With the horrific tragedies from DUI that have recently occurred in Seattle, many folks are pushing hard to make significant changes to our DUI laws. My colleagues who do great work as criminal defense lawyers might claim otherwise, but to the new proposals I say, "Bravo!" It's long overdue. We've just got to do more.

But adding tougher laws for repeat offenders is just one important protective measure. Jerry Large, Seattle Times columnist, highlights another: safer cars. As Large points out, car safety is continually improving. Cars now come equipped with more air bags, rear-view camera, and important collision features designed to keep drivers safe from the most common collisions. The fact remains, however, that not all car manufacturers implement the knowledge they have about car safety. This puts drivers and others at greater risk of serious injury and death.

Lawsuits help to push the automotive industry to make safety a priority. If you are at the stage where you need to speak to a lawyer, there are folks out there, like me and others at my law firm, who are happy to speak with you; but there's so much more you can do to never have to be in that predicament. Driving more carefully and avoiding times when your chances of running into an impaired driver are greater can help. Checking the safety record and safety features of the car you drive ought to be at the top of the list too.

The next time you are looking to buy a car, check out the safety components and record and make getting as safe a car as you can afford a priority. There is nothing the victims of the recent Seattle alcohol related tragedies could have done differently to result in a different outcome, and that's what makes the incidents all the more tragic: a safer car would have made no difference to them. But that doesn't mean it won't make a difference for you. You never know: a safer car just might save your life.