Morgantown Personal Injury Lawyer

Some of the most inspiring and heartwarming stories on the news are those detailing military families being reunited after a long deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan. While we are well aware that many of these returning men and women may encounter difficulty readjusting to civilian life, we tend to think of this difficulty as perhaps being isolated to work and/or the home. As it turns out, some returning military members also encounter difficulties on our nation's many roads and highways, and are actually at an increased risk of being involved in a serious car accident.

According to a recent study by USAA -- an insurance company that specializes in serving military personnel and their families -- service members returning from deployment are 13 percent more likely to cause a car crash in the six months after their return than the six months prior.

Breaking the numbers down, the USAA study found the following:

• Army personnel returning from deployment were 23 percent more likely to cause an auto wreck in the 6 months after their return from deployment
• Marine personnel returning from deployment were 12.5 percent more likely to cause an auto wreck in the 6 months after their return from deployment
• Navy personnel returning from deployment were 3 percent more likely to cause an auto wreck in the 6 months after their return from deployment
• Air Force personnel returning from deployment were 2 percent more likely to cause an auto wreck in the 6 months after their return from deployment

Last week, we reported on how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) -- the federal agency charged with the task of preventing serious commercial motor vehicle/truck accidents via "strong enforcement of safety regulations" -- made headlines in the trucking industry with its announcement concerning sleep apnea evaluations.

Here, the FMCSA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that it was adopting the recommendations of two agency panels -- the Medical Review Board and the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee -- that all truck drivers with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, or who have been involved in a fatigue-related truck crash undergo an evaluation by medical examiners for sleep apnea.

In addition to announcing that it was adopting these recommendations, the notice also solicited comments on screening and treatment of sleep apnea.

Now, it appears as if the FMCSA had second thoughts about its adoption of the panel's sleep apnea evaluations.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) -- the federal agency charged with the task of preventing serious commercial motor vehicle/truck accidents via "strong enforcement of safety regulations," and the "strengthening of ... equipment and operating standards" -- is once again making headlines in the trucking industry following its recent announcement concerning sleep apnea evaluations.

Last Friday, the FMCSA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that it was adopting the recommendations of two agency panels -- the Medical Review Board and the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee -- that all truck drivers with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, or who have been involved in a fatigue-related truck crash undergo an evaluation by medical examiners for sleep apnea.

In addition to announcing that it was adopting these recommendations, the notice also solicited comments on screening and treatment of sleep apnea. In fact, it is highly likely that these recommendations and comments will soon be incorporated into a permanent federal rule.

If asked to identify what types of drivers were perhaps the most likely to be involved in a car accident resulting in personal injuries, you would more likely answer young drivers because of their lack of experience behind the wheel. As it turns out, the same can probably be said of motorcycle riders.

According to studies performed by the Highway Loss Data Institute -- which is affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety -- riders are at the greatest risk of being involved in motorcycle accidents during their first year on their bikes, particularly during their first month.

Specifically, the institute studies found the following eye-opening statistics:

• A motorcyclist's first 30 days of riding are four times more dangerous than their entire second year of riding
• From 2003 to 2007, 22 percent of the 57,000 motorcycle collision claims submitted were for accidents that occurred within the first 30 days of an insurance policy taking effect
• From 2003 to 2007, over half of the claims on sport bikes -- often favored by young riders for their light weight and speed -- were filed during the first three months of an insurance policy taking effect