You can come up with all of the excuses you want, but the truth of the matter is that car accidents are largely preventable.
But if you’re looking for excuses, you need look no further than a recent story out of St. Lucie. According to the TC Palm, the driver in question rammed his car into another vehicle in a parking lot on Pine Lakes Boulevard. He said he was just in a rush to get some coffee and his windows were foggy.
He also said that he forgot to put his contacts in that morning. But officers became suspicious of the driver after they allegedly witnessed the driver slurring his speech and smelling of alcohol. Because of these suspicions, the driver was arrested.
In addition to these violations, the vehicle’s registration sticker was not valid, he had no proof of insurance, he was driving on a suspended license and he had already been convicted of DUI. He was arrested and charged with causing property damage, refusing a breath test and driving on a suspended license. He was also cited for failing to have proof of insurance and the proper car registration.
Our Port St. Lucie car accident lawyers understand that there were close to 235,500 motor vehicle accidents reported in the state of Florida in 2010. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), there were close to 340,000 drivers involved in these accidents. We’re sure that many of them had some interesting excuses for the collisions, but the truth of the matter is that a good majority of them were caused by poor driving habits, like distracted driving and speeding.
Drivers without insurance also make it more difficult for accident victims to collect damages and is an all-too-regular occurrence on Florida roads.
In the state of Florida, there were close to 650 traffic accidents reported in the Sunshine State each and every day. In these accidents, there were close to 2,500 people who lost their lives and another 200,000 people who were injured.
To break it down a little farther — there were close to 800 people killed in car accidents that involved a driver who was under the influence of alcohol. These accidents are 100 percent preventable. Never should a driver get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. There are multiple options for residents and visitors to get home after consuming alcohol. You can call a taxi, take the bus, call a friend or a family member or even stay put and sleep it off. These 800 fatalities were the result of driver irresponsibility and were 800 lives we didn’t have to lose.
Officers can only do so much. In 2010, there were more than 4 million traffic citations written in the state of Florida. According to ABC News, these citations brought it more than $100 million to the state.
The truth of the matter is that officers don’t want to write citations and no one wants to get into an accident. That’s why we’re calling on you to help make the roads safer in 2013. Practice safe and cautious driving habits with the New Year and help to keep our roadways safe for everyone.
Freeman & Mallard is a personal injury and wrongful death law firm that is dedicated to helping those who have been injured in auto accidents. Call today for a free consultation. 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Resolve to Avoid Pedestrian and Bike Accidents in 2013, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, January 1, 2013
Distracted Driving a Top Accident Cause to Avoid in 2013, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, December 29, 2012