Category: Vehicles

Introduction

The horrible man-made specter of pollution and global warming is looming on the earth that we live in, and that threatens the very air we breathe. The effects of global warming are all-destroying, and no one, including babies, people, plants, and animals, are safe anywhere on earth. This paper examines the exact nature of global warming and pollution caused by automobile exhaust gases and strongly recommends a law that restricts households from owning more than one automobile that runs on combustible fossil fuels while having as many alternative fuel vehicles as they want. The paper also provides a survey in which readers were asked to provide answers to questions.

Combustible Fuel Vehicles

The current state of Automobile Pollution

Schwartz (Schwartz Joel, 2003) has provided research on the trends in air pollution caused by automobiles and suggests that in spite of strict government regulations concerning automobile emissions and the introduction of oxygenated fuels, air pollution, and global warming will only increase.

Schwartz argues that though many state and federal laws are in place that requires old and new vehicles to meet strict emission norms, the increase in the number of vehicles, people preferring to drive for longer distances, increased use of SUV’s and pickups has had an overall damaging impact on pollution and poisonous gas emissions. While single models of vehicles may have lesser emissions, the overall impact of an increased number of vehicles is having a lasting effect on the atmosphere.

In metropolitan areas, on-road motor vehicles contribute about 50 to 80 percent of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), 45 to 65 percent of NOx (Nitrous Oxide), 40 to 60 percent of PM2.5 (Particulate Matter), and 85 to 95 percent of Carbon Dioxide (Watson JG, 2001).

Nature of pollutants from automobiles

According to a paper presented by Kisku (Kisku, 2004), diesel and gasoline engines used in automobiles cause three types of pollutions, and they are Evaporative Emissions, Crankcase Emission, and Exhaust Emission. The main constituents of pollution-causing gases are Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrocarbon Compounds (HC), Benzene and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), Nitrogen oxides (NOX), Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), Particulate matter (PM), Black smoke, Dioxins, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Carbon dioxide (CO2). Table 1. gives details of the constituents of pollution gases.

Table 1. Emission Factors for Gasoline Engines and Diesel Engines (lb/1000 gal of Fuel) (Kisku, 2004)

A report by EWG (Polluting Vehicles, 2006) names a few car models that it claims are the worst polluters. Some of the car models that figure in the list are Toyota Corolla Matrix, Chevrolet K2500 Avalanche, Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup, Chrysler Town & Country, Ford E250 Econoline, Ford Excursion, Subaru Impreza, Bentley Arnage, and Audi A8 L. Old cars that are more than four years and that have run about 100,000 miles emit on an average about twice the pollutants that new cars or cars with 40, 000 miles running. So the idea of lowering the vehicle emission norms and bringing stricter regulations do not have any real meaning since older vehicles will continue to run and cause pollution.

Problems caused by Polluting Automobiles

Many of the above pollutants cause severe health problems, including respiratory problems such as asthma, eye diseases, cancer, heart, and cardiac problems, which increase stress levels and generally have negative effects on the body. A report by EWG (Asthma and Automobiles, 2007) shows that 30, 000 people have had Asthma attacks, and more than 40, 000 people have to miss school or office due to Asthma attacks caused by polluting vehicles.

Global Warming

Global warming is a very dangerous phenomenon that would have cataclysmic effects on the earth and all life forms that exist on earth. According to published research, the immense pollution and release of pollution-causing gases in the atmosphere will gradually increase the mean temperature of the earth. This would cause widespread climatic changes, change the pattern of rainfall, causing glaciers to melt in the polar regions, increasing the height of oceans and seas, and so on. A major reason attributed to this effect is due to a large number of polluting gases released by automobiles, power generation plants, and general pollution. The gases rise upward and are trapped in the atmosphere, thus creating a greenhouse effect that would increase the temperatures worldwide (Barnett et al. l, 2005).

Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid Vehicles have a dual power system and where diesel or petrol engine is placed along with an electric battery powered self-charging system. The prime power supply remains the gas or diesel engine, but when the vehicle is idling or when coasting and braking, the energy generated is stored in a rechargeable battery in the vehicle. The battery is connected to an electric motor and provides the energy needed when the car is climbing inclines, during start-up, and so on. Thus the hybrid vehicle is actually consuming lesser fuel and consequently causing lesser pollution (New 2008 Hybrids, 14 June 2007).

It must be noted that Hybrid Vehicles do not have zero pollution, but since they have dual power systems, the amount of fossil fuel burnt is lesser, and consequently, the pollution caused is lesser. Electric and battery-powered vehicles are regarded as zero pollutants, and these are powered by engines that run batteries that need to be recharged often. These are still in the experimental stage, and the main drawbacks are the limited range of around 150 miles between recharging, recharging time of about 8 hours, cost of the battery, and others (EVs, 2007). Fuel Cell cars present radically new technology and basically develop power by synthesizing hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the atmosphere. These vehicles only produce water as the byproduct and are regarded as the ultimate in non-polluting vehicles. But this is an emerging technology, and commercially viable and economic models are still some years off (FCVs, 2007). After examining the above arguments, it can be concluded that it is only Hybrid Vehicles that offer some positive hope of bringing down the pollution levels.

Hybrid Vehicles in the Market

Some of the leading automobile manufacturers have introduced commercially and economically viable models in the market. The pressure comes not only from reducing the emission of polluting vehicles but also from bringing down the cost of fuel and making cars more fuel-efficient. Table 2.Hybrid Cars Prices provide information about some popular Hybrid Vehicles.

Table 2. Prices of some Hybrid Cars (Price Pulse, April 2007)

The above vehicles are high-performance automobiles, and there are no underperformance issues reported. The US Government has offered tax credits of up to 3400$ for hybrid vehicles. This measure is designed to increase the sale of hybrid vehicles and make them more popular. The government has, however, implied that the tax credit would be phased out once the number of a specific model sold by the manufacturer exceeds 60,000, but this decision has not been implemented (Tax Credit, 2007).

