Posts

,

Will Spending More for Vehicles with Crash Avoidance Systems Put You at Greater Risk?

There are an increasing number of technological safety innovations that are intended to reduce the probability that drivers will be involved in auto collisions in Mississippi.  Many of these safety improvements involve crash avoidance systems designed to warn distracted drivers who are not paying attention to the road that they are at-risk of being involved in a collision.  Distracted driving is a growing epidemic that threatens to surpass DUI as the most significant auto accident safety risk.  Unfortunately, there is new evidence that crash warning systems designed to prevent serious injuries and wrongful deaths in car accidents may do more harm than good.

A recent study revealed that high-tech lane departure systems that are intended to prevent distracted drivers from drifting into adjacent lanes may be causing more auto accidents.  The lane departure systems, which are currently only available in high-end models, promote car accidents rather than prevent them.  The study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reached the surprising conclusion that lane departure warning systems increase the risk of being involved in a collision by ten percent.

The researchers advanced a number of theories to explain the unexpected results of the study.  The primary theory was that drivers annoyed by the warning alarms or the irritated by the over-sensitivity of the system in responding to minor side-to-side movement within a lane may simply disable the systems.  A similar explanation is that drivers simply grow indifferent to the constant warnings and disregard the alarms.  While this seems like a plausible response from drivers that are frustrated or annoyed by these early warning systems, it seems lacking as an explanation for the higher risk of collision.  It would seem that disabling the crash avoidance warning would put drivers in the same position as drivers who had vehicles that were not equipped with this technology.  This type of explanation would suggest that the car accident risk should be the same for cars equipped with lane departure technology rather than ten percent higher.

The unexpected results of the study are being dismissed as a result of the small sample size.  Even the IIHS has indicated that if all cars were equipped with lane departure systems that were used correctly (i.e. not disabled or ignored), the result would be over 7,500 fewer fatal auto accidents annually.  Despite the poor showing for lane departure warning systems, crash avoidance systems that warn drivers that they are about to collide with the vehicle immediately in front of them and apply the brakes to avoid such a collision performed much better.

While this technology may still need tweaking, technology that relies on cameras, sensors, radar and computer technology potentially represents a new era in traffic safety.   Most existing vehicle safety technology, such as airbags, lap belts and shoulder harnesses focus entirely on reducing the severity of injuries when Mississippi car accidents occur.  This new paradigm in traffic safety is intended to not only reduce injury severity and fatalities, but prevent collisions from even occurring.  If someone you love is injured or a loved one dies in a Mississippi car accident, our experienced Mississippi auto accident attorneys may be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries or loss of a loved one.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

 

 

 

/by

Speeding Increases the Frequency and Severity of Mississippi Car Accidents

Virtually everyone violates the speed limit at some point or at least drives faster than one should given road and traffic conditions.  While many people consider speeding to be a minor infraction, drivers guilty of speeding kill far too many people throughout Mississippi.  The faster a vehicle is moving the more stopping distance that is needed to avoid a car accident.  A car is also less responsive and more prone to rollover at high rates of speed when a driver engages in sharp steering maneuvers.  It is not only the case that you are more likely to be involved in a car accident when driving at a high rate of speed, but the severity of one’s injuries are also much greater when a driver is speeding.

Our Mississippi speeding accident attorneys have successfully represented those involved in car accidents with speeding drivers.  Because car accidents that occur at a higher rate of speed necessarily result in a more intense impact, it is important to have an experienced Mississippi car accident attorney that has handled a substantial number of car accident claims involving substantial injuries and even wrongful death.

The danger of being involved in a speed related accident is substantial given that 90 percent of all drivers admit to speeding, and 75 percent admit to doing so regularly.  Some people justify speeding based on the fact that they exceed the speed limit by only a small margin.  The problem with this reasoning is that even exceeding the speed limit by five mph can cause a serious car accident depending on where the speeding occurs.  Speeding is a significant factor in as many as one-third of all fatal car accidents.  The relationship between increased speed and a higher risk of car accidents is demonstrated by a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) that revealed that increased speed limits resulted in an increase in the number of car accidents and auto accident related fatalities.

