Articles Posted in Auto Accident

We may not be any closer to flying cars, but there’s no denying that vehicles have evolved quite drastically in recent years. The next big change could be right around the corner and it’s already got some overwhelming support, according to CNN Money. Consumer Reports magazine recently announced that it’s in full support for vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems. These kinds of systems would allow vehicles to talk to one another electronically. They believe that this kind of technology has the ability to save thousands of lives from car accidents in Davie and elsewhere.

Experts call this technology V2V and say that it has the ability to let trucks and cars talk to one another when they’re traveling within the same area. Cars will be able to transmit the direction they’re heading and the speed they’re traveling at to help to avoid accidents with other cars in the area. Cars with this technology would even be able to alert other cars of problems such as slick roadways and other dangerous road conditions.

Our Davie car accident attorneys understand that the V2V technology may take a while to hit our streets, but we do need a little help on our roadways. Fatal car accidents continue to plague our area’s roads, despite the endless pleas for more driver awareness and caution. Until we’re able to travel the roadways in “driverless” cars, drivers are asked to keep attention on the roadways. Car accidents are a top killer for Americans. Most of these accidents are preventable, so we are asking residents to be the best and most cautious driver they can be.

Right now, there are smaller versions of V2Vs on our roadways. These are the vehicles that have the ability to override a driver’s command in the face of danger. These cars can hit the brake or swerve to avoid hitting something before a driver even notices any danger. Soon, there will be no need to override driver’s command, as the V2V technology will be the sole operator of the vehicle.

This isn’t a new idea from automakers either. This technology has been in the works for years now. Next year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) should rule on moving forward with research into the technology.

The NHTSA believes that this communication technology could potentially reduce the risks of car accidents by about 80 percent.

The cars won’t only be talking to each other, they’ll also be able to read info about objects and hazards that are along the roadway, including school zones, traffic lights and street signs.

The technology isn’t as big and bulky as you may think either. It’s actually only about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and the devices could even be used in older vehicles. Until we’re able to throw our hands behind our head in the driver’s seat and allow our car to navigate for us, drivers are asked to keep 100 percent of their attention and focus on driving and preventing accidents on our South Florida roadways.
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Officials in Florida are targeting aggressive drivers, who are causing far too many car accidents in Margate and elsewhere. These kinds of accidents are completely preventable with a little awareness. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is now asking drivers to watch their tempers and keep their eyes on the road – or they will be watching for you!

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are using this time to help educate drivers about the dangers of aggressive driving. They’ll also be using the anti-aggression campaign to hunt down these dangerous drivers on our roadways.

Our Margate car accident attorneys understand that this new campaign is aiming to reduce the risks of all kinds of car accidents that cause injuries and death by combining education, evaluation and outreach with increased enforcement efforts.

We know that accidents involving commercial trucks and cars are the fault of the driver’s actions more than 85 percent of the time. Only about 15 percent of car accidents are the result of road conditions, vehicle defects or weather conditions. Often, aggressive driving or road rage is to blame for these types of crashes.

State officials want drivers to know the risks of aggressive driving habits and the importance of keeping your cool behind the wheel. It’s not just the FHP that’s going to be pursuing this awareness event. They’ve also teamed up with the Florida Trucking Association (FTA) to get the message across — all drivers have a responsibility to drive carefully.

Troopers across the state will be out in full force from February 27th through the 29th in search of aggressive drivers. Troopers will be aggressive in handing out citations for those that they feel are endangering motorists.

Troopers will be looking for:

-Drivers who are tailgating.

-Drivers who make unnecessary and unsafe lane changes.

-Speeding drivers.

-Drivers who fail to use turn signals.

In addition to the roadway enforcement efforts, troopers will be displaying roadside billboards and airing radio messages to increase awareness in car and truck drivers about the dangers of aggressive driving. The messages will also include the enforcement efforts of the campaign and will warn drivers about their risks for being ticketed if they’re witnessed displaying any of these dangerous behaviors.

There will also be events held at community centers and schools around the state to help to teach drivers about how to share the road safely with other motorists, especially large trucks.

Mary Lou Rajchel with FTA says safe roadways can only be achieved with a conscious effort from all drivers. She voices the efforts of the campaign and asks drivers to treat others on our roadways with respect and courtesy. Safe roads start with you!
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As our Plantation car accident attorneys recently reported, our roadways are plagued with dangers. Many of these are presented to motorists who have already been in an accident, or whose vehicles have broken down on the side of the road, as well as good Samaritans who stop to offer help.

