The Kipness Law Firm, P.C

When driving a car, you need to be appear of the different rules that apply to trucks that are traveling near you.  To reduce the chance of a Dallas truck accident, be familiar with a truck’s capablities and how it moves.

You should never pull in front of a truck and suddenly stop or slow down.  Trucks, due to more weight, require more time and distance to slow down.  A car traveling at 50 mph can stop in 230 feet but a large truck requires 400 feet at the same speed.

Because trucks are longer, they require a longer parth to make a turn.  This is why trucks and 18 wheelers swing out left before making a right turn.  When behind a large truck, if it signals for a turn, slown down and look at its signals because a right turn signal may require the truck to turn left first.

One should also be aware of a truck’s blindspots.  Car drivers wrongly assume a trucker can see the road better because it is higher on the road.  Trucks have serious blind spots and a car can get lost in the blind spot.  If you cannot see the truck driver, assume you are in a blindspot and he cannot see you..

Trucks cannot move the same as cars.  They require longer stopping and starting distances and need more space to turn.  Common car driver mistakes that lead to truck accident, injuries, and even death are:

1. Cutting off a truck to reach an exit or make a turn (Do not speed up to pass a truck)
2. Driving alongside a truck when passing in slow manner (Move ahead of truck after passing it)
3. Tailgating (truck driver cannot see you and leaves no space in the even the truck must stop)
4. Underestimating size and power of a truck (Do not think truck is traveling at slower speed)

Knowing these rules should help a driver avoid truck accidents.

It is important to know how to react to equipment problems with driving.  Bad reactions to equipment failures can result in personal injuries and even death.

BRAKE FAILURE

If your brakes do not work and they are not anti-lock brakes, you should do the following:

1. Downshift to low gear;
2. Pump the brake pedal fast to build up brake fluid pressure
3. Apply the parking brake but release it if car skids
4. Steer and swerve into bushes or soft landing area
5. Sound horn to warn others
6. Turn off car when car stops

      If you car has anti-lock brakes, you should do the following:

1. Apply firm and steady pressure to brake pedal
2. Steer car around any obstacles
3. Release brake pressure
4. Drive normally but travel at lower speed once you have control of the car

TIRE BLOWOUT

      If you have a tire blowout, do the following:

1. slown down gradually
2. hold the steering wheel tightly and steer straight ahead
3. take foot off gas but do not appl brakes
4. slow to a stop
5. turn on emergency flashers
6. apply brakes when car is almost stopped

HEADLIGHT FAILURE

     If headlights go out at night, you should:

1. Try the dimmer switch
2. Try to headlight switch
3. Put parking lights and emergency lights on or turn on signal
4. Pull off the road ASAP and leave flashers on

STUCK GAS PEDAL

     If your gas pedal gets stuck when driving, do the following:

1. Shift to neutral
2. Apply brakes
3. Look for way out
4. Do not look down at gas pedal
5. Flash lights and honk horn to alert others
6. Drive car safely off the road
7. Turn off ignition
8. Try to free pedal by tapping it or placing toe under the pedal lifting

CAR STUCK IN MUD OR SNOW

     If your car is stuck in the mud or snow, do the following:

1. Shift to low gear and keep front wheels straight
2. Gently step on gas pedal
3. Avoid spinning wheels and drive forward as possible
4. Shift to reverse and back up as far as possible
5. Shift to low gear again and drive forward
6. Repeat forward-backward motion
7. Put boards or branches under tires when car is not in motion
8. Put chains on tires

OVERHEATING

     If your car is overheating do the following:

1. Turn off the a/c and turn heater on to draw heat away from engine
2. Shift to neutral and accelerate slightly to reduce engine load and increase air and coolant flow
3. Do not driver if steam is coming up from under the hood
4. Pull to side of the road, turn off engine and wait for it to cool
5. Do not open radiator cap
6. If battery is dead, know rules of how to jump start a battery (red clamp to positive post and black camp to negative post; do not touch cars, start car with live battery, start car with dead battery; remove cables in opposite order in which they are placed)

When driving a car, you can be presented with numerous road emergencies.  Knowing how to react and handle these emergencies can avoid severe personal injuries or death.

