As parents who struggle with distractions from children ourselves, we were very pleased to see this list of advice and tips for parents driving with kids from Consumer Reports. We’re familiar with a few of these, and know they work. It’s very important for Texas parents to realize that traveling with the kids doesn’t have to be an exercise in frustration, anger and non-stop anxiety. Here are some of the tips from Consumer Report.

• Pack plenty of snacks, drinks and toys for the kids.  Make sure you have coloring books, crayons, and games stashed away in easy-to-reach places in the car. Occupied kids are less likely to distract.  We like this idea and use it frequently.
• Play little games as you are driving with your kids.  Ask them to read cloud formations.   Play a game of I- Spy.  Play counting games. Kid love games, and the more occupied they are with counting red pickup trucks, the less likely they will be to demand your undivided attention.
• Keep your eyes focused on the road ahead at all times. Houston auto accident lawyers cannot stress enough how important this is.
• If a tantrum is getting out of control, see if you can pull over to comfort your child.
• Tune out noises from the back seat as much as possible. The less attention your child gets from you, the quicker he or she will stop whining.
• Switch off your cell phone while driving. All it takes is a second to look down at the number display panel for an accident to occur.

We don’t stop to think twice about the distractions our kids pose when we drive. But it’s important to realize that the most innocent distractions can be sufficient to cause a serious accident.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious accident, contact the husband and wife legal team at the Kahn Law Firm today by calling 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.

• The researchers analyzed motorcycle fatality data between 1994 and 2004, and found an increase in motorcycle crash fatalities after the helmet laws changed.
• The study found that the number of motorcycle crash deaths increased by 30 percent after the helmet laws were revoked.
• The number of deaths for every 100,000 registered motorcycles increased from 89 in 1994 to a total of 101 in 2004.
• Besides, motorcycle crash fatalities for vehicle miles traveled also rose by 25 percent.
• Researchers found a sudden spike in motorcycle fatalities in September 1997, which was the month in which laws were changed.  That month, helmets were made optional for all motorcyclists.

Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in November found a strong correlation between helmet use in motorcyclists and prevention of Traumatic Brain Injury. The study found that wearing helmets significantly decreases your chances of suffering of moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in a motorcycle crash.

Helmet use is not the only factor in preventing motorcycle accident fatalities It does not guarantee that the motorcyclist will be not killed or injured in an accident. However, it does increase your chances of avoiding the kind of serious brain injuries that lead to lifelong disability, debilitation or death. Severe traumatic brain injuries can leave a person unable to perform routine tasks, like feeding themselves, or bathing.  At its worst, these injuries can prevent persons from being able to work or earn a living. Wearing a helmet can reduce that risk dramatically.

While having laws in place to encourage helmet use would be ideal, as Houston motorcycle accident lawyers, we would encourage riders to contribute to their own well-being by wearing approved helmets. It’s important to remember that in an accident involving a motorcycle and another vehicle, it’s the motorcyclist who has the highest risk of injury or death.

If you or a loved ones has been injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident or 18-wheeler accident, contact the attorneys at The Kahn Law Firm at 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940 today for a free consultation.

According to news reports, the school bus had stopped to pick up a student when a freight truck crashed into the back of the bus. At the time of the crash, there was one special needs student of MacArthur High, a bus aide and a driver inside the bus. The bus was severely damaged. The special needs student, the aide, and the driver of the truck were seriously injured.

From all that we know about this accident, it seems that the bus was stopped at 8 am in the morning with its loading lights on, and yet, the truck failed to stop to avoid rear ending the bus. As Houston truck accident lawyers, we see that rear ending accidents are typically caused by

• High speeds that prevent the driver from slowing down in time to avoid the vehicle
• Fatigue that prevents the driver from seeing the vehicle in front of him
• Distractions
• Malfunctioning brakes
• Drunk driving

Out of these, federal regulations do address the issues of drug and alcohol use by truck drivers, maintenance and repairs of trucks and the driver’s experience and driving abilities. Driver fatigue is another issue that has been gathering momentum over the past few months. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is revising the Hours of Service rules for truck drivers, and we could soon be back to the 10-hour rule that was in place earlier. Longer driving hours expose a trucker to the risk of fatigue and related accident risks.

Besides, the FMCSA has already received recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board which call for mandatory sleep apnea screenings for truck drivers. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person suffers from disturbances in breathing during sleep. This causes the person to wake up several times during sleep, leading to feelings of tiredness and drowsiness the next day. Truck drivers because of their lifestyles are more prone to obesity, which is one of the risk factors for sleep apnea.  Mandatory screenings and treatment programs would address this issue of driver fatigue and prevent accidents.

If you have been involved in a car accident, truck accident, bus accident or motorcycle accident, contact the accident lawyers at The Kahn Law Firm today at 713-226-9900.

Our thoughts are with the Meagher family as they try to deal with this tragic loss.  From all accounts, it seems like the Meagher was following all traffic rules. He was riding safely, and was wearing a helmet.  Motorcycle awareness campaigns in Texas focus strongly on educating motorcyclists about helmet use and safe driving techniques. However, they fail to invest the same kind of effort and time in educating motorists about the need to share roads with all.  Often, as Houston motorcycle accident lawyers, we see motorcyclists doing everything right, and still bearing the brunt of motorist’s negligence.

