Articles Tagged with car accident

Safe-Driver-post-1-scaledDriving is one of the riskiest things you do every day. Many careless actions, such as speeding, giving in to distractions, and fatigued driving, can all significantly increase your risk of crashing. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is especially dangerous. Fortunately, there are simple steps that you can take to keep yourself and others safe. 

Five Things You Can Do To Be A Safer Driver

  1. Concentrate on the Road: You may have been driving for years or even decades and feel like you can do it without much thought. However, we cannot stress the importance of always keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in a recent year alone, distracted driving killed 3,142 victims. Therefore, avoiding all distractions, like eating or drinking, scrolling through social media, talking on your cell phone, and applying makeup behind the wheel, is crucial. 

How-to-Handle-Road-Rage-A-Defensive-GuideRoad rage refers to a driver’s intense anger, typically sparked by another’s provoking behavior and manifested through aggressive or violent actions. In recent years, road rage incidents have hit record highs throughout the United States. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), experiencing aggressive driving has become all too common, with approximately 80 percent of motorists reporting at least one incident within the past month.

Aggressive driving frequently escalates into all-out road rage, such as forcing other vehicles off the road, brake checking, or even ramming into others. It typically involves intimidation and attempts to damage cars or injure other drivers. Unfortunately, road rage accidents result in much more devastating injuries due to aggressiveness, high speeds, and violent impacts than other collisions. Over 30 victims’ lives are senselessly taken in road rage-related incidents yearly.

Why Do Drivers Experience Road Rage

Emotional-Car-Accident-scaledVictims of car accidents may be forced to deal with painful lacerations and bruises or even more severe injuries, like broken bones and traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, it is essential to remember that collision-related injuries are not always physical. It is common to experience various emotions, such as anxiety, anger, fear, and depression. For some victims, these feelings can persist long after their bodily injuries have healed. 

Victims of more severe car accidents, especially those involving wrongful deaths and grave disfigurements, often develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you or a loved one are struggling with the emotional aftermath of a car accident, help is available. In this guide, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s caring attorneys will discuss symptoms of psychological trauma and provide tips for coping with the repercussions. 

Common Symptoms Of Emotional Distress 

Driving-in-bad-weather-scaledWhile car crashes can happen just about any time, the risk of being involved in a collision significantly increases in bad weather. In fact, bad weather conditions are notorious for causing devastating car accidents throughout Western New York. Heavy rain, intense snowfall, poor visibility, and slick roads can all easily cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Driving in poor weather conditions is even more dangerous when drivers fail to take proper safety precautions to prevent unnecessary accidents.  

Safety Tips For Avoiding Inclement Weather-Related Crashes

All motorists have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care while driving in unfavorable weather conditions, which includes taking the appropriate safety precautions and driving more cautiously. Below, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s battle-tested lawyers have listed the best practices to minimize your risk of being involved in a bad-weather car accident:

Construction-Zone-Road-Work-Ahead-scaledAnother road construction season comes every year. While some drivers might get a little annoyed when they see the flashing arrows and orange cones, it is essential to remember construction crews are just doing their jobs. Without them, our roads and highways would never get repaired or resurfaced. You might not consider the dangers these workers encounter on the job, but being hit by a passing vehicle is at the top of the list. The additional challenges and distractions of construction zones also generate more significant risks for everyone on the road.  

Driving Through Construction Zones Safely

As potholes are being filled and our roads are being mended, it creates a certain level of chaos. Lanes get reconfigured with orange cones and concrete barriers seemingly popping up everywhere. As a result, vehicles from other lanes are all trying to merge into the remaining lanes. Safely navigating through this added congestion requires a calm, disciplined, and focused approach. Below, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s attorneys have listed some tips that can help protect you and reduce your risk of being involved in a construction zone accident:

Speeding-BLOG-scaledEveryone leads a hectic life from time to time, and it is easy to get caught up in our busy schedules. Consequently, many drivers find themselves in a rush behind the wheel to reach their destinations on time. Regardless of how late you are, avoiding driving faster than the speed limit is crucial. Speed limits are posted for the safety of everyone on the road. Driving too fast will not only put you in danger but also others in the area, such as your passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of other vehicles. 