Survey

A survey was carried out to develop an understanding of the public perception of Hybrid cars, pollution, and the effects of pollution and automobile emission on the respondents. 10 people were given the survey instrument, and the answers were recorded. The survey instrument and the results are provided in Table 3. Survey Instrument.

Table 3. Survey Instrument for the Impact of Pollution

Survey Results

The results of the survey are given below.

• Question 1. How many miles do you commute every day

4 people said up to 10 miles, 3 people said between 10 to 30 miles, and 3 said More than 30 miles.

• Question 2: How would you describe the pollution from automobiles along your route.

5 people selected “(a). Difficult to breathe” while four selected ‘(b). Some Discomfort’ and only one person said ‘(c) No problems’

• Question 3. Which area do you commute to

The answers were mixed to this question, and the respondents commuted to the city as well as the suburbs. None actually commuted to Out of Town.

• Question 4. Did you have any health problems that may be caused by air pollution

Nine out of ten people said that they had faced all three problems of (a)Severe breathing problem (b) Eye Irritation/ watering (c) Coughing, and severe cramps. The only person who claimed that there was no problem due to pollution.

• Question 5. Have you heard of Hybrid Vehicles

Eight out of ten people had heard or read about Hybrid vehicles and what they ran on. One person did not know what this meant, while another had vaguely heard from someone about the hybrid vehicles.

• Question 6. Would you be willing to buy a Hybrid Vehicle in the near future

Four out of 10 people said yes, while the remaining six said that it would depend on the price.

• Question 7. Would you support a law that restricts households from owning more than one automobile that runs on combustible fossil fuels while having as many alternative fuel vehicles as they want

All ten people responded as Yes when this question was posed. This means that the law would be welcomed by people.

Conclusion

Hybrid vehicles provide a means to reduce the quantity of polluting emissions of automobiles. These vehicles use an electric motor powered by batteries to support the main fossil fuel-powered vehicle. Hybrid vehicles are designed to reduce fuel consumption and consequently reduce the amount of pollution that is caused. A survey was conducted to assess the dangers of pollution if a law should be passed that restricts owning more than one vehicle that runs on diesel or gas. All the respondents said that they would support the law.

References

1. Asthma and Automobiles, 2007, Auto Asthma Index, Environmental Working Group.
2. Barnett, Tim P, Adam JC, 2005, “Potential impacts of a warming climate on water availability in snow-dominated regions”. Journal of Nature, Volume 438, PP: 303-309
3. EVs, 2007, ‘Electric Vehicles (EVs)‘, Fuel Economy Government: U.S. Department of Energy, Web.
4. FCVs, 2007, ‘Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs)‘, Fuel Economy Government: U.S. Department of Energy, Web.
5. Kisku GC, 2004, ‘Nature And Type Of Pollution From Automobiles And Strategies For Its Control’, Industrial Toxicology Research Center.
6. New 2008 Hybrids, 2007, ‘How Hybrids Get Such Great Gas Mileage’, Fuel Economy Government: U.S. Department of Energy. Web.
7. Price Pulse, 2007, Hybrid Cars News: Hybrid Cars.
8. Polluting Vehicles, 2006, Most Polluting in 2006, Environmental Working Group.
9. Schwartz Joel, 2003, ‘No Way Back Why Air Pollution Will Continue to Decline’, American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC, ISBN 0-8447-7166-X
10. Tax Credit, 2007, New Energy Tax Credits for Hybrids, Fuel Economy Government: U.S. Department of Energy. Web.
11. Watson JG, 2001, “Review of Volatile Organic Compound Source Apportionment by Chemical Mass Balance,” Journal of Atmospheric Environment, Issue 32, pp: 1567–1584

This paper discusses whether Zoom Car Company’s conduct of selling a car with faulty dashboard compass to Daniel Boone constituted a tort as presented in the hypothetical case? This question is significant because Zoom Car Company can only be held liable for Daniel Boone’s loss if its action significantly contributed to Daniel Boone’s physical harm. Zoom Car Company committed an unintentional tort by selling a car with faulty dashboard compass to Daniel Boone.

Under torts law, Zoom Car Company should assume liability for any accident that occurs as a result of faults in its cars. Even though Corrigan Rulers Compasses and Slide Rules, Inc. also committed a tort by selling a faulty dashboard compass to Zoom Car Company, it is the responsibility of Zoom Car Company to ensure that all dashboard compasses are in good condition before installing then in their cars.

It is clear from the facts provided in the hypothetical case that Daniel Boone, the plaintiff suffered physical injury. It is also clear from the facts in the case that the plaintiff got lost while driving at night and drove into a high crime area mainly due to the faulty dashboard compass installed in his car.

The main reason why the plaintiff opted to buy a car from Zoom Car Company was the fact that its cars had dashboard compasses and would thus assist him in finding his direction whenever he is lost. Daniel Boone’s loss was largely caused by the fact that his dashboard compass was faulty. It is as a result of this that Daniel Boone found himself in a high crime area and ended up with physical injury.

Had his dashboard compass been in good working condition, Daniel Boone would not have faced such a misfortune and would have also not incurred any medical cost. Under torts law, the defendant is liable for the plaintiff’s misfortune as it would have been avoided if his car was installed with proper dashboard compass. The defendant unintentionally caused loss to the plaintiff and should thus take responsibility for his medical costs.

While it is clear that the plaintiff suffered injury and incurred medical expenses, it is not clear whether the dashboard compass installed in his car was faulty at the time he bought this car from Zoom Car Company. There is a possibility that the plaintiff would have tempered with the dashboard compass.

Besides, customers are always given the opportunity to confirm that goods are in good working condition before purchasing them. How come the plaintiff did not detect the faultiness of dashboard compass at the time he was purchasing this car? Is the defendant’s conduct outrageous to have caused the plaintiff his misfortune? Remember Zoom Car Company only installs dashboard compasses.

