the moment they roll over it. But the technology is not picking up the drivers stopping before they make a right-hand turn, falsely accusing drivers of running through red lights completely when actuality they are stopping a few feet ahead of the line. Opposing Red Light Cameras This is not the first time traffic cameras have been a problem in Nassau County. Just last October, talk about reinstating troublesome speed cameras that failed miserably in 2014 caused a large backlash from the public. Residents were in an uproar about how the county was only out for extra revenue, and the recent red light camera debacle has not changed the public’s opinion. Even national organizations are beginning to question the effectiveness of traffic camera systems. The National Motorists Association (NMA) is a firm opposer of red light cameras. In an article titled Objection to Red Light Cameras, NMA highlights a number of reasons why states should stop the counterproductive use of traffic-control devices, some including: False perception of safety: NMA claims there is no verification that proves photo enforcement devices improve safety on the roads or reduce accidents. No witnesses: With traffic-cameras, there is only one explanation for the violation and no witnesses to prove otherwise what could have really happened. Inadequate notifications: Just like the residents of East Norwich, NMA doesn’t believe delayed violations have any effect on the driving behaviors of residents, nor is it fair. No decrease in accidents: NMA believes regardless of whether the cameras are present at intersections, they are not a determining factor in whether accidents are prevented. Little impact: Mailed violations and photo enhancements will not stop an aggressive driver from driving recklessly, particularly if the driver is fleeing the scene of a crime or not from the area where
Driverless Cars Pros and Cons
Autonomous cars have been a hot topic in the media, especially after the pedestrian fatality involving one of Uber’s self-driving SUV’s in Arizona this month. There is no doubt driverless cars are the future and that accident statistics will see drastic changes when they become popular among the general public. But in light of the tragedy in Arizona, some consumers are beginning to question the safety of driverless technology and the impacts it could have on our society as a whole. The Positives of Driverless Cars As distracted driving and fatal vehicle accidents increase across the nation, there is more of a need than ever to find a solution for safer roads. Driverless vehicles could have a significant impact on reducing the number and severity of accidents while providing a more eco-friendly option for transportation. Safer Roads: Driverless cars could cut down the number of accidents on the road by addressing the most common driver errors and eliminating the need for people to drive drunk and impaired. More Efficient Transportation: Supporters of driverless cars believe these vehicles will provide an opportunity for public transportation to increase their efficiency and reduce the amount of congestion on the roads by improving traffic flow. Less Parking Spaces: With fewer vehicles on the roads, the need for massive parking lots and parking structures could decrease, allowing more room for housing and business developments. Reduced Fuel Consumption: Driverless cars are electric! Estimated predictions show by 2050, fuel consumption could be reduced up to 44% for passenger cars and 18% for trucks, dramatically reducing pollutants from transportation. More Affordable: Ride-sharing options have become immensely popular, but they can be pricey. Driverless cars could be more affordable than both ride-sharing and public transportation without the need for operating drivers. The Negatives The fatal Uber crash has highlighted a number of opposing issues with the production of driverless vehicles. Aside from safety issues resulting due to programming errors, autonomous vehicles could cause additional issues such as confusion with insurance claims or reduction of jobs across multiple industries. Safety Errors: Technology is not perfect. Sensors can be blocked. Safety features can malfunction. The idea of vehicles operating without humans to intervene is a scary thought when considering all that could go wrong. Liability in Vehicle Accidents: With computers serving as the drivers of vehicles, who is at fault in the case of an automobile accident? This question could pose several issues in filing insurance claims with additional parties to put at blame. Changing the Automobile Industry: Car companies will not have a need to offer as many models and vehicle types when driverless cars come on the market, especially if the need for personal vehicles decreases. With fewer cars to produce, several automobile industry workers could find themselves without a job. Unpredictable Human Behaviors: Some critics wonder if driverless cars will be programmed well enough to interpret behaviors a human driver could naturally detect, such as adhering to human traffic directors in place of traffic signals. Economical Disadvantages: Driverless cars will not be cheap to make. Advanced technology in every vehicle will cost far more than traditional automobiles. In addition, employees of ride-sharing companies, taxi services, public transit, and several other industries could be in danger losing employment. The Future When examining both the pros and cons of self-driving cars, it’s obvious that more testing and development is needed before selling these vehicles on the mass market. Our country has seen enough increases in tragic and fatal vehicle accidents, but after the events of the Uber pedestrian fatality, we also cannot afford to prematurely push this advanced technology on the road until it’s ready.