Reasons Why Speeding Is So Dangerous 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding played a significant role in about one-third of all fatal collisions over the last two decades. In a recent year alone, speeding claimed the lives of nearly 11,300 victims. In addition to these tragic speeding statistics, below are seven reasons not to speed:

Dont-Text-and-Drive-BLOG-scaledA fundamental rule lies at the heart of driving safely: unwavering attention to the road ahead. It’s a universally acknowledged truth that texting while driving can unleash a cascade of catastrophic events—wreaking havoc in the form of harrowing accidents, grievous injuries, and tragic loss of lives. We’ve all encountered those disconcerting moments behind the wheel, encountering fellow drivers whose focus seems adrift. Imagine the vehicle just ahead, swaying unpredictably. Despite your persistent horn blasts, the driver remains unperturbed. Frustration builds until you manage to overtake, only to catch a glimpse of the culprit—engrossed in texting on their phone. Does this unsettling scenario sound familiar?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine lives are lost daily due to crashes involving distracted drivers. Distracted driving covers a lot—think scrolling through social media, munching on a snack, applying makeup, refereeing backseat battles, and even giving your GPS more attention than the road. However, texting seems to be among the worst of the long list of distractions. The latest stats suggest that if you’re texting while driving, you run a 23 times greater risk of crashing. If that’s not enough to convince you, here’s a list of reasons to kick that texting habit to the curb while you’re behind the wheel:

  1. Texting while driving is a punishable offense in New York State;

Recovering-After-An-Accident-scaledBuckle up for a startling revelation: in the United States, a car accident occurs every minute, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Collisions have stealthily climbed the ranks to become one of the top three leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. From minor fender benders to heart-stopping head-on encounters, the aftermath of each car accident can unleash a devastating wave of severe bodily harm, psychological trauma, and emotional distress.

In a recent year alone, there were 2,282,015 reported car accident-related injuries. While fortunate victims may only be subjected to minor cuts and bruises, far too many suffer devastating injuries. Your road to recovery will be heavily contingent on the scope and severity of your wounds. Additionally, the amount of time needed for recovery after a crash-related injury depends on factors such as your overall health, age, lifestyle, and how quickly you get treatment.

Seek Medical Care As Soon As Possible

Find-Lawyer-Blog-post-scaledGetting into a car accident can be terrifying and nerve-racking, especially if you or a passenger have suffered severe injuries. You may not know where to turn, and to add insult to injury, it may feel like your insurance company is not offering you the compensation you deserve. Your injuries may be causing you considerable pain and make it impossible to maintain the same job or even work at all. 

As your hospital bills and other medical expenses pile up, you may decide to retain an attorney. The importance of retaining a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury lawyer cannot be overemphasized. In this guide, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s team offers the following tips to help you find a competent attorney to handle your case:

  1. Conduct Research: Assessing potential law firms has never been easier with the internet. Start by searching for personal injury attorneys in your area. Check their Google reviews and Better Business Bureau rating.

Man-Reporting-Car-Accident-scaledMillions of car accidents take place throughout the country each year. Unfortunately, many crashes result in costly property damage, severe personal injuries, and sometimes even wrongful death. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s top rated car accident injury lawyers realize that getting into a collision can be a frightening ordeal. After being the victim of an accident, it is only natural to be confused, upset, and frightened. It is common to endure post-psychological shock symptoms, such as racing thoughts, heightened anxiety, panic, and increased heart rate. 

The actions you take immediately following a collision could meaningfully impact the outcome of your prospective case. Even a relatively minor mistake could lead to you receiving considerably less compensation. Fortunately, there are some actions that you can take to help strengthen your potential claim. Below, our highly experienced Buffalo car accident injury lawyers will educate you on the 10 most critical things to do after a crash:

  1. Pullover Immediately: Find a safe, well-lit place nearby to pull over. Try to remain calm and turn on your emergency flashers to warn approaching vehicles. 
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