Selander, of the personal injury law firm Selander O’Brien, says Washington State’s ban on texting while driving must be coupled with law enforcement, education.

Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) January 23, 2010 — Driving while sending text messages is banned in Washington State, and talking on a cell phone while driving poses a serious danger, a Seattle personal injury attorney says.

Kenneth Selander Jr. (http://www.personalinjurywashington.com/attorney_bio.asp), of the Seattle law firm of Selander O’Brien, PLLC (http://www.personalinjurywashington.com/index.asp) said a new study by the National Safety Council underscores how pervasive the problem is of driving while talking on a cell phone.

More than one-fourth of all traffic accidents in the U.S. occur while drivers talk on their cell phones or send text messages, the National Safety Council said. According to the study, 1.4 million traffic accidents occur annually because people are talking on cell phones, and another 200,000 wrecks happen because people are sending text messages. In total, the study says 28 percent of all traffic accidents involve talking and texting on cell phones.

“It’s shocking that so many wrecks — more than one of every four — involve someone texting or talking on a cell phone,” Selander said. “Phoning while driving is always reaching the wrong number.”

In 2007, Washington State became the first state to pass a law that banned driving while texting. Lawmakers were moved to adopt the ban after a 53-year-old male driver checking his email caused a five-vehicle pileup involving a bus on Interstate 5 outside Seattle, closing the highway for more than a hour. Before the ban went into effect, Washington Traffic Safety Commission officials said about a quarter of teenagers surveyed said they sent text messages while driving.

“Washington State was among the first to recognize the serious danger posed by texting while driving,” Selander said. “But simply recognizing the hazard isn’t enough. Curbing the problem requires aggressive police enforcement too. Education plus enforcement are the keys to avoiding needless accidents and saving lives.”

Since Washington adopted the ban, 18 other states have also banned texting while driving. Last year, the federal government also banned federal employees from sending text messages while driving government vehicles or while using government-issued cell phones in a car.

About Selander O’Brien PLLC

Kenneth Selander Jr., of Selander O’Brien PLLC (http://www.personalinjurywashington.com/index.asp) has represented injury victims in Washington for more than two decades. Washington Law and Politics Magazine named Kenneth Selander a Super Lawyer in its 2007, 2008 and 2009 listings. Super Lawyers is conferred on only 5 percent of attorneys in Washington State in any single year.

For a free consultation, call 1-866-681-0002 toll free or submit an online contact form (http://www.personalinjurywashington.com/contact_us.asp). The firm handles personal injury and car accident cases (http://www.personalinjurywashington.com/car_accidents.asp) in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Edmonds, Mercer Island, Sammamish, Renton, Lynnwood, Federal Way, Burien, Everett, Auburn, Kent, Issaquah, Tacoma and throughout Washington State.

InventHelp®, America’s leading inventor service company, announces that one of its clients, an inventor from California, has designed a tool that could enable the user to retrieve an item from the truck bed quickly and without any strain. This invention is patented.

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) January 22, 2010 — The “Truck Buddy” would feature a telescopic tool with an easy-to-grip handle and an angled “grabber” located at the other end. The tool would help to eliminate the need to climb in and out of the cargo bed repeatedly, thus minimizing the risk of back strain and injury. The easy to use, compact design would allow for easy storage. The item would be ideal for physically challenged individuals.

The Truck Buddy would consist of a base handle, telescopic pole, hinge and gripping arm. The 5-1/2 inch long arm would be attached to the end of the pole via a hinged connection. The arm would collapse against the handle when not in use. The handle would measure five inches in diameter and six inches high. The tool could measure six feet long when fully extended. The item could be producible from aluminum or stainless steel. Two magnets would be affixed to the side of the handle. A user would retrieve an item from the cargo bed by holding the handle in one hand and extending the pole with the other hand. After the user hooks and pulls the item within reach, he or she would retract the pole back into the handle for convenient storage. The user may attach the tool to the inner wall of the truck bed via the magnets or store the tool inside a cargo pocket located in a van or SUV. A small light-emitting diode may be built into the handle

InventHelp® is attempting to submit the invention to companies for review. If substantial interest is expressed, the company will attempt to negotiate for a sale or royalties for the inventor. For more information, telephone Dept. 06-SAM-3139 at (800) 851-6030. Learn more about InventHelp® and their Invention Submission services at http://www.inventhelp.com.