Unfortunately, when a motorist stops to offer help, they’re putting themselves at risks too. According to the Sun Sentinel, officers are looking into the death of three people after they were hit by an oncoming car as they stood near the roadway near Northwest 69th Avenue on Broward Boulevard.

Two women in their 20s were involved in a single-car accident in Plantation with a tree just before 5 a.m. One of the women was from Fort Lauderdale. The other was from Sunrise. Plantation police report that a driver of a passing vehicle stopped to check and see if the two women were alright. Once that driver stopped and exited the vehicle, all there were hit by a passing car.

Emergency responders arrived at the scene and pronounced one of the women dead immediately. Battalion Chief Joel Gordon of the Plantation Fire Department says that the second woman and the man who stopped to help were taken to the Broward Medical Center, where they were later pronounced dead.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the three pedestrians was transported to Westside Regional Medical Center and treated for injuries.

This is just one recent example illustrating why exiting your vehicle on the side of the road can be very dangerous. We may all have to stop at the side of the road at some time or another, whether due to car trouble or low gas or to assist a child passenger or in the immediate aftermath of a wreck.

Sadly, passing motorists don’t often take the proper safety precautions to ensure an accident doesn’t occur. We recently discussed the dangers that law enforcement officials, emergency responders and roadside workers face as they do their jobs on our busy roads. From 1993 to 2002, there have been more than 680 police officers killed in accidents involving traffic stops.

Yes, Florida has a Move Over Law, which requires motorists to move over a lane or to slow down to 20 miles per hour under the speed limit if they’re approaching an emergency responder, a roadside worker or a law enforcement official. However, motorists should do this as a courtesy whenever they see anyone on the side of the road.
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When you see a police car with lights flashing by the roadside, you must move over a lane to offer them space to do their job safely. Under Florida’s Move Over Law, you must slow down to 20 miles per hour under the speed limit. For those who don’t, you run the risk of a serious car accident in Miami and elsewhere.

Since 1999, there have been over 170 officers killed and thousands more injured in the line of duty after being hit by a passing motor vehicle. Now, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and troopers from neighboring states are doing their part to help to protect them.

Our Miami car accident attorneys support the month-long campaign to enforce and educate drivers about the Move Over Law. We’re joining the effort, along with the Alabama Department of Public Safety, FHP and the Georgia State Patrol to help to promote the Move Over Law and help protect our law enforcement officials and roadside workers. The recent announcement of the joint efforts was made by Col. David Brierton of the FHP, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

“All too often, a law enforcement officer, paramedic or wrecker operator is seriously injured or killed while they are doing their job because a vehicle drove too close,” said Brierton.

The campaign will be ongoing during the month of February. During this time, police officers throughout Georgia, Alabama and Florida will be hitting our interstates and other busy highways in full force in search of drivers who fail to move over to protect our roadside workers. Troopers and deputies will be looking for other traffic law violators, so be careful and drive smart.

July will mark the 10th anniversary since the Move Over Law took effect. Here are the basics of the law:

-Whenever you see an emergency vehicle or a wrecker parked on the side of the road with its flashing emergency lights activated, you’re required to get out of the lane of travel closest to that vehicle. You’re required to do this when you’re traveling on a road with two or more lanes of travel that are going in the same direction as you.

-If you can’t move over on a multi-lane roadway to make room for the emergency vehicle, slow down and travel at least 20 miles-per-hour under the posted speed limit.

-If you’re on a roadway where the posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour or slower, you’re required to slow down to 5 miles per hour.

Motorists who violate these rules are not only putting themselves and their passengers at risks. They also endanger our emergency workers and other innocent motorists. If an officer busts you for not properly moving over, you can be faced with a fine and points on your license.
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A difficult decision is looming for a vast majority of Americans.

As Baby Boomers continue to age, both they and their children begin thinking about what will happen when they reach a point they can no longer care for themselves.

A recent story on CNN chronicled the story of Felicia Hudson, who made the heart-wrenching decision to place her ailing, 72-year-old father in a nursing home. She later changed her mind, and brought him back home to live with her, a move that has greatly added to the stress of her everyday life, but has also given her some peace of mind.

Our Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys recognize that many people, however, simply don’t have the resources to make this kind of arrangement a reality.

Generally, a Baby Boomer is defined as someone who was born between 1946 and 1964.

CNN reported that the first of the Baby Boomers turned 65 last year. As such, the number of Americans reaching retirement age is expected to double to about 72 million in the next 20 years. This will tax not only the health care system, but also the stress levels among those with older relatives.

