Children & Car Accidents; the Alarming Statistics

By far the most common type of injury accident involving children are those that also involve motor vehicle collisions. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in car accidents.

This means that on any given day nearly 700 children are harmed due to accidents on our roadways. Of the 250,000 kids injured each year, approximately 2,000 die from their injuries. Children make up about 5% of total fatalities due to car accidents. In fact, for children between the ages of 2 and 14, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death.

Car accidents are also the leading cause of acquired disability (e.g., brain injury, paralysis, etc.) for children nationwide. And approximately 20% of the children who die in a car accident each year are killed in accidents involving a driver who is legally intoxicated. Nearly half of these children were killed while riding as passengers in an automobile driven by an intoxicated driver.

The failure to wear a seat belt or use a child safety seat is a contributing factor in more than half of the cases involving children who die in car accidents. Not only is an unrestrained child a potential distraction to the driver of the vehicle, but also the failure to wear a seat belt dramatically increases the chance that a child will suffer much more serious injury and death.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 72% of the 3,500 observed child vehicle safety restraints were being used incorrectly. When that happens, the risk that the child will suffer an injury or more severe injury rises even more. NHTSA estimates that a properly installed and used child safety seat lowers a child's risk of death by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4.

Every state requires the use of approved child safety seats for children under the age of 5. According to NCSA there is only a 90% compliance rate with respect to using approved safety seats for children under this age. Notably, a recent study found that a key factor influencing the increased risk of harm to children in accidents is when the child is prematurely moved from a child restraint system up to an adult seat and then allowed to sit in the front seat too soon (source: Partners for Child Passenger Safety Fact and Trend Report, 2006.)

Christopher Davis - About the Author:
Christopher M. Davis is a Seattle attorney focusing on personal injury and car accident cases. He is known for his special focus on cases involving children and has written the the book 'Little Kids, Big Accidents' as a resource for parents of injured children. You can learn more about Mr. Davis by visiting his website at http://www.DavisLawGroupSeattle.com.

Most Common Causes Of Car Accidents

The number of car accidents has been increasing rapidly since the automobile was first invented. Accidents happen anywhere, at any time of the day, and they are usually unexpected. You don’t know accidents are coming. Even if you don’t have a car, you still might be involved in a car accident.

Although car accidents have been increasing, it is surprising to find out that the average accident has been declining due to the policies that the government has implemented. The percentage of fatal accidents has lowered to 50%. This was aided by the car manufacturers, who have invented and added securities like airbags. The use of airbags has been a great help in cases of accidents.

Did you know that drinking while driving is one of the major causes of accidents? It is not surprising to see in the papers and television that drunk driver has been killed on the road. It happens almost everywhere, at any given time. If a driver is drunk, his mind is not working properly. He does not pay attention to the road. Drunk drivers love to drive a car at high speed. Some will even race on the road, endangering other drivers.

Another common cause of accidents is younger-aged drivers. Some young drivers tend to drive wildly on the streets with their friends. Some drive without a license and without insurance. A minor can get a student’s license but they should be accompanied by an elder who is an experienced driver. Minors are not allowed to drive because they are not aware and familiar with the signs and rules that are important in driving. Getting a license will train them to drive safely by following the rules.

If your car is not maintained properly, which includes the wheels and the brakes, you can be prone to accidents. You will never know when your engine or brakes will fail you. So before that happens, you must carefully check if they are running properly by having your car serviced at regular intervals.

Most accidents happen at nighttime. This is caused by poor lighting and impaired visibility. Having good headlights and indicators are very important. You are not safe if your lights are broken. A car ahead may not notice you, especially on a hard dark road. Lights serve as indicators and signals so that you can make your car visible even in the dark.

Some drivers drive without full attention. Stress can cause accidents because the driver may not focus on the road; rather he is thinking of his personal problems. Talking on a cell phone while driving or fiddling with the stereo are all contributing factors to accidents.

There may be many causes of car accidents and these are just the most common causes. What is important is that you should be disciplined while driving and ensure your car is road worthy.

About The Author
Daniel Richards has an interest in Cars. To access more articles on the common causes of car accidents or for additional information and resources on what to do if you have an accident visit this car accident site: http://www.gazettenews.org/

H2 Tail Lights – Give Your Car An Interesting Look

The Hummer H2 was introduced to the market in 2003. The parent company, General Motors intended the car to be something more practical than the H1 which was an outlandish car and have the impression that it was designed to be used only by the military. But the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree and the H2 still stood out on the roads due to its design legacy and large size. It was definitely different from the usual traffic that you would find in a jam on your way to work. It was able to give brilliant off the road performances and could also be easily fitted with accessories to give it an awe inspiring feel. If we were to look only at these points then the H2 would be made to seem the perfect SUV.


But the H2 has certain drawbacks. Its overall design is not very conducive to everyday use. Even though it has shrunk from the H1 but it still is quite large compared to a normal car. The H2 is inspired but it poses practical problems like a weight in the fuel mileage and could land you in quite a spot while searching for a place to park a car that big. But if you know exactly what kind of a car you want and for what purposes then these issues are only a minor drawback. You can exploit its benefits which come in the form of extraordinary outdoor performances. The car is quite unmatched in navigating through tough terrain. And if this is your thing then you can capitalize on the great products that the car aftermarket has to offer.

