Category Archives: Vehicle Law or News

Texas Auto Insurance Rates Are Increasing

Written On January 31, 2012 By Bob Kraft

Apparently the weak regulation and poor oversight of Texas insurance companies that has kept us at number one or number two in the nation for highest homeowner insurance premiums is not enough punishment for Texas consumers. Now we may be in a race to have the highest automobile insurance premiums in the country also. The [...]

Posted in Insurance Information, Vehicle Law or News

The Troubled Relationship Between Motorists and Pedestrians

Written On January 30, 2012 By Bob Kraft

This guest post is from the New Jersey car accident law firm of Console & Hollawell. While the article specifically addresses the auto/pedestrian problem in New Jersey, the principles are the same for Texas.
There has always been a troubled relationship between New Jersey motorists and pedestrians. New Jersey is the fifth most dangerous state in [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Only Three 2012 Trucks Receive Highest Safety Scores From IIHS

Written On January 26, 2012 By Bob Kraft

Newsday/Tribune Media Services reported, “Only three pickup trucks — the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra and Honda Ridgeline — have been named Top Safety Picks for 2012 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).” According to the IIHS, “The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover and [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

CDC Report Highlights Drunk Driving Epidemic

Written On January 18, 2012 By Bob Kraft

This guest post is from the New Jersey car accident lawyer firm of Console and Hollowell.
A Center for Disease Control and Prevention report showed just how often drivers are taking their lives and the lives of others in their hands by driving while under the influence of alcohol. The report shows that in 2010, legally drunk [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Study Reveals More Deaths By Poisoning Than Car Crashes

Written On January 9, 2012 By Bob Kraft

Here’s a story that took me by surprise — deaths by poisoning have overtaken deaths by auto collision in the United States. The latest statistics are from 2008, and were reported by the National Center for Health Statistics. The report was detailed in an article in the New York Times. Here are excerpts:
An analysis published [...]

Posted in Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Your Legal Rights Following A Road Traffic Accident

Written On December 27, 2011 By Bob Kraft

The London law firm of Pannone Solicitors asked if they could submit a guest post to this blog, and I agreed. Their article is interesting and informative, although the comments on property damage are not always correct in American law. I appreciate the post, and invite anyone with relevant material to submit guest posts to [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Editorial: Hang Up and Drive — Before the Law Makes You

Written On December 26, 2011 By Bob Kraft

I’ve written several times about the dangers of texting while driving and also about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. The Dallas Morning News recently ran a good editorial urging Texans to stop abusing the privileges we have now, before the government puts a total ban on cell phone usage in cars. [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Featured Link — FightingForJustice.org

Written On December 22, 2011 By Bob Kraft

Fighting for Justice is the new blog of the American Association for Justice. It is filled with consumer information about defective products and unfair laws. Here is a description from the site:
Fighting for Justice is your resource for the latest news and information about America’s civil justice system.
As the world’s largest trial bar, the American [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Featured Link, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Tort Reform, Vehicle Law or News

Report Says Hybrids Are Safer for Occupants Than Traditional Cars

Written On December 20, 2011 By Bob Kraft

Have you considered buying a hybrid car to save money on gas? There may be another reason — hybrids may be safer in collisions that their gas-powered counterparts. That was the conclusion of an insurance industry report released recently. The story was mentioned in the Washington Post. Here are excerpts:
People who invest in hybrid cars [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Vehicle Law or News

NTSB Calls for Nationwide Ban on Phone Calls or Texting While Driving

Written On December 14, 2011 By Bob Kraft

I’ve written several posts recently (including one Monday) about the dangers of texting while driving, and about Governor Perry’s baffling decision to veto a law passed by the House and Senate that would impose a statewide ban on such activity.
Yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a surprisingly strong recommendation that there be a nationwide ban [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

