New Jersey Accident and Injury Law Blog : New Jersey Injury Lawyer & Attorney : The Grossman Law Firm : Serving Monmouth County, Bergen County

For many parents, it's one of the biggest dilemmas they will ever face. Buying a first car for your teenage motorist is a major decision. For a parent, the statistics are sobering. Auto accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teenagers between 15 and 19 years of age. 44% of all teen deaths every year occur during accidents.

With facts like this, you need to make a safe, informed decision that considers your child's safety first and foremost. The best thing you could do for your child is to ignore his preferences while making a decision. Teenagers tend to like fast, high performance cars, and these are not the ideal vehicles for them. So, what should you look for while choosing a car for your teenager?

However, some experts warn that buying a new car for your teen could encourage speeding and reckless driving. They believe a used car is a better option. Still others believe that a teenager should only be allowed to use the family car. This allows you to maintain control over his driving. Ultimately, it comes down to your teenager's personality. You know your child best, and if you feel he or she would be safer in a slower, used car, by all means make that decision.

Fortunately, new cars come with enhanced auto safety features. Electronic Stability Control systems, side air bag systems and antilock brakes are just three features that can keep your child safe in an accident, and that are increasingly available on many models.

The American Automobile Association as well as Consumer Reports suggests a passenger car as a teenage motorist’s first car. These cars are easier to handle, unlike sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks which may be your child's favorite, but are at a high risk of rollovers.

Before you make a decision, check the car’s safety ratings on the websites of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey injury lawyer, representing injured victims of auto accidents across New Jersey.

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has published the results of a study that I found very interesting. The study was basically a review of more than 72 international studies, into the effect of alcohol prices on undesirable alcohol-related behaviors, including intoxicated driving. The review was conducted by the Task Force on Community Preventive Health, and was supported by the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention and other agencies.

The review revealed one clear fact - whenever there was an increase in taxes on alcohol, and consequently, an increase in the price of alcohol, there was a simultaneous drop in the number of undesirable alcohol-related behaviors. This includes driving under the influence of alcohol, binge drinking, underage drinking and all kinds of other alcohol excesses.

What's more, the review also found that this decrease in alcohol excesses remained constant across studies conducted in several different countries across the globe. The results also remained consistent across all kinds of alcohol beverages. The researchers are now looking into what impacts these undesirable behaviors more-increasing the prices of all alcoholic beverages simultaneously, or increasing the prices of alcohol beverages like wines or hard liquors, one at a time.

There's no confirmed explanation for why exactly these excesses drop when alcohol prices rise. However, the researchers are recommending an increase in alcohol taxes as one way to prevent such dangerous behaviors. As a New Jersey car accident lawyer, who frequently represents injured victims of drunk driving accidents around New Jersey, I'm special interested in deterrents to intoxicated driving. I would encourage further research in this area to determine the size of the impact higher alcohol prices have on intoxicated driving.

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A jury in New Jersey has awarded damages of $14.2 million to the family of a woman who was killed in a drunk driving accident. The woman was riding with her husband on a motorcycle when the motorcycle struck a car that was pulling out of a bar’s parking lot. The motorist, Stephen Evans had been celebrating his 21st birthday at the bar and had been driving under the influence. He fled the scene of the crash.

The woman sustained serious injuries, and died one week after the accident. Her husband suffered serious leg injuries to his leg, that have taken a long time to heal. His leg has been severely deformed as a result of injuries, and there is continuing atrophy.

The woman’s family filed a lawsuit against the bar. According to the family's lawsuit, the bar served too much alcohol to Evans, and this contributed to the accident. During the trial, it was found that the bar had altered the surveillance video cameras showing exactly how much alcohol Evans had been served. The bar was found to be 75% liable in the accident, and Evans was found 25% liable.

This is an example of how New Jersey’s dram shop laws work to protect those who are injured or killed in drunk driving accidents involving patrons. A New Jersey drunk driving accident claim can name a drinking establishment like a restaurant, bar, pub or hotel that over serves patrons with alcohol. In other words, if staff notes that a patron is visibly drunk and continues to serve him alcohol, and he then goes out and causes an accident that injures or kills someone, the bar can be named in a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey accident lawyer, representing injured victims of auto accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties, and across New Jersey.

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Congress is likely to approve a six-fold increase in funding for a program involving the development of an in-car breathalyzer device. The program called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety program, is a joint effort which includes the participation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and at least 13 automakers.

