Posts by Michael Phelan
What Are Speed Limiters – and Why Don’t Trucking Companies Use Them?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to unveil its final proposal on speed limiters and commercial trucks sometime later this year. Currently, speed limiters (which work like they sound – they restrict a vehicle from going above a certain speed) are not required in the United States. However, the FMCSA plans to make this…
Read MoreCould This New Software Suite Prevent Truck Accidents?
An article in Transport Topics, a freight industry publication, recently caught our attention. The article discussed a new product by tech company Idelic designed to help commercial truck fleets negotiate lower insurance rates. It does this by leveraging its current trucking safety software’s data and using it to produce reports that notify fleet supervisors about…
Read MoreMulti-Vehicle Accidents Often Have Devasting Consequences
Earlier this month, a multi-car crash involving three vehicles occurred near the A.P. Hill state in Richmond’s Northside. Fortunately, no significant injuries were attributed to the accident, but unfortunately, this is not often the case with multi-vehicle accidents. A multi-car accident (sometimes called a pile-up) is a collision involving several vehicles. Multi-vehicle accidents are particularly…
Read MoreThe Potential for E-Cig Battery Fires and Explosions on Passenger Flights
If you use electronic devices such as electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, smartphones, laptops, or other mobile device, then you most likely use lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are usually the power source for these types of devices. The key to whether any of these devices operate safely is whether the battery overheats. Can vapes explode? In recent…
Read MoreImproperly Loaded Trucks Often Lead to Catastrophic Consequences
Truck accidents are often devastating. Since a semi-truck pulling an empty trailer weighs approximately 35,000 pounds and up to 80,000 pounds when loaded, the sheer size and weight of a commercial truck puts the occupants of smaller vehicles at serious risk for injury in the event of a collision. Commercial truck companies must comply with…
Read MoreLithium-Ion Batteries in Micromobility Devices May Cause Life-Threatening Injuries
Heading into cold weather season, fire danger typically increases, sometimes in unexpected ways, including the lithium-ion batteries used to power micromobility devices. Earlier this month, at least 38 people were injured, some of them critically, in a Manhattan, NYC high-rise apartment building fire that started when a lithium-ion battery powering a micromobility device self-combusted. According…
Read MoreHow Injured Passengers Can Seek Damages for Virginia Car Accidents
A passenger injured in an automobile accident will rarely be considered at fault for a collision, even if they caused a distraction, because they were not driving the vehicle when the crash occurred. However, one or both drivers may be held liable, including the operator of a vehicle carrying the passenger. Drivers owe their passengers…
Read MoreDid You Get a Defective Pressure Cooker?
In this age of speed, maximum efficiency, and a desire for high quality, few kitchen tools are more suited to home cooks than the modern electric pressure cooker. Early pressure cookers from the 1950s featured a single, weighted “jiggler” valve to regulate and release pressure and emitted a rattling noise while steam escaped. Unfortunately, this…
Read MoreUnderstanding Pelvic Injuries Caused by Vehicle Accidents
Car accidents are a leading cause of serious injury. Pelvic trauma in particular can be life-altering, if not life-threatening, depending on the exact nature of the injury. While most people think of the pelvis as synonymous with hips, it is really “a basin-shaped structure that supports the spinal column and protects the abdominal organs.” Contained…
Read MoreVirginia Highways Are Becoming More Deadly – Why?
A recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals a substantial increase in traffic fatalities here in Virginia, compared to the same period in 2021. The entire nation is experiencing these troubling statistics – an upward trend in motor vehicle accident deaths that began during the pandemic and continues through 2022. Axios…
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