You Can Save Money On Auto Insurance

Written On December 13, 2011 By Bob Kraft

The business section of the Dallas Morning News recently featured an article on saving money by making changes in your automobile insurance coverage. I recommend reading the full article, but here are a few excerpts:
The ideal way to save money is to exert effort once and automatically reap savings over and over again, every month. [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Insurance Information, Vehicle Law or News

More Drivers Texting While Driving, Despite State Bans

Written On December 12, 2011 By Bob Kraft

I’ve written several times about the state-wide ban on texting while driving that was passed this year by the Texas Legislature, but vetoed by Governor Rick Perry. Governor Perry apparently believed this law to be too great an intrusion into our private lives by the government. Personally, I wish the government would intrude into the [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Featured Link — MobileLutions.com

Written On December 5, 2011 By Bob Kraft

Despite the fact that Governor Perry vetoed a law that would make texting while driving illegal in Texas, such texting is terribly distracting and dangerous. It’s at least as bad as driviing while intoxicated.
Now there’s at least a partial solution to this problem, and it may be of interest to you if you have a [...]

Posted in Featured Link, Vehicle Law or News

Crashes Surge Around DFW Connector in Grapevine as Construction Complicates Traffic

Written On November 30, 2011 By Bob Kraft

I recently spent more than an hour to travel a little over two miles in the construction north of DFW airport. So this article in the Dallas Morning News really struck a nerve with me. I’ll definitely be avoiding this area in the near future, and I recommend you do the same. If you do [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

Editorial: Complain to State About Unethical Auto Insurers

Written On November 23, 2011 By Bob Kraft

I wrote a few days ago about an investigation into shady auto insurance companies such as Fred Loya Insurance and Old American County Mutual Insurance. The investigation was done by the Dallas Morning News, and the newspaper has now followed up with an editorial about reporting sleazy insurance company tactics to the State of Texas. [...]

Posted in Insurance Company or Government Misconduct, Vehicle Law or News

Texas Drivers Hit Roadblocks After Filing Auto Insurance Claims

Written On November 16, 2011 By Bob Kraft

Lawyers who represent victims of auto collisions in Texas have always known that insurance companies will use any legitimate means to deny a liability claim against their insured. But in recent years there has been a disturbing trend among some insurance companies of using means that stretch the boundaries of being legitimate. In fact, in [...]

Posted in Insurance Company or Government Misconduct, Vehicle Law or News

Fiat 500 is ‘Top Safety Pick’

Written On October 27, 2011 By Bob Kraft

In my neighborhood I saw a lot of the tiny Smart cars when they first came out, and while I loved the look, I was concerned about the safety. Now the latest hot car is the FIAT 500C, which I see frequently. Again, I think they’re really cute, but I worry about the safety aspects [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Texting Makes Drivers Twice As Slow To React To Road Dangers

Written On October 25, 2011 By Bob Kraft

A Texas Transportation Institute study tells us what we already knew — texting while driving is incredibly dangerous. That’s why I was stunned back in June when Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed a bill banning texting while driving. The bill was passed by the Texas House and Senate. See I’m Typing This While I’m Driving from [...]

Posted in Vehicle Law or News

NHTSA Investigating 36,000 Mini Cooper S Models for Engine Fires

Written On October 24, 2011 By Bob Kraft

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the 2007-2008 BMW Mini Cooper S for engine fires. This disturbing bit of information was reported by the Detroit News. Here are excerpts from the article:
NHTSA said in a notice posted on its website Saturday it is probing 36,000 models sold in the United States after receiving [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Broad Strategy Needed to Win Battle Against Uninsured Drivers

Written On October 11, 2011 By Bob Kraft

Texas has a terrible problem with uninsured drivers — about 20% to 25% of all drivers in Texas have no automobile liability coverage. That means the rest of us have to pay extra for Uninsured Motorist coverage to protect ourselves against these drivers. An editorial in the Dallas Morning News detailed this problem:
The look in [...]

Posted in Insurance Information, Vehicle Law or News