Thus far, the program has been receiving just $2 million in funding every year. Of this, $1 million is contributed by the NHTSA and the remaining $1 million is contributed by the automakers who are part of the program. In the initial stages of the program, it was believed that $2 million was adequate funding for the program. However the program is now gathering steam. The aim is now to develop a device that not only detects alcohol on the breath of a motorist, but also does it at fast speeds.

The device has to be a number of things in order to be efficient and effective. It has to be fast and 100% accurate. It must be extremely precise, and must be very reliable. It must also be invisible when there's a sober motorist at the wheel. All these requirements will need more money than the program is using up right now. That's why the news that the funding is likely to increase from $2 million every year, to $12 million annually is a welcome one.

Nationwide, we have made great progress in bringing down the number of drunk driving accidents that occur every year. These have been commendable achievements, but the fact is that in 2008, we lost 12,000 people in alcohol-related crashes. In order to bring down these numbers further, automakers must look into the installation of in-car breathalyzer devices that can prevent intoxicated motorists from driving their vehicles. As a New Jersey car accident lawyer, I encourage and support efforts aimed at developing such devices.

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A new study rates highways based on fatal accidents between summer of 2004 through summer of 2008, divided by the total number of miles on the highway. Interstate 76 in New Jersey had 1.64 fatal deaths per mile, making it the second deadliest in the country.

The results of the study come during an opportune time. Thousands of new Jerseyans are getting ready to travel across the state on holiday. Summer has traditionally meant a higher risk of accidents because of all that traffic. When there are more numbers of vehicles on the road, there are likely to be more accidents, and that's a fact.

However, it doesn't have to be that way. . As a Freehold accident lawyer, I believe that no matter what highways you're driving on, you can increase your risks of getting home safe and sound. There's not much you can do to control the behavior of other motorists around you, but you're entirely responsible for the actions that you take when you're traveling. For starters, make sure that you are in the right condition to drive. Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at all costs.

The biggest thing you could do to prevent fatal injuries to occupants of your vehicle is to encourage everyone to wear seatbelts and buckle up yourself to. Seatbelt use has found to be the single biggest factor in minimizing highway crash fatalities over the past few years. Seatbelt use across the country is at record highs at about 84%.

Drive at safe speeds, and switch off your cell phones and other electronic devices while at the wheel. Minimize distractions as much as possible.

Hat Tip: Texas Personal Injury Lawyer

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Approximately one out of every four motorcyclists does not wear a helmet while riding, while more than 50% have never taken a motorcycle safety training program. Those disturbing statistics come via a survey by Consumer Reports.

The survey found that although a majority of motorcyclists have a high opinion of their own motorcycling abilities, far too many of them continue to indulge in dangerous behaviors like driving without protective gear. According to the survey, just about 50%woreprotective boots and 25% wore protective jackets. Less than 10% bothered with protective pants or brightly colored clothing to increase visibility. Three out of five motorcyclists admitted to riding wearing shorts. Not surprisingly, more than one third of all accidents ended with the motorcyclist suffering road rashes. Approximately 25% of all crashes result in fractures.

The Consumer Reports survey results are disturbing because they indicate that far too many motorcyclists are riding with little protection to prevent serious injuries or death during a crash. Motorcyclist fatality rates have been increasing steadily over the past 11 years. This year saw a significant drop of 10% in motorcycle crash fatalities over the previous year, and also marked the first year in over a decade that there was actually a decline in these fatality rates. However, it's important to remember that the recession likely played a big role in this.

If there's one thing that motorcyclists can do to increase their chances of surviving an accident, it is wearing helmets and other protective gear. As a New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer, wearing a helmet is the one piece of advice I would offer any motorcyclist. It not only increases your chances of surviving an accident, but also reduces the risk that you will suffer brain injuries during a crash.

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It seems that there is very little need for us to be concerned about senior motorists. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that the number of fatal accidents involving elderly motorists, has actually declined steadily over the past few years.

According to the Institute, in 2008, data showed that the number of auto accident deaths caused by motorists aged above 70, had actually declined steadily across the country between 1975 and 2008. There's no data available for after 2008, but New Jersey injury lawyers can safely assume that those statistics are true for the last couple of years too. The data shows that concerns about senior motorists and their driving abilities, may actually be overblown. These motorists are actually much safer than the other category of drivers they are most often compared to - teen motorists.