Assisted living is a choice that should be approached with a great deal of consideration not only for the financial implications, but the safety aspects as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 16,100 nursing homes in the country. That makes for a lot of options.

Many of these places pride themselves on compassionate assistance and treatment.
But our West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys have seen that’s not always the case.

The National Center on Elder Abuse, a division of the U.S. Administration on Aging, describes the seven major types of elder abuse as physical, sexual, emotional, financial, neglect, abandonment and self-neglect.

The center links to a National Nursing Home Watch List, which provides information by state on nursing homes that have been flagged for abuse or neglect, based on Medicare and Medicaid surveys. In Florida, there were 27 nursing homes where at least one person reported abuse or neglect, five nursing homes where at least two instances of abuse or neglect was reported and one where at least three instances were reported.

The nursing homes were also rated on everything from basic standards of care to creating an accident-free environment. Some low scores in these areas included things like failing to protect residents from theft and not doing enough to prevent bed sores.

The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, a non-profit organization, has outlined the following warning signs of potential nursing home abuse:

–Sprains or broken bones.
–Abrasions on arms or legs.
–Bruises.
–Torn, stained or bloody underclothing.
–Inappropriate or unusual sexual behavior.
–Is emotionally upset, agitated, withdrawn or non-responsive.
–Exhibits depression or confusion.
–Significant weight loss or gain, not attributed to other factors.
–Having new “best friends.”
–Belongings or property are missing.
–Suspicious signatures on checks or other documents.
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A woman waiting for the bus was killed in a recent Miami bus stop accident. The accident happened on 93rd Avenue and Bird Road. The woman, in her 60s, was waiting at the bus stop when the driver of a small-passenger car lost control and ran directly into the bus stop waiting area. The woman died instantly, according to 7News.

The driver of the motor vehicle stayed at the scene of the accident. Officers are trying to determine if the man was driving recklessly or if he was speeding at the time of that deadly accident. The investigation is ongoing.

Our Miami bus accident lawyers understand that many residents rely on buses to get around town. Riding the bus is a simple way to save some money, avoid waiting behind the wheel on congested roadways and help minimize traffic. But getting to and from the bus stops may be tough on our busy Miami roadways. We are here to offer bus riders a few simple safety tips to help avoid a potentially fatal bus accident. An accident can happen when approaching the bus stop, while waiting for the bus and even while riding the bus.

Safety Tips for Walking to the Bus Stop:

-Always use a sidewalk when one is available. If you have to walk along the road, do so far to the side and facing oncoming traffic.

-Keep an eye out for oncoming traffic.

-Stand away from the roadway.

-Don’t allow distractions, such as radios, phones, computers, etc., take your mind and your eyes off of the roadway.

-Look left, right and left again before crossing the street.

Waiting for the Bus:

-Don’t play around the street. Stay away from traffic.

-Stand in the covered stop area. When a bus pavilion is not available you should stand at least 10 feet away from the street.

-Keep your eyes and your mind on the road. Keep a look out for dangers, including vehicles, passing bicyclists and road debris.

Boarding a Bus:

-If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver before bending down to get it. If the bus driver doesn’t know your location, it’s a good possibility they will not see you and drive off, potentially hitting you.

-Look for passing motorists before boarding. Not all drivers are cautious near stopped buses.

-Board the bus, find a seat and be seated. It’s important not to distract the driver or to block their line of vision with the roadway.

-Stay out of the buses blind spots. Make sure you can always see the face of the bus driver while walking around or near the bus.

Riding a bus can be super convenient and cost and eco-friendly. Riders are asked to be cautious when taking advantage public transportation. Just because you’re driving doesn’t mean that you don’t need to keep an eye out for passing traffic.
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According to the Florida Department of Transportation, intersection car accidents in Palm Beach Gardens and elsewhere throughout Florida are a huge cost to society in terms of property damage, lost productivity, injury and even death.

Statistics reveal that roughly 40 percent of all traffic accidents in the state happen at intersections or as motorists approach intersections. In 2003, there were nearly 100,000 intersection accidents in the state. In these collisions, nearly 1,000 people died and another 107,500 were injured.

Our Palm Beach Gardens car accident lawyers understand that intersections can be dangerous for everyone, not just motorists. Pedestrians and bicyclists also face serious accident risks in these areas if travelers aren’t cautious. Motorists are especially cautioned to be careful at intersections during rush hour when traffic volumes are at their highest and accidents are more likely.