As Houston motorcycle accident attorneys, we also see that motorcyclists unfairly get blamed for every crash. While there are a few motorcyclists who revel in speeding and stunts on the streets, most of them tend to be conscientious riders. Unfortunately, fingers get pointed at the motorcycle rider even before an investigation begins.

Back in the 70s, when motorcycle accident fatalities across the country were at their peak, the government commissioned a study into motorcycle crash causation, headed by Harry Hurt.  That investigation culminated in the Hurt’s Report.  Two of the biggest findings of the study are valid to this day.

1. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by negligent motorists.
2. Helmet use is important in preventing fatalities.

Unfortunately, while the victim here did all he could to be safe by wearing a helmet, he could do nothing to protect himself from others’ negligence.

If you or loved one has been injured in a car accident, truck accident or motorcycle accident, contact the injury lawyers at The Kahn Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation at 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Department is confirming that neither driver had a license. It also appears that the two teenagers’ parents were possibly aware that their children were driving their cars.  Residents at Keith Harrow Boulevard and Barker’s Cypress where the accident occurred, say that such street racing is common at that location. Most of these races take place at night.  Last year, three people were killed during a race in North Harris County. As Houston auto accident lawyers and parents ourselves, we would encourage parents of teenagers to talk to their children about the importance of safe driving practices. Street racing is a complete no-no, and parents must step up to take away the car keys and place restrictions on children who may not be mature enough to practice safe driving.

Teen motorists are at a higher risk of an accident because of a number of factors.

• Lack of experience
• Recklessness
• Love of adventure and thrills
• Peer pressure
• Distractions by fellow teen passengers
• Love of thrills

Any of these factors can cause an accident, and a combination of one or more can be deadly, causing catastrophic injuries.  Some automakers have begun to recognize the safety issues that the parents of teen motorists struggle with. Ford has come up with MyKey, a key that allows parents to restrict car speeds and the volume of the music systems in their teenagers’ cars. The system can also be programmed to shut the car down if the driver or front seat passenger is not wearing a seatbelt. While these technologies are very welcome, and help parents keep tabs on their children’s driving, they are no substitutes for parental supervision and guidance.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact the lawyers at The Kahn Law Firm for a free, confidential consultation at 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.

The app, developed by the Colorado Department of Transportation as part of its New Years DUI prevention efforts, is called R-U-Buzzed.   It works by taking information like your weight and the number and type of drinks you have had, and then spitting out a BAC figure. That information also comes with a color coded message that informs you if you can drive home, or if you should absolutely hire a designated driver. R-U-Buzzed has proved very popular, and has been downloaded more than 40,000 times since it was released in December.

As Houston DWI lawyers, we have several problems with the app.

• On the surface of it, this might seem just like what the bartender ordered – a system that allows you to calculate your own BAC level and warn you if you aren’t fit to drive. However, the information isn’t completely accurate. To its credit, R-U-Buzzed doesn’t claim to offer a precise figure of a person’s BAC level. There are a number of factors besides weight and drinks consumed that can impact intoxication BAC levels.
• We also worry that persons, especially younger drivers, may see a message saying they’re sober and feel encouraged to drive. Remember, the app won’t help you if you fail a breathalyzer test and have to call a Houston DWI lawyer.
• There could also be potential for misusing the app, like in a game of who can drink the most at the bar. Checking BAC levels could turn into a party game, which Texas DWI lawyers would not advise at all.

At the end of the day, this is likely a fun and well intentioned, but flawed system that we would not advise motorists to base their driving decisions on.

If you have been charged with DWI or a alcohol related charge, contact the criminal defense lawyers at The Kahn Law Firm today for a free, confidential consultation at 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.

It is the first drowning death in Texas this year, and Texas personal injury lawyers will be concerned that this year too could see a continuation of our dismal child safety record from 2009. Last year, a staggering 112 children in Texas died in drowning accidents, including 32 children in the Houston area alone. Both were new records since Texas began keeping count of children’s drowning deaths in 2005.  There were 66 deaths in 2005, 70 deaths in 2006 and 63 deaths in 2007.

Those numbers were alarming enough for the Department of Family and Protective Services to warn about an unchecked increase in drowning deaths involving children last year. In fact, in our state, drowning is the second largest cause of unintentional death in children, with kids between 1 and 4 years of age accounting for almost half of all drowning deaths.

As parents ourselves, we find the silence over our state’s record in child safety, alarming. There just isn’t enough uproar and anger over the fact that so many children seem to die every year in Texas in some of the most preventable ways imaginable.

There is nothing to beat parental supervision to prevent drowning accidents. Remember, it takes only a couple of seconds for a child to fall into a pool, or wade over to the deep end.  As Houston personal injury attorneys, we are also concerned about the safety and security systems in place in pools in hotels, clubs, and recreational facilities. Property owners must make sure that there are designated lifeguards to watch over the pool. Even with the passing of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, we know that many public pools in Texas have still not installed safer drain covers that can prevent little children from being entrapped and drowned.

If your child has been the victim of a drowning or any other type of injury, contact the the attorneys at The Kahn Law Firm for a free consultation at 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.