Nitro Legal Blog

If they intend to take a limousine somewhere in West Virginia, people should know what the current safety standards are like for these vehicles. Many limousines are modified to the point that they can be considered mid-sized trucks. As a result, they are exempt from the seating and seat belt standards that apply to traditional vehicles.

The National Transportation Safety Board believes that this is not an ideal situation, especially in the light of an October 2018 limousine crash that left 20 people dead, including the driver and 17 passengers. In its investigation of the crash, the NTSB found that none of the passengers were wearing lap or shoulder belts. The limousine, a 2001 Ford Excursion, had side- and rear-facing bench seats that could not withstand the impact of the crash.

Some 40,000 people died in car crashes in 2018. While this represented a 1% decrease from the previous year, the number is still high. Car crashes also led to 4.5 million cases of injury last year. With one person being injured in an auto accident every seven seconds, it's more important than ever to practice safe driving. Below are five simple tips to consider.

First, drivers should ensure that their vehicle, especially the engine and brakes, are well-maintained. It's also wise to check for any airbag issues or loose electrical connections. An auto repair shop could easily handle these steps. Second, drivers should be careful not to drink and drive. Before heading to a party, they could perhaps designate a sober driver.

Truck crashes can be devastating for people in West Virginia. Because of the massive size and weight of these vehicles, the effects of a collision are far more likely to be severely damaging or even deadly to others on the road. In 2017, 4,102 people were killed in trucking accidents across the country and many thousands more were seriously injured. Indeed, 82% of people killed in these crashes were drivers or passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.

Many people lose their lives in truck crashes when they are crushed in the open space on the side of the truck between its front and rear wheels. Between 2005 and 2009, 559 pedestrians and bicyclists lost their lives in these types of collisions. Internationally, side-impact truck crashes have been identified as a danger to others on the road. Countries around the world have mandated the installation of side guards on large, 18-wheeler trucks to prevent people from being crushed underneath in a side-impact trucking collision. These regulations have been backed up by studies in Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the U.K., cyclist deaths in trucking collisions dropped by 61% following the mandate for truck side guards.

There were 939 deaths resulting from red-light running crashes in 2017: the highest that the number has been in a decade. In 65% of these crashes, it is someone other than the offending driver who dies. Reckless, impatient and distracted drivers in West Virginia and across the U.S. are to blame for this trend, but that doesn't mean that others can do nothing to protect themselves.

Other drivers may be hit by a red-light runner if, for example, they dart out too quickly the moment a red light turns green. Though they may not be to blame, they could have still prevented the collision if they paused for a moment before accelerating. To stay safe, drivers should also monitor any stale green lights and cover their brake when entering an intersection. Tapping the brakes a few times can alert any distracted drivers behind them.