As a Seattle Auto Accident Attorney, I’ve dealt with a drunk driving accident or two, and I’ve learned a lot about them over the years. The one thing you don’t have to be an expert to know is that they are completely avoidable. Call a friend; or better yet let them sleep and get a cab! Now this is going to be easier than ever with new dedicated cab stands popping up in Seattle.

Between 10 PM and 6 AM, certain curb space in the downton, Fremont and Capitol Hill neighborhoods will be restricted to cabs-only. Seattle Mayor McGinn said that they worked hard to keep these stands away from residential areas and in places that worked to benefit the local businesses. Local business owners are also happy that the couple thousand partiers who flood the city on the weekends will have a new way to get out of town.

Being a Seattle Area Personal Injury Lawyer, I know that it isn’t always easy to find a cab in Seattle late at night. That’s why I’m glad that the city is creating this new option for people to get home safely. Hopefully this will encourage people to leave their cars at home when they go out on the weekends, and grab a cab instead!

As a Seattle car accident attorney, I am aware that the roadway can contain numerous different risk factors for drivers. Some of these factors may be other drivers, weather conditions, road obstacles, and even vehicle maintenance. According to KOMOnews.com, on Sunday evening, a truck burst into flames on the I-5, threatening the lives of two passengers. The couple noticed smoke coming from the truck while traveling on I-5 approaching 93^rd Avenue in Tumwater. Sensing the danger, they immediately pulled over and collected their belongings from the truck before the fire completely broke out. Firefighters and the police arrived to a flame engulfed truck but were able to secure the couple and put out the fire with no injuries and no damage to the trailer the truck was towing at the time. The truck itself was completely destroyed. Even though in this example no one was injured during this vehicle fire, that easily could not have been the case. Roadway fires are extremely dangerous for everyone involved, and although this incident happened in Tumwater, this can certainly happen here in Bellevue as well.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2010 there were around 184,500 highway vehicle fires and 285 deaths resulting from those fires. In addition there were around 1,440 injuries that were a result of roadway fires nationwide. If you notice smoke coming from your vehicle, err on the side of cation and get out of the vehicle before it is too late.

If you or a family member have been injured in a car accident, you need the professional services of a dedicated Bellevue car accident attorney. Roadway fires are not always preventable and these type of accidents can be very confusing. Call me at Premier Law Group and I can help make your decision less stressful by dedicating my time to your case in order to ensure you the medical care that you deserve. I can also work with your insurance company to make sure you receive everything you are entitled to. For more information and a FREE CONSULTATION, contact me at (206)285-1743.

If you have been injured due to another person’s negligence or intentional act, a Seattle personal injury lawyer may be able to help you recover financially for your injuries. However, in order for you to obtain the full settlement you deserve, you need to help your lawyer in a few key ways.

Maintaining communication with your lawyer is key. He may have questions about the circumstances of your accident or how you are recovering from your injury. It is important to keep your attorney informed about any changes to your contact information so that he can get in contact with you if he needs to. Your attorney may also need to tell you about an upcoming court date if your claim proceeds to trial. When your Seattle personal injury lawyer calls you for whatever reason, please return the call as soon as possible.

You will also need to help your attorney document certain evidence in your case. Take photographs of your injury as instructed, and keep all medical records and receipts. Your attorney will try to obtain this information himself, for which you will need to sign an attorney authorization form. In any case, it’s better to err on the side of caution, and it doesn’t hurt for you and your attorney to both have copies of these documents.

If you have not already retained a Seattle personal injury attorney for your claim, please contact the Premier Law Group, PLLC for a free evaluation of your case.

It’s amazing what level of risk some people will take – especially with other people’s children.

16% of all car accidents that result in wrongful death and 20% of all car accidents that result in personal injury are caused by distracted driving – generally caused by either texting and driving or talking on a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

This kind of dangerous behavior kills over 5000 people a year here in America – and that’s why “Consumer Reports” has teamed up with the Department of Transportation on an educational program that they hope will reach over a 100 million people.  The magazine has just published the results of their nationwide survey on the subject, which I discuss in my new article, “Distracted Driving: Survey Says…”

One recent story illustrates just how severe the problem of distracted driving can get – and that’s the case of one Connecticut woman, who drove a school bus, who’s being charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree reckless endangerment.

After watching her with the help of a secret surveillance video camera, authorities estimate that she sent an amazing 1068 texts while driving the school bus.  Not while parked.  Not while waiting for children to get on the bus.  No – while actually driving the bus packed with children.

Oh – and, also, this was in a one month period.

