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Articles - August, 1997
August 10, 1997County May Owe Duty to Intoxicated Driver and Deceased Passengers If Edge Dropoff Contributing Cause of Crash
August 10, 1997
August 10, 1997
August 10, 1997
August 10, 1997
August 10, 1997
Two passengers died when an intoxicated driver's vehicle dropped off the roadway's
edge. A special representative of the passengers claimed the County's negligence in
creating an edge dropoff at the crash site and knowingly allowing the dangerous
condition to exist was a contributing proximate cause of the crash and deaths, The
Circuit Court of Williamson County granted the County's motion for summary judgment.
The appellate court reversed and remanded, finding that the driver's being intoxicated
did not relieve the County of its duty to maintain the roads in a safe condition.
Injury to Child Leaving Ice-Cream Truck Did Not Result from Dangerous Condition or
Nuisance Created by California City
A passing vehicle hit and injured a child leaving an ice-cream truck in the City of San
Diego (city), California. The injured child and the sister who was with her when the
incident happened sued the city, claiming the city maintained its street in a "dangerous
condition" and created a "nuisance" by allowing ice-cream trucks to operate on city
streets. The Superior Court granted the city's motion for summary judgment; the Court
of Appeal affirmed.
Michigan City Immune from Liability When No Admissible Evidence Showed
Intersection Was Unsafe
Two vehicles collided at a two-way-stop intersection in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
One vehicle subsequently struck and injured a minor pedestrian standing on the
sidewalk. Through her next friend, the pedestrian sued, among others, the municipality
of Dearborn Heights. The Wayne Circuit Court granted the municipality's motion for
summary judgment, and the Court of Appeals affirmed, concluding the plaintiff did not
prove the traffic signs at the intersection were inadequate.
Can Graduated Licensing Lessen Risks for Young Drivers?
The goal of graduated licensing is to reduce the overinvolvement of teenage drivers in
motor vehicle crashes. This article summarizes the proceedings of a 1995 workshop
on graduated licensing and describes aspects of this process designed to help ensure
that young drivers have a certain level of maturity and experience before gaining full
driving privileges.
Washington State Study Focused on Bicycle-Collision Statistics from 1988-1993
To increase the knowledge base about bicycle collisions and improve highway/traffic
safety, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) conducted a
study on bicycle collisions in Washington State from 1988 through 1993. This article
describes their conclusions and the implication for improvement of bicycle safety.
Automotive Engineering Describes Effectiveness of Restraints and Air Bags in
Preventing Injuries to Children
March 1997 Automotive Engineering article described data from recent studies of
injuries to children when child restraint systems or air bags were in use. While these
systems have reduced the number of injuries and fatalities, more research is needed,
particularly on child safety in air-bag deployment situations.
negligence, appeals, highway, traffic, expert.
Edge drop, accident, collision, crash, edgedropoff, road construction, signs, signals, traffic control devices.
Accident Investigation, Expert Witness, Injury Litigation, Liability, Court, Roy Anderson, Transportation, National, Travel, law, legal, federal highways, road construction.