In 1975, there were 26 accident fatalities caused by senior citizens per 100,000 motorists. That figure had dropped to 16 accidents for every 100,000 drivers in 2008. In New Jersey, the number of fatal accidents involving drivers aged above 65, dropped from 155 in 2002, to 99 in 2008.

There are other statistics that prove that senior citizens may not be the major accident risk that a lot of people believe them to be. Senior motorists account for just 3% of the population of the US, and account for just over 3% of the total accident fatalities. Compare that to teen motorists. These comprise just about 8% of the total population in the country, but comprise more than 12% of all accident fatalities.

However, it's also important for families of elderly citizens to be aware of any physical and mental conditions brought on by aging that could impact their loved one’s ability to drive. Look for signs like forgetfulness, increasing dementia, mood changes, loss of vision and hearing and other changes that could impact their ability to drive.

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The results of a survey released this week prove not only that distracted driving is still a major problem, but also that these distractions are far more broad ranging than we believe.

The survey was conducted by Jabra, which is a division of GN Netcom, and included over 1,800 respondents from Europe, North America and Asia. Internationally, technological distractions, including those from cell phone and texting devices, continue to be a major problem. There are also other distractions that pull driver attention away from the road, and increase the risk of an accident.

According to the survey,

• ·         72% of the respondents admitted to frequently eating while driving.
• ·         28% frequently text message while driving.
• ·         25% do their hair or even change clothes while driving.
• ·         13 % admitted to applying makeup while driving
• ·         15% of the respondents admitted to having sex while driving
• ·         10% admitted to reading newspapers or magazines while at the wheel

As a New Jersey injury lawyer, I was even more intrigued to see that more than 24% of the respondents are still not using hands-free devices, in spite of laws that allow them to use these devices in places of handheld cell phones.

From the results, it's obvious that motorists continue to remain under the false assumption that driving is an easy task, and can be done while you're on autopilot performing all kinds of activities. It is attitudes like these that lead to accidents. The results of the survey should be a wake-up call also to those, who would like to ban only technological distractions at the wheel. There are all kinds of other distractions that motorists in New Jersey around the country are indulging in, and these are just as dangerous as talking on the cell phone and texting while driving.

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A news report on CBS3 warns that parents may be unaware of the kind of injuries their child can suffer on a bouncy or inflatable ride. With summer here, and large numbers of kids expected to visit New Jersey’s amusement parks and carnivals, it's important to highlight the fact that thousands of children are injured every year while playing on these inflatable rides.

You don't think twice before you rent an inflatable for a child's birthday party. You probably have one of these right at home. It's important therefore, to note that according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission between 2003 and 2007, more than 31,000 children had to be rushed to hospital emergency rooms, after suffering injuries on inflatable rides. 

Most injuries occur when a lot of children of different sizes are playing on the ride. Larger children may fall on or knock off younger children, causing serious injuries. Injuries may also occur when the bouncy house blows away. This isn't as impossible or rare as it sounds.

In fact, the CBS3 report quotes a New Jersey amusement park ride inspector as saying that inflatable rides are linked to a high number of accidents every year. Most often, injuries are caused because the ride is not set up properly, or not used the way it is meant to be. The ride could be improperly tied to a fire hydrant, which is not safe at all. Inflatable rides are meant to be held down with sandbags and stakes, but very often New Jersey ride inspectors find that buckets are used to hold the ride down.

This summer, when your child is itching to get on the bouncy house, make sure that the inflatable ride is secured properly, the operator looks like he knows what he's doing, and that most importantly, the bouncy house is not too crowded.

Scott Grossman is a Freehold injury lawyer, representing victims of personal injury in Freehold, Saddle Brook and across New Jersey.

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Across New Jersey, thousands of children will be splashing in hot tubs, inflatable pools and residential swimming pools this summer.  It’s the right time to alert parents to the risk of drowning deaths.

The American Academy Pediatrics has issued recommendations for parents and caregivers to prevent drowning deaths among little children.. The group is recommending that children between one and four years of age be enrolled in swimming classes, to reduce the chances of drowning.

It's not often you see children of this age being given swimming lessons, and there's a reason for that. It is believed that these children may lack the cognitive skills that are necessary to learn swimming. However, the pediatrician group is now revising its recommendations to encourage children of this age group to be taught swimming. However, it's important to note that not all kids of this age may be ready for swimming classes.