Speed frequently is also combined with alcohol and other dangerous accident risk factors.  An accident victim typically must establish negligence of the other driver to recover compensation for injuries.  Exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for weather or road conditions generally will constitute negligence.  Speeding increases the probability of a driver being involved in a Mississippi car accident resulting in serious injury in a number of ways including:

  • Speeding decreases the amount of reaction time a driver has to engage in evasive maneuvers or to apply the brakes.
  • Excessive speed increases the risk of skidding on icy or wet roadways.
  • Stopping distance increases significantly as speed increases.
  • Speeding increases the force of impact in a collision with another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object.
  • There is an increased risk of losing control of the vehicle when turning if a driver is speeding.

If you have been involved in a serious car accident in Mississippi caused by a speeding driver, Barrett Law provides a thorough investigation of the facts, extensive legal research, meticulously drafted pleadings and motions as well as compelling courtroom advocacy.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by

Backing Out of Your Driveway Is More Dangerous than You Might Think

It is not unusual in Mississippi suburban communities to see a parent crossing the street as they hold their child’s hand.  This is not only predictable, but also an effective way to guard one’s child from an inattentive, drug or alcohol impaired or otherwise indifferent driver.  Ironically, parents often do not show the same level of attention and care when their children are playing near the driveway of their residence. While most people believe that the majority of children are hit by motor vehicles while crossing the street, a substantial number of children are injured every year by people backing out of a driveway.  There more than 220 fatal back over accidents per year, and there are another 14,000 people being injured by vehicles backing out of a driveway.  Our Mississippi driveway accident attorneys at Barrett Law understand the devastating emotional toll of having a child injured in a driveway back over accident as well as the enormous financial cost that may accompany serious catastrophic injuries.

Tragically, small children are the most common victims of driveway back over accidents. Because is not possible to see small objects immediately behind a vehicle, it is essential when backing out of the driveway that a driver physically walk behind the vehicle and check to make sure there are no children, pets or other obstacles present. This simple practice could prevent most, if not all, back over accidents in Mississippi driveways.  However, motorists are typically in a hurry to get to work, take their children to school or get home to deal with daily chores.  This urgency to get to one’s destination often means that drivers do not check behind their vehicle to determine if it is safe to back out of a driveway or parking lot. The problem associated with back up accidents has increased with the growing popularity of SUVs and pickup trucks with lift kits. The higher a vehicle sits off the ground the greater the area of the blind spot behind the vehicle.

New innovations in vehicle safety technology offer promise in reducing the number of these serious and fatal Mississippi backing up car crashes. Some collision warning systems sound an alarm to alert a driver that it is not safe to back up.   Other versions of this warning system provide an alarm to those who are potentially behind the vehicle designed to alert a pedestrian that the vehicle is about to move in reverse.  While our Mississippi car accident lawyers commend these safety improvements, they are still a rare option on many vehicles. While eventually these may become standard features, it is essential that for now anyone backing out of the driveway be alert regarding the location of their children or other children in the neighborhood and check behind their vehicle before backing out of the driveway.  At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent personal injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by

Should Mississippi Consider DUI Per Se Laws for Drugged Driving?

Mississippi drivers generally understand the dangers posed by drivers that are under the influence of alcohol.  Any driver whose driving abilities are actually impaired by alcohol may be convicted of DUI. However, every state has eased the burden on law enforcement and prosecutors of proving DUI cases by passing “DUI per se” laws that permit anyone with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or more to be convicted of DUI without needing to establish actual impaired driving ability.  Per se DUI laws do not apply to DUI cases involving marijuana and other drugs, but some advocate creating similar DUI per se laws for marijuana.

Marijuana is now legal to treat certain medical conditions in 16 states, and medical marijuana legislation is currently pending in 12 more states.  Colorado is currently considering legislation that designates a BAC for THC  (the active ingredient in marijuana) above 5 nanograms as “DUI per se.”  The objective of DUI per se laws for marijuana is to keep marijuana impaired drivers off the roads and prevent car accidents.  While Colorado is a state where medical marijuana is legal, this issue also is relevant in Mississippi though there is no medical marijuana law nor proposed legislation.  If marijuana impairs driving ability, then laws that make it easier to convict drivers of being impaired by marijuana may prevent Mississippi car accidents that result in serious injury and wrongful death.

