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16
May

Maryland Boating Deaths Doubled in 2011

May 16, 2012

Twenty-four people died in a Maryland boating accident in 2011. According to the state Department of Natural Resources, the number of deaths is nearly double the annual average, which from 2001 to 2010 has been 12.7 people. There were, however, 15 percent fewer overall boating accidents last year, dropping from 219 in 2010 to 186 in 2011.

Unusually warm weather may be to blame, reports Somdnews.com, as last year Marylanders enjoyed warm temperatures as early as April.

In an effort to improve these grim statistics, the Department of Natural Resources is supporting several boating safety bills. One, which would require large gatherings of boats to apply for a permit, passed in both houses. Another that would put additional National Resources officers on the water passed in the Senate but not in the House.

The majority of boating accidents occur during the summer, beginning on Memorial Day and peaking in July. Still, there were boating fatalities in Maryland during December when cold waters made hypothermia a risk factor.

At all times of year, boaters can abide by some simple safety tips to protect themselves on the water. Namely, wear a lifejacket, stay sober, and take a boating safety course. Somdnews.com reports that safety courses can be taken at both the Patuxent Sail and Power Squadron.

The Maryland Wrongful Death Lawyers with Chasen Boscolo Injury Lawyers urge all Maryland boaters to exercise caution and abide by safety regulations for a safe and happy summer boating season.

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8
May

Study Finds More Passengers In A Car Puts Teen Drivers At Risk

May 8, 2012

Many teens are ready to hit the roads for a summer vacation, and while a road trip with friends may be a rite of passage for some adolescents, it also has the potential to be deadly.

According to WTOP News, a new study conducted by AAA’s Safety Foundation has shown that the more passengers there are in a teenager driver’s vehicle, the higher the driver’s risk of crashing becomes. Researchers studied data collected from 2000 to 2010 and found that a 16 to 17 year-old-driver’s risk of being in an accident jumps by 44 percent when a passenger of the same age is in the vehicle.

The risk doubles when two young passengers are in the vehicle, and quadruples when more than three are in the vehicle. On the other end of the spectrum, the risk of having an accident decreases by 62 percent when a passenger 35 or older is in the vehicle.

The study also found that summer months are the most deadly time of year for teenagers. An average of 422 teens die each month during the summer, compared to an average of 363 that are killed during the remainder of the year.

How can parents protect their teen drivers from being involved in a Maryland Car Accident? The Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers suggest that parents limit how many passengers are allowed in their teen’s vehicle at a single time.

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2
May

Texting And Driving As Dangerous As Ever For Teens

May 1, 2012

Many Americans don’t understand the dangers of using a handheld device while driving. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, several new studies show that the use of these devices can be detrimental to a driver’s ability, especially among young and inexperienced teen drivers.

The first study examined whether the position of a cellphone while texting makes a difference in a driver’s ability. A total of 22 teens used a simulator to test their skills behind the wheel while texting under three different conditions. They first drove without using a phone. They then drove while texting and concealing the phone, simulating conditions in states where the use of handheld devices while driving are banned. Finally, they drove and texted in their preferred position.

Researchers found that texting teens, regardless of the phones position, were four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

More disturbing is the study that found teens who think about their cellphones while driving are more likely to be involved in a crash. The study polled results gathered from 384 University of Washington students and found that those with an emotional attachment to their phones were more likely to have been involved in car accidents.

The Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers suggest that the best way to combat this growing problem of Maryland Car Accidents is for parents to discuss the dangers of texting and driving with their children.

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24
Apr

D.C. Man Recovering After Being Viciously Attacked By Dogs

April 24, 2012

A man is recovering from injuries and being lauded as a hero in his Washington, D.C., neighborhood after he fought off a pair of dogs that were attacking two boys. MYFOX DC News stated that the incident occurred Friday around 8:30 p.m. near the victim’s Queen Street home.

Security cameras from a nearby building caught the incident on film. Two boys are walking along a sidewalk when they suddenly turned and ran after the dogs came running after them. One of the boys jumped on top of a car to escape the dogs, while the other was able to run into his home. The boy trapped on top of the car, who was being lunged at constantly by the dogs, told reporters he thought he was about to die.

Luckily, the 54-year-old man came to the boys rescue. He grabbed a pocketknife and fought the dogs off long enough to allow the boy on top of the car to escape. During the melee, he was bitten on the left arm and had a chunk bitten off of his hand. Another neighbor came to his rescue and chased the dogs away with a bat.

Neither the animals nor their owners have yet to be caught.

The Washington, DC Dog Bite Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers say that if a dog has bitten you, it’s important to both report the bite to animal control and seek immediate medical attention.

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17
Apr

CDC Reports Decline In Accidental Deaths Amongst Young People

April 17, 2012

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that fewer children and teenagers are dying as the result of accidents. An article published by 9 News Now stated that the information was gathered by the CDC through the examination of death certificate information from across the country.

The death rate for young people 19-years-old and younger declined by more than 30 percent from 2000 to 2009, meaning the number of deaths dropped from 12,400 annually to approximately 9,100 each year. Researchers attributed this sharp decline over a relatively short time period to the 41 percent decline in traffic fatalities for the age group. Experts believe this is due to many states implementing graduated driver’s license programs and public education on child safety and the use of booster seats.

On the other hand, our nation has seen a steady increase in the number of drug overdoses and accidental poisonings among children and teens. There was an 80 percent jump in the number of these cases over the nine-year period. The agency’s principal deputy director stated that prescription drugs found in parent’s medicine cabinets at home may be replacing marijuana as the top gateway drug.

This is why the Washington, DC Drug Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers ask that parents keep medications locked up and away from a child’s reach, and to only give your child medications that have been prescribed by a doctor.