Swimming lessons alone are also not sufficient to prevent drowning-related deaths. It's important that you take other poolsafety precautions to prevent accidents. This includes erecting high fencing around the pool. The fencing should preferably be around 6 feet high. All doors leading to the pool must be latched, and must be out of reach of children. Children must never be left unsupervised in the water even for a few seconds. Most drowning deaths occur when a parent leaves the child for just a few seconds to take a call or answer the door. This is highly inadvisable.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is also recommending that the flotation devices that your children use in the pool, be Coast Guard-approved. Low-quality devices can deflate, posing an immediate risk of drowning.

Scott Grossman is a Freehold personal injury lawyer, representing injury victims in Freehold and around New Jersey.

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For New Jersey residents who have loved ones getting on in years and still driving, these driving privileges can sometimes be a source of concern. On the one hand, you want your elderly seniors to continue to be mobile and active, because this keeps them healthy. There have been enough studies to indicate that senior citizens who lose their driving privileges may suffer from mood changes and depression. But what happens when an elderly loved one is diagnosed with dementia? Up until now, geriatric experts and neurologists have been united in the view that senior citizens with dementia must not be allowed to drive.

However, the American Academy of Neurology has announced that it will be altering those guidelines soon. The Academy has apparently done studies that show that patients, who suffer from mild dementia, may still be able to drive safely. It's not enough if the patient scores low on the dementia scale, however. He must also have support from family members and caregivers who confirm that the person is able to drive safely. He must also have a good record of safe driving, with no accidents and no driving errors to his credit.

Obviously, it's not an easy decision to make. However, as the family member of a senior citizen, you have a responsibility not just to the safety of your loved ones, but also the safety of other motorists on the road. Seniors can be safe drivers and they are involved in far fewer accidents than teen motorists. However, if your loved one has been diagnosed with mild dementia, is getting forgetful, and is aggressive or impulsive, you might want to reconsider whether you should allow him/her to drive at all.

Scott Grossman is a Monmouth County car accident lawyer representing injured victims in Freehold, Howell, and Marlboro, and around Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey.

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There has been a spike in the number of highway construction work zone accidents on New Jersey highways, and it's causing great concern to New Jersey car accident lawyers and the Department of Transportation.

According to this report, there were 5,247 construction work zone accidents in New Jersey last year. That was an increase of 8% over the figures in 2008. Bergen County seems to have been hit particularly hard by this spike. It had a total of 631 work zone crashes, and these accounted for three of the 11 fatal accidents across the state. In 2008, Bergen County had 430 such work zone accidents.

Passaic County however, saw a drop however in such accident rates. There were 217 highway work zones accident here in 2009, compared to 959 in 2006. The biggest possible explanation for the drop could simply be that there isn't a lot of construction work going on Passaic County. It's obvious that a higher number of construction projects, results in more numbers of accidents, injuries and fatalities.

The spike in accidents across New Jersey has spurred the launch of two separate studies into the possible causes of these accidents, at what location do these occur and what kind of safety measures could be taken to prevent these. The Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation and the New Jersey Institute of Technology are conducting the two studies.

There's a lot that motorists could do to prevent accidents on construction highway work zones. Avoid speeding and tailgating. Don't change lanes randomly in the middle of the work zone, and don’t slow down speeds to look at what’s going on. Be alert to warning signs and flaggers. New Jersey transportation officials must also look at the efficacy of warning systems and signs, and how these can be enhanced to minimize these accident rates.

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A new bicycling group was formed this month in New Jersey, with the aim of giving a voice to approximately 1 million bikers in the state. The New Jersey Bicycle Coalition hopes to draw attention to the approximately 50 bicycle accidents that occur in New Jersey every week, and the more than 160 bicycle crash-related fatalities that occur every year.

Bicyclists in New Jersey face the same challenges that you see across the country- lack of awareness by motorists, motorist negligence, lack of sensitivity by law-enforcement officials, lack of bike infrastructure, and lack of other bicycle safety provisions. In New Jersey however, there are larger numbers of bicyclists taking to the roads every year. The state has unfortunately fallen behind on developing infrastructure, and strengthening law-enforcement procedures to make it safer for bikers to use our roads. NJ police officers tend to have limited knowledge of bicycle safety laws, and this frequently puts bicyclists in a situation where their right rights are compromised.

There are several items on the bicycle group's agenda, including setting up more bicycle friendly roads in the state, shared rights-of-way, more laws that give cyclists enough room to ride, and better training for law enforcement officers in applying bicycle laws.

