Don’t Leave Your Child In The Backseat Of An Unattended Car
by AdminJuly 26th, 2021
The summer weather is heating up and your car can get very hot, very quickly. It is a crime to leave your child, under the age of 12, unattended in your vehicle, even for a short period of time. If you are found to have done this you may be charged with a crime under Connecticut statute. It may not seem like a big deal to stop at the convenience store and leave your child unattended in your car for a few minutes, but think about the following statistics and how dangerous just this quick trip to the store could be; A car parked in the sun on a day where the temperature is 95 degrees can reach 116 degrees within a matter of an hour. The dashboard in that same car can reach a scorching 157 degrees in the same amount of time. The seats inside that same car can reach nearly 125 degrees. A child left in a parked car will experience heatstroke within an hour of being in the car, or sooner. The bottom line here is that it is increasingly dangerous to leave a child unattended in the car during hot summer months. It is also against the law in Connecticut. Many cars are now coming equipped with notifications that will beep at the driver to make sure they are checking…continue reading
Summer Camps May Lead To Pedestrian Crossings In New Places
by AdminJuly 16th, 2021
Your morning and evening routine may be so familiar to you at this point that you can put yourself on autopilot to get to and from work. It is something you do every day and you know backward and forward. However, the summer months may throw a wrench into your plans leaving those along your way vulnerable to a New Haven pedestrian accident. Summer routines of everyone throughout the city change. During the months of July and August traffic patterns change and there are more pedestrians out and about. Add to that the new foot traffic from summer camps where kids are in spots throughout the city that they otherwise might not be while in school and you have the potential for injuries or worse. So, how can you help avoid any new issues in the summer months? Always come to a complete stop at all traffic signals. Whether it is a stop sign, a yellow light, or a red light that you can turn on, take extra care to look a second time before you continue on. Slow down. If you’re in a routine you are less likely to keep it slow, because after all you know the route. Driving more slowly will allow you to make quicker decisions if something unexpected happens along your route. Use your signals. If you are using your…continue reading
3 Things To Know About Connecticut’s New Seat Belt Law
by AdminJuly 15th, 2021
The Connecticut State General Assembly just passed a new transportation bill that was signed by Governor Lamont that included in it a new seat belt law. The seat belt law that was part of this bill will go into affect on October 1st, 2021 and will require that all persons, regardless of age, traveling in the backseat of a car wear a seat belt. Previously in the state of Connecticut it was only people 16 years and younger who were required to wear a seat belt in the backseat, but on October 1st, it will be all people traveling in the back seat. This makes Connecticut the 32nd state to enact such legislation. In a year that follows the largest increase in fatalities due to New Haven auto accidents in many decades, it is no wonder that the state took action to help protect all passengers in a car and require seat belts for adults in the back seat. Before the law goes into affect, here are some things you should know about it; You cannot be pulled over JUST for violating this new law. If you are pulled over for a speeding violation or other violations an officer can also cite you for not wearing your seat belt in the back seat. Unbuckled passengers in the back seat can turn into projectiles in the event…continue reading
“Trauma Season” For Kids Can Lead To New Haven Personal Injuries
by AdminJuly 14th, 2021
Connecticut Children’s Hospital is urging parents to remember that this time of year, summertime, can be a particularly dangerous time for kids especially. In fact, in the medical field, the summer months are often referred to as “trauma season” as children are often hurt, badly as they are out and about playing. As adults and kids return back to a new “normal” and kids are out playing again, Connecticut Children’s is reminding parents to be mindful because trauma can lead to New Haven personal injuries. While health officials certainly want kids to be out and about and playing again, especially after the long year that COVID brought with all sorts of restrictions applied to us all, they are also reminding parents of the dangers that certain activities can bring. Officials are asking parents to be vigilant in their efforts to keep their kids free from dangerous situations including; Playing on the playground – this activity leads to 20,000 traumatic brain injuries each year Skateboarding and biking – thousands of children are injured each year due to falls on these vehicles Water safety – nearly 3,000 kids drown each year There are other safety concerns that medical professionals are warning about including leaving a child in a car with the windows rolled up when it is hot out. This is a concern every year that sadly…continue reading
A List Connecticut Does Not Want To Be At The Top Of, Most Dangerous Roads
by AdminJuly 14th, 2021
In 2020 the state of Connecticut saw a huge spike in traffic related fatalities. The spike was so big that it wound up making Connecticut the 5th most dangerous state for drivers in the country. This sharp incline in deaths as a result of New Haven auto accidents was reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the website QuoteWizard. The report found that Connecticut had a rise of 22% in auto accident fatalities during the pandemic in 2020. This placed the state in 5th place on a dubious list of the most dangerous states in the country. The top five states on the list included; South Dakota Vermont Arkansas Rhode Island Connecticut With three of the top five states being states in the northeast part of the country there is some concern over the driving in these states, although experts believe that this spike in traffic fatalities may be an anomaly due to the pandemic and that the number of deaths by auto accident will return to somewhere close to normal in 2021 and beyond. The number of fatalities that resulted from New Haven auto accidents rose from 254 in 2019 to 310 in 2020. The total amount of deaths due to auto accidents in the United States was 42,060. As the state of Connecticut is now back open and our roads are getting…continue reading
Off-Duty Officer Struck And Killed In Motorcycle Accident
by AdminJuly 7th, 2021
Late last month, an off-duty police officer was out riding his motorcycle with a friend when they were both struck by a vehicle that sped through a stop sign. The officer’s injuries were severe and he later died from them after being seen at Hartford Hospital. This incident is a sad reminder of how dangerous the streets can be and how a morning motorcycle ride can turn fatal quickly. In this particular instance the driver of the car was under the influence of drugs and alcohol which made the collision even more serious. We see many New Haven motorcycle accidents that happen in the blink of an eye and often result in serious injury or fatality. It is important that when you are out riding your motorcycle that you take some precautionary steps to insure your safety and protect yourself against others who may be driving dangerously. Always wear a helmet. While there is no helmet law in Connecticut it is one of the best ways you can protect yourself from serious injury or death. Be alert. While it can be tempting to watch the world go by while riding your motorcycle you should do your best to not get distracted and stay alert. Follow all rules of the road. A motorcycle is a vehicle that shares the road with others and needs to obey…continue reading