Thanksgiving is a time of year when we can take an opportunity to offer thanks, spend time with our loved ones, and enjoy turkey roast and pumpkin pies.  It’s a time for remembering, cherishing and being thankful for all the good things we have been blessed with.

Unfortunately Thanksgiving is also a time of year for high traffic volume and auto accidents. According to a new AAA survey, 42.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during this Thanksgiving holiday. That’s a four percent increase from the 40.9 million people who traveled one year ago.

Refer to our Tips for Safe Driving on Texas Roads this Holiday Season while making travel plans and travel safely throughout the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Millions of holiday travelers will be hitting the highways this holiday season. This means that Texas roads will be busy, and it’s important to follow a few tips to increase your odds of staying safe and accident-free.

Before you head out, if you are travelling to a cold climate, winterize your car. This includes checking your fluid levels, brakes, defroster, heater, tires, battery and wipers. Be sure your car has an emergency kit, which should include items such as blankets, flashlights, an ice scraper, a bag of salt or sand, non-perishable food and water, and jumper cables.

If the roads are ice or snowy in the area to which you are driving, don’t drive unless absolutely necessary. Increase your following distance on slippery roads. Experts recommend keeping at least five seconds between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. If you are in Texas and are concerned about road conditions, call (800) 452-9292 for a list of road conditions.

It’s always a good idea before travelling to plan in advance. Check to see if you will encounter any construction zones on your trip at http://www.txdot.gov/travel/road_conditions.htm, and this information will allow you to give yourself extra time if needed.

The holiday season is wonderful but travelling can quickly become a nightmare. If you have been involved in a Dallas accident due to the fault of another driver, contact Kris Barber, Dallas accident attorney, at 817-329-5095. He will strive to help you make your case as quick and hassle-free as possible.

Tragically, a bicyclist was hit by a suspected drunk driver on Euless Boulevard last Sunday. The bicyclist was hit by an SUV, and remains in very critical condition. The man was unidentified for several days before police released a photo of him, and he was identified shortly thereafter.

It’s always tragic when an accident involving a drunk driver occurs, because it could so easily have been prevented. Although there is probably nothing this bicyclist could have done to avoid the accident, there are ways to try to stay safer while biking in Dallas. Unfortunately, according to the NHTSA, between 600 and 800 bicyclists were killed in U.S. traffic accidents each year between 1998 and 2008.

First, be sure to wear a properly fitted helmet. Many of those killed in biking accidents die due to head injuries. Also, make sure your bicycle is adjusted to fit your body. Is your bicycle in good working order? Do your brakes work? Are your tires inflated properly?

Second, it sounds like common sense, but don’t ride a bicycle if you are under the influence of alcohol. Tragically, alcohol is a factor in around one-third of accidents that result in bicycle fatalities in the U.S., either because the bicyclist or a driver was drinking.

Finally, be sure to be visible, alert and let others know of your intentions. Wear bright colors or neon when riding, even during the daytime. Put reflective tape or lights on your bicycle, especially if you plan on biking at night. Keep alert for the actions of other drivers and be ready to stop if necessary. Signal all turns or lane changes.

Bicycling can be a fun hobby and a great way to keep in shape, but it’s important to keep in mind that drivers may not always be alert to your presence. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident in the Dallas area due to the negligence of another driver, contact Kris Barber, Dallas personal injury attorney, at 972-231-5800. He will advise you on whether you have a cause of action against the driver, and what your next steps should be.

Around 10 p.m. last night, a construction crane collapsed in a construction zone near Interstate 20 in Grand Prairie. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the crane collapse. Also, according to a spokesperson, traffic was not affected Wednesday because of the collapse. Officials are currently trying to determine the cause of the collapse. A portion of the crane has been left draped over an elevated highway that’s currently under construction.

Although no one was hurt in this crane accident, cranes can be deadly, particularly when they collapse in high traffic areas. If you have been injured in any type of construction accident in the Dallas area, contact Dallas construction accident attorney Kris Barber at 817-329-5095. He will advise you on whether you have a good case or not and the next steps to take in pursuing your claim.

Generally, a person who is injured by a product he or she used could have a claim against the manufacturer or the retailer for product liability. Those claims usually fall into one of three categories: (1) defective design; (2) defective manufacture; or (3) failure to provide proper warnings or instructions. It’s important to understand the difference in these types of claims, as that can help you understand whether you may have a case for product liability or not.