The company responsible for manufacturing dashboard compasses is Corrigan Rulers Compasses and Slide Rules, Inc. If the dashboard compasses was not properly installed then, the defendant would be liable. The plaintiff should be clear on whether the dashboard compass was faulty or not properly installed before placing any liability on the defendant. Under civil law, defendant is not directly linked to the plaintiff’s misfortune and, therefore, is not liable to his medical costs.

If I was the charge presiding over this case, my ruling would be based on a critical analysis of the facts presented above. First, it is clear from these facts that both the plaintiff and the defendant contributed to the loss suffered by the plaintiff. Under comparative negligence rule, the defendant is only liable for the loss suffered by the plaintiff if he/she had the highest percentage of contribution to the loss.

In this case, the defendant contributed to the plaintiff’s loss by selling a car with faulty dashboard compass to the plaintiff. The plaintiff contributed to the loss through his negligence as he did not bother to confirm whether the compass was faulty during the purchase of the vehicle and by driving at night when he is not sure of his direction. Apart from comparative negligence, vicarious liability ruling is also applicable in this case.

Under vicarious liability, the defendant is liable for harm caused to the plaintiff as a result of a legally binding relationship between them. While this ruling is most applicable when dealing with employee-employer relationship, in this case the car will assume the position of the employee and Zoom Car Company, the employer. It is due to the fault in the car that the plaintiff suffered damage.

Since the car was bought from Zoom Car Company, the company should assume any liability arising from faults in the car. Besides, the plaintiff entrusted his future safety to the defendant when he bought a car with dashboard compass assuming that he will never lose his direction. The defendant is thus liable to his loss under torts law as its car failed to fulfill this responsibility.

From this analysis, I can conclusively rule that the defendant is liable for loss suffered by the plaintiff. First, the defendant greatly contributed to loss through its negligence. The company ought to verify its devices before installing them to ensure that they are in good working condition.

If this was done the damage suffered by the plaintiff would have been avoided. Second, as the company responsible for installing dashboard compasses in their cars, the plaintiff should assume any vicarious liability resulting from faultiness of this device. Zoom Car Company should thus assume liability for Daniel Boone’s medical costs.

Introduction: Rushed Decisions and Their Negative Effects

To close a financial deal, one must make sure that every argument should be weighed and considered carefully. When considering the purchase of a car, one must be aware of the legal specifics of the process, as the case of Jim and Laura shows quite clearly. Despite the fact that they seem to be the victims of at least a misunderstanding, if not a fraud, they have little to no evidence to prove that they are right and that there was no legal contract.

Detecting the Elements of a Legal Contract

From a legal perspective, a contract comprises four essential elements, which are “mutual assent, consideration, capacity, and legality” (Cornell University Law School, n.d., par. 1). In the suggested scenario, both sides of the argument agreed to close a deal, which means that a mutual assent took place. The consideration, which implied carrying out a discussion of the agreement, can also be detected. Seeing that both the dealer and the prospective buyers were eligible for closing a deal, the capacity requirement can also be considered fulfilled. Seeing that both parties agreed to hold a care for a day, the procedure also meets the legality requirement. Therefore, it can be deemed as a contract, though not a written one (Federal Trade Commission, n.d.).

The Contract That Was Not: Analysis

As explained above, the scenario described in the case under analysis meets the contract criteria. However, the lack of any evidence that could point to its existence may be viewed as an impediment to proving that the agreement took place. In other words, for the contract to have a binding power, it should have been signed as a legal document. One might argue that the contract was based on a promise that the couple misguidedly made to the dealer.

However, it should be borne in mind that, in this case, the dealer should have been aware of the threats that a verbal agreement implies: “Certain promises that are not considered contracts may, in limited circumstances, be enforced if one party has relied to his detriment on the assurances of the other party” (Cornell University Law School, n.d., par. 2).

Evidence and Its Assessment: Wishes and Facts

One might make a very slim argument that there was a promise of a refund in case the customers decide to refuse from purchasing the car. Indeed, according to the case details, the dealer did make a promise that the couple will be eligible for withdrawing their money and receiving it back. Nevertheless, neither Laura nor Jim has the evidence that could be used in court as the proof of their statement since there was no third party that could support their claims (State Government, n.d.).

Conclusion: Caution as the Means of Avoiding Fraud

Therefore, the case in point can be viewed as a graphic example of fraud that, unfortunately, cannot be proven. It could be argued that Jim and Laura could take the issue to court by filing a lawsuit against the dealer. However, they must keep in mind that, when it comes to the processing, it will be their word against his – or, to be more exact, his lawyers.

There is a possibility, though, that the dealer in question has other dissatisfied customers that were tricked into paying for the car and then being deprived of an opportunity to withdraw their deposit. Therefore, filing a class-action lawsuit could be a possibility. Nevertheless, the changes are comparatively low. Put differently, in case the couple is not ready to spend a substantial amount of money on proving their case in court, it is suggested that they should count the losses and refrain from taking a legal action against the dealer.

References

Cornell University Law School. (n.d.). Contract. Web.

Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.). Buying a used car. Web.

State Government. (n.d.). Buying a car. Web.

The Constitution has always protected the rights of people, and the matters that pertain to private domiciles and vehicles are no exception. However, the issue of warrants in house or vehicle search situations has recently become controversial. The reason for this might be the opinion that both types of private property require privacy and, therefore, should be respected, with the searches not being able to be conducted warrantless. Yet, houses and vehicles cannot be treated differently, implying that the former must require a warrant and the latter must not.

