The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is researching the benefits of establishing a new standard for tire tread depth. 

Currently, the federal government requires that a “wear bar” is built into a tire by the manufacture. This is done at the depth of 2/32 inches. Minimum tread standards are regulated by state and 37 states have minimum tread standards of 2/32 inches. 

The NHTSA is looking into changing the minimum standard to 4/32 inches. This is supposed to increase breaking distance on wet surfaces and may help prevent injuries and fatalities in car wrecks. If a new minimum standard is established, tires will be taken out of circulation once the tread reaches 4/32 inches instead of 2/32 inches.  

The COO of Michelin Americas Research Co., Dave Stafford, has stated that Michelin does not support a new NHTSA standard because of the influx of tires that would be needed in order to maintain the standard. In the

Two product liability cases filed in Marshall, Texas allege that General Motors used faulty seatbelts in vehicles. Both cases were filed the last week of February, 2008.

One case alleges that General Motors was negligent in regards to the design and manufacturing of the 2004 Cadillac DeVille. A woman sustained serious injuries during a car wreck when her seat belt failed to protect her.

The lawsuit claims that the seat belt was defective and violated the established federal standards for seat belt crashworthiness.

The second suit was filed regarding the crashworthiness of a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina. The suit alleges that a women sustained fatal injuries during a car wreck due to a faulty seat belt. The suit accuses General Motors of violating the federal standards of crashworthiness.

If your or a loved on have been seriously or fatally injured during a car wreck due to safety belt defects, contact a seat belt attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced seat belt lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.

As of March 1^st, New Jersey police will have the authority to pull over and ticket drivers for using hand-help cell phones while operating a vehicle.  The revised law allows drivers to use hands-free devices, but makes using hand-held phones a primary offense, allowing police to pull over a driver without any other traffic violations.   Drivers caught talking or text messaging on a hands-held device can be fined up to $100 and face a surcharge of $250. 

The revised law will take effect despite evidence that hands-free devices still only have a marginal effect on the likelihood of being in a car wreck. Current research shows that there isn’t a difference between hands-held and hands-free in regards to the level of driver distraction.   Police reported 3,580 accidents across New Jersey that involved cell phone use in 2006. According to the Department of Transportation, 2006 is the first year that the type of cell phone use during car wrecks has been accounted for.   Of the 3,580 reported accidents, the number is evenly split in regards to hands-free and hands-held devices at 1,854 to 1,726. Out of the 3,580, 11 of the wrecks were fatal. Out of these 11, it is again split. Six fatal car wrecks involved drivers using hands-held and five involved drivers using hands-free. 

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car wreck due to driver distraction from a cell phone, contact a driver distraction attorney of Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced driver distraction lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.