An 18 year-old man was killed this morning in a pedestrian accident in Sheboygan while he was walking to school.

The teenager was crossing the North Sixth Street near New York Avenue when a Department of Public Works’ leaf collection truck struck him. Paramedics say the man was unconscious when they arrived and he died just before 11:00 from severe head and internal injuries.

The Sheboygan Police Department state that no other vehicles were on the street at the time of the accident that would have obstructed the pedestrian or the driver’s view. The Wisconsin State Police will assist in a reconstruction of the accident.

Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the young victim.

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has revealed that passengers in hybrid vehicles are 25% less likely to be injured in an accident compared to those in the same model but in a conventional car.

Hybrids are safer than conventional cars because they are heavier, says the study. Their high-tech batteries are so heavy that the total weight of hybrid vehicles are 10% heavier than normal cars. This extra weight makes them safer in collisions.

However, pedestrian accidents are 20% more likely to occur with hybrid vehicles because they are so quiet. The Department of Transportation is currently trying to find a way to make hybrids louder so people can hear them approaching.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact the Lake Geneva car accident lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. by calling 800-242-2874.

The Toyota Motor Corporation announced last week a 550,000 vehicle global recall of six Toyota and Lexus models.

Models affected by the recall include Toyota’s 2004-2005 Camry, 2004 Avalon, and 2006 Highlander HV. Lexus models include the 2004-2005  ES330 and RX330 as well as the 2006 RX400h. All models could possibly become very hard to steer if a malfunction in the power steering pump is not repaired.

No injuries or accidents have been reported in regard to the recall.

This is Toyota’s third recall of the year. In January and February, the Japanese car maker recalled a combined 3.87 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Earlier this month, the company announced an 18.5% drop in profits from July-September.

If you or someone you love has been injured by an auto defect, contact the Lake Geneva auto defect lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. at 800-242-2874.

Jim “The Real Deal” McNeil died on Sunday following a motorcycle crash in Forth Worth, Texas. He was only 32 years-old.

McNeil was doing a practice jump at the Texas Motor Speedway when his motorcycle experienced mechanical failure, causing him to miss his landing. He suffered severe blunt force trauma to his chest and neck when he hit the handlebars and then the ramp. Witnesses say he was wearing all his protective gear. His death has been ruled an accident.

The stunt rider was on the Boost Mobile FMX professional team for nearly a decade and competed in five X-Games. People involved in the motocross sport say that deaths are rare, but all riders are aware of the dangers. The tour manager says this is the first death in fourteen years.

Our deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of the victim.

Seven people were killed and three were injured late last week in a deadly car accident. All passengers are extended family and were on their way to New Jersey for a funeral when their vehicle struck a deer and then was rear-ended by a big rig truck on Interstate 90 in Bristol, Indiana.

No one was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The victims include a young infant, only six-weeks old. The three survivors include the 30 year-old driver, a 36 year-old woman, and a 28 year-old man.

The truck driver, a 24 year-old man, who works for the Wisconsin-based trucking company Roehl Transport Inc., was released from the hospital with minor injuries. No charges have been filed at this time.

Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victims.