You might assume the traffic accident statistics may be similar for women and men. After all, the laws of physics are the same regardless of gender. But it turns out that men are dying on the roads at a much higher rate than women are.
Researchers have some clear ideas about why this might be. While legislators, law enforcement, vehicle designers and highway engineers could play their parts, nobody could do more to lower the overall fatalities in Alabama than drivers, especially male drivers.
When people think about motor vehicle collisions, they often envision the potential physical consequences of a crash, such as head and neck injuries or broken bones. They may also think about the financial impact of a collision, from property damage to hospital bills and lost wages. While all of these consequences are very serious, there are other ways in which car crash victims’ lives are shattered, some of which can be difficult for others to detect. For example, many people have mental scarring as a result of a crash they were involved in, and psychological trauma can make one’s life unbearably difficulty.
Someone who is dealing with mental scars as a result of an auto accident may lose their ability to drive, which could derail their life in various ways. For example, they may no longer be able to drive to work or take their kids to school. Moreover, some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder due to an auto crash, which can affect their personality and their entire life in countless ways (especially when it comes to personal relationships). Those who work in a field which requires a lot of driving, such as taxi drivers, law enforcement officials and delivery truck drivers, may find that they are no longer able to perform their job duties. This can lead to serious emotional and financial repercussions and completely unravel a victim’s life as well as their future.
On their road to recovery, auto accident victims may endure a number of hardships. Sometimes, the consequences of a car accident can interfere with professional personal lives from a long-term point of view. For example, someone may need to work in a lower-paying field due to a permanent disability, or they may encounter problems in their marriage because of the ways in which the crash changed their lives. Furthermore, some people may struggle with other hardships due to a car accident, such as developing a drug addiction.
Some people assume that drug addicts have found themselves in this position because of personal irresponsibility and poor decisions. However, there are many reasons why car accident victims may become dependent on drugs, whether they are addicted to an illicit substance or prescription medication. Some car accident victims may be prescribed pain medication to help with their high levels of pain, which could result in an opiate addiction. Or, someone may have to take medication which helps which depression or anxiety, and they could become addicted and see their lives unravel in various ways.
As you travel the Alabama highways, you may notice as you cruise along next to a semitruck that the bottom of the trailer is about even with your line of sight. At Wilkins, Bankester, Biles & Wynne, P.A., our legal team recognizes how this height discrepancy puts passenger vehicle occupants at risk of a fatal crash. Lawmakers also recognize this danger and are working to create laws that mandate strong underride guards.
You have seen a rear underride guard: the metal bar hanging below the back end of a tractor-trailer. Transport Topics points out that these underride guards are already mandatory. However, the standards for them are outdated. If you crash into one, there is no guarantee that it will catch the front of your car and trigger the crumple zones and airbags that reduce the risk of severe injuries. A faulty or missing guard allows a car to continue moving under the trailer, shearing off the entire top of the vehicle and typically causing fatal injuries.
Spring and summer mean warmer weather and more leisure time for motorcycle riding in Alabama. However, this also brings with it the risk of accident and injury. In order to enjoy your rides and prevent motorcycle accident injuries, it is important that you follow proper motorcycle safety procedures.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accidents involving motorcycles carried with them a 28-fold risk of death as compared to other vehicle crashes. Therefore, it is imperative to do everything in your power to ride safely so you can avoid getting into a crash. There are several specific things you can do to increase motorcycle safety, in addition to becoming well-versed with the laws and regulations regarding the operation of a motorcycle.
Motorcyclists in Alabama face a myriad of risks on the road. Even if you insist on the proper safety steps every time you ride, other drivers may behave in ways that increase your risk of experiencing a serious injury, such as spinal cord damage. MedicineNet.com explains the consequences of these injuries.
Damage to the spinal cord is usually permanent. While movement can be restored for many people, this area of the body does not repair itself after sustaining damage. As a result, there is no cure for spinal cord issues. Taking certain steps immediately after an accident, including getting prompt medical attention and attending aggressive rehab, can be beneficial for recovery.
Texting while driving is as much a problem in Alabama as the rest of the United States. While adults are also guilty of distracted driving, it is teens who are most at risk. As less experienced drivers, they sometimes lack the skills to take proper corrective action to avoid a car accident and smartphones only worsen this situation. According to CNBC, 6 out of 10 crashes involving teens also involve texting while driving. The data collected for the study that yielded these results also showed that distracted driving accounted for 76% of rear-end crashes and 89% of crashes that involved running off the road.
Perhaps what is even more terrifying is that teen drivers had their eyes away from the road for 4.1 seconds of the final six seconds before these crashes occurred. CNBC notes that previous studies in the auto industry has warned that drivers should never have their eyes off the road for more than three seconds. While smartphones accounted for 12% of teen crashes, it was not the only form of distracted driving. Being distracted by objects inside or outside the vehicle, singing and dancing to music, grooming and reaching for objects were also to blame.
Driving on the highway can be monotonous. Your cruise control is on and it’s mile after mile of the same scenery. It’s easy to let your guard down. But even if you’re mentally fatigued, it’s important to be alert to the danger posed by 18 wheelers.
When a passenger vehicle gets into an accident with a massive truck, your odds of coming out unscathed are not good. Accidents involving 18 wheelers and busses per year in the U.S. on average. It’s important to know the risks involved when sharing the road with large vehicles.
Alabama motorcyclists understand just how dangerous sharing the road with other vehicles can be. Because of your size and the speeds you may travel at, it is common for motorcyclists who get involved in a crash to end up with the worst of the injuries. Among these, head injuries can be some of the most common and brutal.
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) has a page dedicated to understanding traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Causes of TBI are always external rather than internal, and may result in a loss of consciousness, amnesia, or damage to the skull or brain. This damage can often be seen by the naked eye, but in other cases it may only be picked up by a brain scan. You may also experience seizures in the aftermath of a TBI.
No matter where the personal injury comes from, the road to getting better always seems complicated and expensive. You have a new injury that came out of the blue, and now it is impacting every area of your life.
This process can feel even more daunting when the bills start arriving. All the treatments come at a price. When the injury wasn’t your fault, though, it seems unfair that you should pay for any of it. That is part of the reason it can be helpful to talk to an attorney about your injury claim.
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Bay Minette Office
201 East Second Street
PO Box 400
Bay Minette,
AL
36507
Phone:
251-279-0982
Fax:
251-937-6190
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Fairhope Office
60 North Section Street
PO Box 1367
Fairhope,
AL
36533
Phone:
251-279-0982
Phone:
251-928-1915
Fax:
251-928-1967
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PO Box 400
Bay Minette, AL 36507
PO Box 1367
Fairhope, AL 36533