Currently, the prosecution of a driver who tests positive for cannabis is more complex than DUI cases involving alcohol.  These cases involve establishing through testimony or other evidence (e.g. a car accident) that the driver actually displayed erratic driving indicating impaired driving ability.  Many times there will not be sufficient evidence to prove actual impairment of one’s physical or mental skills relevant to driving.  Sometimes expert witnesses are used to testify regarding what the impact of a certain amount of marijuana would have been on driving ability.  The bottom line is that DUI cases involving marijuana use are more difficult to prove and costly to prosecute than DUI per se cases involving alcohol.

Per se laws for marijuana would create an additional tool for law enforcement and prosecutors to discourage driving while under the influence of alcohol.  However, there are a number of issues raised by opponents of this approach to preventing car accidents caused by marijuana use.  The metabolites of marijuana can remain in one’s system for days and even weeks so it can be difficult to determine whether someone actually ingested alcohol prior to climbing behind the wheel.  Critics of marijuana DUI per se laws also point to studies that marijuana does not have the same impact on driving ability as alcohol.

The experienced car accident attorneys at Barrett Law are committed to aggressive measures to prevent Mississippi car accidents that cause painful debilitating injuries and wrongful death.  Per se laws for marijuana may deter some marijuana users from driving which will save lives.  If you or someone you love has been injured or a loved one has been killed by a drunk driver or an drug impaired driver, our experienced Mississippi DUI attorneys aggressively fight to hold impaired drivers accountable for the injuries and loss of life that they cause.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by

What to Do When You Are In a Collision in a Rental Car and Declined Optional Insurance Coverage

As the school year winds down and the weather heats up, many people throughout Mississippi are making plans to go on vacation.  If you are planning to travel out of state by plane, there is a good chance that you may need to rent a car, truck or SUV.  Rental car leasing agents at all of the major car rental companies, including Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, Avis, Dollar or Alamo will likely encourage you to purchase optional liability insurance.  Given the tough economy many people presume that the odds against be involved in a car accident while on vacation are minimal and pass on the insurance.

Unfortunately, there are far more people than you imagine that are in serious car accidents while traveling.  Traveling in Mississippi can create a perfect storm that leads to a collision because you are driving a car that you are not used to on streets that you have never traveled on.  When a car accident occurs while you are driving a car, truck or SUV from a rental agency, you may have many questions about your ability to be compensated for your injuries and how the cost of the vehicle damage will be covered.  Many people that find themselves in this situation feel a sense of dread remembering the dire warning that they received from the car rental agent about the risks of not taking the optional insurance.

However, there are many sources of insurance that may cover your loss if you are involved in an auto collision in a rental car while visiting Mississippi.  If you did pay the premium for the liability insurance offered by the rental agency, you might be able to pursue a claim against the provider of that insurance coverage for your injuries and loss.  This insurance may also provide the source of funds to repair the vehicle.

Even if you opted out of the insurance offered by the car rental company, you may still be able to seek compensation for your injuries from a wide array of other sources, including the other driver’s insurance, your own insurance and other sources.  If the other driver was negligent because the driver was speeding or ran a red light, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim seeking damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost past and future earnings and diminished quality of life.  If the other driver was not covered by insurance or had minimal coverage so that not all of your losses are covered, we may be able to assist you in pursuing a claim against your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Even if none of these sources are available to obtain compensation for injuries, there may still be other options.  If the vehicle is defective, you may be able to seek compensation from the vehicle manufacturer or the rental car company if the agency failed to repair a known defect.  Other options may include a public entity that failed to provide a safe roadway or a vehicle owner that entrusted his or her vehicle to an inexperienced or incompetent driver.  At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent personal injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by

Can Technology Eliminate Mississippi Car Accidents?

