Philadelphia, PA, USA, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Construction consistently ranks among the most dangerous jobs in America. Construction workers face serious safety hazards every day, from extreme heights and heavy equipment to dangerous machinery and electrical risks. But surveys conducted by safety organizations and agencies show that many of the hazards construction workers face could be caused by construction companies valuing their bottom line more than their workers health and safety.

According to statistics from the National Safety Council (NSC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, disturbing data shows that the majority of construction workers feel that their employers place a higher emphasis on productivity than they do workplace safety.

Stats about Construction Workplace Safety

The statistics gathered by the NSC and the Bureau of Labor Statistics paint a startling picture of the occupational safety landscape within the construction industry.

58 percent of construction workers believe their employers value productivity over safety.
51 percent of workers in the construction industry report that management does only the bare minimum required by law when it comes to workplace safety.
47 percent of construction workers say they are afraid to report safety issues at work.
67 percent of construction workers report that performance standards are more important to their employers than safety standards.

This is extremely problematic considering the high rate of fatalities and serious injuries among construction workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 4,836 workplace fatalities in 2015, with construction deaths accounting for nearly 1,000 of these. Falls are the leading cause of workplace deaths across all industries, and over half of all construction-related work accidents involve a fall.

Its interesting to compare how the stats for construction workers stack up against the stats for other industries. For example:

32 percent of employees across all other industries feel management ignores an individuals safety performance when it comes to awarding promotions.
47 percent of workers in all other industries believe that employers place more emphasis on performance standards than safety standards.

Philadelphia Workers Compensation Lawyer Discusses Workplace Safety in the Construction Industry

Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer Joel J. Kofsky states, Getting hurt at work is particularly terrifying. When your livelihood is on the line, you may not know where to turn next. And if youre a construction worker, the prospect of being too injured to work can be extremely stressful. If you have been injured on the job at a construction site, you have important rights, including the right to receive workers compensation benefits for your injuries and other losses.

Construction is a dangerous industry. Unfortunately, construction companies dont always prioritize their workers’ safety. And when accidents occur, some companies try to pressure workers into not making a claim for benefits. Don’t let this happen to you. Protect yourself by getting an experienced Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer on your side right away.

Sources:

http://www.nsc.org/Connect/NSCNewsReleases/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=195
http://time.com/4624034/most-dangerous-jobs-2015/

Media Contact:

Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer Joel J. Kofsky. T: 215-735-4800.

source: https://www.phillyaccidentlawyer.com/blog/2017/06/philadelphia-workers-compensation-lawyer-discusses-construction-companies-putting-productivity-safety/

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New Jersey, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The May 2017 arrest of Tiger Woods for impaired driving shines an important spotlight on a growing problem — drugged driving.

According to media reports, Woods was arrested near his home for driving under the influence of prescription medication. Police documents show he blew a .000 breathalyzer (meaning he had no alcohol in his system) and had fallen asleep in his stopped car. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the road and the engine was running at the time police approached Woods.

Police also stated that Woods’ vehicle showed signs of damage. Both drivers’ side tires were flat, and there was damage to the front and rear bumpers. The rear passenger tail light was also out, and the tire rims had sustained damage.

Woods claimed that his impairment was due to “an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications.”

Safety Report Says Drugged Driving Is Now More Common Than Drunk Driving

A recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found that more fatal car accidents are caused by drugged driving than drunk driving. In about 43 percent of fatal car accidents, drivers tested positive for illegal or prescription drugs. By contrast, just 37 percent of fatal accidents involved a drunk driver.

This is a reversal of statistics in 2005, when 41 percent of fatal accidents were caused by drunk drivers and 28 percent were caused by drivers with drugs in their system.

A separate study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs revealed that 20 percent of drivers had taken a prescription drug within the past two days, with most of the drugs including sedatives, antidepressants, and painkillers.

A survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that stats for illegal drug use are rising. The number of weekend, nighttime illegal drug use behind the wheel increased from 12.4 percent in 2007 to 15.1 percent in 2013. Drivers using prescription drugs rose from 3.9 percent to 4.9 percent.

A police spokesperson told the media that motorists don’t view prescription medication the same way they do alcohol when it comes to impaired driving. He stated that people assume a medication is safe because their doctor gave it to them. Most people are well aware that drinking and driving is dangerous. However, they don’t often realize that prescription drugs and even over-the-counter medications can cause severe impairment.

If you are taking any kind of prescription drug, it’s important to discuss it thoroughly with your doctor. Make sure your doctor knows every kind of medication you’re taking, as certain drugs can interact with others in a dangerous way.

About Summit Behavioral Health

New Jersey & Massachusetts based  Summit Behavioral Health offers both inpatient and outpatient programs to help people overcome prescription and illegal drug addiction. Our programs are personalized and medically supervised.

Get Local Treatment – Call Now

1-844-643-3869

New Jersey – Massachusetts – Pennsylvania

Sources:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/05/tiger-woods-is-the-new-face-of-americas-drugged-driving-problem/528525/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2017/05/30/tiger-woods-had-to-be-woken-up-police/102305228/
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving
http://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/2017-04/GHSA_DruggedDriving2017_FINAL.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27936362
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/812118-roadside_survey_2014.pdf

Media Contact HQ

Rene William

(908) 364-5755

#NewJerseyDetoxCenters

source: https://www.serenityatsummit.com/blog/tiger-woods-arrest-highlights-dangers-drugged-driving/

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Dallas, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

In recent years, the list of widespread misconduct in crime labs across the country has grown inconceivably long.

According to a recent Washington Post report, there may be a new item to add to the list. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida announced it has suspended a fingerprint examiner for “reasons that aren’t totally clear.”

At the time of his suspension, the examiner had worked on over 2,600 cases dating back to 2001.

The report states that the state’s attorney’s office hasn’t identified a specific reason why it removed the examiner from duty, but it sent a letter to every defense lawyer involved in the nearly 3,000 cases the examiner worked on stating that the examiner was taken off fingerprint analysis due to performance issues that included “clerical errors, failure to identify prints of value, and mislabeling of print cards.”

As a result, the county’s public defender has stated that his office is taking a look at all of the cases the fingerprint examiner worked on to determine if there was any wrongdoing that could have led to an innocent person being convicted of a crime.  

Evidence Mishandled in Other Crime Labs

The story adds that this is by no means an isolated incident. Unfortunately, there have been other cases involving the mishandling of evidence in crime labs.

A crime lab in Austin, Texas mishandled DNA evidence involving 2,200 convictions.
A chemist admitted to contaminating samples on purpose and turning negative samples into positives in up to 50,000 cases at two testing facilities in Massachusetts.
Possibly hundreds of criminal convictions in Ohio have been called into question due to the mishandling of evidence by a forensic scientist who worked for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for three decades.
The testing results in around 1,500 cases in Oregon are being reexamined after authorities discovered that a lab tech was stealing drugs and replacing them with over-the-counter medications.
Over 14,000 convictions have been questioned in New Jersey due to faked lab tests.

In perhaps the most shocking mishap of all, the FBI admitted in 2015 that nearly every single examiner in its forensic unit gave flawed testimony in almost every trial in which they offered evidence over a two-decade period. Out of 28 examiners, 26 overstated forensic matches in a way that slanted favor to prosecutors.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2017/02/27/orlando-fingerprint-examiner-suspended-2600-cases-possibly-affected-in-latest-police-lab-scandal/?utm_term=.5d3c398fd7fb
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/200-convicted-persons-notified-austin-dna-lab-problems/jMMDFsc0HNNKSRU4S9sn4M/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2017/01/20/mass-supreme-court-orders-prosecutors-to-review-24000-cases-tainted-by-rogue-chemist/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.06a9cde9a165
http://www.dispatch.com/news/20161030/questions-about-ex-bci-scientist-may-cast-doubt-on-convictions/1
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/oregon-district-attorney-reviewing-convictions-in-crime-lab-scandal/
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/06/14000_drug_convictions_at_issue_after_faked_lab_te.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-forensic-hair-matches-in-nearly-all-criminal-trials-for-decades/2015/04/18/39c8d8c6-e515-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.17090dc63672

