Archive for February, 2010

Bicyclists and Lane Usage Rights in Southern California

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

There are many bicyclists getting around on California’s streets and highways and enjoying our famously sunny weather. It’s a marvelous and healthy way to get around while lowering one’s carbon footprint, but this mode of travel comes with significant risks. Many motorists fail to see bicyclists or observe a bicyclist’s right of way and collide with bicyclists who have little to protect them against being struck by a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds. Hundreds are killed every year on California streets and highways, and tens of thousands more are injured. A big part of the problem lies with our car culture and drivers’ failure to observe posted speed limits or exercise proper care when sharing the road with bicyclists. However, a large part of the blame also lies with ignorance about bicyclists and lane usage rights in Southern California among both drivers and bicyclists.

To remedy that situation, here is an easy-to-understand rule regarding bicyclists and motor vehicles sharing the same road: when a bicyclist is riding along streets and highways with no designated bike lane, a bicyclist may use the same lanes as other vehicles if they are moving in the same direction as vehicular traffic. Bicyclists must also observe the same rules of the road for stoplights and signs, signaling turns, observing pedestrian and other vehicle rights of way and other laws.

If a driver hits and injures or kills a bicyclist and is found to be negligent, depending on the specifics of the bicycle accident, the driver may be liable for the bicyclist’s injuries. If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a bicycle accident, the South Los Angeles bicycle accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve.

The Hard Facts About Uninsured Drivers in California

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Despite the fact that mandatory liability insurance laws were passed many years ago and the penalties for not having insurance are steep and well publicized, there are still many drivers on California streets and highways who do not have insurance. This disregard for the law puts law-abiding drivers at risk and makes their liability insurance more expensive than it has to be. The hard facts about uninsured drivers in California may shock and upset the state’s drivers but the more we know about uninsured drivers, the more drivers and lawmakers can do about them.

There are approximately 22.4 million cars, motorcycles and light trucks registered in California. Of the amount of California drivers on the road at any time, one driver in four or 25 percent do not have mandatory liability insurance. That percentage rises sharply higher in the evening and early morning hours. In addition to the higher car insurance premiums that they must already pay, it has been estimated that uninsured motorists cost California drivers $1.4 billion every year in auto accidents. If the state finds that a vehicle is uninsured through their shared database with insurance companies, the owner has 30 days to buy insurance.

To put the scope of California’s uninsured drivers in perspective, the state sent out 1.8 million notices of registration suspension from September to December 2007. Of that number, state official say that 500,000 drivers showed up to provide proof of insurance purchase to reinstate their registration. An astonishing 72 percent of those who receive suspension notices did not respond to the California DMV.

If you have been involved in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, South Central Los Angeles auto accident lawyer Samer Habbas may be able to help you recover the damages for medical expenses and other accident-related costs to which you are entitled to under the law.

Toyota Gas Pedal Recall: Should You Stop Driving Your Car?

Monday, February 8th, 2010

News sources and government officials alike are sending mixed messages to U.S. Toyota owners. If you own a Toyota model that is the subject of a recall for a defective gas pedal, should you stop driving your car? The answer, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is no.

In a congressional hearing earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood advised Toyota owners to stop driving their cars unless it was to a local Toyota dealer. LaHood backpedaled from the statement later in the week after Toyota’s stock plummeted and outraged investors. The NHTSA announced yesterday that Toyota car owners subject to the gas acceleration recall should contact their car dealer and set up an appointment to have the defective gas pedal fixed. (more…)

Toyota’s Problems Continue with 2010 Prius Defective Brake Pedals

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

It looks like Toyota Motor Corporation has added to its list of woes with the 2010 Prius Hybrid. The Prius, the best-selling hybrid car in the world, is known for being environmentally friendly, offering owners better performance and lower gas mileage. However, the Prius has been the subject of recent investigations by both Japanese and US governmental agencies for its faulty brakes. The regenerative brake system is what makes hybrid cars perform better while using less fuel. Toyota Prius owners have complained that the brakes fail to work properly when driving over a slippery surface, pothole or road bump.

Amidst falling stock prices and a product recall for defective gas pedals, the issue with Prius defective brakes is under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In a press release yesterday by the NHTSA, the organization announced it would be investigating the safety of the Prius. Faulty brakes in the Prius have been the cause of at least four auto accidents, two of which have resulted in personal injuries. The NHTSA has also received at least 124 complaints from consumers about the defective Prius brakes.

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