Free consultation awarded to anyone who can guess the ghouls.

Happy Halloween from Harrell and Harrell, PA

Driver distraction caused the deaths of nearly 6,000 people and the injuries of 500,000 people last year according to new government reports on auto safety. There is a correlation of using mobile devices while driving. This includes texting while driving and talking on the cell.

Transportation officials recently released a report that showed driver distraction being involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008. The Transportation report shows that 515,000 people were injured and 5,870 people were killed last year, with driver distraction being involved in the accident.

The Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, government officials, safety advocates, researchers and lawmakers came together last month to discuss ways of setting new restrictions on texting and using devices while driving. Young adults involved in car accidents  where they were texting while driving were also involved in the safety discussions. New data supports that 16 percent of all under-20 drivers involved in fatal car accidents were distracted while driving.

Every day, people text and drive, even in places where it’s outlawed. According to Secretary LaHood “We feel a very strong obligation to point to incidents where people have been killed or where serious injury has occurred.”

Earlier this year, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that collision risks were 23 times greater when drivers of heavy trucks texted while driving. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks. The popular magazine Car and Driver released a report that showed texting and driving to be more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. This report obviously has caused a lot of controversy and discussions among safety advocates.

Some groups want tough laws on the distractions and are asking for restrictions on talking and texting by drivers of tractor trailers, motor coaches and large vans.

Automobile Manufacturers and the Governors Highway Safety Association are on the same page in support of restrictions for texting while driving. Surprisingly, 11 automakers have come together on a united front with the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers to support this important issue of auto safety and the use of handheld devices.

The Cellular Telephone Industry Association (CTIA) believes that education and enforcement are critical to changing the behavior of drivers. A series of Public Service Announcements warning teen drivers of the dangers on distracted driving will be paid for by the National Safety Council and CTIA in an effort to promote safe driving.

Please be cautious while driving.  Nothing is more important than your life and the lives of others.

Don’t miss tonight’s entertainment -

The Hon. Peter J. Fryefield Law Revue

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Location: Times Union Center for the Performing Arts – Terry Theater

Description

Tickets on sale July 1st thru Ticketmaster.

$25 with applicable service charges

$50 VIP Tickets through The Jacksonville Bar Association. (VIP tickets: Reserved Section Seating)

Blocks of 5 or more tickets at $25 each are also available.

Contact Linda Morris at 399-4486

General Info & Advertising Contact:

Rose Marie K. Preddy

rpreddy@preddylaw.com

Performing Attorneys & Judges:

Maria Aguila

Leonard Alterman

The Honorable Roberto A. Arias

Sarah Bohr

Cary A. W. Braswell

Jay Brown

Karen Koster Burr

Christine Clark

A. Hamilton Cooke

Professor Susan Daicoff

The Honorable Eleni Derke

Patricia M. Dodson

Regina Love Durfee

Roger M. Groves

Mark A. Hall

Liana Rothstein Hood

Don Jones

Lynn W. Martin

Andrew W. Moritz

The Honorable Jefferson Morrow

Richard Mullaney

Robert Pelaia

Raymond Reid

David Sacks

Tara L. Sa’id

Kevin S. Sanders

Jodi Seitlin

Michael Sharrit

The Honorable Matthew Shirk

Taylor Speer

Eric Smith

The Honorable L. Haldane Taylor

Jim T. Terrell

Lindsay Tygart-Havice

Visual Arts Attorneys and Law Students

Marcie Beeching

Dana Brown

Karen Koster Burr

Susannah Collins

Tom Farrell

Barbara Holmes Fryefield

Maggie Jo Hilliard

Fatima Hussein

Kristina Lawrence

Eunice D. Maling

Tim McDermott

Bonnie Menard

Michelle Presume

Leslie Raby

Tara L. Sa’id

Eric Smith

Carol Todd

Additional Information

www.ticketmaster.com/2009-Lawyer-Variety-Show-tickets/artist/1336764

Contact Information

Name: Linda Morris

Phone: 904-399-4486

Fax: 904-399-4854

E-mail: marketing@jaxbar.org

Bay Street Reversible Lanes to be Enacted

from the COJ website

Monday, October 12, 2009 Jacksonville, Fla.

Beginning the second full week of October, motorists will notice a number of changes to the Bay Street corridor designed to ease traffic flow on a daily basis, but especially during downtown events.

Electronic message boards will be put into place to notify travelers about upcoming activities.

According to a news release by the independent Insurance Research Council the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists on the road has decreased nationally but Florida holds the 5th worst spot on the list with a whopping 23% of drivers uninsured. Massachusetts and Maine have the best rate with both having less than 5% uninsured. They also found a direct correlation between the unemployment rate and the uninsured motorist rate which is not good news since the unemployment rate is expected to rise another 3-4%.

Give us a call at (800)251-1111 or visit our website for more information about the importance of uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Don’t find yourself out of luck because your insurance agent didn’t really sell you “full coverage”. I can’t count the number of times I have heard that answer when I ask if someone has UM coverage. Look at your policy and don’t take it for granted!!

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission [Link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10702.html]

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Model Year 2009 Zero X and Zero MX Off-Road Motorcycles

Manufacturer: Zero Motorcycles Inc., of Scotts Valley, Calif.

Hazard: The throttle on the recalled motorcycles can become stuck in the open position or become disconnected. In the “Easy” or the “0-25” mode, this can unexpectedly lead to full power when turning on the power, resulting in a loss of control and serious injury to the rider.

Description: This recall involves the model year 2009 Zero X and Zero MX electric motorcycles. The recalled motorcycles are white, with the Zero name and logo printed on the battery.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled motorcycles and contact Zero Motorcycles to schedule a free repair. Registered owners of the affected motorcycles have been mailed a direct notice.

“Product Liability” is a legal term used to describe the liability of a manufacturer, distributor and seller for any injury to a buyer caused by a defective product.

It is not the duty of a manufacturer to make a product that is accident-proof. However, the law of product liability is designed to protect the user from injury by a product that is unreasonably dangerous or is manufactured in such a fashion that the danger is hidden or concealed from the buyer.

Learn more about Product Liability and special Product Alerts at the Harrell & Harrell Web site

Happy Birthday to Ralph Billings from all of us at Harrell and Harrell, PA. He says he’s 103 but I’m not buying it. Call us at 251-1111 and arrange for Ralph to come speak with you about your car accident.

Welcome to the new and improved Harrell and Harrell weblog. Keep an eye out for new posts. Check out our website at www.harrellandharrell.com – the local personal injury attorneys