Category: Legal

The phrase, legal for trade scale means, a weighing scale, which is granted the legal permission to be used for commercial operation. Such a scale is used for weight measurement in a manufacturing, retail or trading facility where accuracy in the weight is of paramount importance. The National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) runs a program called National Type Evaluation Program or NTEP to oversee the enforcement of guidelines laid out in handbook 44 of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The program ensures that manufacturers, users and officials from the department of weights and measures interact and cooperate with each other, and implement the guidelines of the program so that manufacturer can manufacture and sell the legal for trade scale for commercial purpose, without compromising the quality.

A legal for trade scale ensures fairness and transparency during the commercial weighing operation because it has a -legal for trade- indent marked on it. This mark guarantees accuracy in measurement because the concerned weighing scale is manufactured and tested according to the guidelines of the program. To make the weighing process more transparent, the weighing scale, which does not have a dual display unit, is marked as -not for direct sales-. This latest addition, aims to make it compulsory for all such scales to have a dual display unit instead of a single unit. A dual display unit allows the customer to have a clear and direct view of the weight reading. Hence from now on legal for trade scales, which have a dual display unit, will be used where both end user and customer are present during the weighing operation.

Before a weighing scale is indented with the legal for trade scale mark it has to under go a series of stringent tests. The scale is subject to testing under different environments and all the results are noted. The features advertised by the manufacturer are thoroughly checked. If they conform to the program guidelines the scale is granted the status of, legal for trade scale and can be used for commercial operations. In the end a legal for trade scale makes weight measurement very easy, precise and transparent for end users and customers. You can see a range of legal for trade scales at www.paylessscales.com.

About Author :

Lawrence has been in the weighing machines industry for the last 14 years. He has been interested in the penetration of digital scales across various market segments. He has participated in the wide adoption of digital scales such as floor scales by small, medium and large businesses. His special area of interest has been maximizing the value proposition of a digital scale. You can know more at www.paylessscales.com.

The US Department of Transportation said that car accident is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the country, killing at least 43,000 people every year.

With the seriousness of car accident aftermath, many studies have focused in finding the causes and trends about this preventable accident.

Some remarkable findings about car accidents conducted by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System in 2007:

Thirty-two percent of deaths involving car crashes was caused by drunk driving.
The occupant fatality rate decreased by 8.5 percent compared to the previous year.
Twelve midnight to 3 am is the period when most car accidents occurred.

Economic Costs (based on the study made by motorist advocacy group AAA)

Each year, car accidents cost each American more than $1,000 (the cost includes police service, lost of productivity, property damage, medical expenses, emergency service, and loss of lives).
Auto accident is two-and-a-half more expensive than traffic jams in the country. According to the advocacy group, road congestion costs around $67.6 billion every year, or $430 for each individual.
People living in urban areas with a population of more than 3 million pay two times the cost of traffic jams for car accidents.
People living in small towns with a population of less than 500,000 pay seven times the cost of traffic congestion.

Legal Consequences of Car Accidents

If a driver hit a pedestrian and did not stop, it is considered to be a criminal offense.
In the US, personal injury claims is the most common type of tort law that will allow victims to be rightfully compensated.
Some states administer the suspension of a drivers who has violated the traffic rules.
In some states like South Carolina, all traffic violations have been criminalized.
Some states have its criminal law separate from its traffic law.

Some Common Causes of Car Accidents

Using mobile phone while driving. In California alone, nearly 4,700 car accidents involved cell phone use behind the wheel, resulting to 30 deaths and 2,800 injured every year.
Road design. According to a study, nearly 30 percent of car accidents are caused by poor roadway design.
The vehicles design and its condition. According to a study, SUVs are prone to rollover crash with its higher center of gravity. Some vehicles which are vulnerable to rollover are: Isuzu Trooper, Suzuki Samurai, Ford E-series, Ford Bronco II, Mitsubishi Pajero and Montero, and Jeep CJ.
Poor vehicle maintenance. Breaks and tires which are in a bad condition are one of the most common causes of road accidents worldwide.
Driving above or below the average speed. According to the US Department of Transportation, driving below the average speed makes people more vulnerable to accident than driving above the speed limit (this finding contradicts the common belief that slow drivers are safer).
Driving under the influence of alcohol. This substance is proven to diminish a persons reflexes and decision-making skills, making him prone to road accidents.
Heavy rain or snow. Bad weather condition also accounted for many car crashes in the country.
Reckless driving.