Auto & Car Accidents

April 22, 2007

Tire Tread Separation Results in $4 Million Verdict Against Wal-Mart

by Louthian Law Firm

The Associated Press reported that a Montgomery, Alabama jury awarded a paralyzed woman $4 million on Friday, April 20, 2007. Carolyn Thorne, was paralyzed as a result of the tires separating on her SUV after visiting a Wal-Mart Service Center. The tires had been recalled in 2002 by Continental Tire Company and she had taken her SUV to Wal-Mart to have the tires replaced. Wal-Mart failed to replace her spare tire which she was using during the crash that paralyzed her.

Ms. Thorne had her car serviced at Wal-mart on 9 separate occasions after the recall and was never told that the 5th tire was also defective.

The jury awarded her $2 million in punitive damages and $2 million in compensatory damages.

April 14, 2007

Alcohol Related Teen Deaths Spur Prom Safety Drive

by Louthian Law Firm

The State Newspaper reported on Thursday, April 12, 2007 that police, schools and businesses in Richland County, South Carolina are working together to make this year’s prom season safer for students.

Since 2001, 6 teenagers from Richland County have died in alcohol related accidents.

On April 19, 2007 Columbia Police will join Columbia High School’s drama class for a “Prom Promise Presentation” for juniors and seniors. The drama class will perform a skit of a party where children are drinking. A couple of the children go to the store and are involved in an automobile collision. A passenger dies in the skit and the driver fails the field sobriety test. Other local schools are conducting similar presentations
The Columbia Police Department is hoping that the presentations will have a significant impact on students and that they will spread the message to their peers concerning the dangers of drunk driving.

Domino’s Pizza is distributing 44,000 fliers on pizza boxes delivered from its 11 stores in the greater Columbia area.

February 27, 2007

Leading Cause of Teen Deaths: Car Accidents

by Louthian Law Firm

For teenagers between the ages of 16 and 20 years old car accidents are the leading cause of death. According to Jane E. Brody of the New York Times, approximately 5,500 teenagers die each year in car accidents. According to Pediatrics, the journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, 450,000 teenagers are injured in automobile accidents each year with approximately 27,000 requiring hospitalization.

Boys account for two-thirds of the teenagers who die in automobile accidents. Of the teens that are killed, 63% are drivers and 37% are passengers. Even though teenagers only make up 6% of drivers on the road, they are involved in 14% of all fatal accidents.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents require their teenage drivers to sign a “driving contract” that covers such things as when a teenager can use the car and who can ride with them. The driving contract can also contain such things as where and how fast the car can be driven, require the teens to wear seatbelts, no cell phone use while driving and other things that can increase teenage driver safety. If any of the provisions of the contract are violated, the teenager’s driving privileges will be revoked.