Accident Terms and Definitions

Comparative negligence
Negligence of a plaintiff in a civil suit which decreases his recovery by his percentage of negligence compared to a defendant's negligence.

Elderly & Older Drivers
Drivers typically 65 or 70 years old, most states require renewal applicants to appear in person and to pass a vision test.

Soft Tissue Injury
Injuries sustained to the muscle, skin, connective tissue.

Affidavit
A written or printed declaration or statement under oath Affirm - The assertion of an appellate court that the judgment of the lower court is correct and should stand.

Reaction Time
The motorist who is not alert cannot cope with a sudden emergency as quickly as is necessary. An overly relaxed driver requires more time to react to an emergency than does an alert one.

Advanced Frontal Airbags
Advanced frontal air bags are designed to meet the needs of the occupant in a variety of specific crash situations. Depending on design, advanced frontal air bag systems automatically determine if and with what level of power the driver frontal air bag and the passenger frontal air bag will inflate.

Disregarding traffic controls
Can be going through a red light or stopping at a green light, diregarding special signals in traffic.

Aggressive Drivers (road rage)
Can be describes as: aggressive tailgating,Lights flashed at them because the other motorist was annoyed, aggressive or rude gestures,deliberate obstruction -- preventing them from moving their vehicle,verbal abuse,physical assault and other actions.

Cause of action
A legal claim. Certificate under penalty of perjury - A written statement, certified by the maker as being under penalty of perjury.

Reference Point
In angular momentum, the point in space around which the motion of an object is described. The angular momentum of an object is defined in relation to some point, the reference point. The velocity and radius of an object are measured from the reference point.