Searches for Car Makes, Models, and Years Feature DriverSide’s Broad Set of Content

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 21, 2010 — DriverSide (www.driverside.com), provider of the ultimate website for car owners and the most comprehensive customer attraction and retention program for the auto industry, today announced a new relationship with Ask.com that makes DriverSide the primary provider of automotive-related content for Ask’s Smart Answers™. Users’ search results will now include such information as photos of vehicles and multiple links to data and tools specific to selected vehicles, all designed to deliver the world’s most trusted Answers on Ask.com.

DriverSide’s tools and information are designed to help the 190 million US drivers save money and time in all aspects of car ownership. The DriverSide partnership now allows visitors to Ask.com who search for a car to see comprehensive information on the vehicle, its resale value (http://www.driverside.com/value-your-car), parts and accessories, listings and reviews, and even detailed repair and maintenance features. Access to all of these features is presented within the Ask Smart Answer™ as shown on search results pages. DriverSide.com provides consumers with an exact estimate of what to pay for common types of repairs, car diagnostics and estimates, access to a panel of certified auto mechanics (http://www.driverside.com/ask-mechanic), and factory service schedules, among many other features.

“We are pleased to be working with Ask to deliver the best and most trusted Answers for their automotive users,” said Jad Dunning, CEO of DriverSide. “Ask continues to innovate in search and provides the best Answers on the web, and DriverSide’s broad set of content for each stage of ownership cycle is a natural complement.”

About DriverSide

Recognized by CNET as the best site to use to maintain your vehicle, Driverside.com is the first website specifically designed for automobile owners. DriverSide allows consumers to save money on servicing and maintenance costs, diagnose car problems (http://www.driverside.com/car-diagnostic) as well as buy and sell automobiles. DriverSide’s in-house editorial staff offers useful advice on how to own and operate a vehicle and new and used auto reviews (http://www.driverside.com/reviews). The site’s community features allow consumers to participate in forums, meet other owners of a particular vehicle, share knowledge, and post reviews on mechanics and dealers. The company also works with businesses across the auto industry to provide comprehensive programs designed to attract and retain customers and increase profits.

DriverSide was founded in fall, 2007 by Internet entrepreneurs Trevor Traina, Adam Jackson, and Jad Dunning. The company is funded by Catamount Ventures and Allegis Capital. For more information, go to www.driverside.com.

J.D. Power Dependability Study Data to Help Drivers Anticipate Potential Future Issues with Their Cars Before They Happen

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 21, 2010 — DriverSide (www.driverside.com), provider of the ultimate website for car owners and the most comprehensive customer attraction and retention program for the auto industry, today announced a new initiative with J.D. Power and Associates that makes available highlights from previously unseen vehicle dependability data so that drivers can now understand the most frequently occurring issues with popular car makes and models, as well as common problems for various classes of vehicles.

The “Problem Predictor” is designed to help owners of various models anticipate potential future problems most commonly associated with those cars. The feature is also relevant to potential car buyers who will have insight into the issues they could face post purchase. Visitors to www.driverside.com can now see the top five symptoms (http://www.driverside.com/common-car-problems) encountered by other drivers of mainstream vehicles and how they relate to common issues for the corresponding class of car. For example, consumers could learn that the number one problem encountered by other owners of a certain midsize car is “brake issues” and that the issue is not common for other midsize cars.

“The J.D. Power information is based on feedback from the most important critics—verified vehicle owners,” said Peter Marlow, vice president and general manager, Corporate Communications and Marketing, J.D. Power. “This initiative with DriverSide derives highlights from our industry standard automotive research and provides it to consumers in ways that help them make more informed decisions.”

DriverSide.com visitors can use this new information as part of a strategy to anticipate and prevent future problems. All issues listed on the website are linked to extensive glossaries, helpful diagnostic tools (http://www.driverside.com/car-diagnostic) and directly to DriverSide staff mechanics (http://www.driverside.com/ask-mechanic) who offer consumers free advice.

“Car owners and car buyers will have more information than ever before to help them maintain their vehicles,” said Trevor Traina, chairman of DriverSide. “This new program is part of our strategy to offer drivers every possible tool to help them save time and money. DriverSide is excited to work with J.D. Power to make this valuable information available.”

