In January 2014, the public comment period ended on a proposed law that would put so-called black boxes, called Event Data Recorders (EDR) in every new car sold by September 1, 2014, devices which have already been installed in 96% of new cars, unknown to car owners. Current regulations require that the presence of the…
A ban on truck driver cell phone use while driving took effect January, 2012, with stiff penalties for violation. Commercial Motor Vehicle interstate truck drivers and intrastate hazmat truck drivers are prohibited from holding, dialing, or reaching for a hand-held cell, although they may use hands-free devices. The rule permits truck and bus drivers to…
Oregon State Police and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) urge travelers to “Know before You Go” by monitoring media reports for weather forecasts and keeping up-to-date on road conditions at www.TripCheck.com. In just one day in December, OSP reported that freezing rain and icy road conditions had contributed to several crashes north of Crater Lake…
The Oregon Department of Traffic (ODOT) reminds bicyclists to always ride with traffic. Drivers pulling into traffic often look only in the direction that cars are coming. If you are coming from the other direction, they may not see you until they are on top of you. Right Hook It might seem counter-intuitive to a…
Settlement Preferred by All Parties Because decisions of juries are hard to predict, neither car accident attorneys nor insurance companies want to go to trial if they can reach a mutual agreement in the form of a settlement. Both parties also have more control over costs with a settlement than with a trial, which often involves…
Children are now returning to school! Drivers will once again be required to slow down in school zones during school hours. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pedestrian Injury is the second leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 15. In any given year, more…
A new law known as the “Safe Haul Act,” that would increase federally required insurance minimum for commercial motor carriers nearly six-fold, from the current $750,000 to $4,442,000 (adjusted annually for inflation relating to medical care), is passing through Congress. Introduced in the House by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) as the “Safe and Fair Environment on Highways…
Driving in an uninsured vehicle in Oregon carries a stiff penalty. If caught, you will be fined up to $250 and will be required to file proof of insurance with the DMV for a period of three years. In addition to the fine, your driver’s license will be suspended for one year. If you cause…
The Oregon Department of Transportation is in the early stages of developing a project to improve safety on the U.S. 26 Mt. Hood Highway just east of Rhododendron and west of Oregon Highway 35, where the crash rate is twice that of other primary, rural non-freeway Oregon highways. Planned Safety Improvements for US 26 An…
Labor Day weekend is considered the second deadliest major holiday period for Oregon highway travelers. This 2013 Labor Day, as part of the nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, Portland Police Bureau and Oregon State Police concentrated increased DUII enforcement efforts in the downtown area and along interstate freeways and state highways. They…