This was an accidental discovery, by the way.  The real reason the 47 year-old woman was under surveillance was because one of her passengers, a 9 year-old autistic girl, continually came home with bruises on her hands and arms.  Her parents accused the bus driver of causing the injuries.  When the police viewed the videos and saw the amount of texting the woman was doing on the job, the additional charges were made.

Perhaps we should start putting video cameras in more school buses.  Perhaps we can save more lives.

Please feel free to visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury and wrongful death lawyers, Washington auto and motorcycle accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.  I’m also inviting all teens to take the pledge not to text and drive at my website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.

Jason Epstein, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyer and Founder of Teens Against Distracted Driving, will be speaking to Seattle area young women about the dangers of texting while driving.

Seattle, Wash. – March 22, 2011 – Seattle personal injury and Washington car accident lawyer, Jason Epstein, is the founder of the initiative, Teens Against Distracted Driving (T.A.D.D.) T.A.D.D. is a movement promoted by auto accident lawyers from around the country who are dedicated to bringing awareness of the incredible dangers of texting while driving.  “We are just tired of seeing kids being killed by texting and driving, or by others texting and driving,” remarked Epstein.

Jason Epstein, the founder of TADD and Straight Talk Law, will be speaking to students and parents at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington on Thursday, March 24^th about the dangers of distracted driving.  The name of the event is called “Safe Driving For Teens” and will begin at 7pm.

“This will be a great opportunity to speak to teens, along with their parents, about the dangers of texting while driving.  More and more teens are starting to realize the dangers of texting while driving, but there is always more we can do.  Parents can play a very important role in helping their kids to understand the incredible risks they take when they are distracted while they are driving.  I hope to inspire these teens and parents to spread the message and support TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com,” remarked Epstein.

“Everywhere I speak, my main goal is to drive home the brutal reality of the dangers of texting while driving and urging teens to sign my pledge to not text and drive.  I hope to have kids all across America wearing the orange bracelets that I have produced and am giving away for free to anyone that signs the pledge.  The bracelets say, “I PLDG 2 NT TXT N DRV,” continued Epstein.

With T.A.D.D. and it’s corresponding website, http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com, Jason is urging teens across the country to be aware of the incredible dangers posed by texting and driving, one of the nation’s fastest growing causes of auto accidents.  Through the T.A.D.D website, teens can make the following pledge:

“From here on out, I pledge to completely stop texting and using my cell phone while I am driving. I understand the dangers associated with these actions and will spread the word to my family and friends to help us put an end to the dangerous habit.”

Find out more about T.A.D.D. at http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com

Jason Epstein, Seattle, Washington based personal injury and car accident lawyer, founded Straight Talk Law to provide a series of legal guides meant to empower accident victims and those looking for a lawyer.  Straight Talk Law prides itself on providing the unfiltered truth about lawyer advertising, an informative website and blog, a new way to practice law where the lawyer communicates pertinent information directly to the client in an easy-to-understand way, and a law practice where lawyers share information with those who need it, and work on their clients’ case in an open, easy to understand way through effective communication.

To learn more about Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

About Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law:

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage.  Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters.

Jason attended Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming.  The month long program is dedicated to training lawyers who represent injured people. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999.

Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs, which are linked to StraightTalkLaw.com

Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients, means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us through StraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

A Seattle native, Jason received his B.A. in Philosophy from USC, and his J.D. from Pepperdine University. Mr. Epstein lives in Renton with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, Mr. Epstein enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

To learn more about Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

In its April issue, “Consumer Reports,” one of the top ten magazines in America, takes on the issue of distracted driving, a growing problem on our nation’s roadways that is the direct cause of thousands of car accidents that result in wrongful death and personal injury.   The magazine had teamed up with the U.S. Department of Transportation to educate teenagers, parents and teachers about the ongoing dangers of such practices as texting and driving.

The foundation of that educational process was a nationally representative poll conducted in November of 2010, in which over 1000 Americans were questioned about distracted driving.  The results were disturbing, to say the least:

• Almost two-thirds of those under 30 said they had used a handheld phone while driving in the past 30 days – and almost a third had texted while driving during the same period.

• Only 36 percent of those under 30 were very concerned about the problem of distracted driving.  Only 30 percent felt it was very dangerous to use a handheld phone.

• 64 percent of all respondents reported they had seen other drivers texting within the past 30 days.

• 58 percent had witnessed a dangerous driving situation related to a distracted driving within the past 30 days.

On the more positive side, “Consumer Reports” also looked into what the most effective weapons were in the battle against distracted driving.   They asked respondents, who said they had been influenced to personally stop distracted driving practices, just what had caused them to commit to avoiding that dangerous behavior:

• 66% of the respondents said that it was because they had either read or seen information on the dangers of distracted driving.

