Southeast Oklahoma Personal Injury Law Blog

Like the rest of the United States, Oklahoma is home to hundreds of car accidents every year. Oklahoma residents who have suffered a personal injury in a car accident may be wondering how they can pursue compensation for lost wages, medical bills and other damages. While it might seem straightforward to prove the other driver was negligent, in reality, it can be a complicated process. After all, the definition of negligent driving in casual conversation is very different from the legal definition.

For example, in order for a driver to be considered negligent in a court of law, it must be proven that his or her negligence was the major factor in the car accident. Simply being negligent does not necessarily mean the driver was at fault. For instance, perhaps the driver was texting on his or her mobile phone when the accident occurred, but if the driver was parked, he or she would not be found at fault even though using a mobile phone generally counts as negligent driving.

Oklahoma residents may find themselves driving in rain or snow, and they should know how risky this can be. The American Meteorological Society stated recently that the risk for a fatal car crash goes up 34% when there is precipitation on the road. A study from the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies has some additional things to say, some of which may be eye-opening.

Researchers were able to calculate crash risk after analyzing 125,012 fatal crashes that occurred between 2006 and 2011. What sets this study apart from previous ones is that it is the first to use the more precise information given by weather radars rather than the information provided in police reports and nearby weather stations. Researchers knew if and how much rain or snow was falling at the time of every crash.

Truck driver fatigue can result in serious crashes on Oklahoma roadways. Under current regulations, truck drivers are allowed to work for 14 hours per day and spend 11 of those hours driving. Truckers are required to record the hours that they work in an electronic log. While driver safety is a top priority for trucking companies, it is not always possible to prevent accidents from occurring.

This may be true even when communities build roads aimed at easing traffic in a given area. In North Dakota, the Highway 23 bypass, a $25 million construction project, was built in New Town to make it safer to drive on Main Street. However, on Oct. 5, 2018, a commercial truck drove over the center line of the road and ran into another vehicle. A similar accident occurred in 2017 on the same bypass involving two commercial vehicles that ran into each other and caused a fiery blaze.

March 15 was designated as World Sleep Day. To remind drivers of the connection between proper rest and road safety, Ford unveiled a "Sleep Suit" that can simulate the experience of drowsy driving. Oklahoma residents should know that this suit is being integrated into Ford Driving Skills for Life, a free driver training program for 17- to 24-year-olds.

The Sleep Suit consists of goggles, which are connected to a smartphone app, and a cap, a vest and arm and ankle bands, which are weighted. The app allows anyone who puts on the goggles to experience what are called microsleep episodes -- brief moments where the brain shuts down involuntary due to fatigue.