Jump To Navigation

Blog Topic

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents include single vehicle accidents, accidents involving semi-trucks and motorcycles, and accidents in which a pedestrian or bicyclist are struck. In 2005 there were nearly 6,420,000 automobile accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 42,642 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2006. This equates to approximately 117 people a day -- one death every 12 ?? minutes. In fact, car accidents are listed as the number one killer of teenagers in the United States. The financial cost for these automobile accidents is more than 230 Billion Dollars per year. In Indiana, if you are in an automobile accident, it is important to file a report with the appropriate police authority before leaving the scene of the accident. Doing this will document the accident for insurance purposes and result in a police accident report that will include statements from the drivers and witnesses. The report will also confirm the presence or absence of injuries, any traffic or road conditions which contributed to the accident, and document the weather. The investigating officer will also list what he or she believes to be the primary cause for the accident. Although not usually admissible in a court of law, police accident reports are extremely important to insurance companies who often make liability decisions based on the report. If you are injured in the accident, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. It is also important to take photographs of the vehicles involved and all of the injuries sustained as soon as possible and continue photographic documentation of the injuries throughout the duration of the treatment. For more information, call or email the attorneys at Wagner Reese & Crossen.

Federal Regulations Require Reflective Vests
Posted by: Steve Wagner
July 24, 2009

Beginning last November, federal regulations require people working along roadways to wear day-glow reflective vests. The new regulations came shortly after Deputy Sara Jones was killed in Monroe County. Deputy Jones was directing traffic on State Road 45 to assist a wrecker in removing a vehicle from a ravine. While Deputy Jones had a reflective vest in her patrol car, she was not wearing it at the time of the crash.

However, with new federal regulations in place, it seems that not all law enforcement officers are following the rules. It even appears that certain police agencies have modified the rules. Through an investigation conducted by WISH-TV 8, it was discovered that many officers are making traffic stops and never putting on their reflective vests. The Indiana State Police defended their officers by saying, "...it wasn't necessary for them to wear it for the everyday traffic stop." Wasn't it the "everyday traffic stop" that left Deputy Sara Jones a victim of an avoidable accident? The original federal rule calls for the safety vests to be worn at all times. Each vest cost taxpayers $70.

Permalink


Subscribe


What is RSS?