Articles Posted in Auto Accident

Florida authorities are joining forces to reduce the number of traffic accidents involving stopped emergency vehicles or construction zones, where crashes are among the leading causes of fatal South Florida road construction accidents, according to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Construction zones and stopped emergency vehicles are a break from the driving norm, and can also pose distractions for highway drivers. Consequently there is an increased risk of car accidents in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and throughout South Florida.

Law enforcement agencies from throughout the southeastern United States announced a campaign aimed at motorists who violate the “Move Over” laws of each state. The Florida Highway Patrol will join the Alabama Department of Public Safety, Georgia State Patrol, Tennessee Highway Patrol and South Carolina Highway Patrol in taking enforcement action against motorists who do not move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicle’s or road crews displaying flashing lights.

“All too often, a law enforcement officer, paramedic or wrecker operator is seriously injured or killed just doing their job because a vehicle got too close,” said Florida Highway Patrol Director, Colonel John Czernis. “That is why our law includes protection for all first responders, emergency personnel and wrecker operators. All of these people put their lives at risk. Every one of them deserves protection under the law.”

The campaign is scheduled to run from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12. While officials have not said how they will conduct enforcement, it typically involves a decoy cruiser at the side of the road with activated emergency lights. Chase vehicles are then used to stop and ticket violators.

Florida law requires motorists to vacate the lane closest to a stopped emergency vehicle or wrecker with flashing lights. If moving over is not possible, a driver must slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
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For the elementary school students at Pine Joe Elementary in West Palm Beach, participating in the Oct. 6 Walk to School day event meant more than getting some fresh air and a traffic safety lessons on their way to and from school, the Sun Sentinel reports.

For them, as much as it was about exercise, it was also about remembering a popular 8-year-old classmate who was struck and killed while riding his bicycle home from school a month ago. More than 20 elementary schools in Broward and Palm Beach Counties and West Palm Beach chose to participate in this year’s event – now in its 13th year – joining 3,200 schools across the country and student from more than 40 countries around the globe.

West Palm Beach pedestrian accident lawyers know that each year more than 39,000 children aged 14 and younger are injured in pedestrian accidents and another 630 are killed in pedestrian-related traffic fatalities. But thanks to safety organizations like Safe Kids USA and awareness campaigns like International Walk to School Day and Safe Routes to School, from 1995 to 2005 the number of child pedestrians killed each year has dropped by more than 50 percent.

The Florida Department of Transportation has distributed more than $29 million in federal SRTS funds to implement and sustain projects that promote bicycle and pedestrian safety. Aside from traffic safety, SRTS also emphasizes a pro-environmental message and endorses healthy, active, lifestyle by encouraging students to skip the bus and walk or pedal from home to campus each day.

Funding can be used for sidewalk and crosswalk improvement projects, disability access ramps, school zone signage and equipment to assist crossing guards and police who work with school children.

Safe Kids offers a few top tips to help kids master safe pedestrian behaviors:

~ Before crossing any street, STOP. Look left and right twice and make sure the street is clear before crossing. Always walk, never run.

~ Always walk facing traffic and obey all traffic signals and signs.

~ Never let a child under age 10 cross streets unsupervised or unassisted. Teach children to wear bright clothing during the day, and reflective clothing if they have to walk when it is dark. Teach them to carry and use a flashlight when visibility is limited.

~ Parking lots and driveways are not safe play areas for children, neither are streets or unfenced yards that abut streets.

Even First Lady Michelle Obama is excited about this year’s month-long awareness campaign. “I know that by getting students moving, we can help ensure they will live full and healthy lives, and that is why I am so encouraged by all the events going on across our country this month,” said the First Lady.
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The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is urging residents to wear white on Tuesday as part of a statewide “White Out” of teen traffic accidents. The awareness effort is part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from Oct. 17 to 23.

Car accidents in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and elsewhere in Florida, are the number one cause of death among teenagers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 6,428 motorists were killed in accidents involving teen drivers in 2008. Florida car accidents involving teen drivers killed 516. Only California and Texas reported more deaths involving young drivers.

