Syracuse Personal Injury Law Blog

The stoplight turns 100 this month

Published on: August 12, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

The next time you are in a traffic jam in downtown Syracuse, are frustrated with metering lights or are waiting for traffic to loosen up, you may wonder if the traffic signal gods simply don’t have your best interests in mind. You may also wonder if the traffic signal was invented yesterday and whether it will ever evolve.

As for when it was invented, the traffic signal is officially 100 years old this month. The very first one was installed at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 105^th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The signal’s inventor, James Hoge, envisioned a device that would essentially improve his commute. At this time, Cleveland was going through an industrial renaissance, and this led to population growth. With many more people coming in and out of the city for work in cars, bicycles, horses and even streetcars, this inevitably led to traffic snarls.

The first traffic signal featured four pairs of red and green lights that stood for “stop” and “go.” Of course, this design went through a host of changes before the traditional three color semaphore system that we see today was enacted.

Could your sunroof be at risk

Published on: August 11, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

With the number of recalls being initiated this year, it is expected that mechanical items such as tires, brakes and acceleration systems could be recalled for adjustments or replacements. It would not be expected that the glass that allows drivers to see could also lead to their undoing.

According to a recent ABC News.com report, there has been an increasing incidence of sunroofs shattering unexpectedly. Some sunroofs have failed while a driver is heading down the freeway. Others have broken while the driver is at a stop sign. Because the reasons for failure have been so varied, and not necessarily because of an object hitting the glass, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation.

The NHTSA has indicated that it would be reviewing incidents involving Kia Sorrentos. The Administration indicates that it has received nearly 400 complaints of sunroofs spontaneously cracking and breaking. As of this report, neither the car company nor federal regulators have learned of the specific reasons behind this problem. A recall has not yet been issued, and no major injuries or deaths have been reported.

Understanding the factors behind road rage

Published on: August 10, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

The summer driving season is about to come to a climatic end in a few weeks. The Labor Day holiday weekend is traditionally the last holiday of the summer, so millions of Americans take to the road to get to their favorite destinations; especially if they did not get to do so during Memorial Day weekend or the Fourth of July.

As we have noted in prior posts, holiday weekend travel can be treacherous. There is a higher volume of traffic, which contributes to the higher incidence of accidents. Further, heavy traffic can wear on a person’s nerves, so it may lead to road rage incidents.

While you may not be so concerned with road rage, it is important to understand the factors behind road rage. This post will explore a few.

Change of protocol for neonatal care unit cut back on mistakes

Published on: August 6, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

Imagine for a moment that you work in a neonatal care unit. A baby has just been born, but with some complications. You and your fellow medical professionals need to take care of this baby, as well as myriad other babies, that are in your neonatal care unit. So, here is the question: since this baby was just born and the parents haven’t decided on a name yet, how do you identify this baby? In fact, how do you identify all the babies? What naming protocol would you come up with?

Most neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) use a simple and generic naming protocol with names such as “babygirl” and “babyboy” being augmented with numbers to identify each baby. These names are put on wristbands that are then put on the babies. One study found that about 80 percent of NICUs use this type of simplified naming to identify patients.

But here’s the problem with this naming structure: all the patients wristbands start to look the same, even with the differentiating number. And, as a result, it is far easier for medical professionals to make mistake and incorrectly identify the patients.

NTSB calls for crash avoidance systems in all cars

Published on: August 5, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

If you are in the market for a new car, chances are that the salespeople you meet will tout their vehicle’s advance safety warning features. What began a few years ago as a unique perk only seen on luxury models such as Lexus and Mercedes Benz has found its way to mainstream models in Chevrolet, Ford and Honda vehicles.

While these features are growing in popularity, only a small fraction of all cars on the road have them. But this could change as more older cars are replaced by new ones. As a matter of fact, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called for them to become standard equipment on all new cars sold in the U.S.

The NTSB recently released a 60 page report detailing the safety benefits of advanced warning systems. Essentially, the report focused on how many lives can be saved because of all the accidents that can be avoided (no pun intended) by the alerts provided by these systems. With more than 500,000 people injured in accidents each year across the country, the NTSB proposed that nearly 80 percent of collisions could be prevented.