Dallas State Criminal Defense Lawyer

Broden & Mickelsen, LLP

2600 State St Dallas, Texas 75204

Main Phone: (214) 720-9552

Office Direction

Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer on Facebook

SOURCE: Broden & Mickelsen

source: http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/blog/orlando-fingerprint-examiner-suspended-possible-misconduct-2600-cases/

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ReleaseID: 24262

New Jersey, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

In Ohio, the number of opioid-related deaths surged from 296 in 2003 to 2,590 in 2015. That is a jump of 775 percent over 13 years.

According to an NPR report, the State of Ohio has filed a lawsuit against five pharmaceutical companies. The lawsuit alleges that the five companies — Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (and subsidiary Cephalon), Johnson & Johnson (and subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals), and Allergan — engaged in deceptive advertising.

Specifically, the lawsuit accuses the drug companies of “engaging in a sustained marketing campaign to downplay the addiction risks of the prescription opioid drugs they sell and to exaggerate the benefits of their use for health problems such as chronic pain.”

The Ohio lawsuit is the second of its kind. The State of Mississippi filed a similar lawsuit in early 2017.

Ohio AG Says Drug Makers Purposely Misled Doctors

Ohio’s Attorney General Mike DeWine stated: “We believe that the evidence will show that these pharmaceutical companies purposely misled doctors about the dangers connected with pain meds that they produced, and that they did so for the purpose of increasing sales.” DeWine added, “And boy, did they increase sales.”

The lawsuit turns on the claim that drug manufacturers deliberately targeted physicians and “embarked on a persuasion scheme” to convince doctors that opioids were the best medication to treat all kinds of chronic pain. The suit also states that pharmaceutical companies knew their product were highly addictive yet chose to understate the addictive nature to doctors. In reality, the lawsuit states, opioids are typically not safe for long-term use. 

State officials believe that about 200,000 Ohio residents are addicted to opioids. DeWine’s office also stated that the southern portion of the state has been hit hardest by the opioid crisis. In some counties, the bodies of overdose victims must be kept in portable cold storage lockers because the morgues are full.

Contact Summit Behavioral Health Today

The opioid epidemic has touched lives across the country. If you are struggling with a prescription drug addiction, or someone you love is dependent on opioids, your situation is not hopeless. Compassionate and effective support is available today. It’s never too late to begin a treatment program designed to help you achieve a long-term recovery. Whether this is your first attempt to seek treatment or you have relapsed once or several times in the past, Summit Behavioral Health can assist you.

About Summit Behavioral Health

Summit Behavioral Health offers both inpatient and outpatient programs to help people overcome opioid drug addiction, alcohol abuse disorder, and co-occurring disorders. We have helped people just like you conquer their opioid drug addiction for good. Our programs are medically supervised and designed to fit your specific needs and goals. Call our behavioral health professionals today at 1-844-643-3869 to speak to a substance abuse expert about your treatment options.

Sources:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/31/530929307/ohio-sues-5-major-drug-companies-for-fueling-opioid-epidemic
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/03/16/drugs-are-killing-so-many-in-this-county-that-cold-storage-trailers-are-being-used-as-morgues/?utm_term=.6147d5871733

Media Contact HQ

Rene William

(908) 364-5755

#NewJerseyDetoxCenters

source: https://www.summitbehavioralhealth.com/blog/can-drug-companies-held-accountable-opioid-crisis/

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Dallas, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Semi-trucks are among the largest vehicles on the road. They dominate the highways, and their wide widths mean they stretch across their entire lane.

