Regular readers of our St. Louis personal injury blog know that we focus on issues close to home, but we also keep our eye out for matters across the nation that could be important locally.
We recently read of a tractor-trailer crash that involved serious injuries to both the truck driver and a woman driving an SUV. According to a New Jersey newspaper, the 42-year-old woman was driving ahead of the big rig until she slowed and turned right into a supermarket shopping center’s parking lot.
If you drive southwest of St. Louis for about two hours, you’ll arrive in Washington County. The sparsely populated area was the site of a recent fatal drunk driving crash, officials there said. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a man was charged with driving while intoxicated after his vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic on Highway 21.
The two vehicles hit head-on. A passenger in the vehicle driven by the DWI driver was killed.
Technology is king in today’s society and cell phones are capable of more than ever before. From browsing the internet to video chatting with friends, there are many different ways you can use your mobile devices. Unfortunately, this also means an increase in distracted driving.
Distracted driving is incredibly dangerous but it can be tempting. You may notice notifications popping up on your phone while driving and it might be hard to resist a quick check. But even a moment away from the road can cause a serious accident.
If you drive west of St. Louis for about four and a half hours, you will come to Peculiar, Missouri. The town of less than 5,000 recently made headlines when a bicyclist there was struck by a SUV driven by a local police officer. Fortunately, the bicyclist apparently sustained only minor injuries in the collision.
The distracted driving crash was captured on video by the bicyclist and posted on YouTube. It has already been viewed more than a million times, according to an article in USA Today.
We all know the feelings of drowsiness. They come quietly upon us every night. We begin to blink and yawn and lose interest in the book we’re reading, conversation we’re having or TV show we’re watching. The most natural thing to do is to head to bed and fall asleep. Unfortunately, many people are behind the wheel of a vehicle on the road when the feelings of drowsiness come upon them. The worst choice they make is to keep driving, experts say.
But that is exactly the choice made every day and every night by truck drivers whose livelihood depends on staying on the road. A recent article by an economics professor states that because truckers are underpaid and overworked, they are more likely to be the cause of violent truck accidents, devastating injuries and tragic losses of life.
Like every major American city, St. Louis is crisscrossed by interstates and other major roadways carrying every imaginable type of 18-wheelers, cars, pick-ups, SUVs and motorcycles. Because of our city’s central location, we are often a stopping place for not only commercial drivers, but also tourists and other travelers.
Drowsiness is a danger for all of those drivers making long-distance treks, whether they are behind the wheel of a big rig or a Cooper Mini – and everything in between. Research has shown that drowsy drivers are more likely to cause motor vehicle accidents and injuries. A new study on drowsy driving shows the vibrations of a moving vehicle can significantly increase drowsiness.
Which would you rather hold tightly and keep safe: your child or your phone? Of course the answer for most St. Louis parents would be their children – or would it? According to a new study, about half of parents of young kids talk on their beloved phone while driving with their children in the vehicle.
As we all know (or should know), distracted driving is very risky driving behavior that too often leads to car wrecks, serious injuries and sometimes fatalities.
We hope that all of the regular readers of our St. Louis personal injury blog had enjoyable, safe Fourth of July holidays. Unfortunately, holidays are often a time when some irresponsible members of society get drunk, cause motor vehicle wrecks that injure innocent motorists. In the very worst case scenarios, people die in those violent crashes.
According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, three people were killed in car accidents over the July 4 holiday.
We have all done it before. You’re in a hurry, so you speed up to go around a barreling 18-wheeler. The other car in front has slowed down as they approach traffic. Now you’re stuck right next to the gigantic truck you were attempting to get away from. Without intention, you have found yourself in the truck driver’s blind spot. These blind spots are not places anyone wants to be. It’s an accident waiting to happen.
Most states have cracked down on drivers and passengers wearing seat belts and staying off their phones. Traffic laws are intended to keep the roads safer and cut back on fatality rates. The states haven’t forgotten about motorcyclists. While Illinois is not on board, Missouri is one of the 19 states that have a universal helmet law.
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