Child Safety

Free Thumb Socks! New Campaign to Stop Texting & Driving

August 1, 2010 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

I just finished up a case where a violent head on collision was caused by a texting teen. In my case, luckily no one was killed, but texting and driving is a huge problem that is killing American teens. Do Something.org’s Thumb Wars is a national campaign to help educate drivers on the dangers of texting and driving. Check out the site, they have free thumb socks! What are thumb socks you ask? Watch the video.

In the video above Ken Jeong (Community, The Hangover) and Joel McHale (Community, The Soup) share the sobering fact that car accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths in the U.S., while demonstrating how difficult it is to text when your thumbs are wearing socks.

In an attempt to fix this huge problem, the State of Georgia recently passed a law banning texting while driving. So who knows, if fear of a big traffic ticket doesn’t stop the problem, maybe thumb socks will.

McDonalds Issues Recall of Promotional Shrek Glasses Containing Cadmium

June 6, 2010 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Cadmium is a carcinogen known to cause adverse health problems including bone softening, severe kidney problems, and hindered brain development. In spite of this, dangerously high levels of Cadmium are still being discovered in dangerous products marketed to our children. On Friday, June 4, McDonald’s announced it was recalling all Shrek promotional glasses due to abnormally high levels of Cadmium in the paint. At the time of the recall, McDonald’s had sold an estimated 7 million glasses. Congresswoman, Jackie Speier, began an investigation into the Shrek glasses after receiving an anonymous tip concerning high levels of Cadmium in the paint. Following this investigation McDonald’s issued a voluntary recall. “Our children’s health should not depend on the consciences of anonymous sources,” Speier said. “Although McDonald’s did the right thing by recalling these products, we need stronger testing standards to ensure that all children’s products are proven safe before they hit the shelves.”

The McDonald’s recall is just the latest. Early this spring, the consumer protection agency, issue three recalls for children’s jewelry containing high levels of Cadmium.

7 Rules to Keep Teen Drivers Safe

May 11, 2010 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

School is out for the summer and teen drivers are spending more time behind the wheel. Recent studies indicate teen drivers engage in more risky in-vehicle behavior during the summer months, which likely accounts for the increased number of fatal car wrecks during the summer. According to the NHTSA, car crashes are the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 19 years old. It is important for parents to set safe driving rules and pay attention to their teenager’s activities. As a Georgia personal injury lawyer that has seen too many tragic collisions, here are seven basic rules:

1. Never send text messages or talk on a cell phone while driving. Talking on a cell phone while driving distracts the brain and reduces your reaction time. Using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of a crash twice as much as driving drunk.

2. Always buckle up. Approximately two thirds of teen drivers killed in automobile collisions were not wearing seatbelts.