These massive vehicles don’t have a lot of room for error. If they veer even a foot over the lane divider, they can sideswipe a vehicle, causing the vehicle’s driver to lose control and cause a serious wreck.

What is a Semi Sideswipe and Why Is It Worse Than a Regular Sideswipe Crash?

A sideswipe accident occurs when one vehicle driving next to another vehicle in the same direction bumps or crashes into the other vehicle. Sideswipes can also happen when a vehicle is trying to enter a highway via an on-ramp and doesn’t see another vehicle approaching. In many cases, a driver sideswipes another vehicle because the driver wasn’t paying attention to their surroundings.  

When two regular cars are traveling side by side, a sideswipe doesn’t always result in a serious crash.

However, a semi that sideswipes a standard car or SUV can cause a major crash. This is because the accident usually doesn’t end with a sideswipe. Instead, the massive size and weight of the semi has the capability to push the car off the road or into a concrete barrier. On busy multi-lane highways, a semi might even sideswipe a car and force it into the next lane, causing a chain reaction crash involving several vehicles.

If a semi sideswipes a vehicle hard enough, it can even force the car off the road, causing it to roll.

Cars Have Little Protection Against Sideswipe Crashes

Semi-truck sideswipe accidents are also dangerous because the impact occurs in the least protected area of the vehicle.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), about a quarter of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in the U.S. are caused by side crashes. The front and rear of a vehicle are the most protected areas. Airbags and bumpers absorb the majority of the impact in a crash.

In a wreck involving a side impact, however, there is little space or density to absorb the force of the impact. The IIHS states that modern vehicles are usually equipped with side airbags, which improve a driver’s chances of surviving a sideswipe accident, but most older vehicles do not.

Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Discusses Semi Sideswipe Crashes

Texas truck accident lawyer Amy Witherite with 1800 Truck Wreck ® states: “If you have been injured in a tractor-trailer sideswipe wreck, you may be overwhelmed by physical pain and anxiety following your accident. This is normal. Don’t delay speaking to an experienced truck wreck attorney about your case.  Amy Witherite has created a video to help you ask the right questions when you are looking for a truck accident lawyer.

http://www.1800truckwreck.com/videos/truck-wreck-speak-truck-wreck-lawyer

Protect your important legal rights by working with a legal team that understands semi-truck wrecks.  Call us at 1(800)Truck-Wreck, anytime, day or night.

Media Contact:
Eberstein Witherite, LLP
Phone: 800-878-2597
Email: lucy.tiseo@ewlawyers.com
www.ewlawyers.com 
Connect with Eberstein Witherite on Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter

source: http://www.1800truckwreck.com/texas-truck-accident-lawyer-discusses-sideswipe-semi-truck-crashes.html

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ReleaseID: 24265

Rosario, Colonia, Colonia, Uraguay, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

It’s no coincidence – UNESCO Centre South America may have a similar name to the United Nations’ UNESCO headquartered in Paris, but the South American institution is determined to provide not only trenchant criticism of its rival but also a real alternative to UNESCO’s educational policies.

What is UNESCO? The UNESCO you already know stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Now, meet UNESCO Centre South America: Union Nacional de Educacion Superior Continua Organizada, translated into National Union of Continuous Organized Higher Education.

UNESCO Centre South America evolved from UNESCO Centre BVI, which originally carried out international education work as a private center. Through its evolution, the organization now presents affordable and broader alternatives to the unipolar UNESCO. Currently, it concentrates particularly on the maintenance and up-to-date databases listing all the universities of the world and publishes the authoritative handbook of world universities online and in book form, as well as world university rankings. It is partnered with the International Alliance of Universities, which was formed to connect universities globally.