A shaky economy and climate change concerns demand that more people take to environment-friendly modes of transportation, like walking and bicycling. That's not going to happen if bicyclists are afraid for their lives and safety on New Jersey roads. As an accident lawyer in New Jersey, I would like more people to take to bicycling to reduce the congestion on our streets, and I would like also for authorities to make it safer for them to do so.

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A controversial new law that will require New Jersey motorists driving under a permit or probationary license to display a red decal on the license plate, will go into effect on May 1^st.

The law is called Kyliegh’s Law, and is named after Kyliegh D’Alessio , a teenager who was killed in a car accident caused by a probationary driver. It will require all drivers, both new and current, holding a probationary license to place the red decals on the top left corner of the license plate. Probationary license holders will be required to purchase the decals at four dollars a pair. After a teen motorist completes the probationary term, he or she can remove the decals from the license plate. The decals are removable, so if other family members want to use the same car, they can merely remove the decal.

The law has not been without its share of controversy. Critics believe that it discriminates based on age, and filed a lawsuit which was dismissed early this month after a judge ruled that there was nothing unconstitutional about the law. With the new law, New Jersey police will be able to better enforce the state's GDL laws.

It will be a while before the dust settles around this new piece of legislation. Teen motorists are likely to continue to complain. The fact is however, that teen motorists are at a high risk of death in automobile accidents. If a law like this can encourage teen motorists to follow rules regarding the number of passengers they have in their car, or the hours they are allowed to drive, then it’s worth it.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey accident lawyer, representing injured victims of auto and car accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

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It shouldn't come as a surprise to any New Jerseyan, and it certainly didn’t surprise me as a car accident lawyer in New Jersey. But, it’s still disturbing to actually read this in black and white. According to a Reader's Digest survey, New Jersey's roads are some of the worst in the country

The survey ranks all 50 states based on the general condition of the roads, and incidences of drunk driving and speeding. On a list of the 50 states ranked on the basis of the condition of the roads, New Jersey  ranks at a dismal 45. We only rank ahead of Oklahoma, California, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Louisiana in the condition of our roads. Those are shameful figures, but at least they're better than the dismal No. 50 position we were on in a survey published last year. 

 This much is true - if more people are surviving accidents in New Jersey, it's certainly not because of the condition of our roads. Reader's Digest also has a list of some of the best roads in the country. Not surprisingly, no New Jersey roads figure on that list.

Interestingly enough, even though NJ ranks poorly for the state of its roads, it ranks very well on a list of the deadliest roads in the country. On that list, NJ is placed at 47. What that means is that while the roads themselves may be in poor shape, safe driving practices and stronger law enforcement efforts are contributing to balance out the negative effects of the roads.

The lesson to take home from the survey is this - you may be fairly limited in what you can do about the condition of the roads in your state. But you can increase your chances of being safe by taking some basic steps to ensure your safety:

• ·         Drive at safe speeds.
• ·         Always wear your seat belt while driving.
• ·         Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• ·         Switch off your cell phones while driving.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey injury lawyer, representing injured victims of motor vehicle accidents and car crashes in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, and Ocean Counties, and across the state of New Jersey.

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When the law banning the use of hand-held cell phones was passed in New Jersey in 2008, injury lawyers believed that it would dramatically impact the rate of accidents caused by such distracted driving. It turns out that we may not have been as right as we might have hoped. According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, there are still far too many drivers out there using cell phones while driving and causing accidents.

Since the law went into effect on March 1, 2008, law enforcement officers in New Jersey have issued close to 225,000 citations to motorists for breaking the law. Between 2008 and 2009, there were 3,610 accidents that involved a motorist using a hand-held cell phone. These crashes led to a total of 13 deaths. The number of deaths from cell phone-related accidents seem to be the highest in Camden County with 231 accidents in all related to motorists using cell phones while driving. Burlington County was next with 121 accidents, and Gloucester County was third with 116 accidents traced to the use of hand-held cell phones at the wheel.

According to Division of Highway Traffic Safety chief Pam Fischer, law-enforcement officers are doing their duty, going out there and cracking down hard on motorists who use cell phones while driving. Unfortunately, the number of motorists who break the ban seemed to be far too many for law enforcement to be able to reach them all.

So do I think the laws have failed? No. We simply need better enforcement, heavier fines, and stricter penalties for these laws to work the way they were supposed to.

In related distracted driving news, a new bill proposes that police responding to an accident note down whether the motorist was distracted at the time of the accident. Officers would be given a sheet with a number of distractions - eating, changing radio stations and other distractions - and would have to check on the appropriate one.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey injury lawyer, representing injured victims of motor vehicle accidents and car crashes in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, and Ocean Counties, and across the state of New Jersey.