SKIDDING ON DANGEROUS AND SLIPPERY ROADS

To avoid skidding on slippery surfaces, you should:

1. Drive slowly and stay farther behind the car in front of you;
2. Slow down before approaching curves and intersections;
3. Avoid fast turns and quick stops;
4. Pump the brakes to slow down or stop if you do not have anti-lock brakes;
5. Shift to low gear before going down a hill;
6. If brakes get wet, dry them by pressing gas and brake pedals at the same time;
7. If you begin to skid, take foot off petal, do NOT brake, and turn steering wheel in direction of skid;
8. If you lose control, try to get car off the slippery surface by entering shoulder of road, bushes, or snow bank

COLLISION TRAPS

A collision trap occurs when you cannot maintain safe and adequate space cushions around your car.  Collision traps can occur in your front, on your sides, or in your rear.   To avoid these traps, you should use your lights, your horn or increase your distance from the car in front of you by slowing down and give yourself a way to move out of the collision trap.

If you feel there is about to be a collision, do not panic and react properly to avoid personal injuries.  If you have anti-lock brakes, you will still be able to control your car.  If you do not have anti-lock brakes, pump your brakes but do not brake hard, which will lock your wheels and cause your car to skid.

HEADLIGHTS AND HORNS

Use your horn only to avoid collisions.  Try to make eye contact with other drivers.  Do not honk on slow drivers.  The driver may be ill, lost, or have car problems.  Don’t honk to show the other driver they made a mistake.  You should use your headlights when driving when it is raining, snowing, or foggy or anytime you have trouble seeing other cars.

OFF THE ROAD RECOVERY

If your car goes off the road, you need to be careful before re-entering the road.  Do not quickly re-enter the road.  You should do the following when your car goes off the road:

1. Slow down
2. Do not get angry and remain calm
3. Brake gently
4. Hold the steering tightly
5. Position car so it is on the edge of the road
6. Allow enough space to re-enter the road, and
7. Accelerate to normal speed when you return to the road

UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS

Sometimes you cannot avoid a Dallas car accident.   When you are about to be involved in a car accident, you should try to steer your car in the direction that cause the least amount of damage and personal injuries as possible.  Do not panic and try to maintain control over your car.   For head on auto accidents, try to move your car to the right to avoid the accident and lower your speed.  Once an accident occurs, try to move your car to safe location to prevent other accidents.

To protect yourself in rear collisions, you should: (1) apply your brakes to avoid hitting cars in front of you; (2) brace yourself between the seat back and steering wheel; (3) engage brakes to turn on brake lights; (4) press head against back of headrest; and accelerate across an intersection if it is clear.

To protect yourself in side collisions, you should: (1) keep a tight hold on the steering wheel; (2) prepare to steer quickly after impact; (3) brake quickly to avoid getting hit a second time; (4) blow your horn; and (5) change lanes to avoid accidents with more cars.

CAR PLUNGING INTO WATER

If your car plunges into water from a collision, you can escape through a window.  It will be hard to open due to the water pressure.  If the car sinks to the bottom, some air may be trapped near the roof.  Try to get into this air pocke to breathe.  You should then roll down a window or kick out the rear window.  You will have several minutes to escape.

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you.  It is odorless and hard to detect.  Symptoms of this poisoning include sleepiness, dizziness, and upset stomach.  If these symptoms occur, get fresh air asap.   Carbon monoxide can enter a car from holes in the exhaust system, other cars in traffic jams, and operating cars in closed garages.  To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, do not operate a car in a closed garage, keep the a/c running in the car, inspect the exhaust system, and avoid tailgating in traffic jams.

WITNESSING CAR ACCIDENTS

If you see a car accident, do not try to be a doctor.  You should do the following:

1. Send for help and call 911.
2. Help injured be still, do not move them, and keep them warm.
3. If you see bleeding, cover the wound and apply pressure.  Do not touch the blood.
4. In the injured can walk, get them to sit down.
5. If the injured cannot move, do not move them because movement can cause more injuries.

Although it is the law, many people still do not wear seat belts and forget to put children in proper child restraint systems.  Most drivers will be involved in at least one accident in their life and 1 out of 3 people will be injured or killed in auto accident.

SEAT BELTS

You are twice as likely to surive a car accident with lap belt and four times a likely to survive a auto accident if you were a lap and shoulder belt.