UNESCO Paris overlooks many contemporary issues that impact education and business in the Southern Hemisphere, such as the listing of transnational universities and business interest-free university rankings. In its view, the field of university listings and rankings should not simply be represented by an organization that issues one book per year, which costs $1500 US and makes huge profit margins for its publishers at the expense of the public and educators. What is needed is an affordable alternative that addresses the educational and business issues that face the countries and populations that UNESCO Paris overlooks. The UNESCO Centre South America Handbook is available as a free download, as well as a much more affordable print publication. It is updated frequently and aims to be fully comprehensive.

For a free PDF of the UNESCO Centre South America handbook,  go to http://www.unesco.vg/INTERNATIONAL_HANDBOOK.pdf.

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ReleaseID: 24267

Cincinnati OH, 06/16/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Following another year of growth, Illumination Research, a global market research and consulting firm, hired Jim Miller as VP of Quantitative Insights & Client Services. Jim brings 30+ years of market research supplier experience in consumer insights and data analytics working with BASES and Nielsen.

Jim started his career with BASES, focusing on new product evaluation and sales forecasting; rising through the analytical and client service ranks to ultimately lead the Cincinnati Region office. Jim then moved to England to start the BASES’ direct selling and service model in Europe. Returning to the US, Jim led the BASES Product Development and Operations organizations before returning to client service leading the Global P&G relationship. Upon shifting to a broader Nielsen role, Jim was responsible for delivering integrated Nielsen solutions in response to P&G’s global business issues. Jim’s final role at Nielsen was as the leader of the P&G North America team, with responsibility for leveraging the full Nielsen product portfolio against key strategic business needs. During his career, Jim has earned the reputation of being a trusted advisor with a strong track record of helping Brands grow.

In his new role at Illumination, Jim will lead Illumination’s fast-growing Quantitative business and will partner with a range of new and existing clients to provide expertise in leading research and data analysis that unlock business-building consumer insights.

“Illumination is at the forefront of bringing Quantitative and Qualitative methodologies together to uncover and understand consumer behavior, and they have a proven track record of creating innovative research solutions. I am excited to be a part of this organization to help our clients transform and grow their businesses with great insights.”

According to Illumination CEO Karri Bass, “We are thrilled to have Jim as one of our senior leaders. His outstanding industry background and extensive client service experience make him extremely well suited for leading our Quantitative business and helping to deliver breakthrough insights to our clients.”

Jim has his BS in Marketing from Arizona State University and his MS in Marketing with a focus in Quantitative Analysis from the University of Cincinnati. Jim is actively involved in volunteer efforts with the Cincinnati FreeStore FoodBank and the St. George Church Food Pantry.

About Illumination

Illumination is a global consumer and shopper insights firm, offering a diverse portfolio of Qualitative and Quantitative research capabilities. The company’s clients include many of the world’s largest manufacturers and retailers, including Procter and Gamble, Nestle, Abbott, and Kroger. Illumination leverages its industry-leading agile research tools along with a full suite of established methods to help its clients uncover and apply rich insights to grow their business. The 10-year-old business continues on a strong path of growth, building on significant global expansion in recent years. For more information about Illumination Research, please visit

For more information about Illumination Research, please visit www.illumination-research.com or www.illumination-research.com/speedsuite. Contact us at 513.774.9531 or info@illumination-research.com

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ReleaseID: 24270

Dallas, 06/14/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The regulatory body responsible for the safety of commercial truck driving is called The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In 2016, the agency implemented a controversial requirement that truck carriers install electronic truck driving log books in all of their vehicles, to more accurately log the number of hours drivers spend on the road. And while this may seem like just another regulation, it could end up saving the lives of truck drivers and other drivers on the road.

“The FMCSA really pushed hard to make this requirement a reality,” stated Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer Amy Witherite of the personal injury law firm, Eberstein Witherite, LLP. “Commercial driver log books are one of the most effective ways for inspectors to determine whether or not truck operators are adhering to the hours-of-service rules that are designed to prevent exhaustion. The goal with the e-log book requirement is to eliminate any type of cheating, which was a possibility with manual log books.”

Why Do Drivers Need Log Books?