“The number of teens who died in traffic crashes dropped 21 percent between 2008 and 2009, which signals that Florida is heading in the right direction,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie Jones. “Despite the decline, 153 families felt the impact last year when they lost their teens to crashes. No one wants to see someone with their whole life ahead of them die, especially when the cause of death is preventable. Join us Oct. 19 as we white out teen crashes.”

Teen drivers and the risk of Florida car accidents

-772,910 teens are licensed to drive in Florida.

-29,485 crashes involved teens last year.

-153 teens died in Florida car accidents in 2009, and 19,292 teens were injured.

-Florida teens make up 5 percent of the state’s population but are involved in more than 9 percent of its traffic accidents.

The state’s Take the Wheel website is an interactive site for teen drivers. It’s Drive with CARE program teaches parents and teenagers about Courtesy, Attention, Responsibility and Experience.
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NHTSA promotes seat belt use as powerful injury-prevention tool for South Florida drivers

A two-car accident on I-385 in South Carolina between a 2006 Toyota sedan and 2011 Chevrolet SUV carrying the driver and six passengers, all from South Florida, left one dead and sent seven to an area hospital in a crash that could have had much more deadly consequences. According to WSPA-7, all but one involved were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident.

Our West Palm Beach injury attorneys recognize that sometimes seat belts save lives. Tragically, in other cases they do not. But, as we reported in an earlier post to our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident attorney blog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2009 alone, more than 12,000 lives were saved just by passengers and drivers choosing to buckle up.

In fact, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood just announced that NHTSA ongoing agency-generated safety programs have been successful in encouraging seat belt usage. Since 1994, the number of passengers and drivers using seat belts has climbed from 58 percent to 85 percent as the number of unrestrained passenger vehicle fatalities has dropped from 57 percent to 44 percent. In an effort to educate the public regarding proper seat belt use, air bag deployment and even buckling up while pregnant, the NHTSA offers a few tips for drivers and passengers:

ABOUT SEAT BELTS:

~ Wearing a seat belt is the simplest and easiest way to protect vehicle occupants from impaired, distracted and aggressive driving and from injury or death in the event of a car accident.

~ Seat belt use and air bag deployment are tandem, potentially life-saving, mechanisms. An air bag alone does little protect a driver or passenger during a crash. In fact, in some cases, air bags can increase the chance of injury or death because they deploy with such force.

~ How a seat belt fits is important. The lap belt and shoulder strap should fit securely across the pelvis near the hip crease and the shoulder belt should rest across the shoulder and rib cage. For best results, all vehicle occupants should buckle up.

SEAT-BELT & AIR BAG SAFETY WHILE PREGNANT:

~ Medical professionals recommend that pregnant women always wear a seat belt and enable air bag deployment. With that said, as mentioned above, air bags without seat belts can create their own safety hazards.

~ As you belly grows, so should the space between you and the steering wheel/dashboard. As long as you can comfortably reach the pedals, pregnant drivers should maintain a 10-inch space between their abdomen and the steering wheel.
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A 12-year-old Swain Middle School student was struck and seriously injured Sept. 23 after getting off a school bus and running into the path of a northbound Mercedes-Benz, the Palm Beach Post reports.

As our West Palm Beach pedestrian accident attorneys have noted in an early post to our South Florida Injury Lawyer blog, school bus accidents are most common during the start of the school year and most school-bus related fatalities involve pedestrian accidents. In fact, on average, 14 out of 19 school transportation-related crashes annually claim the lives of school-age child pedestrians who are most frequently killed between 3 and 4 p.m.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that most fatalities involving school transportation happen when students are getting on or off the bus and enter the 10-ft. “danger zone” encircling a bus. The NHTSA offers a few tips to making school bus travel safer for students:

~ Students need to S-L-O-W D-O-W-N and focus on their surroundings when they are getting on and off a bus. Students should never assume the bus driver or other motorists are waiting for them to act.

~ Students should NEVER bend down to retrieve an item (book-bag, jacket, lunchbox, etc.) dropped while getting on or off a bus.

