An 18 year-old man died early this morning after being struck by a leaf collection truck in Sheboygan.

The pedestrian accident occurred just before 9:00 this morning on North Sixth Street by New York Avenue. The Sheboygan Police Department say the teenager was crossing the street when the truck hit him. He was unresponsive when paramedics arrived and died of head and internal injuries.

Law enforcement claims that no other cars were on the street at the time of the accident. The crash is currently under investigation since it appears that there was nothing obstructing the pedestrian or the driver’s view. The Wisconsin State Police will be assisting with the investigation.

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

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, hybrid vehicles are safer than conventional vehicles of the same model. In fact, passengers in hybrid cars are 25% less likely to be injured in a car accident.

While common misconceptions may lead many to believe that hybrids are more dangerous because they appear to be lighter and more compact, batteries in hybrid vehicles are so heavy that the total weight of hybrids are 10% heavier than conventional cars. This extra weight makes them safer in accidents.

However, hybrids are also 20% more likely to hit pedestrians because they are so quiet. Companies are currently trying to find ways to make them louder so pedestrians can hear them approaching.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact the Appleton car accident attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. at 800-242-2874 today.

Toyota announced last week that it will be recalling 550,000 cars worldwide. Nearly 447,000 of the vehicles were sold within the United States.

Models with the malfunction include the 2004-2005 Camry, 2006 Highlander HV, and the 2004 Avalon. Lexus models are also affected; the 2004-2005 RX330 and ES330 and 2006 RX400h are being recalled.

The automaker says that a malfunction could cause problems with the power steering pump, making steering very difficult. No injuries or accidents have been reported due to this malfunction.

Toyota has been hurt by its string of recalls, this one being the third one just this year. In the first two months of 2011, Toyota and Lexus recalled nearly 3.9 million vehicles. The Japanese automaker announced a 18.5% drop in profits from July-September.

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

An Iraq war veteran will serve the next thirteen years of his life behind bars and an additional fifteen on extended supervision after he caused a deadly car accident.

The 32 year-old veteran was driving drunk in Wisconsin when he hit and killed three people and injured one. The friends had pulled over on their way home to Milwaukee after their car got a flat tire. Two were students at the University of Minnesota and as young as 19 years-old. The sole survivor testified in court.

The judge decided to not sentence the man to the suggested 25-31 years because he suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, something she believed was a major factor in his alcohol abuse.

Seven people were killed late last week when the van they were in hit a deer and then was rear-ended by a semi-trailer. Ten people, all extended family, were on their way to New Jersey for a funeral when the crash occurred on Interstate-90 in Bristol, Indiana.

No one in the van was wearing their seatbelts when the accident occurred. The deceased range in age from six weeks to 52 years-old. Only three survived, including the 30 year-old driver, a 36 year-old woman, and a 28 year-old man.

The 24 year-old truck driver, who works for the Wisconsin trucking company Roehl Transport Inc., was released from the hospital with minor injuries. No charges have currently be filed against him.

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