Before discussing the importance of log books, it is important to understand why they are needed in the commercial truck driving industry.

Because truck driving is an occupation that requires a significant amount of time behind the wheel, the FMCSA recognized that it had to set a limit on the number of consecutive hours in which drivers could operate their vehicles.

According to the FMCSA website, hours-of-service rules were designed to limit driving time, and to create mandatory rest stops.

For commercial drivers whose trucks transport goods, the FMCSA stipulates that drivers:

“May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. [Drivers] may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.”

The FMCSA also requires that drivers take a mandatory 30-minute rest break after eight hours of driving.

In an article on the Keep Truckin Blog, they specify that the rest break rule is very specific. For example, drivers “can’t take two breaks of, say, 10 minutes and 20 minutes and count it as a 30-minute break.”

However, drivers can conduct non-driving tasks after eight hours of driving without taking a break.

For example, drivers who operate their vehicles for eight hours can go off-duty and perform a truck inspection or catch up on paperwork as long as they do no driving during that time period.

Now, back to the log books. To ensure that drivers comply with these regulations, the FMCSA requires that they fill out log books that detail exactly when they take breaks and when they are back on the road.

This information must be presented to any government or law enforcement official upon inspection of a truck.

The purpose of hours-of-use is to ensure that truck drivers are well rested and alert when they are on duty, which can prevent truck wrecks caused by fatigue or driver inattention.

Mandatory E-Log Books

The issue with log books, however, is that drivers manually enter the information and that leaves the process open to fraud.

Drivers who do not comply with the mandatory rest periods or the mandatory driving times can falsify their logbooks and claim they complied.

Falsification may not occur out of malice, but due to the pressure some drivers feel to make a scheduled delivery after a delay.

This type of fraud can mean that exhausted truck drivers in desperate need of rest are on the road, pushing the limits of their bodies, leading to devastating truck accidents due to loss of focus and concentration, not to mention falling asleep at the wheel.

The FMCSA started to require the use of electronic logbooks to eliminate this problem and all truck carriers must comply by December 2017.

According to an article on Smart Trucking, the new regulation has truck drivers and carriers debating the wisdom of the rule.

For the most part, truck carriers like the rule, because it makes their driving records more accurate and saves them time and money, although the expense of the new system may be a significant burden on smaller carriers.

Some drivers, however, believe that electronic logs are an invasion of privacy and a sign of distrust from their carriers.

The bottom line is that electronic logs cannot be falsified and provide a detailed and running record of a driver’s time behind the wheel.

Ultimately, that could lead to rested drivers who are less likely to cause truck wrecks due to exhaustion.

Keeping Your Life Running

The team at 1-800 Truck-Wreck® understands that there is no foolproof way to prevent truck wrecks. We also understand that once a truck wreck occurs, your life can come to a complete stop.

“Too many personal injury law firms only focus on winning as much money as they can for their clients, and that’s important,” stated Amy Witherite. “But keeping our clients’ lives running is even more important. We want to restore their well being and help them get back on their feet.”

Media Contact:

Lucy Tiseo
Eberstein Witherite, LLP
Phone: 800-878-2597
Email: lucy.tiseo@ewlawyers.com
www.ewlawyers.com

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source: http://www.1800truckwreck.com/truck-driving-logbooks-save-lives-road.html

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ReleaseID: 24226

Dallas, 06/14/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Over the last few years, hair follicle drug testing has become a hot topic in drug testing for commercial truck drivers. Experts still debate on whether this type of test is more accurate than a traditional urine test.

While this may seem like just another drug test debate, it could determine whether commercial truck drivers are properly screened for drugs, which can help take dangerous drivers off the street before they cause devastating truck wrecks.

