In an effort to increase child safety for kids weighing over 65 pounds, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is introducing a new crash test dummy for booster and child safety seats for bigger kids. The “10-Year-old Child” dummy will help provide information related to injury risk involving chest acceleration, knee excursion, and head excursion.

Also, the NHTSA has issued a final rule that now officially revises current federal child safety seat standard to include boosters and car seats for kids weighing 66-80 pounds.  This standard will assess whether higher-weight restraint systems are able to manage crash energy, as well determine if a seat’s structure will stay intact when the dummy is used during testing. Car seat and booster seat makers will have two years to certify that their child car safety devices for higher-weight kids fulfill the latest requirements.

The final rule and new testing requirements are the latest in the government’s efforts to promote car safety for children. Last year, NHTSA urged caregivers and parents to keep kids in harnessed car seats for as long as they can and ensure that weight and height requirements were met and maxed out before deciding that a child no longer needed a booster or car seat. The federal safety agency’s child seat guidance also urged that kids be made to use booster seats until they grew to a size large enough that a seat belt was sufficient to keep them properly secured—especially during a car crash.

Our Charlotte, North Carolina car accident lawyers represent families whose kids were injured in catastrophic car crashes. Although in many cases the negligent driver or the maker of a defective vehicle will likely be the negligent party, sometimes, a child involved in an auto collision does sustain serious injuries because a car seat was defective or failed. In these instances, the victim’s family may have grounds for a North Carolina products liability case against the child safety seat manufacturer.

Just this January, Britax Child Safety, Inc. recalled about 14,220 Chaperone Infant Car Seats because the chair’s harness adjuster had a defective. If the adjuster were to come off the seat, it could render the safety harness straps that secure a baby useless.  At the time that the recall was announced, NHTSA said it didn’t know of any injuries or deaths related to the car seat defect.

It is important that you buy a child safety seat that is the right size for your child (according to age, height, or weight). The car seat must also be a good fit with the vehicle it will be used in, and it must be properly installed.

Our Lumberton, North Carolina child injury attorneys know how devastating it can be to realize that your child was hurt because of someone else’s negligence or due to a situation that was out of your control but could have been prevented.

To schedule your free case evaluation with our Monroe, North Carolina products liability law firm, contact the Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, LLP today.

NHTSA Unveils New ’10-Year-Old Child’ Crash Test Dummy, NHTSA, February 21, 2012

Read NHTSA’s Final Rule

Recall: Britax child safety seat—Harness straps will not properly restrain a child, Consumer Reports, January 27, 2012

More Blog Posts:

Will New Car Seat Guidelines Decrease the Number of North Carolina Child Injuries that Occur During Traffic Crashes?, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, April 6, 2011

Keeping Your Child Safe During North Carolina Car Crashes, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, September 16, 2009

Motor Vehicle Accidents Continue to Be the #1 Killer of Children, Says World Health Organization, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, December 29, 2008

Brothers Kadrien Brewton, 5, and Jeremy Brewton, 1, died yesterday when a Sears delivery truck struck them. The Charlotte, North Carolina truck accident happened in the morning as they were walking with their dad, Jeremy Brewton, to day care. Jeremy and their baby sister, who was in a stroller, did not sustain injuries.

Police have charged truck driver Jerome Brewton with two counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. Neighbors have said that the area of West Tyvola Road where the deadly collision happened is in desperate need of speed bumps or a sidewalk, which doesn’t exist for about a tenth of a mile stretch despite the fact that pedestrians often walk there and two school bus stops are located nearby.

According to the CharlotteObserver.com, a city transportation department spokesperson has confirmed that West Tyvola from West Boulevard to Old Steele Creek Road needs a sidewalk. Previous to yesterday’s crash, two North Carolina pedestrian accidents have taken place on that area of road in the last 15 years.

Depending on who caused the deadly Charlotte, NC truck collision, the children’s families may have grounds for a North Carolina wrongful death case against the truck driver, Sears, and/or the city. The employer of a truck driver that accidentally kills someone in a crash while on the job can be held liable, as can other related parties, such as the contractor that rented the truck or the manufacturer of a truck that was defective. A government entity also can be held responsible for failing to make a road safe enough by not putting into place an appropriate speed limit, speed bumps, sidewalks, a traffic sign, traffic lights, a pedestrian lane, or other necessary elements.

The siblings are not the only ones to lose their lives in a North Carolina traffic crash this week.  Last night, two people died when a sport utility vehicle that was involved in a police chase struck the vehicle that they were riding. The victims are former Belmont Mayor Kevin Loftin, 56, and his friend Donna Jean Deitz, 60. They were pronounced dead at the crash site. Two other people who were riding a PT Cruiser that was also hit sustained minor injuries.

The Gaston car accident occurred at around 10:15pm. The SUV’s driver, Lester Saunders Norman, Jr., was charged with two counts of second-degree murder.  Police say that they started chasing Norman when he failed to stop at a DWI checkpoint. He was reportedly driving at a speed of around 75 mph when the North Carolina auto collision happened. Norman was operating without a license.

Following the crash, police say that Norman attempted to flee the accident site but was soon apprehended. He is charged with reckless driving while intoxicated, felony death by vehicle, failure to stop at a red light, speeding, assault with a deadly weapon on government officials, driving with a revoked license, and resisting a public officer.

In this type of situation, the victims’ families may be able to pursue a claim not just against a negligent driver but also against police if they could/should have been able to prevent the pursuit from turning deadly.