~ Students should always board or disembark from a bus individually. Getting on or off a bus is not a group activity.

~ Teach students to make eye contact with the bus driver before getting on the bus and to stop and look both ways before getting off a bus.

~ Teach students about the five-step zone that surrounds a school bus where neither bus drivers nor fellow motorists can spot a child.

~ Teach students to NEVER walk or run from the edge of a bus or from beyond the “danger zone” without first stopping and looking in all directions. That only when the road is clear and the bus driver indicates it is safe should a student cross and enter a roadway.

Click here for a safety video to view with your children.
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A North Miami resident and University of Wyoming freshman linebacker was killed and three of his fellow teammates were injured when their car rolled during an early morning one-car accident in Colorado, the Miami Herald reports.

The 19-year-old is remembered as a Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna football star and the 2009 All-Broward County linebacker. According to police reports, it is believed the driver fell asleep and there is no evidence that drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident.

As noted in an earlier post to our South Florida Injury Lawyer blog, car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens aged 15-20 and responsible for one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, 2,739 teenagers were killed in car accidents nationwide, 195 in Florida car accidents.

In fact, teen drivers in Florida are involved in more car accidents and more fatal car accidents than anywhere else in the nation. Florida teens also rank second in the nation for the number of alcohol-related crashes, the Florida Sheriffs Association reports.

Per mile, teen drivers are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. In 2008 alone, more than 350,000 teenager drivers and passengers across the U.S. were injured badly enough to require emergency care, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Of all teen drivers, males, teen drivers with teen passengers and newly licensed teens are most likely to be killed or injured in a car accident. Factors that add risk to teen driving include: inexperience and underestimation of dangerous situations; speeding; risky driving; drinking alcohol and driving; and not wearing a seat belt.

In 2009, there were 772,910 licensed Florida drivers aged 15-19 involved in 29,482 reported Florida car accidents that claimed 242 lives, an increase of almost 50 fatalities over 2008. This same age group was involved in 849 alcohol-related car accidents that killed 127, the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle reports.
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A 26-year-old Lantana woman and her passenger were both seriously injured after the driver blacked out and crashed her Honda Civic into a home off West Ocean Avenue Sunday afternoon, the Palm Beach Post News reports.

Officers responding to the Palm Beach car accident reported that the driver had not taken her anti-seizure medication prior to getting behind the wheel which led to the blackout. An eight-year-old boy playing a video game in the living room of the home was unhurt, although obviously quite startled.

For the family of the eight-year-old boy, repairing broken glass and some smashed concrete and replacing a couple mailboxes and street signs seem grateful tasks. That the child was unhurt despite standing six-feet from where the Civic came to rest after smashing through the living room, a blessing. Neither the driver nor her passenger was so lucky. The driver remains in serious condition and her passenger is critical.

Dealing with car accidents caused by side effects of medication is a significant issue in South Florida, particularly with the large number of retired and elderly drivers. Hiring an experienced attorney can assist a victim in determining if medication played a roll in a crash as often times law enforcement will not be able to make such a determination at the scene.

Consulting an experienced West Palm Beach car accident attorney can help victims preserve their rights and regain control of their lives. Our team of lawyers, investigators, medical professional and support staff bring years of experience to every car accident claim and know what steps to take to maximize your recovery for damages. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a South Florida car accident, speaking with an attorney can help you protect your rights and plan for your future.
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Driver fatigue has been linked to more than 100,000 serious car accidents annually that leave 71,000 people injured, 1,550 dead and cost more than $12.5 billion in damages and lost wages, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

For the family of eight-year-old Ronshay Dugan, who was killed two years ago in a Tallahassee multi-vehicle crash involving the school bus she was riding, a cement truck, an SUV and a van, the reality of driver fatigue is much more than a statistic. For them it is a grim reminder of their tragic loss that has become a mission in public awareness.

West Palm Beach car accident attorneys at Freeman & Mallard LLC understand the legacy of pain and suffering that can accompany a South Florida car accident when a loved one is seriously injured or killed. Our team of lawyers, investigators, medical professional and support staff recognize the emotional, physical and financial devastation that can be caused by someone’s negligence. Our mission is to help victims preserve their rights and regain control of their lives.

