Costa Mesa auto accident and product injury legal blog

According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the vast majority of commercial truck accidents are caused by driver behavior or error. The CVSA hopes that this year's Operation Safe Driver Week will help lower the frequency of commercial vehicle crashes throughout California and the rest of the United States.

The annual inspection spree is scheduled for July 15 through July 21. This week-long nationwide event includes an enforcement blitz from a wide variety of law enforcement agencies. Overall, the goal is to cut down on the bad driver behavior that leads to fatal collisions. According to the CVSA, truck driver behaviors amount to nearly 90 percent of commercial truck accidents.

As one of the largest, most populous states in the nation, California provides ample opportunities for bicyclists to suffer injuries in accidents. The Golden State is also known for its favorable weather year-round, so there is not really such a thing as an off-season for biking. As one of the many Californians who enjoys the exercise and fresh air of a bicycle ride, you should also understand the dangers you face each time you ride near traffic.

Serious bicycle accidents are not a new thing in California. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 147 fatalities among cyclists in the state in 2016, the highest number of cyclists killed in 10 years. Bicyclist fatalities are consistently high in California. The hazards you may encounter on your rides include the following:

• Congested traffic and few lanes marked specifically for bicycles
• Drivers who are not paying attention to nearby cyclists or who are distracted
• Aggressive, reckless, impatient or rude drivers
• Limited visibility of cyclists, especially at night
• Obstacles on the road, such as debris or pedestrians
• Adverse weather conditions

California drivers who drive some Lincoln MKZ or Ford Fusion cars from the years 2014 through 2018 may have had their vehicles recalled. The issue in some vehicles is loosening steering wheel bolts. Drivers could lose control of their vehicles if the steering wheel detaches from the column.

Ford believes that the defect has already caused two accidents and one injury. The faulty bolt can be replaced by dealers who will use a longer bolt with stronger threads. A nylon patch can then hold them in place.

California consumers who own an Instant Pot Gem multi-cooker might want to check to see whether their product is one that has been recalled by the company. Instant Pot issued the recall on March 1. One week earlier, the company had said consumers should stop using the cookers while they worked out a solution to the fact that the units are a fire hazard because they can melt after overheating. The recall is for only one of the 14 pots the company makes.

Double Insight, the parent company of Instant Pot, reported more than 100 overheating incidents. Five had led to fires that caused minor damage although there have been no injuries.