For far too long, drunk driving in South Africa has largely been ignored by the authorities and has claimed literally thousands of lives of both drivers and pedestrians over the years. This season, however, the powers-to-be have beefed up their presence on the roads with positively resounding results – the casualties on South African roads have virtually halved.

With new innovative technology that has the ability to trace not only the amount of alcohol consumed but the use of illegal drugs as well, it should only be a matter of time together with concerted efforts by all concerned before the statistics plummet even further.

Fifty percent of dead drivers are over the limit

Although road users are clearly delighted at the zero tolerance approach to drunk driving, startling statistics reveal that as many as 50% of drivers who die on our roads are indeed above the legal limit (0.05 grams per 100 ml).

Figures posted by the Arrive Alive campaign for 2002 and 2003 indicate a marked increase of drivers driving while under the influence of alcohol - from 1.80% to 3.10%. In 2002, it was the North West Province that had the most culprits with as many as 4% driving drunk, but in 2003 Mpumalanga had the dubious honour of topping the list with 4.68%.

Road users in South Africa are far more vulnerable to drunk driving at night and the statistics for 2002 and 2003 make a drastic leap between the hours of 18h00 to 24h00 when as many as 5.50% of all drivers were found to be driving drunk in ’02 and 5.08% in 2003.

Sadly, the death toll has increased exponentially over the years with its only beneficiaries being the overworked car accident attorneys. A study conducted by the Medical Research Council of South Africa in 2004 indicated that more than half of the 570 drivers killed in accidents were over the legal limit, an unacceptable figure by anyone’s standards.

A drunk driver or pedestrian is killed every 2 hours on SA roads

To put things into sharp perspective, a drunk driver or pedestrian is killed on South African roads every two hours (figures for 2004 – 2006), with the most victims claimed in the Gauteng province, closely followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

A good car accident lawyer will advise you to avoid the local taxis, especially at night, and for very good reason. In 2005 the taxi industry cracked all records by becoming the most dangerous transportation sector, with 7.70% of drivers driving drunk at night. Interestingly enough, the drivers who are least likely to drive while inebriated are truck drivers.

Lavana James
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/drunk-driving-statistics-735515.html

Have you recently been involved in a motorcycle accident? If you were, whose fault was it and was the accident caused by the negligence and carelessness of another driver? No one should be ever being injured because of the fault of another and not be compensated justly. After all, someone has to pay all those expensive medical bills. Motorcycle accidents are some of the worst tragedies on the road and the injuries sustained are life changing.

Not only does the victim suffer psychological trauma, but the severe physical injuries alone can alter a person's life forever. Most involve long-term wounds. The financial compensation awarded to the victim of a motorcycle accident is intended to cover not only medical expenses but also any loss of salary from being unable to work. You're better off pursuing these compensation claims with the assistance of a colorado personal injury lawyer.

While, you may mistakenly believe you have a situation covered, legal proceedings can be quite confusing. Many ambitious people find themselves buried in litigation before they knew what hit them. When it comes to a motorcycle accident, you really need a good Denver motorcycle attorney by your side. When do you decide you need a denver motorcycle accident lawyer? The answer to that is quite simple. You need a Denver motorcycle attorney if you've been involved in a motorcycle accident as the driver of the motorcycle or car or truck in an accident with a motorcycle. A Denver motorcycle accident attorney is very helpful to retain if you are at fault or not. When it comes to legal advice, there is no better person to ask questions to than a Colorado personal injury lawyer. This is even more so if you find yourself in those highway situations where you want a rapid solution to your problem. Often these situations can be very serious and finding a solution seems pretty difficult without expert Denver motorcycle accident lawyer help. Each year, thousands of people die from motorcycle crashes in the United States. For this reasons, laws have been established and put into effect to save people from themselves.

denver motorcycle accident attorney are there to help people get through these hard times. A Denver motorcycle attorney is especially helpful when you have issues with another driver on the highway. Moreover, Denver motorcycle accident lawyers specializing in handling suits involving motorcycles and other automobiles will increase your chances of recovery compensation. These Denver motorcycle accident attorneys have enough understanding of the law to almost guarantee better personal injury claim results. As a matter of fact, the majority of motorcycle accident cases handled by a Denver motorcycle accident lawyer win more often than not in courts while also gaining favorable out of court settlements.

