April 25, 2012 | by MH

“Distracted Driving Design Challenge” Invites Teens to Participate

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is inviting teens to create an original icon that will be used to promote DOT’s anti-distracted driving message. The icon will be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites.

The contest, which will accept submissions from April 16 through July 31, is open to students between the ages of 13 and 18 in the United States. The winning design will be selected by Secretary LaHood and a panel of DOT experts and incorporated into DOT’s distracted driving campaign.

Full contest and submission details for the Distracted Driving Design Challenge are available at Distraction.gov and Challenge.gov

April 23, 2012 | by MH

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the message from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is “One Text or Call Could Wreck it All.”

In 2009 (most recent statistics), distracted driving killed nearly 5,500 people – that’s 16% of all fatal crashes that year. In addition, almost half-a-million more people were injured as a result of distracted driving.

Despite the recognized dangers, only nine states (plus DC, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) currently ban both texting and hand-held cell phone use while driving. Utah only bans texting but defines careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a handheld cellphone or other activities not related to driving.

At Siegfried & Jensen, we encourage you to keep yourself, you family, and your community safer by NOT driving while distracted. No phone call or text message is worth a catastrophic injury or death.

April 20, 2012 | by MH

“Black Box” Recorders Coming to A Car Near You in 2015

Remember those “black boxes” that everyone talks about after a plane accident? Wouldn’t it be great if we had that same kind of information in a car accident or truck accident?

Senate Bill 1813, which has already passed the U.S. Senate and is set to pass the House of Representatives, will require all new cars in the United States to be fitted with a data-recording “black box” beginning in 2015.

And yes, these recording devices are similar to the “black boxes” used in airplanes. They would record information about the car like speed, breaking, etc. They would not record people talking.

It seems like common sense to include these devices in cars. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encouraged but did not require manufacturers to install these systems back in 2006. For better or for worse, events like the Toyota acceleration fiasco have increased awareness and urgency surrounding this issue.

At Siegfried & Jensen, we’ve handled many cases where information from a “black box” would have made all difference in finding out the truth about what happened in an accident — the more access to information the better for everyone. We welcome the benefits and increased accountability that these recording systems will bring to consumers.

April 18, 2012 | by MH

Cyclists and Motorists — Can They Ever Get Along?

Between 2000 to 2009, more than 7,000 bicyclists were killed in motor vehicle accidents on U.S. roads. That’s an average of 600-800 deaths per year. In addition, hundreds of thousands more cyclists were seriously injured during that same time frame. Let’s face it, in a bike-vehicle collision, the bike will always lose.

Of course, hard core bicycle riders are out year-round, but now that nicer weather is here, fair weather riders will be hitting the great outdoors and that means even more sharing the road.

Sadly, too many cyclists and motorists think of road sharing as an us-versus-them situation. It’s not. Sharing the road means respecting everyone’s right to use the roads responsibly. It means following the rules of the road and using common sense during bike-motor vehicle encounters.

“Share the Road Safely” and similar campaigns are dedicated to educating bicyclists and motorists nationwide about how to share the road courteously and safely. Programs are slightly different in each state, so check your state for details.

In Utah, we have the “Road Respect: Car & Bike Rules to Live By” program through the Department of Public Safety. There is also information available through the Department of Health.

Other resources for both cyclists and motorists include:

• Bicycling Magazine’s online presentation

• The League of American Bicycles

• LAB Reform

• SmartMotorist.com

At Siegfried & Jensen, we’d love to never have to help another bike accident victim again. Let’s all do our part to keep our communities safe for everyone.

April 16, 2012 | by MH

Are You An Aggressive Driver? Are You Sure?

As many as 56% of deadly vehicle crashes involve one or more unsafe driving behaviors typically associated with aggressive driving. That means that if you’re driving aggressively, you’re needlessly endangering yourself, your passengers, and others on the road.

Do you drive aggression-free? Take the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s aggressive driving quiz and find out. This short, self-administered questionnaire measures your levels of anger and impatience as well as your tendency to engage in competing and punishing activities when driving.

If you score higher than expected, take a look at the Foundation’s brochure Road Rage: How to Avoid Aggressive Driving.

Quick tips include:

• If you’re tempted to retaliate against another driver, think: “Would I want to fly in an airplane whose pilot was acting like this?”

• Put yourself in the other driver’s shoes. Instead of judging the other driver, try to imagine why he or she is driving that way.

• Avoid tailgating. Allow at least a two-second space between your car and the car ahead.

• Enjoy the ride and your companions. If you race and compete you will not be fully attentive to your surroundings or the people you’re with.

• Instead of thinking that winning is everything, start thinking that making it to your destination safely is what really matters.

• Allow a little extra time for your trips. You’ll be amazed at how much more relaxed you’ll be when you have a few extra minutes.

• Being annoyed at other drivers can only happen if you let it. Don’t overreact to every mistake on the highway. Downplay the event and it will fade away.

• Avoid cutting drivers off, honking the horn, and making inappropriate or offensive gestures.

• Take a deep breath and remember that escalating a situation will only make things worse.

• In some states, police have set up special phone numbers to report aggressive drivers. Find out how you can report this behavior in your area.

Driving can be one of the most stressful things we do in a day, but remember, we’re all in this together and driving safely benefits everyone.

April 13, 2012 | by MH

The Great Utah ShakeOut — Statewide Earthquake Disaster Drill 4-17-2012

On Tuesday April 17th, over 800,000 Utahns will participate in The Great Utah ShakeOut, the largest statewide earthquake disaster drill in Utah history.

