Michigan Auto Accident Blog

Nighttime driving can be dangerous

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in car accidents on Monday, November 12, 2018.

Every year, people in New York associate the fall season with the changing times; Daylight Saving Time comes to an end in November 2018. As time changes reflect shorter winter days, drivers may also experience the dangers that come with fatigue, night vision and rush hour in the dark. Night driving is more dangerous than operating a vehicle at any other time of the day, according to research conducted by the National Safety Council.

Once Daylight Saving Time ends, people are likely to find themselves spending more hours behind the wheel in the dark, sometimes during both their morning and evening commutes. Statistics show that the risk of a deadly car crash is three times greater at night than at any other time. When drivers operate their cars at night, they may be less able to distinguish depth, color and even peripheral vision, putting them in a worse position to respond to emergency situations. Even headlights from oncoming vehicles can interfere with vision in some cases, especially when high-beam headlights are used.

Teen driver safety

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in car accidents on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

Car accidents are a major cause of injuries and death in Michigan and around the country. Teen drivers pose a greater risk on the road than more experienced ones because they have not had as much practice controlling a vehicle in different situations. A program called Tire Rack Street Survival aims to teach drivers how to maintain control in various driving scenarios.

The program is designed to focus on situations encountered by motorists in the real world which are not covered by driver's ed courses. A skid pad allows drivers to practice driving on slippery conditions similar to roads covered with ice, snow or rain. Another simulation teaches drivers to get used to how anti-lock brakes feel during emergency stopping.

Coldwater City Council seeks to improve pedestrian safety

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in auto-pedestrian accidents on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Coldwater City Council has asked for a meeting with the Michigan Department of Transportation to discuss safety improvements for local pedestrians. The request comes after inquiries by the City Manager regarding the installation of a pedestrian bridge to replace an old bridge on the west area of town.

Coldwater's city manager is seeking approval to replace the U.S. 12 bridge, which was removed in April because it was deemed unsafe for pedestrians. The road leading up to the bridge had been narrowed by MDOT to just one lane. This allowed for a wider lane for pedestrians.

Divorce and the concerns over dividing the family business

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

You and your spouse may have taken over the family business after you got married or built a new business together from the ground up. Now, you are planning to divorce. You know how most of the property division will go, but what will happen to the business?

First things first

Teenage passengers increase risks for teenage drivers

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in car accidents on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.

AAA has recommended that teenage drivers in Michigan and across the U.S. go through 100 hours or more of supervised practice driving before they are allowed to drive solo. The recommendation comes after the release of research that indicates teenagers are more dangerous behind the wheel when they are driving with other teen passengers.

Specifically, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted research that showed when teen drivers are carrying only teen passengers in the car, the rate of fatalities from crashes increases by 51 percent. In cases where a teen driver has a passenger aged 35 or older, the rate of fatalities drops by 8 percent.

Money and the likelihood of divorce

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in high asset divorce on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

Michigan couples may be interested to learn that a survey of more than 2,000 adults found that money is the primary cause of relationship stress. Thirty-five percent of the respondents highlighted finances as the main issue of contention between them and their significant other.

Additional research shows that the couples whose credit scores have a greater disparity have a higher likelihood of going their separate ways within the first five years of their relationship. Couples with the highest credit scores have a higher chance of maintaining enduring relationships. The research also indicated that couples who were in good financial standing and had higher credit scores during the beginning of their relationship had a lower likelihood of separating after the initial few years of their relationship.

Tesla safety report lacks details

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in car accidents on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.

According to a Tesla report, drivers in Michigan and around the country who use its Autopilot feature are involved in fewer accidents than the general public. They are also in fewer accidents than those who drive a Tesla vehicle but don't use the Autopilot feature. However, there are few details to back the claim that the company is making. For example, the feature is only meant to be used on freeways or in other limited driving scenarios.

Therefore, it is impossible to determine if some drivers didn't turn on Autopilot because they weren't in the right environment to do so. The report also stated that there was one crash or crash-like event per 3.34 million miles driven between June and September 2018. However, the company was vague when defining this term. There were also concerns that the report didn't indicate how many people were hurt or how the accidents happened.

Older adults, retirement and divorce

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in high asset divorce on Monday, October 1, 2018.

Older couples in Michigan who are considering getting a divorce may be wondering how the process may impact their retirement. The rate for gray divorces, or divorces that take place among adults who are at least 50 years old, is twice what it was in the 1990s, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

Divorces that occur later in life can jeopardize the successful retirement both spouses had planned. Both parties may have to subsist on half of the income that they had enjoyed before, while having to handle roughly the same amount of expenses. However, there are some proactive steps they can take to ensure that a divorce will not eliminate all chances of having a successful retirement.

Risks for drivers and cyclists in college towns

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

If you live in a college town such as Ann Arbor, Michigan, then there are particular risks you face as a driver there that people in towns without large universities do not have to deal with. In the same way, college students who use bicycles to get around, and who do a lot of walking to get to where they are going, must be particularly careful when it comes to local traffic.

It is important for all to be aware of these risks to avoid the consequences that may result. Serious injuries can result in personal injury lawsuits, and if you are a victim, you should not have to suffer the consequences of a negligent driver without receiving appropriate compensation.

Distracted driving a concern for mobile workers

On behalf of Kline Legal Group P.L.C. posted in car accidents on Monday, September 24, 2018.

Many people in Michigan know that distracted driving poses a major threat to the lives of others on the roads. However, with the growth in technological distractions, this type of dangerous driving continues to pose an increased threat. While many people picture teens texting while driving, a significant danger can come from always-connected mobile workers who do business from their cars. According to a study by Motus, accident rates are on the rise among people in this category alongside smartphone ownership and usage.

Today's mobile workforce is highly connected and always available via email, text and a range of convenient messaging applications. Wherever they are with their smartphones, they can also be on the job. For drivers who already work on the road, this technology can ease their work but also push them toward driving while distracted. For example, the worst time of day for distracted driving is the early to mid-afternoon, a prime time for mobile workers' routes. This concern is backed up by statistics. In 2013, 55 percent of mobile workers owned smartphones, a number that grew to 77 percent by 2017. In the same period, car accidents rose by 12.3 percent, from 5.7 million crashes to 6.4 million.