St. Cloud Personal Injury Lawyer - teen driving

Recent Drunk Driver Caused Deaths Need To Be A Warning

Mike Bryant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:49:00 GMT

While highway deaths continue to be reduced, the number of deaths caused by drunk drivers continues to rise. This just isn't acceptable and needs to be addressed.

Last year, 190 people in Minnesota died in accidents where someone had been drinking. That's up from the year before and the year before that.
Most alcohol-related crashes happen Saturday between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
More than 75 percent of those drivers are men and 56 percent are between the ages of 20 and 34.
About 40 percent have drunk driving records and their average blood alcohol level is 0.15.
About 12 percent of Minnesotans have been arrested for drunken driving.

This past week, two separate deaths will hopefully increase the attention to this issue.

On Tuesday, Christopher Iverson's family took him off life support. Prosecutors say a drunken driver hit him early Sunday morning while he stood at a Minneapolis bus stop.

That same morning in Champlin, police say a drunken driver hit and killed Heather Solberg and then took off. She had been walking home with friends from a fireworks display.

The numbers suggest problems that law enforcement and maybe the legislature will have to further address. It may require another look at the joint and several laws. When the recent law was revised, bars were granted reduced liability when they serve a drunk and the drunk causes a tragedy. It's time that the law change be revisited.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Anoka High School SADD Group Wins National Competition Honor

Mike Bryant — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:04:00 GMT

At a competition sponsored by the All State Foundation and National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). , the Anoka High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions group received first place in a national competition and $20,000 dollars for " Get the 411 on Teen Driving! Stay Connected! Save Teen Lives.” This is after receiving second place in different competition last year.

The Anoka High School SADD students developed the program “Get the 411 on teen drivers – stay connected and save lives” campaign to reach out to their fellow students about making smart decisions while on Minnesota’s roads. Their program was aimed at reducing teen road deaths through proper driving and overall awareness. It provides information about the campaign, information on Minnesota’s graduated licensing laws, along with safety and driving information.

You can see Anoka SADD’s campaign at www.teendriver411.com . Winners and projects for the Act Out Loud competition can be found at www.actoutloud.org .

We at Bradshaw and Bryant PLLC again salute the group for their fine work and hope that it saves many lives of their fellow students.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Is Big Brother Actually Going To Be Parents For Teen Drivers?

Mike Bryant — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:48:00 GMT

Ford is coming out with some interesting ideas with their next line of cars. Basically they are systems which will allow parents to monitor all sorts of activities of their teen drivers. The idea being that governors on speeds or knowledge that someone may be watching might save teen lives.

Called MyKey, parents will be able to program an audio system’s volume, and to sound continuous alerts if the driver doesn’t wear a seat belt. “Our message to parents is, hey, we are providing you some conditions to give your new drivers that may allow you to feel a little more comfortable in giving them the car more often,” said Jim Buczkowski, Ford’s director of electronic and electrical systems engineering.

MyKey will be standard on some 2010 cars and trucks comeing out late next summer, and spread to the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup as models are updated. Options include:

MyKeyTM, another innovation from the company that introduced SYNC®, allows parents to limit speed and audio volume to encourage teens to drive safer and improve fuel efficiency

Harris Interactive Survey shows that many parents would allow teens to drive more often if their vehicle was equipped with MyKey – helping young drivers build road safety experience

MyKey will debut as a standard feature this summer on the 2010 Ford Focus and will quickly be offered on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models

I was very interested in a teen's look at these changes. I found this article , which not only covered the ways it might have prevented his driving problem, but also others' options out there.

I love to see when a company like Ford comes up with these kind of life saving ideas. I hope it's used and finds great success.

My only question is if Dad will turn it off when he's driving?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Sobering Facts About Drinking And Driving

Mike Bryant — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:27:00 GMT

I recently came upon an article from the Rochester Post-Bulletin that looked at DUI's on both the statistical and the real story level. The stories are sad and a lot like we see in our personal injury practice. The numbers were a little staggering:

one in eight licensed motorists in Minnesota has a DWI incident on their record;
one in 39 has three or more convictions;
In Olmsted County the last 10 years have seen more than 9,000 people charged with misdemeanor DWI;
A person died in an alcohol-related accident every three hours in Minnesota;
A crash involving a driver younger than 20 occurred every 28 minutes in the state;
A motorist not wearing a seat belt was killed or injured in Minnesota every three hours.
Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for Minnesota teenagers, eclipsing suicide, other accidents, cancer and homicide combined.
The risk of dying in a crash doubles when a teen driver has a teen passenger in the car and is five times greater with two or more passengers.

These numbers need to be reduced. Hopefully, continuing to review the stories and looking to more education on the issues, we can do that.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

It's Time For Prom Don't Drink And Drive

Mike Bryant — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:24:00 GMT

It's prom and graduation time again. It means parties and fun. But, keep in mind the dangers of drinking and driving. First, it's illegal to be drinking before you're 21. If you are caught, the loss of license is for a long time. But, beyond that drinking and driving brings along extra consequences of lives lost and potentially long criminal sentences.

Steve Lombardi recently posted a couple of clips that are well worth the time to watch. They're not pretty, but they get the point across. Make sure you and your friends keep them in mind.

I've enjoyed seeing young teens out and all dressed up as they hear off to these great events. But, I've also unfortunately represented the families of those who were injured as the result of speeding or stupid events from those nights.

