What should people do if their cars are stuck on railroad tracks with a train rushing toward them?. It’s a terrifying question, but on Wednesday, the day after a Metro-North Railroad train barreled into a sport-utility vehicle in Valhalla, N.Y., killing six people, safety experts emphasized some best practices. Rule number one, of course, is get as far away from the tracks as possible. But some experts say there is a particular direction you should try to run: Away from the tracks at a 45 degree angle, in the direction from which the train is coming. “That actually means run toward the train,” said Joyce Rose, president of Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit rail safety education group. “I know it seems counterintuitive,…

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS has released their list of top safety picks for 2017 models:   To qualify for 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the five crash-worthiness tests, an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and a good or acceptable headlight rating. Small cars Chevrolet Volt Hyundai Elantrasedan only; built after March 2016 Mazda 34-door sedan | 4-door hatchback Toyota Corolla Toyota Priusbuilt after August 2016 Midsize cars Honda Accord 4-door Mazda 6 Nissan Altima Nissan Maxima Subaru Legacy Subaru Outback Toyota Camry Toyota Prius v Volkswagen Jetta Midsize luxury cars Audi A4 Lexus ES 350 Volvo S60 Volvo V60 Large luxury cars Genesis G80 Genesis G90 Lexus RC Small…

Although my friends and family know that I am a personal injury lawyer, even those closest to me do not really understand what I do for my clients. I got to thinking that’s probably, at least in part, my fault because I’ve never explained it to them, really.  So that’s what I’d like to do in today’s blog: Explain what a personal injury lawyer does. It is no secret that as a personal injury attorney I am fighting an uphill battle, as far the perception of the occupation is concerned. We have all heard the ambulance-chaser jokes.  However, this is an image that the majority of personal injury attorneys, including myself,  work hard to separate themselves from. Personal injury law firms represent clients…

Statistically, driving in the rain is more dangerous than driving in the snow. One of the more common–and terrifying– hazards of driving in the rain is Hydroplaning which happens when the tires are riding on the top of a layer of water and have completely lost contact with the pavement. It can happen when your speed is as little as 35 mph. You will know when it happens. “Steering will get light in your hands,” explains Bill Van Tassel, Ph.D., manager of driver training programs for the AAA. If you hydroplane, “Gently ease your foot off the gas,” Van Tassel advises. “This may transfer enough weight forward so that your front tires regain contact with the road.” If not, he says, gently squeeze your brakes…

We are well aware of the individuals and the families affected by tragic drowning accidents in swimming pools, rivers and beaches. Recently, one of the Anthem of the Seas cruise ship’s swimming pools, and the drowning of a 3-year-old Pompton Plains girl. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that each year nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in a pool or spa and another 5,100 children under the age of 15 go to hospital emergency rooms for near-drowning injuries. Children between the ages…