My Civil Advocate

Fact is, most people don't even know their rights if they're pulled over! Here's a quick list of the most important rights you need to know and how the conversation may go if you are pulled over: "Do you know why I pulled you over?" It's typically the first thing you'll hear. It's also deliberately designed to get you to admit to certain behavior. Be polite and simply ask, "Why do you ask?" and then wait for a response. Do not comment. That phrase "anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law" is truer than you'll ever know, trust us. "Have you had anything to drink tonight? " If you truthfully have had nothing to drink that night, say, "No." If you've had something to drink, you don't have to share that information! Telling the officer that you've been drinking will be evidence used against you. Instead, say, "I have no statement to make." While it may seem u...

The stretch between memorial Day and Labor Day has been called the "100 Deadliest Days" by AAA, as the number of fatal car crashes involving teen drivers spikes during this time. Over 5,000 deaths have been reported over the summer for the past five years, a rate that is 16 percent high than other times of the year. Teens drive more over the summer than other times of the year since school is out. They frequently drive greater distances as well, traveling to summer jobs or heading to the beach or other vacation destinations. In addition, teen drivers are generally the least experienced drivers out there and are the age group that's most likely to drive while distracted. All these circumstances make for a violate combination. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that a whopping 60 percent of crashes involving teen drivers were due to distracted driving. The organization conducted a study from 2007- 2015 in which teen drivers' cars were equipped with a camera...

Auto accident injuries are wide-ranging, but some are more common than others. They can be influenced by seatbelt usage (or lack thereof), airbags, the direction the impact came from, the speed of impact, or the position of the occupant's body when the impact occurred (facing straight ahead or turned). Soft tissue injuries - those involving ligaments, muscle, or tendons - are most common car accident injuries. Whiplash is a noticeable one. Muscles and ligaments of the neck and shoulders are unnaturally stretched to due to sudden, high-energy movements caused by impact. These forces are responsible for many back injuries as well, including serious ones involving the spine. Scrapes and laceration can result through contact with something solid inside the car; loose, flying objects, such as a cell phone, eyeglasses, or a bag of groceries; or getting smacked in the face by an airbag. A blow to the head can cause a concussion, as the brain is slammed against the interior of the skull...

Dangerous tractor-trailer rollover accidents -- which occur when a truck flips over while moving -- are frighteningly common on our nation's roadways. Because the wheels have left the ground, the vehicle is totally out of control. Other motorists on the roadway are in jeopardy, as objects that happen vehicles or posing obstacles on the road that may prompt evasive maneuvers... and more accidents. Not to mention, hazardous/toxic payloads can trigger widespread injury and property damage miles from the original accident site, and perhaps long after the incident has occurred. The most common causes of tractor-trailer rollover accidents include: Improperly loaded trailer. If a load's weight is not evenly distributed or properly secured, it may shift while traveling and result in a rollover. Speeding: The higher the speeding, the more potential for rollovers. Rounding a curve or turn too quickly, a shifting load, or hitting an object on the road is all it takes. Wind: Tract...

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, distracted driving can be broken down into three main types of distraction -- visual (in which you take your eyes off the road), manual (in which you take your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (in which you take your mind off what you are doing). While any type of distraction while you are driving can be dangerous, what makes driving while texting especially problematic is that it involves all three main types of distractions. Statistics show that around 20 percent of all crashes involve some type of distraction, and in 2008, nearly 6,000 people were killed in collisions involving a distracted driver. And even though many states have banner or are considering bans on texting while driving, it is up to drivers themselves to use common sense. When you're behind the wheel, put the phone down entirely, or if you absolutely have to send a text, pull over to a safe area on the side of the road, or in a parking lot. If you or a...

Despite knowing the dangers of their actions, nearly nine out of ten teenage drivers continue to engage in distracted driving behaviors such as texting or talking on a cell phone according to recent surveys. The study, conducted by Seventeen magazine and AAA, asked nearly 2,000 teens, ages 16-19, about their driving habits. While 84 percent of the respondents indicated that they were aware that distracted driving could increase their risk of having an accident and being injured, 86% still engaged in behaviors such as: Texting; Eating; Applying Makeup; Adjusting the radio, or CD player; Driving with four or more passengers in the vehicle. This survey reveals just how many distractions there are today for teenage drivers and how hard it can be to combat against them. Distracted driving leads to nearly 6,000 deaths each year, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To find out more about distracted driving, visit  Distraction.gov. Visit us ...