There are specific factors that differentiate vehicles from houses, which supports why the two are not treated in the same manner. The first reason is the mobility of cars, which might complicate the process for both parties if a warrant is required. A police officer cannot detain a car owner and await a warrant to search. Obtaining a search warrant is time-consuming, and before the officer receives it, the driver will leave. The second factor is the privacy that every individual expects in a private domicile. A vehicle requires less privacy since the driver is exposed. However, on the premises of private property, such as a house, a person expects to obtain maximum privacy. As a result, the rights of individuals on the territory of the United States are protected by the Fourth Amendment (United States Courts, n.d.). These factors draw a parallel between the two types of property.

Hence, houses and vehicles cannot be treated equally and thus should have different requirements for warrants. In this sense, residences need to require warrants for searches due to the level of privacy expected by owners. In turn, vehicles and car owners are often exposed and do not require the same amount of privacy. Additionally, the mobility of the vehicles can complicate the search process due to the time it takes to obtain a warrant.

Reference

United States Courts. (n.d.). What does the Fourth Amendment mean?Web.

Purpose

This sales agreement between Mark (Buyer), 125 Brown Street, Dubai, and Christian (Seller), 121 Bakers’ Street, London, is for the purchase of Christian’s black Lamborghini 350 GT.

Description

Christian offers to sell his car for AED 1 million and Mark accepts this offer to buy the car at this price after a week of deliberations.

Product specifications

1. Quantity: 1;
2. Origin: Italy; Carrozzeria Touring;
3. Color: black;
4. Year: 1964;
5. Vehicle Identification Number: 350 GT.

Consideration

1. Purchase price: the total price by the Buyer (Mark) to the Seller (Christian) for the acquired car is AED 1 million (1 000 000);
   The payment should be provided by the Buyer to the Seller by check, or in cash, or through other methods that are acceptable to the Seller.

Delivery of Acquired Car and Title Conveyance

1. The Seller must deliver the acquired car and the Buyer should receive the car. The delivery shall be carried out after the date the contract is executed. The Buyer’s duty is to appear in person at the Seller’s premises during business days on the Delivery Date to acquire the car.
2. The Seller is obliged to render the title to the Buyer concerning the delivery terms.

Buyer’s Obligations

The Buyer states that, unless stipulated by the legislature, license, any insurance terms, or registration, the car shall be canceled before the delivery.

Six Elements of Contract

The basic elements of a sales agreement include offer and acceptance, consideration, intention to establish legal relations, legal capacity, illegal contracts, and consent. As per offer and acceptance, the parties concluding the agreement should agree on the terms. It implies that the offer proposed by the Seller should be accepted by the Buyer. An offer is a promise to sell the product under certain conditions. The person has the right to withdraw the offer unless the contract is concluded.

Consideration involves the negotiation for the price that should be paid for the offer by the other party. The price can refer to anything of value, but it should not be the money. The consideration should not involve illegal conditions that do not allow the parties to perform the obligations. It is important to note, however, that sealed documents do not need consideration because they involve a binding agreement.

The agreement should imply establishing legal relations. The main purpose of the contract is to enter a legally binding relationship that should be stipulated explicitly. Legal capacity involves the ability of individuals to enter a valid agreement. Therefore, people with mental disorders, younger individuals, corporations, or legal entities, bankrupts, and prisoners are not allowed to conclude legally binding relations.

Not all contracts can be enforced for several reasons. Illegal contracts by statute will be controlled in accordance with enforceability. Thus, the statute should be interpreted and read before the contract is considered void, regardless of the parties’ awareness of its illegality. In case one party carries out an action that infringes legislature, the other party is also involved in an illegal issue, even if either of the parties is unaware of the contract enforcement. Nevertheless, the parties have the right to recover the money for the possible damages.

Any agreement should involve proper awareness and free will of responsibilities that each part has. Therefore, the consent for entering a contract must be genuine and mutual. As soon as the offer is accepted, both parties should express explicit consent to conclude a contract. They should also realize they are bound by this agreement as soon as they conclude it. The ultimate outcomes of creating that consent allow the parties to engage in the terms and conditions of the contract. Proper consent, however, can be influenced by such matters as false statements, duress, mistake, and undue influence.

Analysis of Contracts Adherence to the Proposed Characteristics

With regard to the above-presented elements of a contract, the sales agreement draft under analysis has a number of pitfalls. To begin with, although the agreement contains considerations and terms of delivery, the legal provisions are not presented carefully. In this respect, both the Buyer and the Seller should have introduced warranties and legal consequences of possible infringements. Second, there is no specification concerning the terms of delivery and compensation for possible injuries. The Buyer, therefore, failed to specify whether the car was in good condition or not and, therefore, the Seller has the right to sell the car without inspection control. There is no agreement concerning the pre-payment conditions, as well as the fixed date of delivery because “one month after the contract” is not an accurate specification.

Analysis of Both Parties

It is worth noting that no controversies should arise concerning the form of signing a contract. So, the fact that the agreement was concluded and signed on a napkin is not significant because any agreement that is confirmed and legally bound is considered to be a contract. Therefore, it is possible to conclude an agreement on a napkin provided all elements of the contract are present. With regard to the case, some of the elements of the contract are missing. This is of particular concern to the delivery terms and warrantees that could guarantee that the Buyer will receive the car in the state that the previously saw. As a result, despite the fact that Mark saw a small dent in the car, he is not entitled to claim that Christian should fix it until the date of delivery because the contract does not contain these provisions. Besides, the contract has already been concluded and signed.

Christian has the right to sell the car in any condition unless otherwise specified in the agreement. At the same time, the Seller has infringed the terms of the agreement by offering a sale to other parties because he is legally bound to enter only this agreement. On the other hand, due to the fact that some elements of the contract are missing, the contract can be considered illegal and void and, therefore, the Seller is entitled to sell the car to anyone he wants under much more beneficial conditions.

