Many senior citizens rely on the services of nursing homes. In fact, a report from the Department of Health and Human Services shows that in 2012, approximately 1.4 million seniors were living in assisted care facilities. As people get older, they are more likely to rely on the services of one of these residences.

While most of that population is perfectly content in nursing homes, there have been instances of abuse. Sometimes the abuse is not always as obvious as spotting bedsores and noticing symptoms of dehydration in a loved one. Occasionally, the signs are subtler. Anyone with a family member in an assisted care facility should be mindful of the following signs that could indicate abuse or negligence.

Withdrawn behavior

If a parent or grandparent was normally the life of the party but has now become more reclusive, then it could indicate abuse. People may also find that their loved ones mostly just want to sleep. When there are no other explanations for why general behavior has changed, it is vital to dig deeper.

Nervousness around staff members

Pay attention to how a loved one behaves around members of the nursing home staff. If he or she suddenly becomes quiet or acts unusually friendly toward a staff member, then it is important to ask questions and see if there is any reason for the odd behavior.

Hazards in the person’s room

Staff members should take good care to clean up residents’ rooms. Unsafe equipment or faulty furniture can be dangerous for seniors. If the senior states that this issue has been prevalent for a while, then it is crucial to correct it before the senior trips and falls.

Remember that these signs do not automatically indicate abuse is taking place. There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation. However, anyone concerned about the potential for elder abuse should not hesitate to acquire legal assistance.

Mississippi residents may know that the Tesla Model S has been described by the electric car manufacturer and its forward-thinking CEO Elon Musk as the safest vehicle ever to be put on sale in the United States. The Model S is fitted with a dizzying array of the latest passive and active safety systems, but it did not impress testers from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety during a series of accident simulations. Tesla was one of three full-sized cars to be put through a grueling series of tests by the nonprofit group, and it was one of three that failed to earn a place on its coveted list of America’s safest vehicles.

The Tesla Model S, the Ford Taurus, and the Chevrolet Impala all had difficulty with what IIHS crash testers call the small overlap front test. This test simulates a collision between the front driver’s side corner of a vehicle and an object such as a tree or road sign. The IIHS says that the seat belts fitted to the Tesla were not strong enough to hold the crash test dummy in place during the test. While the restraints in the Ford and Chevrolet were more robust according to the IIHS, testers say that their occupants could still suffer serious injuries in this type of crash.

The three full-sized sedans that passed the small overlap front test were the Toyota Avalon, the Lincoln Continental, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The IIHS says that all of these cars have been added to its list of America’s safest vehicles. Tesla did not immediately respond to news of the IIHS crash test results.

The photographs were taken and videos recorded during automobile crash tests can be useful to attorneys representing car accident victims. Negligent motorists often deny that they were driving recklessly immediately before crashing, but their speeds may be revealed by comparing their damaged vehicles with images taken following crash tests conducted by organizations like the IIHS.

Mississippi drivers may be interested to learn that, according to a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, approximately 80 percent of motorists had one incidence of road rage or significant anger within the past year when operating a vehicle. Further, approximately eight million U.S. drivers reportedly engaged in extreme road rage incidents, which included physically confronting other drivers and causing damage to vehicles.

The study also estimated that a significant number of drivers engaged in aggressive driving behaviors that could have turned deadly. For example, approximately 51 percent of drivers, or 104 million drivers, were estimated to have purposefully tailgated the vehicle in front of them. Forty-seven percent of drivers were estimated to have yelled at another driver. When it came to honking in anger and making angry gestures at other drivers, the estimated numbers were 45 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

The AAA offers several tips to help avoid road rage incidents. These include being tolerant and forgiving of other drivers who show overtly aggressive driving behavior and avoiding causing other drivers to have to use their brakes or turn their steering wheel suddenly. Finally, if another driver is engaging in road rage, it is recommended that a driver does not respond to the aggressor and contacts the police if he or she feels that the incident could escalate.

When drivers operate their vehicles in an aggressive or dangerous manner, they put others at risk for becoming involved in a life-impacting or life-threatening car accident. If a person suffers injuries after another purposefully causes the crash due to road rage, a personal injury attorney may file a lawsuit against the liable driver in order to recover damages, including expenses for medical treatment, lost income and potentially even property damages.

Entrusting a parent to the care of a nursing home is a major decision. If you have reached this point, it is likely the best option for both you and your loved one, but there are several misconceptions that everybody considering nursing home care should be aware of. According to ABC News, one in three nursing home residents is abused. Being aware of the following misconceptions can help prevent such mistreatment.

Falling is inevitable

Many elderly people have issues with vertigo and balance, so it is no surprise that they may fall if they are left unsupervised. In a nursing home environment, however, the staff is supposed to be present in order to prevent this. If you find out that a loved one has fallen, you should not assume it was an accident. Rather, you should question how it happened and whether it is a reliable account of the resident’s injuries.

Illness is nothing to worry about

Similarly, most nursing home residents are there because of failing health. It is reasonable, then, that you may accept reports of a resident’s illness without question. Many ailments, however—including dehydration, malnutrition or infections—may be the cause of lacking care from nursing home staff. If your loved one has experienced these or any other seemingly preventable illnesses, it is worth considering whether neglect contributed.

Pressure sores are normal

Pressure sores develop when a bedridden patient is not able to move positions for an extended period. This eventually leads to skin damage in the form of ulcers. While some may suggest that this ailment is normal or an inevitability, it is, in fact, a common symptom of nursing home neglect. If your loved one has developed pressure ulcers, you should take action to ensure sufficient care in the future.

Elderly people are one of the most vulnerable populations. Contact an attorney if you have reason to believe your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse.

Semi-tractor trailers in Mississippi and around the country should be fitted with side-mounted underride guards according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Federal lawmakers are considering regulations that would require truck operators to fit underride guards to the rear of their trailers, but the IIHS says that mounting safety guards to the sides of trailers would likely save many lives as well. The Virginia-based nonprofit organization came to this conclusion after testing the devices to see how well they protect passenger vehicle occupants in a crash.

The IIHS testers used two standard 53-foot van trailers for their tests. However, only one of the trailers was fitted with a side-mounted underride guard. The testers fitted a glass fiber side skirt to the second trailer. These skirts are used by truck operators to save fuel and improve stability at highway speeds, but they are not designed to protect vehicle occupants in an accident. To test the two configurations, the testers propelled sedans into the sides of the trailers at 35 mph.

The tests clearly show that properly installed side-mounted underride guards can prevent cars from going underneath van trailers in T-bone collisions. The testers said that passenger vehicle occupants would likely survive such a crash. However, the glass fiber skirt offered virtually no protection. The sedan came to a rest jammed beneath the second trailer with a large part of its roof sheared off. The testers said that passenger vehicle occupants in a similar accident would likely be killed.

Personal injury attorneys with experience in vehicle collision cases will likely support efforts to make side-mounted underride guards mandatory equipment on semi-tractor trailers. Side-impact accident victims often suffer serious head and neck injuries that can take years to heal fully, and attorneys may consult with specialists to more fully understand their long-term needs before pursuing civil remedies on their behalf if it can be shown that the accident was caused by the negligence of another motorist.