Every Charlotte, North Carolina car accident is different. The only way to find out if you have a case is to speak with an experienced motor vehicle crash law firm right away. At the Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, LLP, we represent clients in Gaston, Mecklenburg, Union, Catawba, Cabarrus, Lincoln, Cleveland, Caldwell, Rowan, Iredell, Stanley, Burke, Alexander, Robeson, Richmond, Scotland, Cumberland, and Anson, North Carolina. We also represent clients in Lancaster, Marlboro, Chesterfield, York, and Dillon, South Carolina.

Belmont Mourns friends struck by fleeing driver, Charlotte Observer, February 23, 2012

Father talks about wreck that killed sons, Gaston Gazette, February 23, 2012

More Blog Posts:

Fatal North Carolina Truck Accident Brings Traffic to a Standstill, North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog, February 13, 2012

Tragic North Carolina Car Accident Claims Life of a Child on Go-Kart, North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog, November 6, 2011

Drunk driving a Factor in North Carolina Car Accident that Killed 17-Year-Old Raleigh Student, North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog, January 31, 2012

After spending a decade recommending that limits be placed on who can use a cell phone while operating a vehicle, now, the National Transportation Safety Board is now calling for a full ban on all cell phones and text messaging devices while driving. Only passengers would retain their right to talk on a phone or text message – unless it is an emergency situation, in which case a driver can call or text for help.

Currently, in North Carolina there is a statewide ban on texting while driving. Unlike a number of states, which have banned drivers from using hand-held cell phones, NC allows most drivers the use of both. The state has, however, prohibited drivers under 18 and school bus drivers from using cell phones. That said, even with such restrictions, this doesn’t mean that motorists are abiding by the laws. Our Charlotte, North Carolina personal injury law firm are aware of the impact that distracted driving can have on a motorist’s ability to drive safely. We represent victims and their families who suffered injury or experienced a death because a driver or another party was negligent and caused a North Carolina car accident.

Unfortunately, even though there is growing awareness of the dangers of texting and other distracted driving behaviors, many people can’t seem to stop. Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued its findings based on a national survey it conducted. Over 6,000 drivers participated.

Per the survey:

• At any moment in 2010, nearly 1 out of every 100 drivers was either emailing, texting, on the Internet, or using a hand-held device for other purposes while rating. This rate of activity is about 50% over from the year before.
• Most surveyed said they wouldn’t hesitate to answer an incoming call while driving.
• Almost 2 out of 10 drivers admitted to sending emails or texting while driving.
• Drivers in the 21-24 age group were more likely to text and drive.
• Over half of respondents said making a call while driving doesn’t impact the way they drive.
• About a quarter of those surveyed had the same opinion regarding how texting or sending emails affected their driving abilities.
• 90% said they don’t like it when they are riding in car operated by a driver that is texting.
• Bad weather was the situation during which most respondents would hesitate to talk on a cell phone or text/e-mail while driving.
• Bumper-to-bumper traffic and rapidly moving traffic were two situations that might compel some driver to stop texting/e-mailing/talking on the phone.

Driver electronic device use in 2010, NHTSA, December 2011 (PDF)

NTSB: Ban all driver use of cell phones, CBS, December 13, 2011

More drivers texting but few think it’s dangerous, survey says, Denver Post/AP, December 9, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Enter Our Charlotte, North Carolina Personal Injury Law Firm’s Drunk Driving Awareness Campaign This Holiday Season and Give Yourself the Chance to Win a Flip Camera, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, December 12, 2011

North Carolina Personal Injury: The Dangers of Road Rage, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, December

This holiday season, our Charlotte, North Carolina car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo would like to invite you to join us in keeping the number of drunk driving accidents down. Please don’t drink and drive.

To spread the word to your friends and family, we’ve created a powerful new video called “There are no extra lives when you drink and drive.” Please forward this to those you know and post it on your Facebook page, Twitter, and other social media outlets. Let’s make a difference in our community. Participants can join our Flip Camera Giveaway by signing up on our Facebook page. The sweepstakes ends on January 2, 2012. You must be a US resident and at least 18-years of age.

According to national statistics, one out of three people will at some point in their lives end up involved in an alcohol-related collision. It doesn’t help that there are about two million drivers with at least three or more prior drunk driving offenses sharing the roads with our children.

Although drunk driving is a known killer every day of the year, the holidays are an especially dangerous time with so many people out celebrating and drinking. Here are some ways that you can keep yourself and others safe:

• Don’t drive when you are drunk
• Assign someone the role of designated driver
• If you see that someone is too drunk to drive, take the car keys
• If you are hosting an event, provide non-alcoholic drinks and don’t let anyone get into a vehicle unless you are sure the driver is sober
• If you spot someone on the road that you think may be a drunk driver, immediately report him or her.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also beginning its nationwide crackdown on drunk driving for this season. Thousands of law enforcement agencies throughout the US are taking part in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

Last week, the NHTSA issued its 2010 Fatality Analysis Reporting System figures. According to FARS, nationally there was a decline in both the total number of motor vehicle crash fatalities and alcohol-related deaths. 32,885 people died in US traffic accidents in 2010, which is down 2.9% from the 33,883 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2009. There were US 10,228 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2010, down 4.95% from the 10,759 fatalities in 2009. There was, however, a slight rise in the total number of North Carolina motor vehicle crash deaths with 1,319 traffic fatalities last year‚Äîthat’s 6 more traffic deaths than in 2009.

Our Charlotte, North Carolina personal injury law firm represents clients and their families involved in collisions that were caused by drunk and drugged drivers. Contact the Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, LLP today.

“Like” our Facebook page to enter our Flip Cam Giveaway

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Crackdown on Drunk Driving, NHTSA, December 13, 2011