Auto Safety

In 2004, a woman in Michigan was talking on a cell phone when she drove through a red light and into an intersection. She hit another car and killed a 12-year-old boy from the impact. The light hadn’t just turned red, it had been red for a little while, as the car she hit wasn’t the first through the intersection. She was reported to be looking straight ahead while on the phone—not looking down, like we usually assume with an accident like this. Even though she was looking ahead, she was distracted by her phone conversation. And that was 15 years ago. Think of how cell phones have advanced since then to occupy even more of our attention.

Distracted drivers kill 9 people a day and injure over 1,000 others. They’re a leading factor in fatal and serious car accident injuries, right behind drunk driving and speeding. Drivers have become complacent even though they are putting their own life and others’ lives at risk every time they get behind the wheel.

[Read more…] about Why Is It Dangerous to Use Hands-Free Devices While Driving?

Written by: Reginald C. Hair

“Will my insurance premium increase even if a car wreck was not my fault?” This is a common question that we receive from a lot of our clients. The answer to this question depends on many factors. The best way to find the answer to this question is by doing the following: reviewing your insurance company’s policies and speaking to your insurance agent.

While it may seem unfair, car wrecks that are not your fault can increase your insurance premium. A 2017 study conducted by the Consumer Federation of America, revealed that Progressive was the most aggressive when penalizing innocent customers, compared to GEICO and Farmers Insurance, which occasionally increased insurance rates by 10% or more for innocent drivers. Allstate rarely increased premiums, while State Farm never increased premiums for innocent drivers. [Read more…] about Car Wrecks and Insurance Premiums

Written by: Reginald C. Hair

The importance of sleep has been drilled into our minds since we were all kids. We have all been told that our body needs to be well-rested to function at its capacity. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night is recommended. Without an adequate amount of sleep, your cognition, attention, and decision-making skills can be impaired.

Sleep deprivation slows your reactions to stimuli, decreases accuracy of responses, and leads to long lapses in attention. According to the National Sleep Foundation and AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a driver who has slept for less than five hours in a 24-hour period has the same likelihood of getting into a collision as someone that has been driving drunk. Unfortunately, sixty percent of Americans have operated a motor vehicle while feeling drowsy, and around one-third of them have actually fallen asleep behind the wheel. [Read more…] about Sleep Deprivation and Car Wrecks

Everyone is used to certain road signs like stop signs and speed limit signs, but there are many different kinds of signs on the road– some more uncommon than others. Some drivers may not know what every sign means and may not be able to interpret what a sign is indicating quickly enough to avoid an accident. If drivers are on the road but they don’t have all the information they need to quickly make a judgement call, they cannot operate a vehicle at their safest.
[Read more…] about 5 Uncommon Road Signs You May See in South Carolina

Written by: Reginald C. Hair

You have been involved in a car wreck. Now what? If you are reading this blog, you are probably interested in figuring out which personal injury lawyer you should hire to represent you. To assist you in deciding which lawyer you should hire, we are providing you with three tips to help you narrow your options. [Read more…] about Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer

Millions of automotive recalls are issued every year. As a responsible driver, it’s important to check for recalls involving your vehicle. The majority of the time, if a recall is issued you can take your vehicle to an approved shop and have the defect fixed at no charge to you.

Many car defects have to do with engine or steering problems, acceleration issues, faulty airbags, wiring issues, and mileage and gas usage. While some defects may seem like an annoyance or inconvenience, other defects can have deadly consequences.

[Read more…] about 2018’s Top Defective Vehicles