Buckle Up Campaign
November 8, 2012 | Jon P. EricksonWe at BGS are again asking all our clients and blog followers to Buckle Up. Two recent articles in the StarTribune discussed the issues of motor vehicle deaths, and how seat belt use is so instrumental in preventing those deaths. October Deadliest Month 2012 for Unbelted Fatalities Seat Belt Use Reaches Record High The good news is that seat belt use in Minnesota is at a record 93.6{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} for drivers and passengers. The two main reasons for increased use appears to be the primary seat belt law, and the “Click it or Ticket” campaign. The one thing that is troubling is that drivers and passengers between 11 and 15 only have an 84{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} compliance rate. This suggests that we as parents and family members must continue to show and remind our young people to “buckle up” whenever we get the opportunity. The bad news is that October was the deadliest month this year for deaths in accidents where the deceased did no buckle up. The last number was 15. So far this year, 87 vehicle occupants have died where they had not buckled up. In the full year of 2011 there were 120 deaths of motorists who were not buckled up, and 231 severely injured. Use of a seat belt could prevent the majority of those death…
Read MoreHow to Expunge Your Record
October 29, 2012 | Jon P. EricksonIf you have a criminal charge on your record from when you were younger, you have the possibility of erasing it from your history. This erasing, or sealing, is called expungement. The Past is the Past You shouldn’t have to live forever by the mistakes you made when you were younger and allow them to haunt your future. People sometimes do crazy things when they are young and when they grow older they could end up really regretting them. Unfortunately, this criminal past can prevent you from many things in life because it shows up on your criminal record. You may even have a difficult time finding employment because of it. A criminal record expungement is not a guaranteed thing. You still have to go through a proceeding which will help a judge determine whether to grant or deny the request. The judge overseeing the case will typically consider the following points: What type of crime you are seeking to expunge Other charges in your criminal history If you are presently employed or looking for employment If you have taken steps to turn your life around If the way you are living your current life is in direct contrast with your past, the judge may see that you have turned your life around….
Read MoreHow to Fight Back After an Assault
October 25, 2012 | Jon P. EricksonThese days, you can never be too safe. Whether you are out alone or with someone you trust, you could find yourself being the victim of an assault. There are three phases that you need to prepare for in the case of an assault: prevention, as soon as it happens and handling it afterward. Preventing an Assault You do not have any control over someone deciding to assault you; however, there are some ways to help lower your chances of being assaulted. The biggest one is paying attention to your surroundings. Many random assaults happen when a person is not fully aware of their surroundings. If you are out in public alone, especially if it is dark, you should keep your eyes open and remain alert. Do not talk on your cell phone or preoccupy yourself with anything else. Focus on where you are going and pay attention to the surrounding area. Avoid dark alleys and sparsely populated areas. If you see someone who looks suspicious, use your gut instinct and stay away. A good way to do this is by walking into a store or over to another person. However, preventing an assault by someone you know can be more difficult to prevent. If you are spending time with a friend or…
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