About J. D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings (http://www.jdpower.com/auto/browse.aspx), car insurance (http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/autos-insurance), health insurance (http://www.jdpower.com/healthcare/), cell phone ratings (http://www.jdpower.com/telecom/ratings/wireless/index.asp), and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, Capital IQ, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

About DriverSide

Recognized by CNET as the best site to use to maintain your vehicle, Driverside.com is the first website specifically designed for automobile owners. DriverSide allows consumers to save money on servicing and maintenance costs, diagnose car problems as well as buy and sell automobiles. DriverSide’s in-house editorial staff offers useful advice on how to own and operate a vehicle and new and used auto reviews. The site’s community features allow consumers to participate in forums, meet other owners of a particular vehicle, share knowledge, and post reviews on mechanics and dealers. The company also works with businesses across the auto industry to provide comprehensive programs designed to attract and retain customers and increase profits.

DriverSide was founded in Fall, 2007 by Internet entrepreneurs Trevor Traina, Adam Jackson, and Jad Dunning. The company is funded by Catamount Ventures and Allegis Capital. For more information, go to www.driverside.com.

Detours of Arizona and Open Road Tours Offer Tours to Arizona’s Favorite Destinations, all Departing from Tempe Hotels

Tempe, Ariz. (Vocus) — As the temperatures drop and snow piles up across the country, vacationers often look to Arizona for an escape from the winter’s cold chill. Oftentimes, the exciting decision to take a trip is overshadowed by the burden of planning how to get there, how to get around town and what to see and do. But, in Tempe, Arizona, Open Road Tours and Detours of Arizona make trip planning hassle free and fun. Now is the best time to book tours before they sell out during the busy winter and spring season.

Tempe, Arizona (http://www.tempecvb.com/things-to-do/Transportation-And-Tours.aspx) is the perfect starting place to explore the entire state by taking day trips to the Grand Canyon, Sedona or Tombstone. Both Open Road Tours and Detours of Arizona will pick up and drop off Arizona visitors at any Tempe hotel or resort.

Open Road Tours, a division of Creative Travel Management LLC, has been providing scheduled and custom tours throughout Arizona and the West since 1987. The owners and their staff have a love of Arizona that truly comes across in each and every tour. Their mission has always been to share their passion for the West with others through safe, fun and educational travel. They have entertained groups as small as two and as large as several thousand. The “Web specials” link on www.openroadtours.com features seasonal money saving offers.

Detours of Arizona is an Arizona–based tour company that was created by tour guides who remember what it was like to experience the wonders of Arizona for the first time. Detours transports individual visitors and small groups in a fleet of customized, comfortable vehicles, including luxury SUVs and 10 and 13 passenger vans with leather captain’s chairs. They pride themselves on being able to transport guests to Arizona’s best sights and their vehicles allow them to explore off the beaten path dirt roads along the way. The Detours Web site, www.detoursaz.com, features details about each tour and you can sign up for an email newsletter to receive their latest specials.

Some of the most popular day tours take guests to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tucson and Tombstone. Tours of the legendary and scenic Apache Trail, located just minutes from Tempe, are most popular in the spring when the desert wildflowers are in full bloom. Arizona is rich with spectacular scenery, fascinating culture and interesting characters. The best way to experience it is with guides that know each area inside and out.

In addition to day trips, Detours also offers half-day or full-day tours, even overnight trips and adventurous options like jeep, helicopter or Grand Canyon Railroad excursions. Detours is AAA Arizona’s preferred operator.

Open Road Tours offers a valley discovery tour, where guests can see some of the most popular sites in the Tempe, Phoenix and Scottsdale area. Open Road Tours is also featuring their Experiential Journeys trips this year. The Experiential trips are all completely custom. Guests can choose from pre-designed itineraries such as Sedona (or Southern Arizona) Wine Country, Native American Cultures, Spiritual Renewal, Art and Artists and several others. Or, Open Road can completely design a custom tour based on the interests of the guests. For the local visitor, it doesn’t have to be a far-reaching multi-day trip. Open Road can customize day trips as well.

For more information, please contact Detours of Arizona at 866-438-6877 or visit www.detoursaz.com. Contact Open Road Tours at 800-766-7117 or visit www.openroadtours.com.