From a legal perspective, the Seller has the right to sell the item because the contract is not valid. From a moral and ethical perspective, the Seller should be responsible for the terms and conditions stipulated in the contract because both parties could be unaware of the presence or absence of certain elements of a contract. Therefore, because both parties do not possess knowledge, the Buyer has the right to receive compensation on the contract cancellation. Moral reimbursement can also take place. Under these circumstances, the Buyer has more rights because his requirements for the product consideration are logical and well-grounded.

Introduction

Car accidents are unexpected events that occur to motor vehicles causing damage of the vehicles, structures, fatalities and even death of the people in the vehicles. According to a research done by the United Nations, the rate of growth of accidents in the world continue to increase with over two million deaths and thirty million injuries reported annually.

The studies revealed that over seventy percent of the deaths that resulted from road accidents occurred in developing countries. These imply that automobile accidents are a major problem in developing counties stretching from regions of pacific Asia to many parts of Sub Sahara Africa which contribute to over fifty percent of these accidents.

The numbers of vehicles continue increasing every year and governments are responding by constructing modern roads that can facilitate smooth transportation of goods and people so as to realize economic growth and reduce accidents which are increasing dramatically. In fact, car accident are ranked second to the major killer disease AIDS in terms of causing deaths and lose of property and resources. As a result, government policies to increase economic empowerment among the people are destructed by car accidents.

Types of car accidents

There are different classifications of road accidents depending on where the damage has been done on your vehicle. When a car hits another and there are minor damages on the vehicle, the accident is referred to as a rear impact car accident. An example of such an accident is when a vehicle hits another from the back due to failure of the brakes.

When a car hits another for the side, the type of accident is referred to as side impact accident. It usually occurs when a vehicle enters another vehicles lane as a result of an abrupt stop and thereby skidding at a right angle. According to Abdelane (20), in the United States, more than a third of the accidents in the US are side impact accidents. When a vehicle hits another car or object in front it is said to have undergone head on collision. This type of accident not only happens to cars but also trains.

This type of accident is commonly encountered by drunk drivers and those drivers who dose while driving. This type of accident is most likely to occur when a car enters a road from a wrong direction. When a car is involved in an accident and it turns in a manner that it lays on its side or roof, it is said to have had a roll over accident. This type of accident normally happens to tall tracks (Obenski, 3).

Causes of car accidents

There are several factors that cause road accidents which comprise the following: majority of the accidents occur due the rise in the number of road users who don’t obey traffic rules, drivers who drive their cars carelessly and disobedience of the rules of traffic; the nature of the roads is also a major cause of road accidents.

The nature of infrastructure, construction of bridges which do not meet safety standards leading to defects on the road like potholes; improper maintenance of motor vehicles by the owners have caused many accidents. Some of the accidents that arise due to poor maintenance are due to failure of the breaks, improper alignment of the wheels thereby causing bursting, mechanical problems associated with the wheel, and failure of the headlights (Abdelane, 54).

Bad weather also contributes to the rise in the motor vehicle accidents. On a misty day, visibility on the road can be very bad. Cars on the road may end up colliding due to the failure of the drivers to notice vehicles in the front or back due to poor weather conditions. Other conditions of the weather that can lead to accidents growth is the presence of unexpected floods and ice on the roads.

These factors may make drivers notice their opponents late hence leading to collisions. Drivers may at times encounter distractions on the road as they drive, which may be within or outside the car. Some of the incidents arising from this error are when the attention of the driver is focused on a phone or a mirror or an interesting event outside the car while the car is in motion. It therefore follows that, anything causing the driver to concentrate outside the road is dangerous to the safety of the vehicle.

Sometimes, the designers of the roads may do a shoddy job in designing the road. This could be due to poor placements of the traffic controls like inappropriate placements of the traffic signs so that the view of the incoming traffic is blocked at risky corners of busy roads. In most cases, accidents arising from poor design are compensated by the government implying that both the owners of the vehicles and the State share the losses (Livneh, 99).

Solutions to car accidents

Brumitt (66) argued out that several measures can be adopted to ensure that there is reduction in the number of accidents. A lot of these measures have to do with government involvement in designing policies that guide road users but individual people must also take collective responsibility to avoid traffic offences.

Governments should establish bodies that oversee the overall implementation of set up policies like the National Road Safety Committee. The responsibility of the committee should target the following areas of concern: pile up pressure on all government departments and ministries to ensure that they give out guidelines that aim to minimize car accidents.

The committee should ensure that the lives of people are protected as well as protection of property from any losses arising from road accidents. Another effective control measure that can be taken to ensure that road accidents are reduced drastically is by keeping an accurate data base of the accidents and their causes so that it can be used to devise means of minimizing them. The records of the accident data system should be exact and consistent with assistance from established data collection systems.

By incorporating safety control measures in the school curriculum in the primary school level, a great deal will be reached in instilling safety measures to the younger generation so that they can acquire discipline of road safety measures right from initial stages of their lives to adulthood.

The authorities should ensure that only drivers who have been trained and certified drive on the road. In addition the authorities should ensure that people caught disobeying traffic rules are seriously punished by the law so as to instill discipline among the people (Brumitt, 122).

Conclusion

Finally, in order to attain excellent safety measures that will reduce accidents significantly, the government has to commit itself to provide funding to road safety, the private sector has to commit itself to offering technical assistance and people have to commit themselves to the safety measures.

Works Cited

Abdelane,Evans. Braking Deceleration of Motorcycle Riders: International Motorcycle Safety Conference. Oxford: Oxford University, 2001.

Brumitt, Meyers. “The Accident Reconstruction Network.” (2007). Web.

Livneh, Ceder. Relationships between road accidents and hourly traffic flow: Accident Analysis and Prevention. New Yolk: 2008.

Obenski, Kuyt. “National Transportation Safety Board.” (2006). Web.

