This week’s question comes from Terry C. from San Francisco “is it true that somebody hacked into a regular car and took over control from the driver. Who is responsible if that happens and someone is injured or killed?”
What kinds of distractions are there on the road?
There are three kinds of distracted drivers that put others at risk on the roads. The three types include manual, visual and cognitive distractions. If you’re injured in an accident, it’s possible that one of these kinds of distractions was the cause.
Are Uber Drivers Employees or Contractors?
This week’s question comes from Alicia M. from Berkeley, who asks:
Q: “I have several friends in the City that work as Uber drivers. I recently saw that the California Labor Commissioner said that a Uber driver was an ’employee’ and not an ‘independent contractor’. Does this mean that my friends who work for Uber will be eligible for overtime and mileage reimbursements?”
2 killed, 2 injured in serious traffic accident resulting in fire
When you get into your car, there’s always a potential for a crash. Even if you’re as careful as you can be, other drivers may not be abiding by the rules of the road. Particularly dangerous are teen drivers, who may still not be familiar with their vehicles or the rules of the road. Sometimes, younger drivers also like to push the limits and while it may be fun for them, it can often end in disaster. An Aug. 15 report about a crash that took the lives of two people and injured two others brings this situation to reality.
Amputations: Losing a limb to save a life
Amputations are sometimes required after an infection or damage to the body is too severe to repair. Following an amputation, the person who had it may need to go through rehabilitation to learn to walk or use their other limbs again. This requires time, patience, and many medical visits.
Is Your Car Safe From Hackers?
This week’s question comes from John J. in the Mission who asks “I have been reading about the vulnerability of today’s modern cars. Is it true that they can be hacked and taken over? If they are taken over and a crash happens who is responsible?”
John, your question is timely. There have been recent articles published about a remote take-over of a vehicle’s control systems by hackers ten miles away. To date there is no published case which has been brought involving such an incident but this simply means that a collision as a result of a vehicle hacking has yet to occur.
Distracted Driving Incidents Rise
Numerous safety campaigns have worked to get the message out that distracted driving is a deadly problem. Whether people are getting that message is unclear. A new study has shown that cellphone use among drivers is increasing rapidly. According to the study conducted by the California Office of Traffic Safety and UC Berkeley’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, 39 percent more drivers are using cellphones while driving than last year.
The Dangers of “Sexting” with Your Signifant Other
Today’s question comes from Nikki F. Who asks: “My former boyfriend and I were together for a long time. His job required a lot of travel.
When he was away we would talk a lot on the phone and engage in what people call “sexting” – we would send selfies back and forth of us in the nude and while engaged in self stimulation. He also recorded video of us being intimate on his cell phone so he could “watch it on the road.” I always told him that he couldn’t show it to anyone else and thought that this was just between us. After a series of infidelities I broke up with him and told him what I thought of him. Recently I have discovered that he posted some of those pictures on websites designed to humiliate people. He told some of his friends to check out the pictures and that’s how I heard about it. I feel violated completely exposed and humiliated What if anything can I do?”