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Preliminary data released by the Department of Transportation indicate that there has been a record-breaking dip in the number of highway fatalities that occurred on American roads last year. In 2009, according to the data, there were 33,960 deaths on our highways, a drop of 9% from the previous year.

As a New Jersey injury lawyer, I have been blogging about the declining accident fatality rates across the country, including in our state. This year's numbers, while not low enough by any standards, are still extremely encouraging to those of us who would like to see fewer people killed and fewer lives shattered in preventable traffic accidents. According to the Department of Translation, fewer incidences of alcohol-related car accidents, greater use of seatbelts and safer cars have contributed to these decreasing fatalities.

I have to agree. Americans are safer now on the highways than they were even a decade ago, and that's no small accomplishment. However, that isn't to say that we don't have challenges on our roads.

·         The biggest challenges come from more and more numbers of technological distractions making their way into our vehicles. These include not just cell phones and texting devices, but also dashboard computers that are beginning to appear in cars.

·         Fatalities could also be reduced if we could focus a little harder on motorcycle safety. This is one category of highway users that continues to be at a high risk for death. We still continue to have far too many deaths in motorcycle crashes, even when the motorcyclist is wearing helmets.

·         The challenges to raising a new generation of informed drivers are greater today than they were a decade ago. Teen motorists have far too many distractions to enable them to drive safely. Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey must focus harder on enforcing traffic safety rules, educating teen motorists by taking the message to high schools around the state.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey accident lawyer, representing injured victims of automobile accidents in Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, and Bergen Counties and across New Jersey.

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As the numbers of digitized billboards on our highways has increased, the calls for limiting the use of these billboards because of the distraction risks have also become louder.

Travelers have become used to these billboards that flash advertising messages, news headlines, and sports scores. But exactly how distracting are these billboards? 

The billboard industry insists that there is no evidence to show that these billboards are any more distracting than traditional billboards. However, auto safety advocates are not as convinced. Adding to the confusion is that there have been very few studies into the distraction risks of these billboards compared to conventional ones.  Last year a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study indicated that these billboards were an accident risk, but did not confirm just how high the risk was. The Virginia Tech study did say, however, that there was a need for more studies into these risks.

It seems to me that anything that can take a motorist’s attention away from the road on a busy highway for enough time to cause an accident, must be considered a serious risk. Some of these billboards change messages every 6 to 8 seconds. These are highly distracting messages that have the potential to cause motorists to take their eyes off the road for several seconds at a time. Motorists who are distracted by billboards are already talking on their cell phones or texting while driving. In short, these motorists can't handle any more distractions.

Efforts to ban these billboards are on, but the industry has been stubborn about its opposition to any such ban. In several states, nonprofit groups are trying to block the installation of more such billboards.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey personal injury lawyer representing injured victims of auto accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean counties, and across the state of New Jersey.

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The National Transportation Safety Board has released its 2010 Federal Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements. The agency as it does every year, has outlined the recommendations that it has made to enhance highway, aviation, rail and maritime safety.

As expected, due to the high number of plane safety incidents that we have seen in recent years, aviation safety finds special mention on the list. The NTSB list also includes a number of recommendations for trucking safety, many of which have been given a red designation.

However, one particular item on the list is likely to have escaped the attention of the media and injury lawyers. The NTSB has chosen to remove two school bus safety recommendations from its list. Earlier, the Board had recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration develop safety rules that will prevent child passengers from being ejected from their seats in the event of a collision. According to the NTSB, the NHTSA has acted to develop rules specifying seatback strength for school buses and setting down specifications for voluntarily installed seatbelts in certain school buses. The NTSB says that it is pleased with the measures taken by the NHTSA to tackle these problems, and therefore, is taking the recommendations off the list.

As a New Jersey injury lawyer and a parent, this particular removal really concerns me. School bus safety is an issue that concerns many parents. In particular, it is the absence of mandatory seat belts on these buses that is troubling.  Failure to buckle up can convert a child into a projectile in the event of a crash, placing him at serious risk for injuries and deaths.  These can so easily be prevented simply by mandating that all school buses come with seatbelts.

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This week, I moved my injury law firm practice in Freehold to a brand new building, under a brand new name. So as of the 1^st of February, the Law Offices of Scott D. Grossman is now The Grossman Law Firm, LLC.  