Source Evaluation Report

Road accidents are becoming a major disaster in the world. According to Abdelane of Oxford University, “over one million people die and approximately thirty million get injuries as a result of road accidents in the world.” He also adds that “road accidents are identified as the second major killer of the human population after AIDS.”

Brumitt a research analyst at Bristol University, conducted a research and found out that road accidents are caused by road users who don’t obey traffic rules, poor infrastructure of the roads and defects on the vehicles such as break failure and tire bursts.

According to Obenski of the National Transportation Safety Board, several factors cause road accidents and there is no particular sequence: it can be due to over speeding, lack of attention, cell phones and other distracters, ignorance, lack of proper training and poor maintenance of the vehicles.

Livneh and his colleagues analyzed solutions of road accidents and suggested that “the effective solutions require the coordinated efforts of governments, international organizations and agencies, local authorities and good citizenship.” “Road accidents are unavoidable” says Livneh. “But risks of road accidents can be reduced by simple precautions and thinking ahead.”

Unwritten arrangements and oral contracts are usually legal and lawfully binding on the condition that they are rational, unbiased, conscionable, and made in upright belief. Even though the major part of individuals links contracts with authorized documents reproduced on paper with a determination of delivering them to legal officials to sign and imprint them, the thing is that only a small number of categories of contracts are obligated by the law to be written (Penner, 2014). The cause why spoken contracts and oral arrangements are repeatedly looked suspiciously upon is that they have a tendency to arise complications when it comes to the implementation. Contracts that are plainly inscribed and implemented are easier to present as evidence in law court than the testament of the pledged parties. It is as well stimulating to dismiss contract flaws when they are not written. When verbal contracts are reviewed in court, there is constantly a risk of one of the sides being dishonest about the footings of the contract (Williston, Currier, & Hill, 2012). Sometimes, all sides of the contract may select to be deceitful about the terms of the bond and thus produce a lawful stalemate for the judges.

In the case described, the contract is an arrangement between the two parties to deliver a product (car in this example) that is totally lawful. There are fundamentally six basics of a contract that make it lawful and binding (Penner, 2014). The contract reviewed in the example is a lawful contract for the reason that there are present all six elements:

1. A proposal that precisely details what will be provided and is comprehended by both sides of the contract (Williston et al., 2012). The salesperson provided Jim and Laura with all the necessary information about the car that they were about to buy.
2. Mutual agreement, which is the acceptance of the proposal offered by the other party (Williston et al., 2012). When Jim and Laura picked the car that they liked, they decided to buy it the next day, and the salesperson agreed to hold the car for a day.
3. Something of interest or monetary value is exchanged by the parties in order to come to an agreement (Williston et al., 2012). In this case, Jim and Laura gave the salesperson a $100 deposit. An important note would be that the salesperson and the customers agreed to the terms that this deposit is refundable.
4. Adequacy of the parties partaking in the contract in terms of intellectual capacity (Williston et al., 2012). This point is also reflected in the example as both parties proved they were sane when agreeing to the terms of the contract. Both customer and the salesperson realized the importance of the pledge and the responsibility it comes with.
5. The determination of both sides to keep their promise and be fair to each other (Williston et al., 2012). The salesperson promised Jim and Laura that it is not a problem if they come back on the next day to buy the car, and the customers promised the salesperson to purchase the car on the next day.
6. Legal standings and circumstances, also known as the object of the agreement (Williston et al., 2012). The fact of the car purchase is legal, and both parties agreed on the terms that are in compliance with the law. The case demonstrated that both parties behaved like law-abiding citizens.

To state otherwise, an agreement is applicable and lawful for the reason that both parties agreed to the terms, sealed the promise with a $100 deposit, both were in the acceptable mental and physical condition and pledged to keep their promise and what they swore to do was in compliance with the law. Even though generally a contract is printed and signed by the sides, it was one of some other types of bonds that are well-thought-out to be implemented lawfully (Penner, 2014). Despite the fact that the verbal agreement reached in the case might assist the court only in defining the responsibilities on the side of either party, it still functions in a similar way.

To conclude, it is obvious that, in this case, the customers and the salesperson came to an agreement that can be called a verbal contract. All six basic elements of a proper contract are also present, so it is reasonable to assume that the dealer breached the contract and rejected the previous set terms. Nevertheless, a tailback may arise in the court regarding the fact that Jim and Laura promised to buy the car but changed their mind. On the other hand, the salesperson negotiated that the deposit is refundable but failed to return it the other day when the customers came back to the car dealership to explain the situation. The case described is a definitive representation of a contract law case. All the probable inaccuracies and misunderstandings should have been specified in advance in order to evade litigation and satisfy both parties.

References

Penner, J. E. (2014). The Law of Trusts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Williston, S., Currier, R., & Hill, R. (2012). Commercial Law. New York, NY: American Institute of Banking.

Soon after World War II, the demand for automobiles rose. Many people had saved a lot of money as there was nothing much to buy during the war apart from the basic necessities. Mass transportation was the most common mean of transportation for workers and everyone longed for the flexibility and freedom of automobiles. The impact of the automobile on people’s lives and the U.S economy was very huge. For the first time, suburbs were developed as cities experienced accelerated growth. Before, many workers were forced to live near the railroad or close to factories so that they could get to work on time. Those who worked in the cities were forced to live in cities while those who lived in the countryside working on the farm. With automobiles, people could now live many miles away from their workplaces and cities and still be able to work in the factories and cities. The automobile also solved the issue of few employment opportunities within an area as people could work away from their hometown by commuting on a daily basis. With automobiles, paramedics and firefighters could respond to an emergency quickly and swiftly. Firemen started responding quickly to fire using automobiles hence saving lives and preventing the destruction of properties. Police could now respond to crime quickly hence stopping criminal acts.

