This mother’s day, was the 50th anniversary of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the birth control pill. The pill has had an enormous impact on reproductive freedoms, enabling women to take control of their own fertility. But some pills have been tied to numerous health drawacks including strokes, heart attacks, and other serious side effects.
The country’s top auto safety regulator put his rubber stamp on legislation introduced in congress this week that would increase the power of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to force automobile recalls. Responding to the legislation, the NHTSA’s head hancho David Strickland said “whether it’s negotiating with manufacturers or the ability for the agency to move forward in a mandatory fashion — those are the core of what we want to achieve.” With that in mind, we bring you This Week in Automobile Industry Recalls and a Toyota recall rap video.
Until recently, Toyota has done everything it can to minimize the impact of its embarrassing string of safety violations and product recalls by admitting fault and forking over government fines without protest. Last week, the Detroit News reported that Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) have teamed up to demand more accountability from Detroit’s massive but flegling car industry. Now, the car industry is poised to remove the tail from between its legs and is starting to fight back.
For pedestrians, getting hit by a bus is one of the worst thoughts imaginable. We’ve written before about Muni accidents here in San Francisco. But right now, due to a string of bus-caused injuries and fatalities, Portland’s TriMet bus system is under the radar of safety advocates. The Oregonian reports this week that, although left-turn accidents are “alarmingly common,” the system is resisting a “no-left” policy.
Last month, we wrote on the GJEL blog about the growing challenge to university law clinics in Maryland and Louisiana. While some claim that the state-funded clinics provide a rare opportunity to represent “the little guy” against massive corporations, others say they’re full of a bunch of liberals who just want to stick it to “the man.” This week, the challenge grew more serious in Louisiana, where state Sen. Robert Adley introduced a bill, similar to legislation rejected by Maryland’s legislature, that would withhold state funds from law clinics that refuse to turn over case information.
On Friday April 30, television superstar Oprah Winfrey lent her powerful voice to the fight against distracted driving in celebration of “No Phone Zone Day.” Oprah has been chronicling the dangers of texting, typing, and talking while driving since January, when she dedicated her show to the underreported statistics: 6,000 people are killed and 500,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving.
I just sat in on Avvo’s webinar on “Ethical Issues in Online Advertising and Social Media” and wanted to share some thoughts. I’ve recently been fascinated by the intersection of communication and advertising, which has become increasingly interesting with the rise of social media and online marketing. Here on the GJEL blog, for example, we write about developments in distracted driving legislation, teen drivers, and other issues related to consumer safety because we have a deep interest and want a better market for consumers.
Toyota’s in damage control mode. Feeling the backlash from their delayed recall of on vehicles with faulty brakes, the company now seems to be pulling any model with reported safety issues, whether or not they’ve caused accidents, injuries, or deaths. Toyota announced today that it will add 50,000 2003 Sequoia SUVs to its list of recalled vehicles to fix stability control issues that arise when accelerating from a stop. Knowing that the public relations damage has already set in, the company is taking steps to emerge as a leader in auto safety.
Here on the GJEL blog, we keep track of many issues related to bike safety, including new proposed texting laws for cyclists, the environmental benefits of cycling, and a cyclist’s legal rights after being “doored” by a parked cars. This week, GJEL Accident Attorneys was proud to give back to the East Bay’s cyclist community by donating two brand new bicycles to Cycles of Change, a non-profit organization that promotes healthy urban communities throughout the region.
This Saturday night 17-year-old Oakland driver caused an fatal accident while under the influence of alcohol. The driver, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, was arrested on vehicular manslaughter charges for the death of 22-year-old Martin Contreras. He has been busted on DUI charges before, which carries a suspended license penalty of six months for a first-time offender in California. If California had stricter ignition-interlock laws, the accident could have been avoided.