Who is at Fault for a Sideswipe Car Accident?
A few months ago, an accident swept the national news even though it did not occur in New York. A mother of six children, including two recently born premature twins who remained hospitalized, was on her way home from visiting them. It was just before midnight when her car was sideswiped by an apparently drunk driver. The sideswipe caused the young mother’s car to roll over. She was ejected from the car and died at the scene, leaving a grieving husband and six young children to mourn. What is a Sideswipe Accident? In a sideswipe accident, one car gets too close to the side of another car and the sides of the two cars connect. This can, as in the example, cause the car that was sideswiped to roll over. Often, the cars remain upright, but run off the road and may hit a parked car or other stationary object. Sideswipe accidents may involve only one vehicle that swipes a road barrier, street sign, parked car, or another inanimate object. But, these types of accidents most often happen when two cars are driving beside each other, and one car begins to move into the lane of the other. The causes for this include: Distracted driving: One driver is talking on the phone, texting, putting on make-up, adjusting the radio, and simply weaves out of his or her own lane, colliding with another car. Drowsy driving: A drowsy driver may momentarily nod off and wake up to discover he or she has strayed across the line dividing the lanes and sideswiped another car. Lane change without paying attention to the surroundings and cars in other lanes or a barrier. Merging without looking carefully. The merging driver fails to see where other cars are, and swipes the side of a nearby car. Not taking into account the blind spot. Closely aligned with merging without looking carefully is forgetting to take into account the blind spot and failing to adjust for that. Fortunately, newer models of cars often come with a feature that alerts drivers whenever they start to change lanes, but another car is traveling in the driver’s blind spot. A driver overreacts to a road hazard and moves into the lane of another vehicle. A driver notices he or she is about to sideswipe another vehicle, over-steers to avoid the accident and ends up sideswiping a different car. Who is at Fault for a Sideswipe Accident It can be difficult to determine fault in a sideswipe accident. It generally begins with looking at where the vehicles end up on the roadway, which direction they were traveling and where they appeared to be traveling within the lines on the road. Witness statements, along with each driver’s recollections, will be used to determine fault. If one driver was crossing a center lane, or lane divider, and the other one was traveling legally within their lane, the driver who was crossing will be at fault. Comparative Fault New York apportions fault under its comparative fault statute. This means that each party may have been partially at fault for the accident. If you were 50 percent at fault, you will not be able to collect for your damages. If it is determined that you were less than 50 percent at fault, your damages will be reduced in proportion to the degree of fault the court assigns to you. An example of comparative fault is that if you are awarded $100,000 in damages, but the court determines you were 30 percent at fault for the accident, your award will be reduced by 30 percent. You will collect $70,000 instead of the full $100,000. Common Sideswipe Accident Injuries Sideswipe accidents, even at low speeds, can cause severe injuries. There is not the structural protection there is when a car is hit from the back or the front. Some of the most common side impact injuries include: Chest injuries. Lower extremities. Head. Abdomen and pelvis area. For those on the “hit” side, the door panel caves in and hits the passenger. For those on the side that was not hit, they are hit by the rebound by the pillar where the seatbelt is anchored. Long Island Sideswipe Accident Attorneys If you were involved in a sideswipe car accident, our attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP, have the experience you need to pursue your claim. We will evaluate all the circumstances of your case and determine how to prove fault. We are committed to collecting all the damages to which you are legally entitled. Contact us as soon as possible for a free case evaluation.