Some misconceptions about seat belts and child safety seats are:

1. Seat belts can trap people in the car [It takes less than 1 second to release a belt];
2. You do not need seat belts for short trips [75% of all traffic deaths occur within 25 miles of home];
3. People can walk away when thrown from the car [You have 25% better chance to survive accident if remain in the car and being thrown from a car is a main reason for traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries];
4. I do not need to put a child in a safety set because my trip is short [No. 1 cause of death of children is car accidents and 8 out of 10 children who die would survive an car accidddent in an approved child safety seat]

AIRBAGS

      In 2007, airbags saved 2788 lives.  Inflating airbags can cause injuries.  Airbag injuries occur when people are not positioned correctly (e.g. too close to the airbag or not wearing seat belts) in the car during an auto accident.

      For adults or children over the age of 12, move your seat back as much as possible to create distance between you and the airbag.  There should be at least 10 inches of space.   You also need to wear a seat belt because so will not move closer to the airbag when there is an impact.

     For children 12 and under, they must be placed in the back seat to avoid airbag injuries.  You should never put a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat.  If possible, please the child in the back center and confirm the safety seat is secured.

It is important to take precautions when driving in difficult conditions.  Driving should be adjusted according to weather and traffic conditions.  Driving under the speed limit is not enough.  One should always keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.  The faster you go, the more distance there should be.  You should drive slower when the road is crowded, when the roads are wet, or your vision is limited due to darkness or bad weather.  Remember to turn on your lights in these conditions.

When visibility is poor, use your lights.  It helps other drivers see your car. 

You should do the following when driving in the fog, which is the most dangerous driving hazard:

1. Think about how far you can see and how long it will take to stop;
2. Increase your following distance;
3. Keep an eye on your speedometer;
4. Turn on your fog [low beam] lights so others can see you [do not turn on your high beams which will cause glare];
5. Use the right edge of the road as a guide not the center line, which is closer to oncoming traffic;
6. Use wipers and defroster;
7. Never drive with the parking lights on; and
8. Consider postponing your driving trip or pull off the road until conditions improve

You should do the following when driving in the dark:

1. Drive slower than you would in the daytime;
2. Make sure you can stop within the distance of your headlights;
3. Turn on your lights if you cannot see 1000 feet ahead;
4. Turn on your lights 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise;
5. Don’t look directly into oncoming headlights.
6. If driving in rain, use lowbeam lights and never drive with parking lights on;
7. Dim headlights or use the low beams when approaching another vehicle,
8. Use high beams or bright lights if driving in open country an no other vehicles are around

You should do the following when driving in snow:

1. If you cannot see more than 100 feet, do not drive faster than 30 mph;
2. Be prepared to stop to clean windshield, headlights, or taillights;
3. Improve traction by using snow tires or tire chains;
4. Slow down at first sign of drizzle or snow because road pavements are slippery due to oil;
5. Turn low beam headlights on not your bright lights;
6. Pull over and stop if you cannot see the edges of the road or other vehicles

Driving in bad conditions requires you to keep a space cushion around you.   Space gives you time to react to a hazard or accident on the road.

According to the NHTSA in 2007, drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08% or more were involved in 32% of Texas wrongful death car accidents.  Driving with blood alcohol at 0.08% or higher is illegal.  However, blood alcohol concentrations lower than this amount does mean it is safe to drive.  Drivers who drink and drive are twice as likely to have an auto accident, even if they have a blood alcohol concentration less than the legal limit.

Alcohol’s effect depends on body size and the same amount of alcohol can affect persons differently even if they are the same size.  Alcohol use affects the brain, liver, heart, stomach and can cause a driver to become sleepy.  Drinking is the same: 1 beer = 1 glass of wine = 1 shot of liquor.

Drunk driver accident statistics are scary.  In 2007, there were 12,998 drunk driver accidents in the U.S., which equals a drunk driver accident causing death every 40 minutes.  278,000 received personal injuries in drunk driver accidents, which equals one personal injury every 2 minutes.  Regarding children age 14 and under, 1670 were killed in drunk driver accidents and half of these children were passengers of drunk drivers.

