Many people automatically put on a seatbelt when they get in a car. It wasn’t always this way. And while seatbelts save lives, seatbelts are not always perfect.

As seatbelt use has increased, the fatality rate for car accidents has declined. In 1994, just under 60 percent of motorists wore seatbelts. That year, the fatality rate for car accidents was 1.4 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the standard measurement for accidents. By 2006, the fatality rate dropped 21 percent to 1.1 deaths and 80 percent of motorists wore seatbelts.

What changed? The rise in seatbelt use coincides with tougher seatbelt laws in many states throughout the country. States like New York have primary enforcement seatbelt laws. This means police in New York can pull someone over for not wearing their seatbelt and issue them a $50 fine. States with primary seatbelt laws report that 88 percent of motorists wear seatbelts. States without such laws report that 75 percent of motorists wear seatbelts.

But seatbelts aren’t perfect. Sometimes, a defective design can leave a seatbelt not functioning right. A gifted young professional baseball player, Brian Cole, was killed when his Ford SUV rolled over and his seatbelt failed to hold him in place. An investigation found that Cole had his seatbelt on at the time. Recently, a jury ordered Ford to pay Cole’s family $131 million, claiming the seatbelt did not operate correctly and contributed to Cole’s death.

Accidents happen fast. Your life can change in an instant. What would you do if you were injured? How would you pay your medical bills? What if your insurance company refused to cooperate? Knowing what to do can be difficult. Finding answers to your important questions can be frustrating.

You need an action plan. You need someone who understands New York State’s complicated legal system. You need someone who will demand justice. You need an advocate on your side who will fight tenaciously for you.  You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Our lawyers have years of experience successfully representing car accident victims in New York. We know the scare tactics some insurance companies and car makers use to avoid paying victims. Show them you mean business. Contact a law firm committed to getting results for clients. Contact James Morris today.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

Drivers fall asleep at the wheel all the time. Sometimes, no one gets hurt, like a recent driver in Upstate New York discovered asleep at the wheel at a traffic light.  But accidents happen. Each year, driver fatigue causes 100,000 car accidents nationwide. That’s one accident every five minutes. Sleeping driver accidents result in roughly 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities each year across the country.

More than 60 percent of adult drivers have admitted driving while feeling drowsy in the past year. Even more shocking, 37 percent or 108 million drivers nationwide have confessed to falling asleep at the wheel. Of those who fell asleep at the wheel, 13 percent revealed they have done so at least once a month.

Who’s asleep at the wheel? Most people rightly realize that long-distance truck drivers often fall asleep. That’s why the Federal Highway Safety Administration has designated driver fatigue as the number one priority for truck safety. But it’s not just tired truck drivers causing accidents. Other drivers falling asleep include:

• Men, who are twice as likely to fall asleep while driving as women.
• Drivers on the road between midnight at 6 a.m.
• Adults 18 – 29 years old.

Driving while tired seems innocent. But tired drivers choose to drive. They refuse to take breaks. They ignore warning signs. They put everyone at risk on the road.

What would you do if you were injured by a driver asleep at the wheel? You need someone with experience dealing with serious accidents. You need someone who will tenaciously fight for justice. You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Our knowledgeable lawyers have years of experience handling accidents involving drivers asleep at the wheel in New York State. We understand complex state and federal laws. We know how to hold big trucking companies responsible and unresponsive insurance companies accountable. We work tirelessly for results.

Don’t let someone else’s reckless behavior ruin your life. Take action. Contact James Morris today. We mean business.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

What is the safest place to ride in a car? Is the driver more likely to survive a car crash? Or are you safer riding in a vehicle as a passenger? Depends on where you are in a car.

If you’re riding in the back seat, you’re much safer than the passenger riding in the front seat. But if you’re riding in the front passenger seat, the driver has a much better chance of surviving a car crash than you.

But sometimes, no matter where you are in the car, you can sustain an injury. That’s what happened recently when a car and a tractor trailer collided on Interstate 90 near Buffalo. Several passengers and the driver in the car all sustained injuries and had to be taken to the hospital.

Every 13 seconds in America, someone sustains an injury in a car accident. That’s more than 2.3 million people injured in auto accidents every year, according to the latest government statistics from 2008. Around the world, 1 in 10 hospital beds are occupied by victims of auto accidents.

Car accidents cause a wide range of injuries. The most common injuries in car accidents are to people’s head, neck or back. And even though you might not feel injured immediately after an accident, serious injuries can develop days or even weeks later. That’s why it’s crucial you seek immediate medical attention after being involved in a car accident.

What would you do if you were injured in a car accident? Do you have an action plan? How will you pay your bills? Who’s responsible? Your insurance company? The driver’s insurance company? You need someone who understands the law. You need someone who knows how to get results and will vigorously fight for your rights. You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Please allow one of our skilled attorneys to evaluate your case for free. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Contact James Morris today. We’re on your side.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.