Trucking company fined for suspending sick driver

Published on: August 4, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

The trucking industry can be a brutal, unforgiving, and time sensitive business. This means that things that keep trucks off the road and moving are dealt with harshly. Suffice it to say, traffic is the enemy. Weigh stations are received with disdain. And illnesses? They happen, but it is more likely than not that a driver will be behind the wheel while sick and even tired.

While time is of the essence to trucking companies, pushing drivers too far may result in severe penalties. Such was the case with a company that was forced to pay $20,000 to a driver who was punished because he refused to drive because he was under the weather.

According to a recent overdriveonline.com report, the trucking company had suspended the driver without pay for reportedly refusing to dry because he was feeling ill. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) assessed the punitive damages because the company had a policy that encouraged drivers to drive despite being sick or exhausted. The company disagreed with the assessment, and vowed to appeal it to federal court.

Manufacturer recalls nearly 90,000 tires

Published on: August 3, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

If there is one thing, besides your engine, that it is wise to maintain during the summer driving season, it is your tires. Often overlooked, tires provide the ability for cars to maneuver around hazards and stay on the road in inclement weather. For the most part, tires are fairly reliable. But when they are compromised, either because of excessive wear or design defects, the results can be catastrophic.

This is likely the reason behind the recall of nearly 90,000 tires manufactured by Hercules Tire & Rubber Company. The recall was initiated after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was informed that the Hercules tires were similar to another tire that was recalled last fall because of problems with tread separation.

As such, the Ohio-based company agreed to recall their tires, specifically 15 and 16 inch models, so that the potentially defective tires can be replaced with updated models that do not have the separation issue. The recall is scheduled to start in August.

Cosmetics manufacturers may cross the line with advertising

Published on: July 29, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

Makeup advertisements are supposed to be alluring. They are designed to give the consumer the impression that they will become just as beautiful as the people they see on the screen. This is where lighting angles and clever wording becomes important in the commercial or the magazine ad.

Because of this, it is not surprising that many advertisements are not telling the truth about what their products can do. As a matter of fact, a new study published in the Journal of Global Fashion Marketing found that fewer than 20 percent of all claims made in cosmetics advertisements are actually true.

Researchers reviewed more than 275 advertisements in popular fashion magazines, including Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire that featured makeup products, nail polishes and fragrances that included phrases such as “clinically proven” or “dermatologically tested.”

Hackers take control of Jeep, expose software defect

Published on: July 28, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

If it seems like we are picking on Fiat Chrysler in our last few posts, we certainly are not. However, the embattled automaker has been in the news for its many failures to correct mechanical and structural issues that have led the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to levy a record fine against the company.

But that is not the only thing keeping Fiat Chrysler in the news. In a prior post we highlighted the potential danger of automobiles being hacked by unauthorized users. While this may seem highly unlikely and more like science fiction, a recent article published by tech magazine Wired, suggests that being hacked could actually happen.

Essentially, the article highlighted how hackers took control of a Jeep Cherokee while a person was driving. They were able to slow the car down and bring it to a stop, and then sending it into a ravine despite the driver’s pleas and attempts to prevent it.

NHTSA issues record fine against Fiat Chrysler over Jeep issues

Published on: July 27, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

While it may seem like there are fewer recalls this year compared to 2014, it is arguable that the final number will eclipse last year’s record. Part of this may be attributable to new technology that is being introduced, and not necessarily perfected for many uses. Also, the number of fines levied against automakers for failing to issue recalls could be a strong deterrent against complacency in correcting defects.

For those unfamiliar with the new trend of assessing fines against automakers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued some of its heaviest fines over the last year. For example, General Motors was forced to pay a $35 million fine for its failure to address the ignition switch problem that led to millions of vehicles being recalled. Similarly, Honda was assessed a $70 million fine for its failure to inform consumers about the dangers of airbags manufactured by Takata.

The latest fine assessed to Fiat Chrysler is the largest by far; $105 million. The announcement comes on the heels of a rare public hearing where the NHTSA detailed a litany of the company’s shortfalls in alerting consumers of recalls, failing to correct mechanical hazards in a timely manner and even failing to find solutions for existing problems; often leaving consumers left with no answers and no options.