Car Accidents

It is against Ohio state law to drive when someone has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit for their license type. It is also against the law for someone to knowingly drive when they notice that they are – in any way – impaired as a result of alcohol, illicit substances or medication. The sad truth is that despite the law, a significant but unknown number of adults choose to drive while chemically impaired. All too often, intoxicated drivers end up causing major crashes that result in potentially devastating consequences for other people. Drunk drivers may face...

Self-driving vehicles are becoming more commonplace, but this doesn’t mean that they’re without safety issues. Recently, Tesla issued a recall for some vehicles that have self-driving programs. The company is now under investigation by federal regulators. Federal safety regulators say that the self-driving program in certain Tesla vehicles can cause crashes due to unsafe actions near intersections. This poses a risk for others on the road, especially if drivers aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around them. Recall issued Tesla notes that its vehicles aren’t fully autonomous, but the...

From minor fender benders to totaled wrecks, car accidents happen every day. If you are caught up in an accident that is attributable to someone else’s reckless actions, you deserve compensation for your injuries and property damage per Ohio negligence laws. However, Ohio laws also stipulate that your damages will be reduced based on your contribution to the accident. This legal doctrine is known as comparative liability, and it is crucial that you understand how it works when filing your personal injury claim. Understanding modified comparative negligence If someone is 100% at fault for the...

When backup cameras first came onto the scene, they were viewed as an extra piece of technology. There were some drivers who didn’t even want them, assuming that technology would just break more often. But it became very clear, very quickly that they were actually a terrific safety innovation. Today, it is mandatory that all new cars have backup cameras. Even those who may have initially been against them have come to expect them on modern vehicles. Why was this change made? Preventing traffic accidents The thing to remember is that driving in reverse is relatively uncommon. However, it...

Drivers make different types of mistakes every day, and many of these mistakes lead to car accidents. These mistakes only become more serious when the weather turns and the winter months set in. However, it’s important to note that all of these mistakes don’t necessarily happen when someone is behind the wheel. People can make errors in how they prepare for the drive, and those errors can eventually lead to an accident. One way that this happens is when drivers neglect to clear the snow off of their cars. Here are three reasons why: 1. Reducing visibility The first issue with this is that...

Winter is approaching which means not only a change in weather but shorter days and longer nights. If you drive, then this means that your chances of operating your vehicle in the dark are higher.  Driving comes with hazards at any time and in any weather conditions, but there are some things you need to be aware of when driving in the dark.  Impaired visibility  The visual system of humans is not really designed to navigate in the dark. Headlights, street lamps and other safety measures can help somewhat, but they cannot mitigate all the risks of driving in the dark. The truth is that your...

When you look at car accident statistics, you’ll find that the greatest rate of fatal car accidents belongs to teenagers. Out of all the age groups, they cause these deadly crashes at the highest rate. That doesn’t mean that they cause the greatest total number of fatal accidents every year. It’s just that the age group from 16 to 19 years old is so small. The number of accidents they cause is vastly disproportionate to the size of that group, showing that these are the most dangerous drivers. So why is this? They may get distracted Distractions are a major issue for teen drivers. It comes...

If you have been driving long, you have likely sat behind numerous drivers displaying stickers that announce who they have on board. Whether it’s “Careful. Baby on board”, “Careful. Precious cargo on board,” or a giant paw print with “Dog on board” is irrelevant. In both cases, the driver is telling you to take special care. You might find those stickers annoying. As a careful driver, you take care around every vehicle. Yet there is a good reason to give those vehicles a little extra distance, and it's not what drivers displaying them might think. Children and dogs are distracting It’s not...

All of our senses are precious, but many people value their sight more than anything else. Unfortunately, this is something that can easily be damaged during a road traffic collision.  How do visual injuries occur during a crash? Can you make a claim for compensation if your eyesight has been damaged when driving?  Lacerations Vehicles are generally made of some pretty hard components. Metal, plastic and glass surround the driver and passengers. During a collision, larger pieces of hard material can fragment and become airborne. If a small shard of glass, metal or plastic comes into contact...