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10
Apr

FDA Issues Warning Against Baczol In Maryland

April 10, 2012

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, have issued a warning regarding a children’s cold medication that ended up on pharmacy shelves. An article by NBC-Washington News stated that the medication, called Baczol, is unapproved for use in the U.S.

The agencies said they began investigating reports of the medication after several families came to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center after giving their children the drug, which they had bought at a Latino market. The investigation led to the discovery of three locations around Baltimore that were selling the unapproved medication, along with several other Maryland locations that also were in possession of the drug.

Warnings, which claim the medications may be ineffective for the conditions they’re advertised to treat, were issued for all products labeled as Baczol, Pediatric Baczol, or Baczol Antigripal. In addition, the medication also contains an antibiotic that parents may not be intending to give their children.

These medications present a danger to the public, as they have not gone through the standardized testing and manufacturing procedures that all consumable goods in our country must meet. Therefore, there is no way to guarantee what exactly is in the medication or how it was made.

For this reason, the Maryland Personal Injury Attorneys with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers recommend only taking medications that have been FDA approved for treatment of your illness or injury.

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3
Apr

Lawn Mower Safety Important To Remember As Weather Warms

April 3, 2012

With the weather warming up in Maryland, people are beginning to mow their lawns again, but the weekly chore has been found to be dangerous for some people.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the number of lawn mower accidents rose 3 percent between 2009 and 2010 with a total of 253,000 accidents occurring. Approximately 17,000 of those accidents involved children under the age of 19.

Most recently, a 9-year-old girl from Jarrettsville, Maryland, almost lost a foot after she was run over by her father on a riding lawn mower. Reports from WBALTV 11 News stated that the girl was taken to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, where she faces possible amputation of the injured limb.

Safety tips for lawn mowers include:

  • Children should be at least 12-years-old before operating any piece of lawn equipment and at least 16-years-old to operate a riding mower.
  • Children should never be passengers on riding lawn mowers.
  • Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not open-toe sandals of flip-flops.
  • Young children should be at least 50 yards from the area you are mowing.
  • Pick up stones, toys, and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
  • Always wear eye and hearing protection.

The Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers hope that these tips help keep you and your family safe while in the yard of your home this spring and summer.

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27
Mar

Prince George’s County Law Enforcement Launches Pedestrian Safety Campaign

March 27, 2012

Each year, hundreds of people die and thousands more are injured in Maryland as a result of pedestrian accidents. According to NBC 4-Washington, many of these accidents happen in Prince George’s County, and the number has only risen in recent years. In 2009 and 2010, 23 lives were lost, and 24 people were killed in 2011 in accidents involving a vehicle and pedestrian colliding.

In an effort to curb these numbers, law enforcement across the county has partnered up in what they are calling “The Street Smart Campaign.” Officers are hoping to better educate both drivers and pedestrians on the importance of utilizing crosswalks and signals as well as yielding to the right of way.

Officers were handing out pamphlets and fliers in Langley Park on Monday to passersby and answering any questions before they begin stepping up enforcement next month.

Pedestrians who are caught jaywalking can be cited with a $50 fine, and those who fail to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk could face a $500 fine when enforcement begins in just a few short weeks.

The Maryland Pedestrian Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers would like to remind both motorists and pedestrians of the importance of minding all traffic laws. Pedestrians are urged to always use a crosswalk and obey traffic signals, and drivers should always look twice at intersections and stop to let walkers and joggers cross first.

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20
Mar

D.C. Woman Receives Award For Safety In The Construction Industry

March 20, 2012

A Washington, D.C., woman was recently given an award for her achievements in safety in the workplace. According to an article released by The Washington Informer, she was recognized for being the first African-American woman to achieve 50,000 craft hours without having a lost-time accident.

She began her career in 2002 as a laborer on the Pentagon Renovation Project and has since completed an apprenticeship program with a local construction company. She is now one of the foremen on the Washington, D.C., Convention Center Hotel, which is currently under construction in Ward 4—the neighborhood she grew up in and still lives in today.

She takes great pride in her job of supervising laborers and carpenter apprentices while making sure they have a safe place to work. This pride, she believes, leads to the overall success of her projects.

She says that her next goal is to work her way up to general foreman, and she encourages other women to also pursue careers in construction. She added that women can have great success in the field “if they are willing to work.”

The Washington DC Construction Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers would like to take this opportunity to applaud this woman for her hard work in raising the bar for worker safety in the construction industry. Her achievements set a high standard of safety that others will hopefully be inspired to reach.

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13
Mar

Automakers Meet With DOT To Discuss Reducing Distracted Driving Risks

March 13, 2012

The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration estimates that 20 percent of all vehicle crashes resulting in injuries and 16 percent of all fatal crashes were attributed to distractions, such as GPS devices or cellphones. These estimates rose six percent over a four year time period.

In an effort to help curb these numbers, four major automakers met with Department of Transportation officials Monday to discuss new technologies that may help prevent drivers from becoming distracted. ABC 7 News reports that executives from BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, and General Motors were all in attendance at the meeting.

The hot topic of discussion at the meeting was new and improved guidelines for in-car devices that would eliminate a driver’s need to type an address into a GPS unit as well as block a driver from browsing the Internet.

Currently, most in-dash devices require an average of 10 glances, each averaging around two seconds, to process the information. Automakers are hoping to reduce that average to six glances.

“We need to take steps to prevent them from doing something that would take their mind, their eyes, and their hands off the task,” said Tom Bologa, a spokesman for BMW of North America.

The Washington DC Car Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers would like to remind motorists that texting while driving is illegal within the district and is never worth the fines and risk for potential accidents and injuries.

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