NHTSA to Conduct Electric Vehicle Safety Symposium

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announces that it will be hosting a one-day symposium on May 18, Friday. The conference will tackle safety issues related to lithium-ion or Li-ion batteries that are being used in electric vehicles.

Several representatives from the auto and battery making industries, along with government panel participants, are expected to join the symposium.

The symposium aims to gather key stakeholders in an event to share knowledge and information on the status of safety activities that can be linked to the use of Li-ion batteries in vehicles, the NHTSA said in a statement in its official website.

The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the West Building Atrium of the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters situated at New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.

No attendance fee is required, but early registration is recommended since slots are limited. As a requirement, participants need to bring a government-issued photo ID for security purposes.

Issues regarding Li-ion battery’s safety became more public since November2011 when a Chevy Volt caught fire a few weeks after the NHTSA conducted a crash test. Earlier this year, the agency regulator conducted an investigation that declared electric vehicles are no more of a fire risk.  

However, just earlier this month, another standard battery pack at a General Motor (GM) plant situated at Michigan burst into fire after an extreme stress testing. GM said that the said accident involved a battery that was being tested under high pressure. The fire reportedly left six workers seriously injured with $5 million worth of damages.

Now, to lessen the risk of fire after an electric vehicle was involved in a car accident, the NHTSA is doing everything possible to inform the public about road safety and everything that people has to know. Even a personal injury lawyer Los Angeles here is hoping for further similar public awareness programs to come so that people wouldn’t be like lost in the middle of nowhere due to insufficient knowledge.

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1 Dead, 4 Missing in Farallon Islands Boat Race Accident

At least one person was killed while four others are still missing following a boat race mishap along Farallon Island.

According to the Coast Guard, the 38-foot sailing vessel known as Low Speed Chase was one of the participants in the 2012 Full Crew Farallones Race that started at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco last Saturday afternoon. The Coast Guard further said that the 8 people on board the boat were all experienced sailors.

A spokesperson from the Coast Guard said that a huge wave hit the boat, which caused four people to be thrown into the water. The boat captain, James Bradford, then turned the boat around to fetch them out of the water. That’s when another wave subsequently hit the boat, which led it to crash into the rocks of the Fallon Island. Due to its collision with the rocks, the boat’s captain apparently lost entire control of the boat.

A helicopter from Air Station San Francisco, an 87-foot cutter, a 47-foot boat from Golden Gate, and two Blackhawk helicopters from the 129th Air National Guard Unit at Moffett Field immediately responded to the accident scene.

At least three people were able to get into the rocks while one was pronounced dead and four people were still missing. It was not yet confirmed whether the captain was among the missing. Based on the list of race participants, the crews were described as young people.

The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay, through its official website, said more than five boats registered for the annual yacht race and all boats returned safely except for the Low Speed Chase.

The annual sailboat race around the Farallon Islands has been a tradition in San Francisco since the early 1900s. The association is offering its thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the missing crews, having a wishful thinking that the four missing crews would return home safely.

Nowadays, many people don’t realize the dangers present in boats as compared to other types of land vehicles. People usually believe that dangers are much minimal, and serious personal injuries are far possible in boats. Definitely, such accident can prove people’s underestimations were wrong, since boat accidents have been reported to occur in US on such large ratio. Even a personal injury lawyer Los Angeles can prove such.

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Pedestrian Walking Through Red Light Hit by a Train

A Metro Blue train in Watts last February 12 at 103rd Street and Grandee Avenue in California struck a man while was walking through a red light.

According to the investigation, the pedestrian missed to see the incoming southbound train because he was then looking for a northbound train. The man disregarded the red light. He walked through the traffic lights even though the traffic arm barriers and the other pedestrians and vehicles had stopped causing him to be struck by the fast approaching southbound train.

The man was taken to St. Francis Medical Center for the serious injuries he sustained from the incident. He was listed in serious condition and his identity was not released until Sunday night.

On the other hand, the train driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries while two other train passengers, who complained minor injuries, were given medical treatment right at the accident scene and have been released almost immediately.

Los Angeles Police Department Police officer, Sgt. Jerome Calhoun said that the man struck by the Metro Blue Line Train was not paying attention. He added that they don’t understand why people think that they can beat the trains for some reason.

Each year, there are always accidents that occur at the intersection near shopping malls, residences wherein both people and vehicles are often busy especially during rush hours.

Crossing the busy roads without giving proper care and attention, disregarding traffic rules and regulations and being unmindful while crossing the streets are the most common cause of fatal pedestrian accidents like what happened to the person who walked through the red light.

In this case, the accident was caused by the pedestrian’s negligence. Therefore, no one still to blame but the pedestrian alone, nevertheless, in some cases where one’s injuries were caused by other people’s carelessness, a victim could have a legal assistance from a personal injury lawyer Los Angeles specializing in pedestrian accidents.

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