“Drug testing at the workplace is always fraught with controversy,” stated attorney Amy Witherite of Eberstein Witherite, home of 1-800-Truck-Wreck. “The problem is that no one can agree on what’s most effective, whether it’s hair follicle drug testing or urine tests. It also goes into issues of privacy, so there is a lot of debate about what type of test to administer. But it’s an important issue, because when you combine a drug-impaired driver with a 26,000 pound vehicle, you have the perfect storm for a truck wreck disaster that can affect lives forever.”

Watch various videos on Truck Accidents

Recent Push For Hair Follicle Drug Testing

In January, six big truck carriers petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to implement hair follicle drug testing for their employees.

According to an article on Trucks.com, “Truck drivers currently are required to undergo mandatory urine testing under FMCSA’s federal regulation regarding pre-employment screening for drugs and alcohol.”

But the six carriers would like to switch over to hair testing because they said research has found that follicle testing is more accurate than urinalysis for detecting drugs and alcohol in a truck driver’s body.

The reason is that urine tests are only effective in detecting drugs and alcohol consumed within a few days prior to the test, where hair follicle testing can detect substances within just a few hours.

In fact, the article states that through hair follicle drug testing, drivers are four times more likely to have a positive rating than those tested with a urine test.

The six truck carriers are concerned that this discrepancy could mean that drivers who fail a hair follicle drug test can apply to another truck company that uses urine tests and pass that test, creating a potential hazard for other motorists on the road.

How Reliable Is Hair Follicle Testing Really?

Despite the concerns of these six truck carriers, an article on Bloomberg BNA indicates that there is little agreement that hair follicle drug testing is more accurate than urinalysis.

For example, the article states that “Hair specimens can test positive for drugs that the donor was merely exposed to – known as external contamination – but didn’t use. A federal appeals court has also found the procedure to be scientifically unreliable, ruling in favor of black police officers in Boston who argued that studies show an inherent racial bias because darker and more porous hair retains drugs at greater rates.”

And in fact several civil rights organizations – including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – have pushed against the use of hair drug testing, believing that there are ulterior motives why the large truck carriers are pushing for hair follicle test.

One motive that may be driving the big carriers is that they know that hair follicle tests cost double that of a urine test, but they also realize that they can “negotiate lower rates with testing businesses and laboratories, and often do.”

As a result, the big truck carriers know that smaller carriers would not be able to afford the cost of hair follicle tests. Smaller carriers that don’t use hair follicle testing “could then be characterized as being less safe, whether they do so because they don’t want to pay double for hair tests or because they don’t want to use a procedure that lacks a widespread, scientific consensus.”

For now, the debate continues as the FMCSA has not ruled on whether it will allow the six truck carriers to use hair follicle drug testing, but this is clearly an issue that will be debated until the FMCSA makes a final ruling.

Keeping Your Life Running

When you suffer injuries from a truck wreck, the team at 1-800-Truck-Wreck will become your lifeline.

We understand how difficult it is to put the pieces of your life back together, including: going back to work, getting to the hospital, making sure you attend rehab sessions and even climbing out of bed every morning.

That’s why our team of lawyers, investigators and support staff is focused on restoring your mind and body, getting you back on your feet and keeping your life running in the weeks and months after a truck wreck.

Whether it means providing you with transportation to and from medical appointments, or making sure you have the financial means to keep going until your claim is settled, we will be there for you every step of the journey.

“We hope you never have a truck wreck,” states Amy Witherite, “but when you do, we are there to guide you and to ensure that you never feel anything less than part of our family.”

Media Contact

Lucy Tiseo

Eberstein Witherite, LLP

Phone: 800-878-2597

Email: lucy.tiseo@ewlawyers.com

www.1800truckwreck.com

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source: http://www.1800truckwreck.com/can-hair-follicle-drug-testing-lower-truck-accident-rates.html

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Houston, TX, USA, 06/14/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The number one priority for government agencies such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSA) is lowering the rate of accidents through safety regulations.

But, some safety experts believe that the words “car accidents” isn’t a strong enough deterrent, and that the words “car crashes” should be used instead to increase the urgency and seriousness about these incidents.