• 44% said they were aware of laws passed in their state or community banning the practice.

• 20% cited media campaigns such as Oprah Winfrey’s and websites such as www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

• 22% said they either witnessed or were involved in a car accident caused by distracted driving.

It’s clear from these numbers that the more education that is provided to Americans, the more distracted driving car accidents that result in personal injury and wrongful death can be prevented.

The Department of Transportation and “Consumer Reports” recognize this – and have already made available a free guide for parents and teachers, which can be accessed both at http://Distraction.gov and at http://www.consumerreports.org/distracted, and which will also be distributed to schools nationwide.   This April, they will also be showing a special distracted driving video in retail stores that is expected to reach over 100 million people.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit the website of Seattle, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney Jason Epstein at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Mr. Epstein’s law practice in Seattle, Washington.   Mr. Epstein also invites teen drivers to take the pledge to not text and drive at his website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

The fight against distracted driving has so far mostly focused on texting and driving.  Now, it may need to include surfing the web.

In my new article, “Surfing While Driving,” you can read about the results of a new survey that says almost one out of every five drivers admits to using their Smartphones to access the internet while they’re behind the wheel.

In my opinion, some things are black and white.  Things you should do while you’re driving?  Keep your eyes on the road, stay alert to other cars around you and regularly check your rear view mirrors.  Things you shouldn’t do?  Update your Facebook status and check TMZ.com.

And yet, some states are now starting to push back against proposed laws that ban texting and driving.  South Dakota has repeatedly rejected these kinds of bills and Idaho only wants to make texting and driving illegal when it actually is distracting.  How a law enforcement official is supposed to divine that, I’m not quite sure.

The fact is that the number one killer of teens is car accidents.  And teens are more likely than any other age group to engage in distracted driving, just because they’ve grown up with these electronic devices and use them more frequently.

That’s why it’s important that we continue to pass laws discouraging them – and every age group – from using handheld electronic devices while driving.

A district attorney in Georgia just might have the right idea.  When 65 year-old driver Jerry Ray Deal admitted to being distracted by his cell phone when he caused a car accident  – a car accident that resulted in the wrongful deaths of a father and son, he was found guilty on two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle.  And, in addition to a $2000 fine and two years of probation, he has been ordered to visit three local high schools and speak to the students on the dangers of distracted driving.

Let’s all remember distracted driving takes lives every day – and let’s do everything in our power to prevent it.

Please feel free to visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury and wrongful death lawyers, Washington auto and motorcycle accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.  I’m also inviting all teens to take the pledge not to text and drive at my website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.

In recent years, distracted driving has become more and more of a national – even international – issue.  Thousands of car accidents are caused every year by motorists who text while driving – many resulting in wrongful death and personal injury.

Now, a new survey brings a whole new level of distracted driving danger.  State Farm Insurance polled 912 drivers last November – and found that 19% of them surfed the internet while they were driving.   Yes, that’s almost one out of every five drivers who are checking sports scores, entertainment news or whatever else Google can find for them…while they’re behind the wheel.

The other bad news is that most of the drivers polled were in their 30’s.  Undoubtedly, younger drivers, who also tend to text and drive more than older drivers, engage in this kind of behavior more often.

No doubt the increasing use of Smartphones that enable internet access is behind these numbers.  Because of everything these new devices can do, there are plenty of extra temptations that can cause more and more distracted driving incidents.

And that’s why more and more distracted driving car accidents are happening every year.  In 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5474 wrongful deaths and 448,000 cases of personal injury resulted from distracted driving.

Many states have led the way in passing legislation against the practice of texting and driving, including Washington.  30 states now prohibit the practice for all drivers while 8 more only have a ban in place for novice drivers.

Now, however, there seems to be a backlash brewing in the remaining states.  In South Dakota, for example, a bill to ban texting and driving recently failed to move forward past a legislative panel.  Last year, a different anti-distracted driving bill failed to pass through the state legislature.  And in Idaho, a bill has actually been proposed to allow texting and driving – as long as the driver is not distracted when he or she is doing it!

One 38 year-old driver who admits to surfing the web says he knows it isn’t “the smartest thing in the world, but I do it anyway.”   That’s now how 16 year-old Dakota Woodward of Crestview, Florida feels.  He learned distracted driving wasn’t the smartest thing in the world the hard way – he was almost involved in a car accident because he was updating his Facebook status while driving.

“I don’t look at my phone anymore,” he told USA Today. “It’s more important to keep my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel than to text somebody back, or update my status, or see what somebody else is doing on Facebook. It scared me so much, I don’t text and drive or Facebook and drive anymore, or do anything with my phone.”