The purpose of the ShakeOut is to help us (people and organizations) get better prepared for major earthquakes and practice how to protect ourselves if/when they happen.

There are lots of ways for individuals, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, community groups, and others to participate. The Great Utah ShakeOut website has information about how to participate and who’s participating, as well as faqs and resources for preparing for and getting through an earthquake.

Just like wearing a seatbelt, being prepared is the best way to make sure that you and your family stay safe when an emergency strikes.

Hey, Utah — Get ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On!

April 11, 2012 | by MH

Airline Pilot vs. Truck Driver Comparison

Vacation season is just around the corner and that means travel. Some of us will travel to distant locations by commercial airplane. Most of us, however, will find ourselves sharing the road with 80,000 pound semi trucks. Guess who’s safer?

Road Safe America has some interesting —and troubling— comparisons between airplane pilots and truck drivers. For example, pilots are allowed to fly 30 hrs/week, 100 hrs/month, and 1,000 hrs/year. Truck drivers, on the other hand, are allowed to drive 77 hrs/week, 231 hrs/month, and 2,772 hrs/year.

No wonder there are 74,000 people injured and nearly 4,000 people killed every year in accidents involving semis.

At Siegfried & Jensen, we encourage you to be safe when sharing the road. Remember these safety tips:

• Be extra alert as you approach a large truck. They behave very differently from cars.

• Avoid blind spots around trucks. If you can’t see a truck’s side mirrors, the truck driver can’t see you.

• Do not pass a truck on the right while the truck is turning right.

• Do not cut in front of any large vehicle, including a truck or a bus.

• Give trucks at least four to six seconds of space in wet conditions and at highway speeds.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a semi truck accident, contact Siegfried and Jensen’s experienced truck accident lawyers to learn about your rights and how to protect them.

April 9, 2012 | by MH

Keeping Summer Safe For Teen Drivers – Graduated Driver’s License Programs

Summer is fast approaching – and along with its many pleasures come some unhappy truths. Summer is the deadliest time of year for teen drivers.

Statistics show that the risk of car accidents (year round) is higher among 16 – 19 year old drivers than among any other age group. A teen driver between the ages of 16 – 19 is four times more likely to end up in a car accident than an older driver.

Why?

A major factor is simply lack of experience. Young drivers tend to underestimate dangerous situations, have difficulty recognizing hazardous situations, and overestimate their own abilities.

Teens also tend to engage in risky behavior, and what may simply get them in trouble outside of a car can be deadly behind the wheel.

• Distracted Driving – It’s not just about phones. The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers, and the risk increases with the number of teen passengers. The more teenagers in a car, the more likely the accident.

• Speeding – Among male drivers 15 – 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash.

• No Seat Belts – Teenage drivers and passengers are among those least likely to wear their seat belts. In 2008, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants ages 16 – 20 who were killed in crashes were not buckled up.

• Driving Under the Influence – In 2008, 25% of drivers ages 15 – 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 g/dl or higher.

So how do you help keep your teen safe?

A proven technique is a Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) program. This approach introduces your new driver to the challenges and decision-making of driving by allowing them to get their initial driving experience under low–risk conditions. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.

Remember, even if a GDL isn’t the law in your state, it can still be the law in your home.

April 6, 2012 | by MH

Take Me Out To The (Salt Lake Bees) Ball Game

April means one thing for us here at Siegfried & Jensen — Minor League Baseball!

We’ve been long-time fans and supporters of the Salt Lake Bees, our local MLB team that’s the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The 2012 season began for real yesterday (4/5/2012) with the first of a four-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium in WA. The teams also play today (4/6/2012) and tomorrow (4/7/2012) before finishing off the series with a day game on Sunday (4/8/2012).

If you’re in the Salt Lake area this spring and summer, we encourage you to catch a game sometime this year. There’s nothing like a day out filled with peanuts, popcorn, hotdogs, cotton candy, and . . . BASEBALL!

April 4, 2012 | by MH

Biggest Verdicts Come From Big Businesses Suing Each Other

We’ve all heard about big verdicts in personal injury lawsuits even if we don’t always know whether or not those verdicts are ever paid (see the McDonald’s coffee case). We know about them because 1) the media like to cover big verdicts and 2) big businesses use these rare cases to try and position themselves as victims of frivolous lawsuits, out-of-control juries, and astronomical verdicts.

What do we not hear about? Big businesses suing each other and getting truly astronomical verdicts — a much more common occurrence than personal injury lawsuits.

In fact, in CA (one of the busiest court systems in the country), the biggest verdicts by far come out of business-to-business lawsuits that involved complex disputes in which hundreds of millions of dollars in profits are at stake. For example: In 2011, there was a $2.32 billion award made by a jury in a lawsuit between St. Jude Medical Inc., which manufactures pacemakers, and a Chinese medical manufacturer called Nervicon, which was found to have committed massive theft of trade secrets.

Only one of the top five verdicts in California in 2011 involved a personal injury lawsuit. It involved the deaths of two men. In that case, the jury found that Ford Motor Co. had knowingly equipped its cars with defective tires; the tire manufacturer had warned about them. Ford chose to use the defective tires instead of issuing a recall for purely financial reasons. As a result of the $77 million verdict, Ford and other manufacturers may be more likely to put safety before profits in the future. That means a safer world for everyone.

At Siegfried & Jensen, we know the more that regular people learn about the legal system and how it really works, the better off they, their families, and their communities will be.