A 77-year-old Washington, D.C. woman got an unusual wake-up call earlier this month while staying at a New Jersey Holiday Inn. At approximately 1:40 a.m., a car crashed through the window of her hotel room while she was sleeping. The accident trapped her between the car and the wall for about 20 minutes...
Read MoreStudy Shows that DC Drivers Rank Last in Road Knowledge
The 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test showed that DC drivers know the least when it comes to a driving IQ. Overall, the test results revealed that 36.9 million drivers do not possess the basic knowledge required to pass a driving test. That is approximately 18 percent of drivers on the road today. The...
Read MoreOne Million Dangerous Pool and Spa Drain Covers Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of one million spa and pool drain covers that pose entrapment hazards. The covers are dangerous products that could cause death or serious injury to kids and adults, according to the CPSC. There is a risk of a suction lock occurring and trapping...
Read MoreFederal Agency May Mandate Black Boxes in New Cars
The Department of Transportation (DOT) may adopt a rule that requires automakers to equip new cars with event data recorders (EDR) that would gather vital information in the event of an auto accident. The devices would do what “black boxes” do in airplane crashes. The DOT is uncertain whether it will move forward...
Read MoreFederal Agency Recalls Cribs for Suffocation Hazards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a voluntary recall of approximately 22,000 full-size and portable drop-side cribs. In the full-size cribs, the drop-side hardware can break, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib and creating a space between the drop side and mattress. The space can trap an infant and...
Read MoreAuto Industry Leads Product Recalls
Automakers recalled over 20 million vehicles in the past three years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the agency, Toyota recalled approximately 7.1 million cars in 2010, with Honda and Nissan recalling about 2 million each. Chrysler recalled 1.5 million vehicles, and Ford recalled over 500,000 cars in 2010. Safety...
Read MoreMetro Train Operators are Running Red Lights
Late last month, a Metro train operator ran a red light at the Shady Grove rail yard at approximately 5:30 a.m. Although the train did not have any passengers aboard, it was the third red-light violation by a Metro driver in two weeks. Just the day before, Metro ordered safety meetings to address...
Read MoreMetro Escalators Shut Down after Injury to Four-Year-Old Boy
The Metro board decided to shut down the escalators at the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle stations for one year so workers can replace them. The decision comes after a Metro escalator accident injured a four-year-old boy earlier this month at the U Street station. The boy got his foot stuck in the...
Read MoreTexas Officials Blame Federal Agency for Starting Wildfire
“That bunch has a real corner on stupid,” is how a Texas county official described the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Texas officials blamed the federal agency earlier this month for a fire that burned 150 acres of Texas land. The incident happened when ATF agents and Texas officials were destroying some...
Read MorePaulette Chapman Lobbies against Medical Malpractice Legislation
Washington, D.C. attorney Paulette Chapman participated in the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Women’s Lobbying Day on May 26. Chapman and women trial lawyers from across the country gathered to lobby Congress against the House HR 5 Medical Malpractice Bill. Chapman said that passage of the bill, “would strip...
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