Automobiles have drastically changed city life by accelerating the expansion of population outward into suburbs and rural areas. Highway transportation has lead to the relocation of industries and businesses to areas outside the cities where land is cheaper and less congested. These areas can be accessed easily by trucks and cars than in cities which are usually congested and where space is limited. This expansion of business and factories has led to the expansion of the U.S economy, by creating more jobs and opening up remote and rural areas. Better road networks have been constructed leading to increased transportation though out the United States. Another impact of the automobile is the creation of jobs. Highway construction companies, gas stations, fast-food joints, convenience stores, auto shops, and auto repair shops are some of the businesses that have been created as a result of automobile usage. These businesses have created employment for many people, raising the standard of living of people, leading to the expansion of the American economy. Employee mobility has enabled them to choose where they want to work. on the other hand, employers are now more flexible in hiring the best workers as they are no longer limited to the city or location where they were operating from when looking for the workforce. Employment opportunities are no longer limited to where a person lives as people can always commute to their place of work. This has led to the hiring of the best employee, leading to increased performance of a company which results in increased profitability. With high profits, many companies across the United States are able to expand their operation comfortably leading to the creation of more job opportunities. Decreased level of unemployment brought about by increased job opportunities is a sign of a growing economy.

Reference

Automobile in American Life and Society, 2008. Web.

Medical workers’ response to an emergency depends on the nature of the injury sustained by a patient, the location of this individual, weather conditions, and many other factors. This paper will examine different modes of transporting a person to a healthcare facility. Much attention should be given to the use of ambulance automobiles and air transportation. In particular, it is necessary to identify the situations when healthcare providers should rely on ambulance vehicles.

Additionally, one should determine when air medical services are more appropriate. This essay will also discuss whether it is better to use and improve ambulance vehicles or air medical services. Overall, hospitals should focus primarily on ambulance vehicles since they are most widely used for transporting patients; however, they should also work on acquiring capabilities for air evacuation; otherwise, the needs of patients cannot be met.

Different Types of Emergencies

In some cases, it is more preferable to use ambulance cars instead of helicopters. Firstly, this argument applies to the situations in which a patient is relatively close to the acute care facility (Selbst, 2014). Under such circumstances, the use of helicopters may not achieve any substantial time savings. It is also important to consider the cases in which the healthcare problems experienced by a patient are not very acute (Low & Hulme, 2014).

For instance, sometimes, an individual may have already received preliminary medical assistance. One should remember that the injuries suffered by a person differ in terms of their urgency. For example, the needs of a person struggling with a significant blood loss are more urgent than the needs of people who only have skin lesions or bruises. In some cases, the decreased speed of transportation does not pose a threat to the life and health of a patient.

Furthermore, very often, the use of vehicles can be the only option available to medical workers. For example, harsh weather conditions can prevent them from using helicopters (Low & Hulme, 2014). Sometimes, there is no opportunity for transporting a person by air because helicopters and airplanes are already being used for the needs of other patients. Thus, healthcare providers have to transport a patient only with the help of vehicles.

However, there are situations in which air medical services are more appropriate. Firstly, this approach is more suitable when healthcare providers have to operate in vast areas. In this case, the speed of helicopters or airplanes can play a critical role in saving the life of a patient. Additionally, sometimes, a patient has to be urgently transported to an advanced medical facility where certain types of surgery can be performed (Cone, Brice, Delbridge, & Myers, 2015). Under such circumstances, any significant delay can have catastrophic effects on the health of a patient.

Secondly, the application of this method is essential when road transportation is disrupted due to some reasons. For instance, it is critical in case of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods that make road transportation impossible (Motomura et al., 2018). Much attention should also be paid to the emergencies taking place in mountainous areas and other places that cannot be easily accessed by cars (Auerbach, Cushing, & Harris, 2016).

It is also possible to mention various combat situations when the use of helicopters is the only possible option. To a great extent, these examples indicate that both vehicles and air transportation may be necessary for the work of healthcare providers. While selecting a mode of transportation, medical workers should take into account various factors such as the location of the patient, the state of his/her health, and availability of resources.

The Choice between Vehicles and Air Evacuation

Hospitals and policy-makers should focus their efforts on the use and improvements of ambulance vehicles. There are several reasons why this strategy appears to be the most optimal one. Firstly, emergencies requiring air evacuation are relatively rare (Cone et al., 2015). In most cases, it is not necessary to use either airplanes or helicopters. By contrast, ambulance cars are used daily. Thus, they are more important for meeting the daily needs of patients.

One should also mention that despite some advantages of air medical services, this option may not be always available to medical workers. As it has been said before, this mode of transportation cannot be selected in case of bad weather conditions (Cameron, Browne, Mitra, Dalziel, & Craig, 2018). In this case, the attempt to use helicopters can only endanger the lives of both patients and medical workers.

Furthermore, the use of vehicles is usually more cost-effective than air medical services. Sometimes, hospitals and communities may not have the financial resources to purchase helicopters or airplanes needed for the evacuation of patients (Cameron et al., 2018). Given these issues, hospital administrators should focus on the use of vehicles. To a large degree, this recommendation is premised on the assumption that the resources of medical institutions are limited. Therefore, managers have to choose those alternatives that can maximize the welfare of patients.

Additionally, other objective factors can make ambulance vehicles more advantageous than air transportation. Firstly, to provide air medical services, healthcare agencies have to incur significant costs on staff training (Galazkowski et al., 2015).

Moreover, hospitals will have to hire pilots who are allowed to fly at night. Each of these tasks requires additional financial resources that medical institutions may not have (Schottke, 2016). Such difficulties do not normally arise when ambulance automobiles are used. Therefore, public administrators should focus their attention on the improvement of ambulance vehicles. This strategy will enable them to ensure more effective use of the funding provided by taxpayers. Moreover, this policy will ensure that hospitals can adequately serve the most pressing needs of patients.

