Category: Personal Injury

How Dangerous are Electric Scooters? Austin Will Help the US Find Out.

January 9, 2019
Evans/Reilley

Electric vehicles in all shapes and sizes are becoming more common in Texas. Governments are trying to decide how to regulate them just as users are trying to learn out how to safely use them. Electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and scooters are entering the market. As this new technology improves, you may find that getting around was never easier. But was it safer? The injuries and accidents involving electric scooters in Austin from last September through November will be studied by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports USA Today. These scooters, narrow, two-wheeled vehicles with a handlebar for steering, first became popular when they were powered the old-fashioned way, by pushes by the rid[...]

4 Ways to Stay Safe in Austin on New Year’s Eve

December 29, 2018
Evans/Reilley

As 2018 winds down and you begin looking forward to 2019, remember: The best way to get the new year off to a good start is to stay safe on New Year’s Eve. Some common sense, planning ahead, and situational awareness will help ensure a smooth and festive transition from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. These four tips are a good place to start. Have a house party where you control the environment. Sometimes it makes sense to avoid strange places and unfamiliar situations—and if you want to celebrate but stay in a safe environment, what could fit the bill better than your own home? If you host festivities at your place, you get to stay in control of all the elements of the evening: the guest list, the atmosphere, and what (and how much) peo[...]

CMV Inspections Reveal Hours-Of-Service Struggles in Trucking

November 26, 2018
Evans/Reilley

A fatigued driver is an unsafe driver. That’s the rationale behind the Hours of Service (HOS) rules that apply to the trucking industry. These rules, set in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (a division of the federal Department of Transportation), dictate how many consecutive hours a driver is allowed to drive his vehicle, as well as how long and how frequent his breaks must be. The goal, stated by the FMCSA, is “to keep fatigued drivers off the public roadways” and make sure that drivers stay awake and alert while driving. However, Hours of Service violations continue to be common among commercial truck drivers, and some in the industry are pushing for change. "Today's truckers have never faced more reg[...]

What Every Limousine Renter in Texas Should Know

November 12, 2018
Evans/Reilley

The limousine that crashed in New York state in early October, killing 20 people, should not even have been on the road. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated days after the Oct. 6 accident that the vehicle had failed its latest safety inspection—and the driver did not even have the proper license. The limousine itself was what some have called a “Frankenstein vehicle”—basically an SUV that has been cut in half and stretched out. "When we look at limousines and stretch limos, we see a really Frankenstein system of cars that potentially are cut up and put back together with parts and pieces that were not original to them," Deborah Hersman, president, and CEO of the nonprofit National Safety Council and former chair of the N[...]

Duck Boat Incidents in Other Cities Raise Concern in Austin

October 1, 2018
Evans/Reilley

You’re riding in a vehicle with dozens of other people, when it suddenly veers off the road and into a body of water. It sounds alarming, but it’s an experience tourists pay for all the time when they board a “duck tour.” Duck boats—vehicles that can operate on land and in water—have been operated as tourist attractions in harbor, river, or lake cities in the U.S. since 1946, many using surplus military amphibious landing vehicles from World War II. And while the majority of duck tours go off without a hitch, there have been exceptions with sometimes deadly results. Since 1999, there have been 12 incidents in the U.S. involving duck boats, resulting in 44 deaths. The most recent of these has also been the deadliest: th[...]

Big Risks for Big Rigs: Why Are Fatal Large Truck Crashes Increasing?

August 20, 2018
Evans/Reilley

Every day, tractor-trailers share the roads with cars, pickups, and SUVs. But what some tractor-trailers don't share is the advanced safety technology that helps the passenger vehicles stay accident-free. According to Consumer Reports, research shows that safety features currently available in passenger cars, such as a forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB), are reducing crashes as they become more available. Now, experts are wondering if those features could help curb a disturbing trend: the increase in deaths in crashes involving large trucks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37,461 people died on the road in 2016, the last year for which statistics are available [...]

Dusting off Your Motorcycle This Spring? Here’s a Safety Checklist

April 6, 2018
Evans/Reilley

If you’re one of the more than 400,000 licensed motorcyclists in Texas, warmer weather means hitting the open road on your favorite two-wheeled vehicle. But if your bike’s been sitting in a garage for a while, make sure you inspect it before taking that first spring ride. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends that riders complete an annual T-CLOCS inspection, which stands for tires/wheels/brakes, controls, lights/electrics, oil/fluids, chassis, and stands. Here’s what that entails: Tires/wheels/brakes Tires - Check the tread depth, and look for signs of wear, cracks, embedded objects, or bulges. Check the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure, and test your air pressure when the tires are cold. Inflate if necessary.[...]

Safety Tips for ‘March Madness’ in San Antonio

March 16, 2018
Evans/Reilley

The NCAA men’s basketball playoffs – otherwise known as March Madness – will end in San Antonio this year, with the four-day Final Four event. The city anticipates around 93,000 visitors will attend the events and games between March 30 and April 2. All of the events that weekend will be downtown, so traffic congestion is likely to be heavy. If you’re planning to attend Final Four events, keep the following safety tips in mind. Use alternative transportation If you plan on drinking alcohol, or if you’d rather not deal with the hassle of finding a parking spot, there are plenty of alternatives to driving. For $5, adults can buy a round-trip bus ticket from Madla Station, Blossom Athletic Center, or Crossroads Park & Ride [...]

In a Personal Injury Case, A Picture Really Is Worth 1,000 Words

July 12, 2017
Evans/Reilley

Skid marks, a dented guardrail, and shards of red plastic on the road, when viewed together, tell a story. These remnants of traffic accidents can help investigators determine exactly what happened, but when a crash occurs, it may not occur to the parties involved to get pictures of the immediate surroundings. If you are involved in a car accident, or any other type of accident that causes injury, take as many pictures as possible. They might just help you, or your attorney, prove an important point. Documenting the Scene If you’re at the grocery store with a friend, and your friend slips, falls, and seriously injures her back, she might be angry if you snap a photograph of her. But in this instance, it might be one the best ways yo[...]

Are Doctors Prescribing Unnecessary Medications?

May 30, 2017
Evans/Reilley

Do you need medication to control your blood pressure? According to Consumer Reports, the answer depends on whom you ask. Blood pressure consists of two measurements – systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. The normal systolic pressure range is 90 to 120, and the normal diastolic range is 60 to 80. Consumer Reports says that the American College of Physicians recommends blood pressure medications for people age 60 and older only if systolic pressure is above 150, whereas the American Heart Association advocates blood pressure medicine when systolic pressure exceeds 140. High blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol levels increase one’s risk for heart attack and stroke. When LDL cholesterol levels are high, doctors may recommen[...]