Posted On: September 8, 2009

Personal Injury News: "MyKey" Is New Technology Designed To Protect Teenage Drivers

Ford will put a safety feature on many of their new cars called "MyKey". Since Attorney Richard Griffin has spent his entire professional legal career handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security disability claims, he is always interested in any new safety features on automobiles. Since Attorney Richard Griffin is proud father of four daughters, he understands that there is nothing more important than protecting your loved ones from being injured or killed.

It is astonishing to think about how many car wrecks occur each year in Georgia and throughout the U.S. Some of the mind boggling statistics about car accidents are:

(1) In 2006 there were 500,000 DUI related car wrecks in the U.S.
(2) In 2006, 17,000 innocent drivers died in those 500,000 DUI related car wrecks.
(3) In 2006 there were 392 deaths caused by DUI related car wrecks in Georgia.
(4) In 2007 there were 2,575,000 car wrecks that occurred in the U.S.
(5) In 2007 42,000 people lost their lives in those 2,575,000 car wrecks.
(6) Over 55% of the fatalities involved drivers or passengers not wearing seat belts.
(7) Tragicly, DUI related accidents increased in 2007 to 17,600 throughout the U.S.

Clearing driving in Atlanta, Georgia or throughout Georgia, can be dangerous even for drivers who are alert and safety minded. However, when you think about inexperienced teenage drivers behind the wheel, the risk of car wrecks increases even more. This is why Attorney Richard Griffin is very excited about the new “MyKey” feature that Ford will feature on many of Ford's new cars being released. “MyKey” is a new technology designed to help parents control some of their teen drivers’ behaviors in an attempt to keep them safe.

Andrew Sarkisian, the safety manager at Ford, was recently quoted in a USA Today article as saying, “We wanted to find a way for parents to virtually be in the car with their teens, like they’re sitting in the passenger seat coaching them along.” Attorney Richard Griffin whole hearedly agrees that parents need more tools to help them make sure their teenage drivers are driving safely. Attorney Richard Griffin stated that “teenagers often do not fully appreciate the risk of dangerous behavior which can sometimes lead to tragedies when they are behind the wheel of an automobile. Teenagers often feel invinsible which can result in driving too fast or driving while distracted by cell phones, Ipods, GPS systems, or even just their radios.” The worst worst nightmare for parents would be being informed that their daughter or son involved in a serious car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident. Attorney Richard Griffin knows that no amount of money from a personal injury or wrongful death claims can replace the value of having your loved ones safe and healthy.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a recent study which concluded that
(1) 4,497 young drivers ages 16 to 20 died in car accidents” in 2008.
(2) The leading cause of death for drivers who are ages 16 to 20 is car wrecks.
(3) Teenagers make up 10% of the total drivers, but they account for 12% of car fatalities.

So what does MyKey do to help parents protect their teenage drivers?

(1) Parents can limit the maximum speed their teenage drivers can drive to 80 mph.
(2) Parents can set chimes to warn their teenagers when the speed increases to 45 mph, 55 mph and 65 mph.
(3) Parents can set a chime if their teenage driver has not buckled their seatbelt
(4) Parents can have the audio system disabled until the teenage driver buckles their seat belt.
(5) Parents can limit the maximum volume on the radio.
(6) Parents can keep track of their teen driver's mileage
(7) Parents can set the low fuel warnings to warn at an earlier fuel level.

The driving statistics clearly show that teenage drivers are at the greatest risk of having a car wreck the first year of they are driving. Since nothing is more important than keeping our children safe, Attorney Richard Griffin believes that many parents may choose Ford cars with MyKey over other cars just for this safety feature alone.

The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. (Attorney Richard Griffin's law firm) has handled thousands of personal injury and wrongful death claims with incredible results. To read more about how happy our personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security clients have been with our legal representation click on the following link: [Client Testimonials].

If someone else's negligent driving has caused you to be injured in a car wreck, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrial accident, then call our experienced attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. today for a free consultation.

Call our personal injury lawyers and wrongful death lawyers for for a free settlement evaluation at 866-847-6545.

You can also click the following link to submit your personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, or social security disability questions to our experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney’s at the following link: FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION.

Our firm's mission statement is "To protect the rights of injured victims and to maximize the personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security disability recoveries for all of our clients."

Posted On: September 3, 2009

Returning Troops Bring Back Dangerous Driving Habits

Anyone who serves in the armed forces to protect our country is a hero in my book. I am thankful for their sacrifice which allows all of us to live in this great country in the land of the free. However, I was amazed by an article I read written by Gregg Zoroya in the USA Today on September 1, 2009. The article pointed out that soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have to drive very aggressively to aoid "ambushes or roadside bombs". The aggressive driving includes "driving fast or , or down the middle of the roadssing through intersections regardless of the signals". Clearly the aggressive driving which is required to protect their lives in a war setting translate in to potential disaster if used in the public roads in Georgia and throughout the United States. Aggressive driving on our public roads is one of the leading causes of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents. These accidents often cause serious injury or death to the innocent victims of negligent driving. Serious injury or death, in turn, result in personal injury and wrongful death claims. The personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. specialize in handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security claims and use our experience and hard work to maximize our client's recovery so that they recover all that they deserve.

A 2007 University of Minnesota study by Todd Rockwood (a sociologist) and ERica Stern (occupational therapist) concluded that aggressive driving habits by returning soldiers was "automatic and inexcorably linked to a sense of control and safety." The study found that dangerous driving habits often continue even after the soldiers return home and that this "endangers soldiers, their families, and their communities".

Some of the interesting statistics from this study:
(1) 25% of the returning soldiers admitted to driving down the center of the road or running stop signs.
(2) 10% of the returning soldiers admitted that they "drove erratically through an underpass or tunnel".
(3) Much of the dangerous driving diminished or got better after they were driving back at home for more than 90 days.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. concludes that everyone needs to practice safe driving to avoid causing car wrecks. It is my belief that car wrecks, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents are the leading cause of serious injury or death for people under 40. Personal injury claims and wrongful death claims are serious matters that shatter innocent people's lives and the lives of the ones that the victims love the most.

If you or someone you know has a personal injury claim, wrongful death claim, worker's compensation claim, or social security disability claim, you need to call the experience lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. We handle personal injury, wrongful death, social security disability, and worker's compensation claims in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout the state of Georgia.

Call us today at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.injuryatlanta.com.

To find out what your case is worth click this link and submit your case for a free case evaluation. We use the latest jury verdict research along with our experience as seasoned trial lawyers to explain to you exactly what we think your case is worth. This advice is not only useful, but I think it is invaluable to anyone with a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security claim.