One such product is the H2 tail lights. The tail lights’ function seems rather obvious but it is one of the most important components in your car’s safety system. They help to communicate with other drivers and give them signals which help them make timely decisions to avoid any accidents. These strong set of lights will also be a boon in bad weather where visibility is low. The latest H2 tail lights can also give your car an interesting look. They are quite affordable and are sure to make themselves useful. To know more you can visit www.ilovebodykits.com.

About The Author: 
Louie Liu has been in the car aftermarket products industry for 5 years. He specializes in body kits, headlights, cold air intakes & other aftermarket products. You can learn more about H2 tail lights, and other tail lights at his site www.ilovebodykits.com.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/auto_and_trucks/article_3611.shtml

The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

It was 1969. And what an amazing year it was! The Beatles’ world renowned hit Come Together was at the top of the music charts along with Johnny Cash’s A Boy Named Sue, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and the 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS, now a classic muscle car, was born. The Chevy Chevelle SS met the demands of muscle car enthusiasts for small cars with powerful motors. Its sporty fast-back body style which was first concocted in the redesign of the 1968 models gave it a touch of class as did the new design of the tail lights. Chevelles are mid-sized cars meeting the median between small sports cars and large family cars. The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle line was the first to have the SS 396 option available but it wasn’t perfect as it resulted the 396 became known for poor handling as it required stiffer springs and shocks than earlier models. Later in the year, the 396 option was replaced with a 402 cubic engine, supposedly due to emission standards. Even in light of the minor imperfections in its initial release, the Chevy Chevelle SS was an incredibly popular muscle car in its time and became one of the very best sellers of all times. Limited edition Chevelles were a favorite amongst drag racers due to the powerful engine options, 427s, that could be special ordered. Limited edition Chevelles are few and far between in this day and age, but if you find one, they are worth a pretty penny. Classic car enthusiasts and speed demons alike admire these beauties. Chevelles were first released in 1963 with a standard 327 cubic-inch V8, 300 horsepower engine. However, at that time the Pontiac GTO has a 389 that was unmatched. Chevrolet responded to the competition over the years by gradually increasing the power of their motors. Chevy continued to produce Chevelles until 1973. If you go to car shows where muscle cars are featured, you are sure to see 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS models because collectors absolutely love them. They are fast, high-performing cars as well as being practical size-wise which makes them pretty unique. The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS is a car that is appealing to both classic car collectors and racers. Its got style, its got speed and its incredibly durable making it a muscle car classic that just about anyone would be honored to own. About The Author
Jason Tarasi is a muscle car enthusiast who runs the Muscle Car Monster Website, where members can buy and sell muscle cars for free through the site's online classifieds. http://www.musclecarmonster.com/.

Porsche 968

The Porsche 968 simply means the legacy of the Porsche 944 gets to live on. In 1991 the 944 S2 was discontinue but the 968 was waiting in the wings to make its debut. 

Porsche has been busy working on a replacement model for sometime which originally was going to be called the 944 S3 but with so many new features they thought it was better to actually give it an entire new image.

It hit the market retaining all of the great things of the 944 and added all the great new features. If you thought the 944 looked great the 968 is even more impressive with its sleek new lines while still clearly keeping its 944 image.

It has fully integrated bumpers that are actually an extension of the Carrere 2, the air intakes have been rearranged, and it comes with pop up headlamps, red lenses neutral dense taillights, with the 968 lettering on the rear deck lid.

The 16 valve DOHC inline 4 cylinder aluminum block has plenty to offer with an amazing 236 HP at 6200 RPM. It has a compression ration of 8.3:1 and 13.1 lbs per horsepower. You can choose from a 6 speed manual transmission or 4 speed tiptronic.

The independent front has lower control arm, spring struts, and anti roll bar while the independent rear has semi trailing arms, anti roll bar, and transverse torsion bars.

Fuel consumption isn't really great but there are worse. It gets 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. Of course this is the type of car you want to get out on the road and let loose.

You'll get ¼ mile in 14.4 seconds with the 6 speed or 15.1 with the tiptronic transmission. You get 0-60 MPG in 5.9 seconds with the 6 speed or 7 seconds with the tiptronic.

The 968 coupe has the best balance of any of the Porsche bodies and it has more power than the 944 with the 240 HP off the 3.0 liter engine. The increased HP is partially a result of the Variocam which is a camshaft chain drive that has an adjustable tensioner.

The Porsche 968 was produced from 1992 to 1995 and it truly is a classic sports car in both the 2 door coupe and 2 door convertible versions. It was sold in Germany right up until 1995 and when production and sales ceased it really was the end of a Porsche era.

The 968 engine was the second largest 4 cylinder engine that was ever put into a production car and it had the second highest output of power passed only by the Acura.

The 968 borrowed the Brembo 4 piston brake caliper system and you'll find it on all four wheels. You'll also find a Macpherson strut front end, steel unibody structure, and aluminum front A arms.

Now here's something else to think about. How often do you get to put this kind of power on the street and stay legal? Well here's your chance. The 968 CS is street legal but it truly belongs on the track. It's been stripped out to lighten it up and it's got plenty of power to impressive them all.

Porsche is a company that's smart! They keep the great components, have no trouble with innovative changes, and they have a way of putting it all together to provide a performance car that's high in demand.

About The Author

Wayne Treister has been owned and ridden Porsches for 15 years. Visit his Porsche site at http://www.porschesworld.com to learn more about the different models.