“Well, what you’re seeing is that there’s this psychological aspect when you refer to a ‘car accident’ versus a ‘car crash,’ stated Dallas personal injury attorney Amy Witherite of Eberstein Witherite, LLP. “When you talk about an accident, it almost feels as if it’s something that just sort of happened without any real causality, but when you talk about a crash, it resonates in a deeper and more meaningful way. Our firm talks more about ‘wrecks’ because that’s exactly what happens in a car accident, it can wreck your life and change the trajectory of your future.”

In an article The New York Times wrote, car safety advocates express their desire to change the words ‘auto accidents’ to ‘auto crashes’ for some very specific reasons.

According to Mark Rosekind, the Administrator of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA):

“When you use the word ‘accident,’ it’s like, ‘God made it happen. In our society, language can be everything.”

Rosekind believes that because some type of human error or human behavior causes the majority of car crashes, changing the terminology will drive home the importance of safe-driving habits.

More importantly, the word ‘accident’ may have reached a saturation point, in which it has become nearly commonplace to hear about an accident and not really understand that it was more than likely caused by a human being.

Some States Take Action

For these reasons, state officials in Nevada recently implemented a law in which the word ‘accident’ was changed to ‘crash’ in every incident involving a passenger vehicle.

According to an article on KUNR.org, Meg Ragonese, spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, stated:

“Really, the reason is to send a message that many car crashes are preventable,” Ragonese stated. “When someone makes a decision to drive drunk, distracted, impaired, or just drive negligently or aggressively, perhaps that is a decision. It’s not an accident.”

This action is similar to one taken by New York City officials in 2014 when they introduced a Vision Zero Action Plan to reduce the rate of car crashes in the city.

According to information on the NYC.gov site, “the City of New York must no longer regard traffic crashes as mere “accidents,” but rather as preventable incidents that can be systematically addressed. No level of fatality on City streets is inevitable or acceptable. This Vision Zero Action Plan is the City’s foundation for ending traffic deaths and injuries on our streets.”

And in fact, the Action Plan goes on to talk about ‘crashes’ rather than ‘accidents,’ trying to drive home the idea that crashes are more accurate than accidents, and may help spur more responsibility in drivers.

The departments of transportation in 28 states have implemented the language change from ‘accident’ to ‘crash,’ and some advocates are even trying to get media outlets to jump on board.

Jeff Larason, the Massachusetts Director of Highway Safety has been attempting to convince the Associated Press (AP) to be more specific about its use of the word ‘accident.’

In response, the AP recently announced that if “negligence is claimed or proven in a crash, reporters should avoid [the word] accident, which can be read by some as a term exonerating the person responsible.”

Whether the terminology change will have the desired effect on drivers remains to be seen, but the goal of these auto safety advocates is to use all available measures to help lower the rate of crashes which increased by six percent in 2016.

Keeping Your Life Running

With the rate of car crashes on the rise and the number of vehicle miles traveled increasing each year, it’s likely that there will be more victims that suffer serious injuries, and that’s the value of the team at Eberstein Witherite.

With 20 years of experience as one of the leading personal injury law firms that serves major cities in Texas such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Katy, Houston, Austin and El Paso, the team of lawyers, investigators and support staff at 1-800-Car-Wreck  is dedicated to keeping your life running after a car crash.

Whether it’s providing you with transportation to your medical appointments or providing financial assistance during this difficult time or helping you get groceries, we do the simple things that can make a huge difference after a car crash.

“Nobody wants to be in a car crash, but when it happens, we will do everything possible to get you back on track and keep your life running,” stated Amy Witherite.

Media Contact

Lucy Tiseo

Eberstein Witherite, LLP

Phone: 800-779-6665

Email: lucy.tiseo@ewlawyers.com

Connect with Eberstein & Witherite on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+

source: http://www.1800-car-wreck.com/auto-experts-think-words-auto-crashes-effective-auto-accidents.html

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