Category: Car Accidents

U.S. DOT Reports 2017 Roadway Fatalities Down

Fatal motor vehicle crashes were done by almost 2 percent after 2 years of large increases according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2017, 37,133 souls perished in motor vehicle crashes. Our roadways continue to be far too dangerous.  Speeding, distracted driving and driving under the influence continue to be leading causes for fatal accidents.  In addition, drug-impaired driving is a growing cause for traffic fatalities.

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CT Child Car Seat Law Update

New Connecticut Car Seat LawsBeginning October 1st, 2017, a new law will go into effect that will increase the age and weight requirement for car seats. In hopes of increasing child safety, Connecticut now joins seven other states who have adopted current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The AAP is a strong proponent for child safety and has been advocating for years the need for updated safety measures for children and adolescents of all ages during travel. Years of research have ultimately proven the need to expand not only the age but also the weight range required for car seats.

Strengthening our state’s laws by requiring an approved restraint device at every level of a child’s age, height, and weight, should ultimately also reduce the number of injuries and deaths that occur due to an accident.

The following are the revised CT car seat law requirements (from NH Register):

  • Any child who is under 2 years old or weighs less than 30 pounds, regardless of age, must be placed in a rear-facing child restraint
  • A child between ages 2 and 4 or weighing between 30 and 39 pounds, regardless of age, must ride in either rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint
  • A child age 5 to 7 or weighing 40 to 59 pounds, regardless of age, must sin in a rear-facing child restraint, forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat secured by a lap-and-shoulder seat belt
  • Any adolescent from 8 through 15 who weighs 60 pounds or more must use an approved child restraint system or safety seat belt

Previous state law only required a rear-facing child restraint device until age 1 or 20 pounds, and a booster seat until age 6 or 60 pounds.

The new law now closes a crucial gap previously missed for adolescents. A recent study by the CDC concluded that by increasing the booster seat requirement to 7 or 8 years of age instead of 6, decreased the rate of children who sustained fatal or incapacitating injuries in a car accident by about 17%.

That decrease and more is what local legislators hope to see over the next year in Connecticut.

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Connecticut’s Drunk Driving Problem

 

 

 

Connecticut continues to be plagued with a drunk driving problem.  Connecticut ranks among the highest in the country in traffic deaths caused by drunk driving.  39 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2014 were caused by impaired driving in our State.  The U.S. average is 31 percent.  It is unclear as to why Connecticut ranks among the highest in alcohol-related traffic fatalities.  Connecticut has been proactive in discouraging folks from driving while under the influence – DUI checkpoints, enhanced criminal and civil penalties, and media campaigns.  Yet, despite these efforts, drunk driving on our Connecticut roads continues to happen at an alarming rate.  At the end of the day, the responsibility rests with the individual to put away the car keys and take a taxi or Uber home.

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Client Injured in Car Accident Caused by Police Officer

Our client injured in a Hartford, Connecticut car accident when a police officer, while on duty, elected to drive through a red light and crash into our client’s car.  As a result of the collision, our client sustained numerous personal injuries.  All drivers on our Connecticut roads are required to obey the traffic laws and drive safely including police officers.  If a car accident has been caused by the negligence of a police officer, the injured person has the legal  light to pursue a negligence claim against the police officer and the officer’s employer provided that written notice of the claim is filed with the town or city clerk within six (6) months of the accident.

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Injured Pedestrian Retains Sabatini and Associates

A young woman walking across the street in the designated cross walk and hit by a car has retained Sabatini and Associates to represent her in a personal injury case against the driver.  The driver stopped at a red light decided to make a right on red and proceeded to drive into the young woman. The police responded to the car accident.  Our client sustained multiple physical injuries.

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