Jonathan Blocker
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/find-compensation-and-justice-after-a-motorcycle-accident-with-the-right-attorney-732624.html

The big 18-wheelers weigh in excess of 26,000 pounds empty. On top of the vehicles 13 tons you have to add the weight of the cargo they are carrying too. The distances and hours put a lot of wear and tear on those vehicles. Most big trucks have about seven years of hard driving on their chassis. Poorly maintained vehicles can also lead to big truck accidents on interstates.

The size and weight of heavily laden cargo trucks put passenger cars at a great disadvantage in the event of a trucking accident. Although, big truck accidents on interstates decreased in 2006, there were almost 5,000 fatal truck accidents nationwide. Approximately 76 percent of the victims of fatal big truck accidents were passengers of other vehicles. When a big truck accident occurs, it is much safer to be in the truck than in a car.

Trucking companies place tight deadlines on their drivers and may indirectly cause accidents with these unrealistic demands. Long hours in a truck will often lead to fatigue and decreased reaction times. In order to meet their deadline, many drivers resort to speeding, drugs, and other unsafe behavior. They become careless when securing their loads and frequently drive aggressively. All these are leading factors in big truck accidents on interstates in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Inexperienced drivers are another problem on the interstate highways. Truck driving appeals to many young men and trucking companies are desperate to get them driving early. In many cases, important safety training is foregone in order to get young drivers on the road quickly. This puts more inexperienced big rig trucker on the road with you and me, putting us in danger.

Seldom are big truck accidents on the interstate small affairs. Every winter on I-70 and I-80, there are multi-car pile-ups due to ice or fog. With all the big rigs hauling goods across the country, there are typically several involved in multi-vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, smaller passenger cars do not stand a chance when a big rig crashes into them. Some of the most frightening scenarios are when accidents involve trucks hauling gasoline or other flammable material.

It is important drive defensively around big rigs since they often have the advantage of size and weight over passenger vehicles. Because of the large size of these vehicles, very few truck accidents are considered minor. Truckers involved in big truck accidents on interstates typically have a company lawyer going to bat for them.

The deep pockets of the largest trucking companies will do everything in their power not to pay on a claim for an accident caused by one of their drivers.

Patricia Woloch
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/big-truck-accidents-on-interstates-676985.html

More than 269,000 commercial trucks cross the Manitoba/US border every year, exporting and importing billions of dollars of goods. Eighty percent of goods traded between Manitoba and the U.S. are shipped by truck and, together, the two countries trade over $300 billion worth of goods each year. Approximately every three seconds, a truck crosses the border. Overall, the trucking industry contributes $890 million of Manitoba’s GDP.

Each week, more than 612,000 trucks travel across Canada’s major highways.

The Emerson-Pembina border is the second busiest international border crossing point in Western Canada. Of Canada’s twenty-five largest for-hire trucking employers, five are headquartered in Winnipeg. The number of Manitoba’s for-hire trucking companies increased by 65% from 1990 to 1999, while rail lines continued to suffer.

Interestingly, commercial trucks are involved in just 2.4% of all motor vehicle accidents; tractor trailers in less than 3%. In more than 70% of all accidents involving trucks, the driver was not responsible for the accident. And while trucks are 3 times less likely to be involved in an accident than automobiles, the injuries caused from truck/car accidents are generally far more severe, given the immense weight of most trucks and tractor-trailers as compared to cars. The death toll is also higher.

If a loved one is killed after a collision with a large truck, the surviving family has the right to receive compensation for financial losses, medical expenses, and death and burial expenses. When such a tragedy occurs, an experienced Vancouver wrongful death lawyer can help you seek restitution for the wrong.  Although money can never make up for the loss of a loved one, it can help your family make ends meet in that person’s absence and ensure your children have what they need for their future.

When filing a truck collision claim, the negligent driver is the primary defendant. Depending on the circumstances, the trucking company who owns the vehicle may be liable, as well as any third-party manufacturer of defective vehicle parts that may have contributed to the accident. Trucks are required to operate under specific regulations to accommodate the dangers of the road, including restrictions caused by the vehicle’s height and type of cargo. Trucks are also subject to strict maintenance and upkeep codes.  If any of these regulations are broken, truck drivers and operating companies may face severe penalties.

If a loved one is injured in an accident with a truck, you need to prove negligence on the part of the truck driver. This is likely not something you can accomplish alone. A highly experienced truck accident lawyer has numerous resources available to investigate the accident and gather the necessary evidence to prove your case and win the compensation you deserve.

Patricia Woloch
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/truck-accident-statistics-701397.html