How does alcohol affect the body and impair your ability to drive?  It causes depression, increases aggression and affects one’s ability to control emotions, concentrate, and remember.  Alcohol affects a person’s ability to have visual perception, coordination, judgment, and quick reaction time.

The only thing that will remove alcohol from your body is time.  Coffee, cold showers, or food does not reduce the amount of alcohol concentration in your body.  It is recommended you wait 1 hour for every drink you have before driving.   Getting charged with a DWI can lead to fines, jail time, license suspension and a civil lawsuit for causing personal injuries and wrongful death.  It is illegal to drive when under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs and some over the counter medicines such as cold medicines and antihistamines.

First time convictions for drunk driving and DWI convictions can include:

1. 72 hours to 6 months in jail;
2. fines up to $2000;
3. license suspension for 90 days to 1 year;
4. 24 to 100 hours of community service;
5. payment of $20 to $40 monthly supervisory fees

Second time convictions for drunk driving and DWI convictions include:

1. one year automatic liscense suspension (if first conviction is 5 years or less);
2. ignition interlock is installed on vehicle;
3. during license suspension, you cannot get an occupational license;
4. fines up to $4000;
5. up to 80 hours of community service; and
6. $25 to $40 monthly supervisor fees.

If you get a third conviction, it is a felony conviction.

In Dallas, Texas and anywhere in the U.S., driving behavior and physical conditions can lead to personal injury causing car accidents and even wrongful death.

Good driving habits can prevent Dallas car accident injuries and deaths.  Examples of good driving habits are:

1. Making your sure your left foot is on the foot rest, not the pedals;
2. Wearing seat belt and setting your windows and seat position;
3. Staying away from accident causing problems when driving;
4. Keeping good seperation from other vehicles;
5. Being able to stop in the distance you can see ahead;
6. Driving appropriately based on weather and traffic conditons;
7. Reading and understanding the street signs
8. Knowing what is ahead of you on the road;
9. Knowing what is in your blind spots
10. Not changing gears until after you have slowed down

Examples of bad driving habits that can lead to accidents in Dallas and the State of Texas are:

1. Driving at unsafe speeds;
2. Aggressive Driving and discourtesy to other drivers; 
3. Risky Driving;
4. Losing control of vehicle;
5. Ignoring traffic laws;
6. Poor vehicle maintenance;
7. Not using mirrors;
8. Eating and talking on the phone;
9. Allowing emotions to interfere with driving when you are upset;

Your physical conditon can affect your ability to drive and bad physical conditions may lead to car accidents that cause personal injuries.   Examples include: fatigue, stress, aging, poor vision, diabetes, heart problems and epilepsy.  If you have a condition that may affect your driving, discuss it with your doctor.  Get your vision and hearing checked and notify the Texas Department of Public Safety.   People over 65 should adjust their driving habits by slowing down and increasing the space around your car.  Try to take routes with less traffic and noise and make sure you understand how any medications you take can affect your driving.

Driving fatigued slows reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs judgment.  Many wrongful death single car accidents at night occur because of fatigue.  Signs and symptoms of driving while fatigued include: inability to keep eyes open and focus; inability to keep head up; daydreaming; frequent yawning; tailgating; drifting from lane to lane; drifting off the road; missing signs and exits.  If you notice these symptoms, exit the road and take a nap.

To prevent fatigue related car accidents, you should: change radio stations; turn up the volume; open the windows, turn air conditioning on high; avoid fixating on object in the road and allow ample space between you and other cars.  You should also drive during the time you are normally awake.   When on long road trips, you should drive no more than 8 hours per day, stop and stretch every 100 miles or 2 hours, check your rearview mirror and look at different objects on the road.

Stress causes many car accidents. Stress leads to aggressive driving, poor concentration, and bad decision making.  Driving in a rush increases your stress.  Is it worth it to strive stressed out and get to your destination 5 minutes earlier?  No.  In saving five minutes, you might have caused an accident, broken the law or decreased your field of vision.

Also, you need to remember that medication can affect your ability to drive.  Ths includes over the counter and prescription medications.  Make sure your read the medication directions carefully.  If you are taking medications that can affect your driving and a police officer stops you, you can be charged with a DUI and face fines, jail sentences and suspension of driver’s liscense.  Illegal drugs and alcohol are not the only substances that can lead to DUI charges.