For the Dugans, one step in that direction involves the passage of the 2010 Ronshay Dugans Act which designates the first week of September as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. Through this awareness campaign, the family hopes to expose Florida drivers to the dangers of driving while tired.

“Ronshay’s family shares the story of their tragic loss so that others don’t have to experience the same,” said State Rep. Alan Williams, who sponsored the Act. “Drowsy driving decreases awareness slows reaction time and impairs judgment. The catastrophic losses that can occur when drivers doze off at the wheel can be prevented, and we want drivers to plan their daily commute and long trips accordingly so that they can arrive safely at their destinations.”

Tips for avoiding drowsy driving:

overconfident and fall victim to drowsy driving. Measures that drivers can take to stay alert behind the steering wheel are:

-Get a good night’s sleep.

-Ride with a friend.

-Stop and take a break every few hours.

-Don’t drink and drive

-Beware the side effects of prescription medication
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Last week Toyota rolled out one of its largest recalls since the auto manufacturer started recalling cars and trucks in October 2009. Toyota is recalling 1.3 million Corolla and Matrix models in the U.S. and Canada that may contain a defective part in the engine control module responsible for regulating engine performance, wftv.com reports.

The recall includes an additional 161,754 Pontiac Vibe vehicles build as a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors. It is believed the defect may cause some of the module circuit boards to crack which could lead to an engine stall or prevent it from starting. Three accidents have been tentatively linked to the failed circuit board, though Toyota says the link has not been confirmed.

The Fort Lauderdale product liability attorneys at Freeman & Mallard understands the complexities of defective product cases. Our staff fights for the rights of consumers who have been injured or killed in all types of defective product cases, including defective vehicles, medical devices, child toys and other consumer goods. At Freeman & Mallard, our goal is to protect those who are not able to protect themselves. We will review your defective product case and if we can help, we will pay the cost of litigating your case. You will pay us nothing unless we win.

Toyota has now recalled almost 11 million vehicles in the last year, the Detroit News reports. The latest recall was issued on the heels of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review. The NHTSA investigation has been ongoing since November 2009.

For vehicles no longer under warranty, Toyota is reimbursing owners who have paid for repairs out-of-pocket and plans to notify all Toyota Corolla and Matrix drivers by mail of the recall starting mid-September.
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While it is a sensitive issue, the fact of the matter is that elderly drivers are at increased risk of being involved in a Port St. Lucie car accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports there were 31 million older drivers on the road in 2007, an increase of nearly 20 percent from a decade ago. And that number is expected to explode in the coming decade as the Baby Boomers hit the road to retirement. Perhaps nowhere will it be a bigger issue than in Florida, Arizona and other states favored by retirees.

Helping an older adult decide when it’s time to hang up the keys is a discussion that “is happening all across the United States in families up and down the streets every day,” said Elinor Ginzler, a senior vice president of AARP. “It’s a huge issue.”

In 2008, more than 183,000 senior citizens were involved in traffic accidents. Seniors were involved in 474 fatal car accidents in Florida — the most of any state in the nation.

And seniors are hanging on to their driver’s licenses for longer than ever before. The percentage of people over the age of 70 who remain licensed to drive has increased in the last decade, from 73 percent to 78 percent, according to a recent report in the Washington Post. And drivers who are 75 or older are twice as likely to say they plan to drive into their 90s than those who are 65 to 74.

They are also most at-risk: A government study found that those over the age of 75 were more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers in any other age group.

“In the old days, or even 20 years ago, people just did not live long enough for this to be a problem,” Elin Schold-Davis, head of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Older Driver Initiative, told the USA Today. “People are living with a level of impairment that is unprecedented.”

That includes heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Some states are seeking to enact tighter restrictions for older drivers. Massachusetts recently enacted a law requiring driver’s license renewals to occur in person for some senior drivers. Like most driving safety issues, Florida has done nothing to address the issue.
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