Motor Vehicle Accidents

Use Your Navigation Apps Safely and Avoid A Ticket

April 15, 2022 | Kearns Rotolo Law

These days it’s hard to find drivers who don’t rely on their smartphone’s navigation apps, especially when traveling along unfamiliar roads or looking for ways around traffic jams. And for good reason. These electronic guidance systems provide drivers with the clear direction they need to proceed with confidence rather than hesitantly trying to find a way out on their own and risking an accident. If you are planning to use your phone’s navigation app, though, consider activating it before pulling out of your driveway to avoid breaking any distracted driving laws.

Technically New Jersey’s ‘don’t text and drive’ laws don’t apply to opening apps on your smartphone. However, these distracted driving laws may come into play if you are required to do anything more than simply tap the screen to open your app. Read “Using A Navigation App Could Get You A $200 Ticket in NJ” to learn more.

Increased Pedestrian Fatalities: A Pandemic Side-Effect?

February 15, 2022 | Kearns Rotolo Law

Across the country, pedestrian fatalities have risen at alarming rates, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to recent traffic safety reports. Last year, New Jersey reported the highest number of pedestrian deaths due to motor vehicle accidents in 30 years

Why the drastic increase? Some traffic specialists attribute it to a side effect of the recent pandemic citing rising anxiety levels, increased anger, pandemic drinking, and “social disengagement” as having a negative impact on drivers’ attention to basic safety measures. Others believe that an aging population more vulnerable to such accidents, as well as the increased popularity of larger vehicles play a role. Read “Pedestrian Deaths Spike in U.S. as Reckless Driving Surges” to learn more.

A Refresher for New Drivers and Their Parents

January 15, 2022 | Kearns Rotolo Law

For many teens, a driver’s permit is the first step toward independence and for many parents, it’s a step toward relinquishing their chauffer duties. This initial stage of the driver’s licensing process, however, is a learning period heavily regulated by State mandated restrictions designed to lessen the chances for accidents. While it may be tempting to relax the rules once your teen driver becomes comfortable behind the wheel, doing so could lead to serious consequences for both drivers and their parents.

One northern New Jersey police department recently reported a series of incidents involving permitted drivers operating motor vehicles without adult supervision, a violation of State driving laws. To discourage this behavior, the department issued reminders of New Jersey’s driver’s permit restrictions and the possible consequences for both drivers and their parents for violating those restrictions. For a refresher read, “Police: NJ Teens With Learner’s Permits Driving Without Adults Face Serious Consequences.”

Driving Habits Survey Yields Mixed Results

November 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s recent survey of driver behaviors yielded mixed results: U.S. drivers appear to recognize the dangers associated with certain risky habits that could increase the likelihood of accidents yet admit there are other unsafe activities they still engage in while behind the wheel.

The survey of self-reported driving behaviors looked at driving habits during the period 2018 to 2020. The results revealed a downward trend in such activities as running red lights and driving while drowsy or under the influence. At the same time, it showed drivers continued to engage in other risky behaviors like using handheld cell phones and driving over the posted speed limits. To see all the numbers, read “Self-Reported Dangerous Driving Habits Revealed In New Survey.”

Putting a Price Tag on Pain and Suffering

October 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

When a person is injured as the result of another person’s negligence, their recourse is to seek damages for pain and suffering through a personal injury claim. However, “pain and suffering’ is subjective and difficult to quantify so, how are personal injury settlements calculated?

Determining a fair compensation requires looking at a number of factors, including the extent of medical bills incurred, the length of the expected recovery period, potential loss wages during that recovery period, and the emotional toll such injuries may take. While many of these factors will vary on a case-by-case basis, there are formulas that can help you gauge whether the settlement being offered is a fair one. To learn more read, “How To Determine The value of Pain and Suffering for Personal Injury Claims.”

What You Can Do to Strengthen Your Personal Injury Case

September 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you might be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries and losses. Getting that compensation, however, may require you to file a personal injury lawsuit, a legal process that can be overwhelming for those without experience.

While attorneys who focus on personal injury law are best suited to help guide you through the process, what you do immediately following your accident can help determine how strong of a case you have. To learn what steps you should take to bolster your case, read “How to Build A Strong Personal Injury Case.”

Motorists Take Note: NJ Adopts New Safe Passing Law

August 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Drivers in New Jersey now face new regulations aimed at making the State’s roadways safer for all users – motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

On August 5, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law measures intended to decrease the number of accidents involving motor vehicles and others using the roads by requiring drivers to move over a lane when passing pedestrians, bicyclists or scooter riders. If changing lanes cannot be done safely, drivers are required to slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary. Failure to comply could result in fines and possible points against the driver’s license.

The pandemic and its related restrictions resulted in less vehicular traffic but more people walking and riding bikes and scooters on the roads. With restrictions now loosening and more people returning to their places of employment, motor vehicle traffic is on an uptick. NJ State Police records show that the number of pedestrian fatalities reported so far this year almost match the number reported for 2020 and are on track to result in an increase of 60%. To learn more about this new law read, “Drivers must now move over when passing people walking and on bikes.”

How Inattentive Are New Jersey Drivers?

July 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

The latest research ranks New Jersey second out of all states for having the highest rate of fatal motor vehicle accidents attributed to distracted driving. Is this a reflection of drivers’ inattentiveness or the State’s efforts to combat and report this risky behavior?

The research, which looks at statistics from various government agencies including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), shows that 24.6% of New Jersey’s fatal traffic accidents resulted from some sort of driver distraction. Cell phone use – both the use of handheld phones and texting – is often cited as a major distractor, but other activities like eating and applying makeup can be contributing factors. For further information and to see which state ranked number one, read “New Jersey Gets Low Marks for Distracted Driving.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid After An Accident

June 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Motor vehicle accidents are traumatic and unsettling for even the most experienced driver. This can make it difficult to assess the full extent of damages and injuries immediately following impact. That’s why it is important to remain as calm as possible and follow procedure no matter how minor or serious the accident appears to be.

Because of the shock and confusion that can typically follow a motor vehicle accident, many drivers overlook some common steps that, if the accident leads to a lawsuit, can hurt their chances of being awarded the compensation they may be entitled to. For a look at what those steps are, read “5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Filing A Personal Injury Claim after A Motor Vehicle Accident.”

How Safe Are Your Rear-Seat Passengers?

April 15, 2021 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

A faulty design and outdated safety standards may be putting your rear-seat passengers at risk in the event of a rear-end accident, according to a recent CBS News investigation.

Looking at rear-end collision data from the past 30 years, the investigation found at least 100 rear-seat passengers injured or killed as a result of the vehicles’ front seats collapsing into them. Safety experts have blamed these seatback failures, at least in part, on an outdated federal safety standard that has been in place since the 1960s. To learn more read the CBS News report on “Alleged car seatback failures….”