Red Light Cameras: Nuisance or Life Saver

Do those red light cameras irritate you?  Well, think about this: that camera may have saved your life.

A study released yesterday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that those red light cameras cut fatal crashes by 24 percent in the 14 U.S. cities that introduced red light cameras between 1996 and 2004.

This means over 100 lives have been saved in those forward thinking states monitoring intersections to reduce speed, fatal crashes, and other vehicle collisions.

These red light cameras are also a cheaper, safer alternative to officers enforcing red light running.  They conserve manpower and keep police officers where they are really needed: fighting crime.

This report will hopefully put things into perspective for those who have received tickets because of these lights.  The focus should shift from the driver’s inconvenience and expense to those who have been killed or injured by drivers who have run red lights.  These lights aren’t solely cash cows for government, they are life saving devices.  Especially since police reported that the majority of the people who died in fatal collisions - 64 percent - were not driving the vehicle that ran the light. They were passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. 

I can make that light.  We’ve all thought that before, but that’s the exact mindset that causes vehicle collisions.  Now, with red light cameras in place, drivers will think twice about running a yellow, which could avoid another vehicle fatality.

Sources:

King5

Washington Post

Know Your Rights: Auto Accidents

By John Christensen

Never make rash decisions when dealing with your auto insurance company regarding claims.   They may try to get you to settle early by telling you their “settlement offer” will only be open for a short period of time.  First, talk to an attorney about the value of your claim. 

The law in the State of Washington allows you up to three years to settle your case if you are injured in an auto collision.  This is because not all people heal at the same rate and not all injuries are immediately known.  At the MBC Law Firm we tell our clients to make sure they are either completely healed or have arrived at what is called “Maximum Medical Improvement” before they even consider trying to settle their case.

There is a saying in the law that “one who settles early, settles foolishly.”  Insurance companies want to settle early before you are aware of the full extent of your injuries.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Once you settle a claim, you can’t go back and ask for more money even if your injuries have worsened. 

Insurance companies look out for themselves.  At MBC we look out for you.  Don’t give into their high pressure tactics, give me a call and I’ll make sure your rights, not those of the insurance company, are protected. 

Time for an Insurance Check Up

By John Christensen

Most of us, after sufficient “encouragement” from our spouses, kids or parents, eventually make time for our yearly medical and dental check-ups.  We may not like it, but it keeps us healthy and allows us to make any changes in our lifestyle that ensure we can continue to lead happy and healthy lives. 

We should all do the same thing with our insurance policies.  Just like good health, which we take for granted until we don’t have it, good insurance is something many of us don’t give a second thought about until there is an accident or emergency.  Having helped victims of serious injuries for most of my 20 years as an attorney, one of the hardest things to tell people is that their ability to recover what they have lost because of someone else’s negligence is restricted or simply not available because of the lack of insurance on their part or on the part of the person who caused injury.

Every year you should take a look at your automobile and personal liability insurance policies to make sure that you have sufficient limits to cover your own assets and just as important, to “protect” your assets in the event you are responsible for causing injury to someone else. Fall is the perfect time to do this because the carefree time of Summer is over and the hazards of Winter driving are just around the corner. 

Some specifics in your auto policy that you should check include the amount of your primary liability coverage.  The State of Washington mandates liability limits of only $25,000 per person.  With the high price of medical care this amount can quickly be exceeded for many minor or moderate injuries putting your personal assets, including your house and bank account, in jeopardy.  Check with your insurance agent to see about increasing your liability limits to $50,000 or even $100,000.  You will be surprised how little the premiums increase for doubling or even quadrupling your coverage.  The peace of mind you will gain knowing that you are better protected is priceless. 

Next, make sure that you have Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, coverage and Underinsured Motorist Coverage.  PIP covers most all types of medical treatment for you and the passengers who are injured in a collision regardless of who is at fault.  PIP coverage also provides much needed wage loss compensation when you are unable to work because of your injuries.  It even pays for medical treatment for pedestrians that you hit while driving! 

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage or UM/UIM provides benefits to you when you are hit by someone who either has no insurance at all or insufficient insurance to cover the full extent of your injuries.  PIP and UIM coverages are must haves to make sure you and your loved ones are fully protected on the road.

Some people ask why they need PIP if they have private medical insurance.  My response is that it never hurts to be over insured, but it always hurts to be underinsured. The benefits that PIP bring include no deductibles, no mandatory co-pays, and PIP usually pays 100% of the bill compared to private insurance that pays 80% leaving you to pay the balance.

Click here for Consumer Reports' guide on choosing car insurance.