According to the federal government, distracted driving accounts for about one in every 10 traffic fatalities. Though that number of fatalities in 2012 decreased slightly—from 3,360 to 3,328—the number of accidents involving distracted drivers went up dramatically, increasing by more than 30,000.

As defined on the government’s website (www.distraction.gov), distracted driving includes any act that draws a driver’s attention away from his or her primary task—safely operating a vehicle on the road. The use of a handheld device continues to be one of the most significant concerns. Researchers report that nearly 700,000 people are simultaneously driving and texting/talking at any given moment. They note that the average time that a person will divert attention from the road to send or receive an e-mail or text message, or to look at weather, directions or other information on a handheld device, is about five seconds—the length of time it would take to drive the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour.

The use of a device, however, is not the only significant cause of distracted driving. Officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that distracted driving covered a broad range of activities, from grooming behind the wheel to reading a book or map, from eating and drinking to having a conversation with passengers in the back seat, from adjusting an in-dash stereo to watching a video.

According to statistics, younger drivers are more likely to drive while distracted. More than 25% of the distracted drivers involved in traffic fatalities were in their 20s. One in 10 of drivers in fatal accidents were between the ages of 16 and 19. One out of every four drivers under the age of 20 said they regularly send or respond to text messages while driving, and one in five say they frequently have multi-message text conversations while behind the wheel.

Interestingly, the research showed that using a hands-free device, such as a headset or Bluetooth, did not significantly diminish the risk of an accident.
Contact Our Office

To set up an appointment with an experienced New York motor vehicle accident injury lawyer, contact our office online or call us toll free at 888-519-6400. Your first consultation is free of charge.

As Gas Prices Plummet, Accidents Rise

On a recent cross-country trip, a New Yorker was thrilled to find that he never paid more than $2 a gallon for gas. He said that, as long as prices remained low, he planned to drive more and fly less, even if the drive took all day. And he’s not alone. As gas prices hit their lowest point in nearly six years, more and more Americans are taking to the highways. The unfortunate downside—more drivers leads to more traffic accidents and more traffic fatalities.

Officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have long known that there’s a direct correlation between the price of gas and accident statistics. The last time the average price of gas in the United States was below $2—2009—was also the last high point in traffic fatalities nationally. It’s a simple equation—lower gas prices provide a greater incentive to travel by automobile. The more people on the road, the greater the number of collisions.

The research shows that the news is even worse for younger drivers, particularly motorists in their teens. Most adults who drive do so in significant part for work or family needs. But most younger drivers do so for leisure or for something to do. And older drivers tend to have more disposable income. So when gas prices go up or down, most older drivers don’t see a significant change in their driving habits. They drive because they have to, and are better able to afford higher gas prices. Younger drivers, with less discretionary income, simply don’t have the resources to pay for gas at higher prices, so opt for other activities that don’t involve driving.

According to Guangqing Chi, a sociologist at South Dakota State University, a $2 drop in the price of gas could lead to an additional 9,000 deaths in the United States over a one year period. Chi has been studying the impact of gas prices on driving habits since 2008, when he noticed that his personal driving time went down when prices skyrocketed. He conducted one study in Minnesota that showed that a 20 cent decrease in gas prices led to an additional 15 traffic fatalities.
Contact Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP

To set up an appointment with an experienced New York motor vehicle accident injury lawyer, contact our office online or call us toll free at 888-519-6400. Your first consultation is free of charge.

All it takes is one small mistake for a disaster to occur. No matter how much research is done when choosing a hospital, it is impossible to predict a situation such as one that occurred last month in Oregon. Loretta Macpherson, a patient at a Bend, Oregon hospital, died after being administered wrongful medication. Ms. Macpherson, 65, had arrived at the hospital to receive an anti-seizure medication, fosphenytoin, following her brain surgery. Rather than being given the correct medication, Ms. Macpherson was administered a paralyzing agent, rocuronium—often reserved for surgical procedures.

Soon after Macpherson was given the wrong treatment, her breathing stopped and she soon fell into cardiac arrest. Macpherson had suffered permanent brain damage and was placed on life support. A few days later, she passed away.

There is no shortage of cautionary tales stemming from the negligence of hospital staff. The role of hospitals in our society is unique, in that it is one of the rare instances where a person gives their full trust and confidence of their lives to complete strangers. Fortunately, the law provides victims of medical malpractice and their families the right to seek remedies in courts. Because of the high stakes that is ancillary to the medical profession, medical staff must adhere to extremely high standards of professionalism and responsibility. When these standards are not met, hospitals may be held accountable for their negligence.

The three hospital staff members that were present during the incident have been placed on paid leave by the hospital while the investigation is still ongoing. The chief clinical officer for St. Charles Health System, is part of an investigation team that will determine the exact order of events that led to Ms. Macpherson’s unfortunate passing. The officer stated that was the first time the hospital has dealt with a situation like this. However, he went on to say, “[w]e do know there was a medication error. We acknowledge that. It’s our mistake.”

This Oregon hospital incident is an unfortunate example where a hospital successfully treated a medical issue for their patient but the ancillary treatment was provided negligently. The three staff members failed to provide care that fully met the high standards demanded by the medical profession and, as a result, the family of Ms. Macpherson have spent this past holiday season without their loved one.

The attorneys at Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP will fight to protect your rights. If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury (or worse) as a result of medical negligence that occurred in a New York hospital, you should promptly consult with a New York medical malpractice attorney who may investigate your hospital malpractice claim.

To learn more about our firm, please contact us online or call us on our toll-free line at 516-248-2234 to be connected with one of our medical malpractice attorneys.