Breyer Law Offices

Kailey is taking a summer math class to skip ahead a grade in math. Somehow she has managed to still hang out or have a sleepover with a friend (or two) almost every night. I did get the honor of seeing her for one whole day this summer, so I guess I should be thankful! (Editor’s Note from Mark: I am not sure if Kailey ever sleeps. She wanted to take math over the summer (not sure I understand that) while doing dance and spending every possible spare moment with friends. On the other hand, at least she hasn’t memorized the Geico commercials this summer like her brother Tate!)

Talia has decided she is going to grow her hair like Rapunzel. She also has become the queen of texting. I text a lot of clients so if any of you get some crazy messages, please know it is probably from some 6 year old girl! (Editor’s Note from Mark: What is worse is when Talia tries to text me from Alexis’ phone and does not tell me that she is using her mom’s phone to text me. I have to be careful how I respond to text messages from now on!)

Ariella and Mark had a recent trip to Washington DC for a family event. Ariella was such a trooper – it was a 48 hour trip and half of it was spent traveling . . . a trip that began with a red-eye flight from Phoenix to DC that left at midnight and stopped in Chicago at 5:00am. At the family event, Ariella got noticed for her break-dancing moves. Everyone at the event gave Ariella rounds of applause as she was out dancing with the older kids all night. (Editor’s Note from Mark: Ariella was fantastic beyond anything you could imagine. We traveled all through the night and she never complained once. She stayed up all day and then spent her night on the dance floor. Then we ran over to see the White House and other sites before jumping on an airplane back to Phoenix. We were gone from Arizona for less than 48 hours and she was fun and energetic the whole time. In a room full of people, I am pretty sure the DJ learned her name first . . . she is practicing to be a future lawyer by making herself known!)

Speaking of the success of advertising to children, Tate has every Geico commercial down to a “T.” He has also taken the time to learn some of the commercials for other Arizona personal injury law firms. I told Tate he needs to work on a jingle for us! He didn’t seem too enthusiastic with that suggestion. (Editor’s Note from Mark: Tate is going to be spending time at camp this summer, just as he did last year. He and Zev will be at an all-boy, all-sports camp. Sounds like it is a good thing he will not be spending more time in front of the TV!)

Personal Injury and Wrongful death attorneys Alexis and Mark Breyer, “The Husband and Wife Law Team”, recently created an infographic to inform the public about male and female driving statistics. The graphic presents statistics about safe female driving habits as compared to men.

Women drivers have taken over the road, and brought their safe driving habits along with them. Currently in the United States 40% of the SUV’s on the road are driven by women. Ninety-seven of women are the principal drivers of a new car and spend $300 billion annually on used car sales, maintenance, repairs, and services. Women influence the purchase of 80% of the cars in the United States. According to statistics male drivers cause 80% of the car accidents involving pedestrians and have a 77% higher risk of dying in a car accident themselves. Men given more traffic violations than women, and are cited 3 more times than women for reckless driving.

The infographic attempts to show that women as a group are much more conscientious when it comes to purchasing, repairing, and driving cars. The statistics are clear through police reports and insurance rates. In 2010 the median insurance rate for men was $765 for a six month policy and only $698 for women. Men can joke as much as they want but women do really rule the road!

The Arizona based Husband and Wife Law Team specialize in personal injury and wrongful death cases. They often deal with pedestrians, drivers, and passengers that have been injured by the negligence of another party or parties. The infographic was released to show that women drivers are much more responsible and thoughtful when it comes to car buying decisions and safety on the road.

http://www.breyerlaw.com/arizona-personal-injury-attorneys-present-fun-car-accident-facts.html

Distracted driving has become a major problem in the United States and the number of injuries and deaths are continuing to rise. The American Lawyer Academy recently held its First Annual Viral Video Scholarship Contest to create distracted driving awareness. The Southwest region was sponsored by the Husband and Wife Law Team. The First Baptist Academy from Universal City Texas won first place in the Southwest region and received a $1,500 scholarship.

In total 45 students student’s ages 11 to 17 worked on the video for three months. Christi Stuebben, the student’s teacher said the entire community became involved. Phone calls to family members in other states were made, emails were sent, Facebook statuses were posted, church bulletins were printed, and local media stations were contacted to publicize the contest and voting.

The students originally planned to use the scholarship money to buy a digital SLR camera for school functions, sporting events, and yearbook photos. However, over Memorial Day weekend the school was vandalized and the windows were broken in the bus and transportation van. The students got together and decided that the scholarship money would be best spent if it was given to the school to pay for the damages. Stuebben said that the students reached the decision to donate the money on their own and she was very proud of their maturity and willingness to give.

