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According to Bradenton.com, a Ryder truck slammed into the rear of a stopped school bus this morning, February 16, 2010, on State Road 64 East. The bus had stopped to pick up a Haile Middle School student and had its lights flashing and stop sign extended, when a Ryder truck crashed into the rear of it. The student was taken by ambulance to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. The truck driver is claiming that his brakes failed.

A spokesperson for the school district advised that the children on the bus were wearing their seat belts, possibly preventing more injuries.

This horrible crash brings to light several issues. First, the school district advises that the students on the bus were all wearing their seat belts. Seat belts are not required on buses and the fact that the students on this bus were wearing seat belts, possibly prevented more serious injuries. The second issue is that the driver of the truck claims that his brakes failed. The Florida Highway Patrol will certai

On February 4, 2010, CNN.com reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching an investigation into braking problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid. Apparently there is a 1 second lag time from the time the brake pedal is pressed to the time that the ABS brakes engage. This means that the driver would not feel the brakes engage when the brake pedal was pressed. This amounts to approximately 90 additional feet traveled prior to braking when the car is moving at highway speed.

According to February 5, 2010 articles in the Bradenton Herald and on CNN.com, braking problems also may exist in hybrid vehicles made by Ford, Mercury & Lexus. All of these vehicles may utilize the same type of braking system and software which is a potential cause of these problems.

If you have purchased a 2009 or 2010 hybrid vehicle made by one of these manufacturers, you will want to check with the dealers about recalls or c

One would think that the above statement is so obvious that it need not be stated. However, the opposite seems to be true to many people. At any given moment, over 800,000 people are driving while using their cell phones in some form or fashion. Think about it. The odds of you being on the road at the same time as someone using their phone is great.

This is scary, as the odds that someone will be involved in a motor vehicle accident due to the use of a cell phone are increasing. According to a recent National Safety Council study, cell phones are involved in approximately 28% of all crashes. Add in reading e-mail and texting while driving and the percentages may increase even more. This is due to the fact that the reaction time of someone texting is much slower than that of a person drinking and driving. This is becoming a dangerous habit that needs to be broken…..and broken fast.

Currently, 37 states plus the Distr

According to Bradenton.com, the website of the Bradenton Herald, A 19 year old woman from St. Petersburg was killed Tuesday morning, February 2, 2010 on I-75. Corinna Lyon was traveling south on I-75 when she swerved to miss a ladder. She drove onto the shoulder of the road, causing her vehicle to overturn several times. The Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone who witnessed the accident to call Corporal Darrell Carroll. Hopefully, the Florida Highway Patrol's investigation will determine how the ladder wound up in the road. This may lead to a cause of action against the owner of the ladder or possibly an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim.

On June 16, 2009, the FDA sent a warning letter to Matrixx Initiatives requesting that it stop marketing its Zicam products. The specific products are Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel and kid-size Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs. According to the FDA, scientists claim that the main ingredient, zinc, may damage nerves in the nose needed for smell. This loss of sense of smell may be life-threatening in that affected people may not be able to smell such things as gas leaks, chemical odors and something burning in their house.
Zicam has never been formally approved by the FDA because it is a homeopathic product. Homeopathic products are not required to have formal approval prior to marketing because they contain herbs, mineral, and flowers.
The recall request will require Matrixx to submit safety and effectiveness data prior to placing the product back out on the market. Matrixx denies the causal link between its product and the loss of sense of smell. Medical records seem to say othe

The Mark Wandall Safety Act is currently progressing through both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. This Act provides for cameras to be installed at various traffic signals to catch vehicles running red lights, The cameras take pictures of the offending vehicles and citations are mailed out to the owner of the vehicle. One or more outstanding tickets under this Act will result in the owner of the vehicle being unable to renew the registration of the vehicle or get a new license plate.

Currently, 35 counties in Florida operate or have operated red light cameras, including Manatee County. Orlando has seen a 24% reduction in red-light runners over a seven month period after installing the cameras. Prior studies have shown that red-light cameras reduce the number of accidents at intersections by 25% and red light violations by 40% to 50%.
In spite of these numbers, opponents of the bills are concerned that the installation and maintenance costs for s

On April 16, 2009, EB Brands, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced the voluntary recall of Fitness balls distributed under the following brand names: Bally Total Fitness, Everlast, Valeo and Body Fit Fitness balls. These balls pose as an unexpected bursting hazard when they are overinflated. In today’s health conscious society, home exercise equipment has become very popular. The benefits of regular exercise are well documented. Fitness balls are an inexpensive way to exercise in this tough economy. It is important to follow the instructions for safely inflating the fitness balls in order to minimize the risk injury while utilizing the ball.

The City of Bradenton spends approximately $150,000 per year in investigating traffic accidents. The Bradenton City Council is considering a measure which will shift the burden of this expense to the negligent drivers responsible for these accidents. According to a story posted at www.baynews9.com, the City of Bradenton Police Department is considering teaming up with the Cost Recovery Corporation, to collect these costs. They believe that 50% of insurance companies will pay these claims in hopes of reducing future liability costs. Similar programs currently exist in 16 other Florida cities and counties.

On October 9, 2008, the United States Product Safety Commission, in conjunction with Hasbro, Inc., announced a recall of their Nerf N-Strike Recon Blasters. There have been multiple reports of injuries to children, which include, bruises, abrasions, pinching type marks and blisters. Only blasters with an exposed orange plunger, model number 63552, are included in the recall. The plunger part of the toy can pull the user's skin resulting in injuries.

The toys were sold at discount and toy stores nationwide from November 2007 through August 2008 for approximately $20.00.

If you own one of these toys, you should contact Hasbro for a free cylindrical cover to prevent injuries.

In light of the current economic climate, many consumers may opt for gently used toys for their children as gifts this season. However, many products are recalled for safety reasons each year. Before you give something to your child, be sure to check and make sure that there have not been any recalls fo