At the same time, one should not forget about the benefits that air medical services can bring. In many cases, this form of transportation is the only method of helping patients who require immediate help. Hence, the use of vehicles and helicopters should not be viewed as two mutually exclusive options. More likely, these approaches should supplement each other; otherwise, the needs of patients may not be adequately served.

To acquire these capabilities, medical institutions have to work together. In particular, they have to estimate the overall annual need for the use of helicopters. Secondly, they should invest assets in procuring helicopters and recruiting the personnel who will be responsible for conducting rescue operations. By taking such actions, these organizations can increase their preparedness for medical emergencies.

Conclusion

This discussion suggests that hospital administrators may have to use both ambulance vehicles and air medical services. As a rule, medical institutions have to rely on vehicles to respond to the needs of patients. Therefore, healthcare organizations should use and improve this form of transportation. However, very often, helicopters and airplanes are indispensable for assisting people requiring urgent help. In their turn, medical workers should develop a strategy for using helicopters and airplanes. On the whole, hospital administrators should be able to combine both ambulance vehicles and air medical services. This policy will be critical for safeguarding patients against various risks.

References

Auerbach, P., Cushing, T., & Harris, S. (2016). Auerbach’s wilderness medicine E-book (7th ed.). New York, NY: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Cameron, P., Browne, G., Mitra, B., Dalziel, S., & Craig, S. (Eds.). (2018). Textbook of paediatric emergency medicine (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Cone, D., Brice, J., Delbridge, T., & Myers, B. (Eds.). (2015). Emergency medical services: Clinical practice and systems oversight (2nd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Galazkowski, R., Wolkowski, W., Mikos, M., Szaija, S., Wejnarski, A., & Swiezewski, S. (2015). The strategy of training staff for a new type of helicopter as an element of raising the security level of flight operations. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 21(4), 558-567.

Low, A., & Hulme, J. (Eds.) (2014). ABC of transfer and retrieval medicine. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Motomura, T., Hirabayashi, A., Yamauchi, N., Nakamura, M., Machida, H., Fujizuka, K.,… Koido, Y. (2018). Aeromedical transport operations using helicopters during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. Journal of Nippon Medical School, 85(2), 124-140.

Schottke, D. (2016). Emergency medical responder: Your first response in emergency care (6th ed.). New York, NY: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Selbst, S. (2014). Pediatric emergency medicine secrets (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Project Summary

The present project describes a health promotion program that features a mobile health promotion unit (MHPU) for spreading awareness about the dangers of heart disease. Heart disease in the leading cause of death worldwide and governments around the globe seek to find way to address the matter (Barquera et al., 2015). Additionally, people living in rural areas have a decreased access to healthcare, and therefore are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (Caldwell, Ford, Wallace, Wang, & Takahashi, 2016). An MHPU with the name “Hearty Bus” working together with the American Heart Association (AHA) can improve the situation by spreading awareness about heart disease prevention strategies and providing screening test in areas with low access to healthcare. “Hearty Bus” will have to examination rooms fully equipped and staffed to perform heart disease prevention interventions. The MHPU will travel to a different location every week to increase the coverage of the program. Figures 1-2 provide an outside and inside view of the proposed vehicle for the present project.

Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives for the present project are closely connected to the distinctive characteristics of the MHPU. “Hearty Bus” is a non-profit endeavor that needs significant initial investments to buy the vehicle, furnish it with necessary equipment, and hire qualified staff. However, the project serves a vital cause of improving national health. Considering these statements, the goals of the present project are as follows:

• Increase awareness about the dangers of heart diseases among patients in rural areas;
• Improve access to preventative medical services including screening and patient education;
• Enhance availability of acute care services while providing continuity of care.

The objectives of the “Hearty Bus” project are listed below:

• Gain adequate financial support through grants and donations during the first three months;
• Develop a balanced marketing campaign to ensure patient flow;
• Create a feasible program using AHA guidelines for heart disease treatment and prevention.

Customers and Stakeholders

The customers of the MHPU are people with increased risk of heart diseases living in rural areas. According to Benjamin et al. (2018), the target population of are people with decreased mobility, low level of income, and age 65 or older. AHA is expected to become a stakeholder of the project, as its mission correlates to the objectives of the project (AHA, n.d.). Additionally, “Hearty Bus” will benefit local hospitals, since it aims at providing continuity of care through scheduling appointments with doctors in the area. In short, while the central stakeholders are the customers, there are other entities that have a vested interest in the project.

Milestones

• Elaboration of a feasible business plan;
• Acquisition of initial investments;
• Purchase of the vehicle and needed equipment;
• Completion of staff recruitment and training.

Timeline

In the Table 1 below is the proposed schedule for the project with a timeline in Figure 3.

Table 1. Project Schedule.

Cost and Resources

The overall cost of the project is estimated to be around $1,300,000 for one year. The budget includes acquisition of non-staffing resources, such as the vehicle, equipment (exam tables, sinks, heart monitors, etc.), and supplies (drugs, specimens, and apparel). As for the staff, the program will employ a project manager, an operations manager, a finance manager, an HR manager, four registered nurses, and two drivers. The estimate is rough and needs further consideration.

References

American Heart Association. (n.d.). About us.Web.

Barquera, S., Pedroza-Tobías, A., Medina, C., Hernández-Barrera, L., Bibbins-Domingo, K., Lozano, R., & Moran, A. E. (2015). Global overview of the epidemiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Archives of Medical Research, 46(5), 328–338. Web.

Benjamin, E. J., Virani, S. S., Callaway, C. W., Chamberlain, A. M., Chang, A. R., Cheng, S., … Muntner, P. (2018). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2018 update: A report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 137(12), e67–e492. Web.

Caldwell, J., Ford, C., Wallace, S., Wang, M., & Takahashi, L. (2016). Intersection of living in a rural versus urban area and race/ethnicity in explaining access to health care in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 106(8), 1463-1469. Web.

Summit Bodyworks. (n.d.). WellMed Medical. Web.