In 2009 the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 10, 839 people died from alcohol related car crashes. To reduce the number of alcohol related deaths in the United States the NHTSA has created “No Refusal Weekends”.

Arizona is among the states that participate in “No Refusal Weekends” which allows local authorities to obtain search warrants for blood samples from suspected impaired drivers who refuse breathalyzer tests. Many counties have judges and magistrates on call for “No Refusal Weekends”. Having immediate access to warrants from judges and nurses on staff to take blood samples ensures that evidence will be available for a future court case. The NHTSA found that on average in the United States 22.4 percent of people pulled over refuse to take a breathalyzer test.

“No Refusal Weekends” are highly publicized and have had excellent success rates. “No Refusal Weekends” often occur over holidays such as New Years, Memorial Day, and The 4th of July.

Texas is among the states participating in the campaign created by the NHTSA. Texas began the campaign for safety in 2005 after about 5o percent of people pulled over refused a breathalyzer. Since the “No Refusal Weekends started, refusal rates are down to 10 percent.

No refusal weekends can make a difference and save lives.

As we hit the peak of the summer traveling season tire checks and maintenance are essential to the safety of your family. All motorists should check for proper inflation and wear and tear damage before driving in hot weather. The Department of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that over a 5 year period from 2005 to 2009 nearly 3,400 people died and an estimated 116,000 were injured in tired related crashes. “While it’s true improperly maintained tires can contribute to a crash at any time of year, it is particularly critical for motorists to check tires during hot weather, when families and luggage often overload vehicles for long vacation trips” according to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.

Older tires combined with Arizona summer heat have the potential to cause a deadly accident. Aging tires are more susceptible to heat stress especially if they are not properly inflated. An improperly inflated tire can over heat and potentially cause a blowout. Read your vehicle owners manual to find out the correct tire pressure and if necessary adjust the pressure to compensate for hotter weather. Properly inflated tires will also improve gas mileage and the tires will last longer.

To ensure safety all summer, a “summer tire” is available through most major tire companies. Summer tires are made from a special rubber that is much softer than snow or all season tires. Summer tires need to be replaced more often then all season tires and are slightly more expensive. However they provide a great degree of safety especially before going on a high speed and long distance family vacation.

Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14? According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) 8,959 lives were saved from the use of child restraints from 1975 to 2008. The NHTSA suggests that parents select a car seat based on a child’s age and size. The NHTSA also recommends parents follow their car seat manufacturer’s instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install a new car seat.

●From birth to 12 months old children should always ride in a rear facing car seat. Your child should remain in a rear facing car seat for as long as possible until they outgrow the height or weight limit because it is the safest.

●Children ages 1 to 3 years old should be placed in a forward facing seat with a harness after they outgrow the rear facing car seat.

●Children ages 4 to 7 years old should remain in a forward facing seat with a harness until they reach the height and weight limit per the car seats’ manufacturer.

●Children ages 8 to 12 should sit in a booster seat until they are able to fit in the seat properly. To fit correctly the lap belt must fit snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not the neck or face. Your child should always ride in the back seat under the age of 13 because it is much safer.

If you have any questions regarding the installation of your child safety seat, Fire Departments in Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tonopah, and Wittmann provide free assistance as well as all local hospitals and police stations.

The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) is sponsoring its 5th annual elder abuse awareness day on June 15th. The campaign to end elder abuse first began in 2009, and urges individuals, families, community groups, organizations, and businesses to participate in elder abuse awareness.

Abuse against elders consists of physical, sexual, and financial/material abuse. The United States General Accounting Office found that there are 1.5 million vulnerable, disabled, and elderly individuals residing in nursing homes. Although nursing homes are supposed to provide care and protection they are often the subject of investigation by law enforcement agencies for abuse against their residents.

Victims of elder abuse do not often come forward for lack of retaliation, fear of prosecuting a family member, or the lack of capacity to describe the crime or perpetrator. State criminal statutes, adult protective laws, and federal organizations such as Medicare have defined and established penalties for abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults. There has been a recent increase in prosecution of those that abuse elders because of the aggressiveness of Medicare and attorneys specializing in this type of crime.

If you suspect elder abuse in an adult care facility or nursing home please contact 1-877-767-2385 for the Arizona abuse neglect, or exploitation hotline.