Defectively designed products. In this type of product liability, a product’s design is inherently dangerous or defective. These claims originate when an entire product line is correctly made, but the design itself is dangerous. Some examples of design defects include prescription drugs with very dangerous side effects, a curling iron that catches on fire when left on too long, or a vehicle that flips easily when travelling at a high rate of speed. In order to pursue a claim for a defectively designed product, you must show that your injury was caused by the defective design.

Defectively manufactured products. In this type of product liability, the product is properly designed, but it was flawed because of an error while manufacturing it. This means that the entire product line would be fine, but your particular product was defective. Some examples of defectively manufactured products are a vehicle that’s missing its brake pads, a jar of peanut butter containing a toxic substance, or a trampoline with broken springs. In order to pursue a claim for a defectively manufactured product, you must show that your injury was caused by the defect.

Failure to provide adequate warnings or instructions. This type of product liability involves a failure to provide warnings or instructions about the product’s proper use. Usually, this means that the product is dangerous in some type of way that’s not obvious, but no warnings were given about the hidden danger. Some examples would be a medicine that doesn’t give warnings that it shouldn’t be taken in combination with another medicine or a dangerous chemical that’s sold without instructions on how to store it.

Product liability claims can sometimes be complex. It can often be difficult to know whether you even have a valid product liability claim. If you have been injured by a defective product, contact Dallas product liability attorney Kris Barber at 972-231-5800.

Tragically, a pickup truck driver was killed and his passenger was seriously injured yesterday in Plano when the truck they were riding in flipped multiple times. When the accident occurred, the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed on E. Plano Parkway. The driver hit the curb, causing the vehicle to overturn. The truck eventually came to rest in a field.

The driver was ejected from the truck. He was rushed to the hospital where he died a short time later. The passenger was taken to the hospital in serious condition, but is expected to live.

Pickup trucks are more likely to flip than other vehicles because of their higher center of gravity. Have you been involved in a pickup truck accident in the Dallas area due to another driver’s negligence? If so, contact Dallas accident attorney Kris Barber at 972-231-5800 to learn more about your legal rights.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area has become a hub for major sporting events, festivals, and other events and attractions that draw thousands of tourists into the area. Although events such as the World Series bring a lot of attention and tourism dollars into the Dallas/Fort Worth area, they also bring a lot of traffic headaches for many residents.

With this being the second year in a row of the World Series coming to Arlington, the city of Arlington made a lot of plans to avoid the extreme congestion associated with a major sporting event. In addition to the World Series, the Dallas Cowboys hosted the St. Louis Rams during one game of the World Series, and during that time, there were also several other events going on in the area.

Additional parking lots were opened up to handle the traffic, and each had several access points. During days when the Cowboys were not playing, additional parking was available in lots in the Cowboys Stadium. The city of Arlington also set up a special World Series website that contained updated information on traffic and parking. Even with the advance preparation, traffic in the area was still a nightmare for many drivers.

When driving to events with a huge turnout, such as a World Series game, experts recommend leaving early, wearing comfortable shoes, and preparing for a long walk. It’s also a good idea to be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. Also, avoid leaving valuables in your vehicles. Thieves often see huge sporting events as a great opportunity. It’s also important to avoid parking on private property. If you park in a private business’s lot, you risk parking illegally and giving your money to scam artists who don’t own the lot, and you could get towed.

If you are attending a big event in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, be careful and have fun. If you have been involved in an accident in the area due to the negligence of another careless driver, contact Kris Barber, Dallas automobile accident attorney, at 972-231-5800 to pursue your legal options.

A tragic accident occurred north of Dallas yesterday in Fairview, where a worker was killed and another is missing after repairing a sewer line. Authorities say one of the men went into the sewer to remove a plug on a sewer line. The man was most likely overcome by gas from the sewer. When the man didn’t emerge, a second man went to find him and didn’t come out.

The body of the first man to go into the sewer was found yesterday morning. Authorities are looking for the second man but are not hopeful of finding him alive. It is standard procedure to check air quality before going into a sewer, but because the men were basically done with the project when they realize they had one line to unplug, they might have failed to follow safety recommendations. OSHA is currently investigating the accident.

If you have been injured in an accident at the workplace, you or your loved ones may be able to either collect workers’ compensation payment or other compensation for your injuries. Call Dallas workers’ compensation attorney Kris Barber at 972-231-5800 to learn more.