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit the website of Seattle, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney Jason Epstein at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Mr. Epstein’s law practice in Seattle, Washington.   Mr. Epstein also invites teen drivers to take the pledge to not text and drive at his website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

There is a gap in Washington driving laws that has become clear to me following the recent pedestrian and bicycle accidents in the Seattle area. The penalties for negligent driving are the same regardless of whether or not someone is seriously injured or even killed. In Washington State, there is no difference between a traffic violation for negligent driving and a felony charge – showing the gap that exists in traffic law. After working as a Seattle pedestrian accident attorney in a King County injury law firm, I have seen how vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists are to serious injury in accidents involving cars. 229 bikers or pedestrians were seriously injured or killed per year from 2004 to 2007 in accidents where a driver failed to yield, ran a red light, or wasn’t paying attention.

With a vote of 43-5, the Washington State Senate passed Senate Bill 5326 on Thursday. By creating an enhanced traffic infraction for negligent drivers who kill or injure “vulnerable users” (including moped riders, pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, or tractor drivers) this bill creates stiffer penalties for drivers who injure or kill people who are engaging in those activities. This is a significant step towards fixing a major gap in Washington State traffic law. Negligent drivers currently can be given a ticket and up to a $250 fine. People who drive negligently and seriously injure one of these vulnerable people would have to pay a fine between $1,000 and $5,000 and have their license revoked for 90 days if this bill becomes law. The driver could appear at a hearing, pay a $250 fine, take a traffic safety course, and complete 100 hours of community service instead of paying the higher fine. This bill will have to go through the House and be signed by the governor in order to become law.

The risk of serious injury or death for bicyclists and pedestrians on the road is very high due to their lack of protection and the lack of awareness of negligent drivers. While this bill does not help to protect these vulnerable users, it does impose harsher penalties on negligent drivers who hurt them. In order to avoid accidents that could have catastrophic consequences, it is important for both drivers and bicyclists or pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings.

This information is provided by Straight Talk Law, where you can order free information on Kennewick auto accidents, buying auto insurance in Washington, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Seattle personal injury attorney and author Jason Epstein and his Washington auto accident, Tacoma motorcycle accident, and King County wrongful death law firm in Seattle, Washington.

Jason Epstein, Washington Personal Injury Attorney and Founder of Teens Against Distracted Driving, recently published an article discussing The Driver Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety (DADSS) technology.

Seattle, Wash. – March 1, 2011 – Jason Epstein, Seattle personal injury and car accident attorney, recently published an article on his website, http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com, titled “New Hi-Tech Weapon Against Drunk Driving.” In the article, Jason, explains the differences between some of the drunk driving detection tools currently on the market, and how they have the potential to save thousands of lives.

Jason writes, “The most commonplace devices used today are the ignition interlock systems that require drivers to blow into a breath-tasting device before the car will start.  These systems are often mandated by judges for convicted drunk drivers.  However, ignition interlock systems are very intrusive to the everyday driver and would never gain widespread acceptance for usage in all vehicles. The DADSS, in contrast, is a passive technology system that measures blood alcohol content through two ways – either by analyzing the driver’s breath, or through the skin using special touch-based sensors that are placed either on steering wheels or door locks.”

“It’s estimated that over 10,000 wrongful deaths will occur this year as a result of car accidents caused by alcohol.  It’s also estimated that a motorist arrested for driving drunk has done it before an average of 87 times prior to the police pulling him or her over.   Also, one in three of all drivers will be involved in an alcohol-related car accident at some point in their lives,” continues Epstein.

The complete article can be found at http://www.straighttalklaw.com/articles/straight-talk-law-seattle-washington-personal-injury-lawyer-jason-epstein-on-new-hi-tech-weapon-against-drunk-driving.php

Jason Epstein founded Straight Talk Law to provide a series of legal guides meant to empower accident victims and those looking for a lawyer.  Straight Talk Law prides itself on providing the unfiltered truth about lawyer advertising, an informative website and blog, a new way to practice law where the lawyer communicates pertinent information directly to the client in an easy-to-understand way, and a law practice where lawyers share information with those who need it, and work on their clients’ case in an open, easy to understand way through effective communication.

To learn more about Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

To learn more about Teens Against Distracted Driving (TADD) please visit http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com

About Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law:

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage.  Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters.

Jason attended Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming.  The month long program is dedicated to training lawyers who represent injured people. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999.

Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs, which are linked to StraightTalkLaw.com

Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients, means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us through StraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

A Seattle native, Jason received his B.A. in Philosophy from USC, and his J.D. from Pepperdine University. Mr. Epstein lives in Renton with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, Mr. Epstein enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

To learn more about Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com