The distracted driving discussion keeps coming up across the nation, even more so now that the National Transportation Safety Board issued its call for a full ban on all handheld cell phone use, including hands-free devices. Some states already have specific bans over text messaging, bans they are finding difficult to enforce. Missouri has written… read more
Though European countries outlawed cell phone use while driving long ago, our country is still coming to grips with the rampant use of handheld devices while operating motor vehicles. The U.S. government has launched a website, www.distracted.gov, to get the word out about the hazards of distracted driving. Part of the hesitation of state regulators… read more
The American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) recently released a response to the call of the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) for a nationwide ban on cell phone use while driving. The proposed ban, which would include hands-free devices, has drawn both positive and negative attention from groups across the nation. AMA spokesperson Peter Terhorst issued this… read more
As a motorcyclist, you may not know what tort reform is or how it applies to you. But if you are ever involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle or a company that was engaging in unsafe practices, or if your bike or equipment ever harms you because of shoddy manufacturing, tort reform could… read more
Tort reform, as discussed in the recent documentary “Hot Coffee”, significantly affects the ability of citizens to change the way a company does business. As we gain more knowledge of what is and is not harmful to us, businesses must adapt their practices. A new study demonstrating the effects of high-fat food on the brain… read more
Riding motorcycles safely is not easy, even for those who are learning under expert guidance. One Colorado Springs police officer and two El Paso County sheriff’s deputies had a serious crash last week in a training course for police escorts, causing all three to be transported to the hospital. According to Police Lt. Brian Ritz,… read more
A Colorado underdog has won the $50,000 after its application beat out 300,000 others for the 50K Pepsi Refresh Everything grant. GAP Service Dogs found out about the challenge from a woman GAP had helped through the donation of a service dog. Barbara Brady, from Lakewood, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2005, and the… read more
When Sandra Baker, of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, saw her 9-year-old autistic son was being held by his school in a giant bag, she was in shock. “God, they do not have my son in that bag…,” she said. “Mama, is that you?” came the voice from the bag. The boy had been placed in the “therapy… read more
Nebraska’s efforts to increase road safety and improve driving habits seem to be paying off, with 2011 having the lowest number of road fatalities since 1944. Authorities are citing increased awareness about drunken driving, improved use of seat belts and safer vehicles as the causes of the near-record year. There were 179 road fatalities in… read more
We have been discussing the documentary “Hot Coffee” lately, and the way it shows that tort reform applies to so many people. A story last week about the dangers of ATV use and the surprising number of traumatic brain injuries suffered by riders raises questions about the safety of the vehicles. As the title story… read more