Get home safe.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Sobering Education For Teen That Drove Drunk

Mike Bryant — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:51:00 GMT

An Easter party, which involved a 17 year old stumbling out drunk, lead to the death of a woman after a head on collision later that night. Witnesses estimate that at the time of the collision, the teen was driving 100 miles an hour. He was charged with criminal-vehicular homicide and criminal-vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm. His blood-alcohol content was 0.176 when he was tested at a hospital after the crash.

Also charged was the an 18 year old who supplied the alcohol. While the criminal charges will play themselves out, the driver of the other car is still in the hospital in critical condition. The woman who died was just 43.

This case should be a good reminder, to not only to people who supply alcohol to teens , but to everyone concerning the dangers of drinking and driving. It's simply not acceptable. It ruined multiple lives simply because of stupidity.

The Charity Guide has provided a list worth reviewing for all people involved with teens:

Volunteer to help organize a fun, alcohol-free post-prom party at your local high school.

Write a letter to local supermarkets and liquor stores stating that you will not patronize any establishment caught selling liquor to minors. Get as many people as you can to sign the petition.

If you or someone you love has been affected by a drunk-driving accident, share your story to inspire others.

E-mail the the Jacqui Saburido story — in poster, PowerPoint or video format — to every health education teacher in your area. (Caution: Jacqui Saburido was severely disfigured when struck by a drunk driver. The images are disturbing.)

If you are the parent of a teenager, download a copy of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) brochure "Underage Drinking: You Can Prevent It When They're Under Your Influence." E-mail ten other parents of teenagers, encouraging them to do the same.

Download copies of the MADD brochure "Underage Drinking: You're Stronger Than You Think" for every member of your church's youth group. Include with it a copy of "The Drunk Driving Poem."

Download a copy of the Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) "Contract for Life," a fair, two-way agreement in which teenagers promise to call for a safe ride home if they should find themselves in a potentially destructive situation. In return, parents agree to withhold discussion about the situation until a later, calmer time. Copy the contract for distribution at the next meeting of your local high school's parents' association.

The numbers of alcohol related driving deaths are to high. It's important that we all play our role in preventing them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

The Importance Of Sleep To Driving

Mike Bryant — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:02:00 GMT

Recent studies are starting concerning the number of people who drive when they are tired. According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of all adults have driven drowsy at least once during the past year; 28 percent said they've nodded off behind the wheel. This is just the people who admit to it. Other studies have suggested that early start times for schools have added a large number of teenagers to this group.

Having deposed a number of defendants, I can't remember the last time they admitted to being tired at the time of the accidents. Sometimes they admit it to the officer at the scene, but unless the investigation is immediate or they are forthright in the reason for the accident, it's unlikely that the sleepiness will be ever found out. The reality being that it's probably a major reason in a number of the accidents.

Research continues to suggest that sleep apnea may play a large role in the sleep issues , particularly in larger men. The sleep research labs suggest the following issues to keep a look out for:

Some of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

excessive daytime sleepiness
snoring
gasping for air
headaches
excessive movements in bed
a partner who won't sleep in bed with you

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about sleep apnea.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Parenting Resource Center Working To Increase Youth Seat Belt Usage

Mike Bryant — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:33:00 GMT

The Parenting Resource Center in Mower county was recently praised for their work with teenagers. Through presentations that include stories of deaths and severe injuries, the group talks to 16 year olds about their seatbelt use.

This group was targeted after a study by the Governors Highway Safety Association report "Driver and Passenger Seat belt Use Among U.S. High School Students, which concluded that U.S. high school students aged 16 years are significantly less likely to wear seat belts as passengers than as drivers.

The idea is to get them to start leading by example. "If you guys buckle up in the car, there is a good chance others in the car will buckle up, too," said Jill Riley an AmeriCorps volunteer for the Parenting Resource Center. With this story coming recently after a story about the three 2008 highway deaths in Mower County , this is a great effort and hopefully will be successful.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Child Safety- Later School Start Times May Cut Teen Accidents

Mike Bryant — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:01:00 GMT

A recently released study from University of Kentucky psychologist Fred Danner, suggests that later school start times may reduce teen car accidents and save lives. The researchers found a 16.5 percent drop in auto accident rates for teen drivers when local high schools moved the start of classes from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

In the study, the researchers surveyed around 10,000 Kentucky students from grades 6 through 12 on their sleep habits and daytime functioning, including auto mishaps. The surveys were completed twice -- first in 1998, when school started at 7:30 a.m., and then again in 1999, when the start time had been moved to 8:30 a.m.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, fatigued drivers cause about 100,000 accidents per year and over half of those drivers are 16 to 25 years old. A 2006 survey by the foundation revealed that 28 percent of high school students fall asleep at school and 51 percent have driven while drowsy. Another recent study showed that sleep deprivation also leads to safety problems for college students.

While there are many financial issues facing schools concerning school days, it's clear that there is a social benefit in later starts. Hopefully with all of the discussions, these findings will be taken into consideration.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Child Safety: Anoka High School SADD Group Wins National Competition Honor

Mike Bryant — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:59:00 GMT

At a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in conjunction with the National Organizations for Youth Safety, the Anoka High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions group received second-place in a national competition to develop a new ad campaign promoting teen safety awareness on America’s rural roads.

Anoka SADD’s campaign materials are available online at www.teendriver411.com. The Department of Transportation has also highlighted the www.teendriver411.com link on its Peters blog Fast Lane, which can be found at www.dot.gov .

We at Bradshaw and Bryant PLLC salute the group for their fine work and hope that it saves many lives of their fellow students.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant