Bar Owners Will Pay $1.3 Million In Drunk Driving Death

The former owners of a restaurant in Gresham, Oregon will pay $1.3 million after being accused of serving too much alcohol to a convicted drunk driver who killed two young women reports KATU.com. The judge could more than double that amount.

Although the Golden Star Restaurant is now under different ownership, the parents of the young women sued the former owners accusing them of knowingly over-serving the driver and then allowing her to drive.

The bar had a history of over-serving its patrons and had received several written warnings from the Gresham police, an Oregon Liquor Control Commission fine and dozens of patron DUI arrests, according to news reports.

The two young women were celebrating a 21st birthday when their car was hit head-on by the drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway. Neither woman had alcohol in her system. […]

Parents File Lawsuit After Deadly School Bus Accident

The parents of a teenage boy have filed suit against Autumn Transportation following a crash that injured their son and caused emotional turmoil when his friend was killed in the crash, reports the Connecticut News. The parents are suing on behalf of their son according to Connecticut law since the boy is a minor.

The bus went off the highway after it collided with a Volvo station wagon. The suit alleges the bus company allowed a driver who did not have proper training and licensing to drive the school bus, and further claims the company does not adequately supervise or train its drivers. The bus driver’s license has since been suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Also named in the suit are the bus driver and the teen driver of the Volvo for failing to take necessary precautions to avoid an accident.

If you have been injured or a loved one killed in a vehicle accident that was caused by another person’s carelessness or recklessness, […]

$4.4 Million Awarded to Family In Automobile Wrongful Death Case

Department of transportation and subcontractor negligent for car accident

A Utah 4th District Court jury has awarded the family of a man killed in a traffic accident in 2006 almost $4.4 million, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

Due to state law caps on damages against the state and the victim’s share of the responsibility, the award will be reduced by almost $2 million.

The family of the Payson man sued the state Department of Transportation and a subcontractor for failing to post appropriate signs warning of traffic delays as they were working on the reconstruction of a bridge. The man was killed as he came over the crest of a hill and tried to swerve to miss the driver ahead of him who slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting cars stopped because of the bridge project. He crashed his vehicle and died 13 days later. […]

Despite Ban, Teens Using Cell Phones While Driving

According to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, despite states’ efforts to outlaw teen drivers from chatting on their cell phones, it is occurring at the same level as before the bans went into effect.

Earlier this week, researchers released the finding of an in depth look at North Carolina’s teen driver cell phone ban. They found that even though 95% of parents and 74% of teens support the ban, the new law isn’t reducing the number of teens using their phones while driving. Prior to the ban going into effect, researchers observed 11% of teens leaving high schools with one hand on the wheel, one hand on their phone. Then, after the ban was passed, researchers went back to the same high schools and observed 12% of teens chatting away while driving.

Researchers found that females were more likely than their male counterparts to be using cell phones while driving. […]

Carseat 101

Ten tips to keep your child safe in a car seat

It is frightening to think that each day 5 children are killed in automobile accidents – and another 586 will suffer injuries. It is even scarier to consider 1700 kids die a year, almost half of which are unrestrained passengers.

By simply securing your child in a car safety seat, you can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants under one, and 54% for toddlers between one and four years old.

For some, installing a child safety seat can be an arduous task. Perhaps that’s why as many of 85% of car seats are installed incorrectly or are not the right size for the child. By following these simple guidelines, we can help you keep your family safe.

1. Always read & follow the instructions from the manufacturer of the seat. […]