Car Accidents

This past weekend, the city of Austin hosted its annual Half Marathon and Marathon where thousands of runners participated in the races. This year was the 25th anniversary and it came with a unforgettable memory. An elite runner Hyvon Ngetich finished the race by crawling on all fours. Ngetich felt extreme exhaustion after the 23 mile mark. Instead of quitting or accepting help from race officials, she was determined to finish the race on her own.

The Austin marathon takes place annually and is considered a large scale event in Austin. For this reason, automobile and foot traffic is heavier, and streets are closed to accommodate the race. During large scale events such as this, it is imperative to practice extra precaution as pedestrian and as a driver. Roads become more dangerous as traffic is directed and confined to certain streets, congestion takes place, and irritated drivers can become careless on the road. Following these safe driving tips during large events such as this can significantly decrease risks for potential accidents.

1. Cross at major intersections

If you find yourself needing to cross the race course be sure to cross at designated intersections. Usually, during marathon races traffic officers are stationed at designated intersections to direct the flow of traffic. Always watch the traffic officer carefully and proceed only when you have been given permission to do so.

1. Watch out for notices

Before a marathon race notifications may be sent out or posted that indicate which streets will be restricted or closed off. If you work or attend school around an area that is part of the race course announcements will probably be made to give you early notice. With this information it is advisable to plan your trips or errands around closed roads.

1. Drive cautiously

Restricted streets causes heavier flows of traffic and heavier flows of traffic lead to unhappy drivers. Nobody enjoys having to alter the route they take everyday or being trapped in standstill traffic. Some drivers may take their annoyance or anger on other drivers or pedestrians. Cutting other drivers off, refusing to allow people to enter lanes, or driving over the speed limit are just a few of the things to be wary of on the road. During heavily populated events such as marathons, you should always practice extreme caution when on the road.

1. Restrict your road trips

If possible, it is advisable to avoid the road altogether during heavily populated events. Completing all of your errands they day before or after the race will give you an opportunity to stay off the road on race day. Grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning, and trips to the gym are all tasks that can be completed on another day. If you avoid the road then you are avoiding distracted drivers, congested roads, and potential automobile accidents.

Marathons, music festivals, and sport competitions are just a few of the events that are regularly held in Austin. These tips can help reduce or completely eliminate road induced stress during events that bring in an influx of people.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident during a large event such as this, please feel free to contact .

We often think of airbags as protectors-small devices that we rarely see but that we trust will keep us safe in case of a car accident. But in some unfortunate cases, the airbags themselves and the materials they are made of could be the ones causing injury. Often airbags are recalled from car manufacturers because they are “defective” and could cause harm to passengers, such as through flying materials and harsh impact.

Types of Airbags

Side airbags are meant to protect passengers during side impact crashes that normally occurs at intersections or when a car crashes into an object off the road such as a tree or lamp post. They can also protect passengers in rollover accidents or when two cars crash at an adjacent angle.

Injuries

Critical airbag accidents can cause damage to the eyes, neck, head, brain, and spine. There are three major ways that airbags can cause harm to passengers:

• Manufacturers fail to install airbags (very, very rare)
• Airbag malfunctions (fails to open during accident)
• Airbags open in a low impact crash and cause severe injuries (the most common cause of airbag lawsuits)

Major Recall History

• 2004 – Over 1.4M recalls due to safety problems. Mostly because of wiring problems that resulted in deployment for no reason.
• 2008 – Honda recalled some of its units because airbags opened so forcefully that metal parts could have blasted through the airbags, causing serious injuries to the eyes and face.
• 2011 – Honda recalls over 800,000 airbags to ensure that faulty airbags are not still out there.
• 2014 – Earlier this month, manufacturer Takata recalled millions of airbags due to inflator problems and is now under investigation.

Conclusions

Several ongoing investigations have been conducted to assess whether airbags are ready for crashes. The following conclusions were made:

Side air bags are not acceptable as protective gear for kids seated in the front seat of cars and can seriously injure or even kill them in an accident. This is why it is recommended that children remain in the backseat until they are older.

Air bags are being styled and installed, because of certification testing requirements, mainly to protect unbelted passengers instead of belted vehicle occupants, even if they are being advertised as supplemental restraint systems and most passengers use seatbelts.

Airbag Lawsuits

If airbags fail and cause serious injuries, claims based on strict liability, negligence and contract law can be made against the manufacturer. But many lawsuits can be complicated and require heavy analysis from experts and often additional studies of similar car models. Our Austin car accident attorneys can assist with witness testimonials, determining whether the airbag has malfunction, checking automotive data, etc. The team at is ready to fight for your injuries and losses, especially against large car companies that may not look out for your best interests.

One of the most common causes of automobile accidents is ignored traffic signs. If a driver is quite distracted and he failed to notice the top sign in front of him, he is more likely to bump into a person or another vehicle. It is best that everyone pay attention to these signs and to take it seriously.

Here are the top 5 most commonly ignored traffic signs in Austin, TX today:

• Road Construction Warning

Today, there are many construction sites along high ways and freeways. If the driver was not able to recognize that they have already entered a construction site, a serious accident can certainly take place. If he doesn’t slow down, a chain-reaction vehicular accident will surely take place and a lot of people will surely suffer.

• Speed Limits

We all know that a lot of people do not follow speed limit policies at all times. A lot of the drivers out there tend to go beyond the stated speed limit. The sad news is, these speed-hungry drivers drive at high rate of speed even in the rural roads, highways and even, during unfavorable weather conditions. The faster you drive, the higher chances that you will commit errors while driving. No matter how minor the error can be, it can lead to serious accidents. Cases due to over-speeding usually lead to severe injury or worse, death.

• Stop Signs

There are some drivers which fail to stop at stop signs along the way but there are a lot of drivers who intentionally violate this traffic rule on a daily basis. If the driver fail to fully make a stop on busy intersections, he is most likely to crash into lots of cars.

• Yield Signs

Yield signs are probably the most commonly ignored traffic sign of all. The driver, oftentimes, fail to properly judge the speed of the incoming vehicles or traffic. Because of this, he will not be able to yield right on time.

• One Way

This is a common problem in major roads in various cities all over the world. In fact, it is recorded as one of the top cause of deaths in the road. Oftentimes, these wrong way drivers are influenced by alcohol. But there are also times when drivers have in adequate knowledge of the traffic rules in the area.

When Automobile Accidents Take Place

In the event that you or a family member has suffered from a car accident wherein the driver has failed to comply with these traffic signs, you have all the right to file claims from an insurance company. When you do this, you will get compensation for any medical expenses you may incur as a result of the said injury.

It is highly recommended that you hire an Austin personal injury lawyer to make sure that you will get the compensation that you are due. Contact us today for a free consultation.