Monmouth County residents can locate us at our new office:

The Grossman Law Firm, LLC.  

Pinho Professional Center,  

57 Schanck Road, Suite C-13

Freehold

The telephone and fax numbers for the Freehold office remain the same.

Phone:          732-625-9494

Web: www.GrossmanJustice.com

Blog: www.NJinjuryBlog.com

Our Northern New Jersey office remains at its current address in Bergen County.  

The new expanded premises are at a convenient location, and will help Freehold, Manalapan, Marlboro, Howell, Old Bridge, New Egypt and Jackson area residents, who need to consult with an experienced injury lawyer in Monmouth County.  

Those of you who know me on a personal level, or have given me the honor of representing you over the years, know that my objective in starting my own personal injury law firm practice was to help victims of negligence fight for their rights.  Over these years, I have noticed how shattered victims of accidents and serious injuries can be. When a person walks into my office, he or she has been through one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable. He or she has often been seriously injured because of someone else’s negligence, and has been off work for several days. Medical debt will soon pile up and he or she may soon find it hard to meet rent, mortgage payments, utility and grocery expenses.

For most of these people, it is the very first time they have been seriously injured. It is also the first time they have been unable to work and support their families. The strain of dealing with physical pain and financial expenses, and worry over a future that is so uncertain - these are some of the common characteristics I see in so many of the clients who walk in for a consultation at my office.

For me, being a personal injury lawyer in New Jersey is not just about helping these people navigate their way through the complexities of the NJ insurance law, and obtain the compensation they deserve for what is often a life altering experience. It’s also about helping them find the resources they need to move forward again.

While there may be nothing I can do to make injured clients or bereaved ones feel whole again, I am committed to doing all I can to put them back on the road to physical, financial and emotional recovery, all with a very personable hands-on approach.  As I settle down at our new beautiful, state of the art, conveniently located Freehold office, it’s a commitment my staff and I will maintain.

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The family of a New Jersey man who was killed when he became trapped in the door of an NJ transit train and dragged to his death, has settled with the agency.

The family of John D’Agostino has settled its claim for $2.5 million.  On November 21^st 2006, D’Agostino was getting off a train at a Bradley Beach station, when the train door closed shut on his shoulder and arm. The train began to pull out of the station. D’Agostino began to scream for help, but to no avail.  The train gathered speed, dragging the 49-year-old man with it. D’Agostino was eventually dragged under the train, and killed.  

In December 2007, a Federal Railroad Administration released its investigation report into the accident. The report said that a bypass switch had been engaged in the locomotive at the time.  If it has been off, it would have likely prevented the train from moving with an open door.

The FRA also had severe criticism for the train’s conductor and assistant conductor. The two were not in their places at the time of the terrible accident, and failed to see D’Agostino trapped in the door and being dragged along. There have been other questions raised by the United Transportation Union Local 60 which represents conductors and assistant conductors, about whether the car doors were functioning properly at the time of accident. Investigations found no defects in the doors, edges, steps, or handholds.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey personal injury lawyer representing injured victims of auto and truck accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

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There is some good news on the accident fatality rate front, as confirmed by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's annual report that came out earlier this month.  Accident-related fatalities across the country are at their lowest levels, in decades.

According to the report, there has been a drop of 3,998 deaths from 2007. The fatality number in 2008 is 37,261 from 41,259 in 2007. Most importantly, the decline has been seen across all categories.  Drunk driving accident deaths, deaths related to speeding, pedestrian deaths and even trucking accident fatalities, have dropped significantly. The only category that has not showed any improvement is motorcycle accidents. In fact, for the 11^th year in a row, deaths from motorcycle accidents have showed an upward trend. That’s a disturbing fact, and the NHTSA must probe the reasons for why we have been unable to achieve any success in bringing down motorcycle accident death rates.

It's not just fatality rates that are down.  Injury rates have dropped too. Last year 2.35 million people were injured in traffic accidents, compared to 2.49 million the previous year. In fact, the number of injuries is at its lowest point since the agency began collecting data in 1998. More important, 2008 was the 9^th year in a row that injury rates have dropped.                                 

New Jersey saw a total of 724 accidents in 2007, and those numbers have dropped to 590 in 2008. That’s a drop of 19 percent, and those numbers are very encouraging indeed.