Technology is a mixed blessing when it comes to motor vehicle safety.  Certain technological advances cause more accidents by increasing driving distractions, such as mobile phones, dashboard mounted DVD players, iPads and other types of electronic gadgets.  Other types of technological innovations often make drivers safer, including new airbags, crash avoidance systems and other safety innovations.

An interesting issue is posed by an article in the USA Today this week offering insight from vehicle designers on what cars will look like in 2030.  Those interviewed discussed vehicles already in production and designs that will be available by 2030.  These innovations included self-driving vehicles that allows you a passenger to text or talk on the phone as the vehicle navigates the streets of Mississippi.  The notion that a car can safely drive without the input or attention of a driver seems a little disconcerting and unrealistic.

While this may sound like science fiction, vehicle designers and manufactures insist this is what the not too distant future holds.  Details about driving in the future include not only vehicles that operate themselves but also vehicles that “talk” to each other and communicate with the roadway.  This vision presumes that auto collisions will become almost non-existent because vehicles communicating with each other and computers at intersections and other strategic locations will use GPS tracking and crash avoidance technology so that stop signs and traffic lights are unnecessary.  Human error by drivers will be eliminated as a cause of car accidents.

Although this is a very appealing idea, it is hard to imagine that Mississippi car accidents will disappear.  However, this technology would likely remove negligent drivers as a cause of Mississippi car accidents in most cases.  Presumably, these complex systems may have defects or malfunctions that would shift liability to those who manufacture and maintain the vehicles and communication technology, as well as public entities that employ the technology for use in intersections and other areas of the roadway.  Product liability law would likely become relevant in a far higher number of car accident claims than it is currently.  Vehicle owner liability also might be based on failure to get properly service and repair one’s vehicle instead of negligent driving.

It is doubtful that even the most advanced vehicle and roadway technology can eliminate car accidents because human error will always be involved in causing collisions though the types of human error may change.  However, the concept of getting drunk, drugged, inattentive, reckless and speeding drivers out from behind the wheel is a prospect worth embracing.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by
,

New Strategies to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents Involving Drivers Engaged in Text Messaging

Despite the fact that 35 states have passed laws prohibiting text messaging while driving, many drivers continue to engage in this extremely risky behavior.  A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that sixty (60) percent of drivers admit to texting while driving.  The majority of those that indicated they engaged in such activity indicated that they did so even though they recognized the danger of such activity.  This blog has previously discussed how laws prohibiting texting while driving may be ineffective because of rather mild penalties and serious enforcement issues that are caused by the inability of police officers to determine how a mobile phone is being used.

However, there are a growing number of suggestions as to how to keep people from engaging in text messaging while driving from a variety of sources.  These suggestions include a recommendation last year by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) prohibiting the use of all electronic devices while driving.  While this proposed ban goes further than current laws in the states that ban texting while driving by prohibiting ALL use of ALL electronic devices, it may still have limited effectiveness unless the penalties that accompany violations are substantial.  A universal ban on the use of all electronic devices would certainly make enforcement easier for police officer.  This would remove the difficulty of having to determine if a driver is using their cell phone for hands free talking, GPS navigation, text messaging or any other function.

While the NTSB proposal would make enforcement of cell phone texting violations more effective, it still might not deter this dangerous activity.  Most state cell phone bans impose minimal consequences for violations so the deterrent impact of the laws is limited.  There is evidence that incarceration, substantial fines or driver’s license suspensions combined with a comprehensive ban on all use of electronic devices might be an effective way of preventing distracted driving accidents caused by texting drivers.  A survey conducted by the Ad Council found that 96 percent of those asked indicated that the imposition of jail time, significant fines, increased insurance rates and other financial and legal consequences would discourage them from texting and driving.  An example of such an approach exists with commercial drivers who must pay a fine of $2,700 if they violate a ban on text messaging while operating a tractor-trailer (trucking companies must pay an $11,000 fine for violations by its truck drivers).

Another strategy to prevent driving while text messaging is to impose civil liability not only on the driver but anyone that knowingly engages in a conversation with a driver by sending text messages to a person operating a motor vehicle.  There are many occasions when someone carrying on a text messaging conversation with a driver knows that the recipient of the text messages is operating a motor vehicle.  A pending lawsuit in New Jersey that has named the person who was texting with a driver before the driver caused a serious accident resulting in catastrophic injuries to a married couple riding a motorcycle may provide insight into whether courts are willing to take this step.

While states have imposed strict enforcement methods and tough penalties on drunk drivers, the laws prohibiting text messaging while driving are extremely lax.  Further, enforcement problems will remain an issue as long as drivers are permitted to use cell phones for other purposes.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by
,

Passengers Can Recover Against a Driver for Mississippi Single Vehicle Road Departure Accidents

A tragic single vehicle crash that resulted in the death of two passengers in George County provides an example of how accidents involving single vehicle road departure collisions can create a claim against the driver by passengers of a motor vehicle.  Media reports indicate that the vehicle ran off the road and rolled over several times.  Two passengers in the vehicle died at the scene of the accident while two more were injured.  While the cause of the single car accident was unclear the families of the two passengers that died may have a claim for wrongful death against the driver.  The passengers that were injured may also have a personal injury claim against the driver.

When passengers in a vehicle are injured by the negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which they are traveling, the driver may be liable if the vehicle left the roadway because of negligent driving.  While roadway departure accidents are commonly caused by driver negligence, defective tires and poorly designed roadways can also contribute to Mississippi road departure accidents.  Forms of driver negligence that may cause dangerous road departure collisions include:

  • Driver inattention which results in the vehicle drifting out of the roadway
  • Tired drivers that fall asleep at the wheel
  • Alcohol or drug impaired drivers that lack the coordination or perception to keep the vehicle on the roadway
  • Driving too fast to negotiate turns or curves
  • Failing to adjust ones driving to wet or icy roadways

Road departure accidents are among the most deadly types of crashes.  As in the George County collision, vehicles that leave the roadway and end up on uneven terrain frequently rollover.  Once a vehicle rolls over, the risk of catastrophic injury and wrongful death is extremely high because vehicle occupants are often ejected from the vehicle or crushed when the roof of the vehicle collapses.  Road departure accidents also are extremely dangerous because they may result in the vehicle falling off of the side of elevations.

Many Mississippi drivers do not realize that roadway departure accidents are extremely common.  These fatal forms of vehicle collisions account for over half all motor vehicle accidents.  In a recent year, roadway departure accidents accounted for more than 16,000 collisions and in excess of 18,000 car accident fatalities.  Despite this high number of road departure fatalities, there are counter-measures that public entities can install to reduce the risk of such collisions, including but not limited to the following:

  • Concrete barriers and guardrails
  • Road surfaces with a high degree of road friction
  • Rumble strips to warn drivers that they are at risk of departing the roadway
  • Safety edges on the roadway that mitigate steep drop-offs

If you or a close family member is injured of a loved one dies in a single vehicle road departure accident in Mississippi, our compassionate and dedicated team of attorneys at Barrett Law may be able to assist you in obtaining financial compensation.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by
,

AAA Study Reveals that Teen Passengers Substantially Increase the Risk of Teen Car Accidents

We have previously addressed the value of graduated licensing programs that grant driving privileges in stages to new teenage drivers.  There has been widespread speculation that such programs reduce the risk of accidents caused by teen drivers and prevent many potential car accident victims from suffering catastrophic injuries or fatalities.  While graduated driver’s license programs have been successful in reducing teen accident rates and the volume of teen accident fatalities, fatal auto accidents remain the leading cause of death for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19.  However, a new study suggests that programs that gradually implement driving privileges to inexperienced teenage drivers do prevent car accidents.  The study conducted by the American Automobile Association (AAA) reveals that prohibiting new teenage drivers from carrying teenage passengers substantially reduces teen fatality rates associated with car accidents.

The AAA study revealed that teenage drivers are more likely to die in a car accident when operating a motor vehicle with other teenagers in the car.  Moreover, the data also indicated that the probability that a teenage driver will be involved in a fatal accident increases as the number of teenage passengers in the vehicle increases.  The specific finding of the AAA study were as follows:

  • One teen passenger increased the risk of the driver dying in a fatal accident by 44%.
  • If a teen driver has two teenage passengers, the driver fatality rate jumps to 66%.
  • When a teen driver transports three teenage passengers, the driver fatality rate triples.

There are presumably several reasons for this significant increase in car accident fatalities for teen drivers.  The most likely factor is that passengers in the vehicle increase the distractions to a teen driver.  The driver may be carrying on conversations with multiple vehicle occupants so that the driver’s concentration is diverted from driving.  It is also likely that there may be other types of distractions present because other teens may attempt to show the driver text messages on their cell phones.  The final factor that may be relevant in explaining the fatality rate is the increased probability that the car will end up with a pack of intoxicated teenagers, including the driver.

Unfortunately, Mississippi’s graduated driver’s license program does not restrict the ability of new teen drivers to have teenage passengers.  Given the enormous danger of having multiple teenagers in the car, parents should consider prohibiting their kids from transporting teenage passengers.  It also may be advisable to refuse to allow your teenagers to ride as a passenger when their peers are driving.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by

NHTSA Reports Car Accident Fatalities Hit Record Low Level

New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that the motor vehicle fatality rate fell 1.7 percent in 2011.  It appears that the fatality rate for accidents involving cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles is the lowest it has been since the NHTSA was created in 1949.  This positive news is part of a 5-year trend from 2006-2011 during which motor vehicle fatality rates dropped by more than 25 percent.  Despite this positive news, car accidents on U.S. roadways are estimated to have claimed the lives of over 32,000 people during 2011.

Although the NHTSA data is encouraging in terms of improved highway safety, the data may be somewhat misleading.  The reduction in car accident fatality rates occurred during a year where drivers are traveling less because of high gas prices and tough economic times.  The NHTSA report indicates that the number of miles traveled in the U.S. fell by 35.7 billion during 2011.  This decline from the miles traveled in 2010 represents a 1.2 percent decline in miles traveled by drivers nationally.

While much of the decrease during 2011 may be dismissed as the product of drivers avoiding the roads because of financial woes, the five-year trend clearly reflects a substantial decline in motor vehicle accident fatalities.  There are a number of factors that the NHTSA indicate may contribute to this downward trend:

Increased Seat Belt Use: Many states are have implemented mandatory seat belt laws that have clearly proven effective in actually changing behavior.  These laws also are being more strictly enforced particularly in states wear seat belt violations are a primary violation.  A primary violation is one for which a law enforcement officer may actually pull a driver over.  Studies in several states have found that seat belt use increases significantly with implementation and enforcement of mandatory seat belt laws.  There are many occasions where seat belts are the reason that vehicle occupants suffer only minor injury.  A seat belt can keep drivers from being ejected from the vehicle, which is a leading cause of traffic related fatalities.  When vehicle occupants buckle up, they may also reduce the risk of fatal head injuries caused by being thrown against hard surfaces like windshields and dashboards inside vehicles.

More Effective DUI Laws and Enforcement: Alcohol impaired drivers continue to account for a third of all car accident related fatalities.  However, significant progress has been made reducing the rate of drunk driving through enforcement programs, such as sobriety checkpoints and the use of ignition interlock programs as well as harsher penalties for DUI offenses.  Zero tolerance laws designed to prevent teen drivers from operating motor vehicles with any measurable amount of alcohol in their blood also have helped prevent fatal DUI accidents.

Improved Vehicle Safety: Cars, trucks and SUVs have also become safer through use of more airbags, anti-lock brakes, collision avoidance systems and other safety features.  An example of a class of vehicles that have become safer is SUVs.  Electronic stability control systems (ESC) that apply the brakes individually to individual wheels when a driver over-compensates with a hard steering maneuver are now an effective counter-measure to rollover accidents.  Safety standards for the roof strength of SUVs have also improved which has helped reduce the risk of roof crush injuries in SUV rollovers.

While traffic related fatalities are down, there are still many people that lose their lives in avoidable Mississippi car accidents each year.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

/by