Drowsy Driving: An Underrated Danger
When you ask someone what the most dangerous actions behind the wheel are, they’re likely to give you an answer from a short list: texting, using a cell phone, or driving drunk or under the influence of drugs. They might be aware that eating and drinking while driving is also a problem, or even that talking to passengers in the car is one of the most frequent causes of distracted driving crashes, especially for younger drivers. But most people might not immediately mention drowsy driving, even though it’s one of the biggest risk factors on the road. Flashier problems with greater media interest, like texting while driving or Instagram speed filter crashes, tend to grab the headlines. One in Five Fatalities The drowsy driving problem is not new: Traffic researchers have been aware of it for many years, and federal regulations for commercial drivers have included on- and off-duty rest period rules for quite some time. Researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have repeatedly estimated that about 2.5 percent of traffic fatalities can be directly blamed on drivers who fell asleep at the wheel. Their latest report, released this fall, attributed more than 4,100 deaths between 2011 and 2015 to this problem. Others think those numbers don’t account for the true scale of the problem. In a 2014 report, AAA determined that sleepy drivers may account for closer to 21 percent of all fatal crashes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees that the problem is probably much more serious: Researchers believe that around 6,000 deaths each year might be the result of drowsy driving. Even the NHTSA acknowledges that its data collection methods might lead to significant underestimation. Less Sleep, Higher Risk It’s not simply a matter of trying to stay awake too long, either. Drivers who don’t sleep enough before hitting the road have a measurable and escalating risk of causing a crash. Anything less than seven hours of sleep brings an increased risk, with a mere two-hour sleep deficit nearly doubling crash risk. It goes up sharply from there, with drivers who slept less than four hours having a crash risk more than eleven times that of drivers who got a full night’s rest. That’s the equivalent of driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.12 to 0.15—nearly double the legal limit for an automatic drunk driving charge. Long Island Car Accident Lawyer When you’ve been the victim of a car accident, it’s important to contact an experienced Long Island car accident lawyer before you take steps to recover compensation from those who caused the crash. The odds are good—even as high as one in five—that the driver who caused the crash contributed to it by not getting enough sleep. The attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP understand this kind of case, and as part of the investigation into your claim, we’ll work to uncover information that will help prove the liability of the other driver. Every new client is entitled to a free consultation with a member of our team. Give us a call today at 1-877-718-6079 or fill out the contact form below to schedule your appointment.
Is Your Child Safe in That Car Seat?
National Car Seat Safety Week Kicks Off… New York parents are generally aware their children are best protected when riding in a car seat. Most also know the safest area in the car for their kids is in the back seat. But how do you know for sure your child is in the right car seat? And how can you be certain if you have installed the car seat correctly? Reports show three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly, and typically, unknowingly by the parents. There are hundreds of different models of safety seats on the baby market today that have parent’s heads spinning with worry for a good reason; car seats are tricky! To provide some guidance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created Child Passenger Safety Week. This campaign focuses on generating awareness regarding proper child car seat safety, while connecting parents to the most current and accurate information. New York parents looking for assistance are linked to an abundance of resources focused on appropriately choosing, fitting, and installing their child’s car seats to increase accident protection. This year’s awareness campaign kicks off on Monday, September 17th and ends with National Seat Check Day on Saturday, September 23rd. On Seat Check Day, parents are encouraged to visit any New York law enforcement agency for a free car seat audit, as well assistance in properly installing car seats into their vehicles. WHERE IN NEW YORK CAN YOU GET YOUR SEATS CHECKED? Free car seat fittings are offered throughout the state of New York . Check this website to find out where you can have a free inspection with a trained car seat technician who will check your seat and demonstrate correct installation. http://www.safeny.ny.gov/seat-per.htm. The NHTSA urges parents to take full advantage of the resources provided online and in their communities. By educating yourself and your children on effective car safety early, children are more likely to continue to use these habits well into adulthood. Sadly, the leading cause of death between the ages of 1 and 13 is due to automobile accidents. With statistics this high, there is no room for chance when it comes to your child’s safety in the car. Our team at Siler & Ingber encourages all New York residents to stay informed and spread awareness during this year’s Child Passenger Safety Week.