While increased seatbelt usage, safer automobiles and stronger enforcement have all played their part in bringing down the accident death rate, let's not forget that there is a recession on, and that people didn’t travel as much as usual last year. The hike in gas prices last summer also contributed to fewer vehicles on the highway, and consequently, fewer accidents.

We will have to wait for when the recession eases up and gas prices begin to slide again, to see whether the fatality rates still stay the same. Already there are signs that as gas prices begin to stabilize a little, people are abandoning the public transportation and bicycles that they took to during the gas crisis, and are returning to their cars again.

H/t: Gjelblogger

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey personal injury lawyer, representing victims in Monmouth, Bergen, and Passaic Counties, and all over New Jersey.

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A Philadelphia journalist sustained traumatic brain injuries in a hit and run car accident in Collingswood, NJ yesterday. According to this news report, Collingswood NJ police are confirming that Brian Hickey, a former editor at the City Paper, was walking at night along North Atlantic Avenue, when an unidentified motorist crashed into him.

It was only later that police officers found Hickey, with a bleeding wound in his head. He was rushed to the Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, where it has been confirmed that he has suffered a traumatic brain injury.   Witnesses at the scene reported hearing a loud bang, and the screech of tires as the motorist fled form the scene. The skid marks on the road were the first indication to police officers that this had been a hit and run accident.

For Hickey’s 32-year-old wife, Angela, the next 15 hours proved to be excruciating. She was only informed the next morning, when officers arrived at her home to tell her the devastating news. Hickey is currently in a critical, but stable condition. He remains in a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his cranium. It’s still early to make a prognosis, doctors say, but Hickey is being described by family and friends as a “fighter” who will make it through this. 

My heart goes out to Brian Hickey and his family. Angela has been posting updates on Facebook to let their community know of her husband’s progress. To have a loved one unconscious and not in a position to respond to you because of the injuries to his brain must be devastating for Hickey’s family.

Police have yet to zero in on a suspect, and they are focusing on locals who probably knew the area well. The spot where Hickey was hit is a little known short cut, probably familiar to a local, they say. The motorist is also likely to have suffered damage to his car.

A traumatic brain injury or TBI can be caused by injury, a stroke, aneurysm, or any other kind of severe damage to the head. These injuries are especially common when there is an automobile accident involving a pedestrian or bicyclist. These two groups pf people tend to have the least amount of protection, especially pedestrians who have no way of sheltering their head from the shattering impact when they are thrown to the ground, as often happens when they are involved in an accident. The force of a car weighing close to 3000 pounds can be enough to throw a person into the air, to land on the ground with a tremendous impact. 

Immediate care is essential to reduce the long term impact of a traumatic brain injury.   Emergency care in the first hour or so after the injury can help prevent further injuries to the brain. In Hickey’s case, the motorist didn’t even stop to offer some help to his victim. If he had, maybe Hickey’s prognosis would have been markedly improved.

As a New Jersey traumatic brain injury lawyer, and NJ car accident lawyer, I have represented victims who suffer from these debilitating injuries and have seen first hand the profound impact they have on their lives, as well as their families.

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New Jersey car accidents have always been a problem and a local dealership is doing its part to improve motor vehicle safety. According to a Sunbeam article the Pointe Pontiac Buick GMC is offering scholarships to attendees of a driver safety class offered by the AARP at Merion Gardens Assisted Living June 10 and 11. A two day course is being offered which could help lower insurance rates and reduce penalty points on your driver’s license. The AARP requires a $10 cover fee for class materials but the owner of Pointe Pontiac Buick GMC is willing to pay the cost of the entire class. Larry Davis, owner of Pointe Pontiac-Buick-GMC says "We are committed to giving back to our community and this seemed like an ideal fit. We provide transportation and this course helps raise safety awareness which can only benefit our customers and neighbors." The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) does not require for you to be a member or senior citizen to attend classes or qualify for an insurance discount. This program is a great way to improve driving skills and could refresh a lot of driving techniques that may have been forgotten over the years.
 

New Jersey has very busy roads during the summer months especially in Monmouth County. As an attorney representing many motor vehicle accident clients throughout the New Jersey and the Monmouth County area, I ask you to be extra careful driving this summer because the roads will get busy as people travel towards the shore to beat the summer heat. According to AARP, the likelihood of attendees being involved in an auto accident or receiving a traffic ticket should decrease by 15 percent following the completion of the two sessions. Being a Monmouth County and New Jersey injury lawyer I would recommend completing some of these courses to help improve driving safety and to help reduce those outrageously over priced New Jersey auto insurance rates.

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