This is the fourth entry of a 6-part blog in which we are asking Florida drivers to make one of their New Year’s resolutions to be a better driver in 2012. By making a resolution to be more careful and cautious behind the wheel and when traveling through intersections, we can all do our part to make our state’s roadways safer for everyone. Traffic collisions at intersections oftentimes are the result of high speeds, reckless drivers, inattentive drivers and because of visibility reductions. Knowing what your risks are for an intersection accident and ways to avoid these dangers can help to reduce your risks of a potentially fatal intersection car accident.

Safety Tips for Drivers at Intersections:

-Make sure you always make a complete stop at stop signs. During your stop, be sure to look for oncoming traffic from all directions before proceeding.

-Check for oncoming cars twice before continuing through an intersection. Even if you have the right of way at the intersection, be cautious of other motorists in case they fail to yield for your vehicle.

-Always expect the unexpected. You should never assume that other vehicles will stop for you.

-Drivers don’t always abide by traffic signals. Be on the lookout for red-light runners.

-If you’re making a turn at an intersection, keep your eyes out for bicyclists and pedestrians who may be using the crosswalk.

-Always use your turn signals when turning at an intersection. This will help to alert drivers of your desired movements.

At an intersection, you never want to:

-Run a red light.

-Roll through a stop sign.

-Follow another vehicle.

-Rely on other vehicles giving you the right of way.

-Make unsafe left-hand turns.

The second most common traffic ticket issued to drivers in the state Florida is red-light running, In 2006, there were more than 391,000 traffic tickets issued for this violation. Intersections continue to be some of the most common places for car accidents.
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As we recently reported on our South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is putting its best efforts forward to propose a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices for drivers across the country — including hands-free devices. Earlier this month, the NTSB made a recommendation for all local and state governments to prohibit this behavior to help reduce the risks of distraction-related car accidents.

States have enacted some laws to stop driver distraction, but no state has completely prohibited the use of all electronic devices — including hands free. Some lawmakers say that this type of law is a form of government intrusion, while others feel it’s an invasion of personal freedoms, according to CNN.

Our Riviera car accident lawyers understand that recent studies from the National Safety Council (NSC) prove that hands-free phones are just as much of a distraction as hand-held phones are. Still, no state has enacted a law to prohibit this behavior. Maybe legislators are taking the problem too lightly. According to Barbara Harsha with the Governors Highway Safety Association, lawmakers can’t expect these laws to start producing safer results right away. Once they’re enacted, it takes time to enforce them and an even longer time for drivers to start changing their behavior behind the wheel. Still, lawmakers need to take that first step to help get us on the right path to safer roads.

The truth of the matter is that hands-free cell phone use is just as dangerous as a drivers talking on a hand-held phone. According to the NSC, the use of cell phones, hand-held or hands-free, causes drivers to “look at” and not “see” the roadway. Many legislators would argue that hands-free cell phones pose less of a distraction that hand-held. That’s not true. Drivers don’t multitask well. Drivers are unable to focus the same amount of attention on driving when talking on a cell phone as they are when they’re just driving alone.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 10 percent of drivers are using a cell phone at the wheel at any given moment. The NHTSA’s studies also concluded that about a quarter of all car accidents involve a driver using a cell phone at the time of the collision.

The problem with current distraction-related laws:

-Almost all legislation addresses the banning of only hand-held phone or of text messaging devices. None focus on the use of hands-free devices.

-Every state’s distraction-related driving laws allow the use of hands-free device by drivers. The same is true for employer policies.

-Recent polls conclude that driver recognize and understand the risks associated with hand-held cell phone use and text messaging devices usage, but not for hands-free devices.

-Many drivers think that they’re safer using a hands-free phone at the wheel than a hand-held phone.

“If it shows both are unsafe, then a total ban may make the most sense,” said Harsha.
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As we recently reported on our South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods serve as a time where we see an alarming increase in the number of drunk-driving car accidents in Cooper City and elsewhere throughout the state. In 2010, about 40 percent of the accidents we witnessed during this time period were alcohol-related.

The National Safety Council (NSC) recently released its predictions regarding the number of traffic accident fatalities we’re going to see nationwide during this year’s holiday periods. Our Cooper City drunk driving car accident attorneys understand that the holidays are a time to gather and celebrate with friends and family. Time off from work and away from school allows time to re-energize. Unfortunately, our roadways are also overflowing with snowbirds, residents and visitors. The increase in traffic is tough enough to deal with as it is, but add the increased amount of drunk drivers over the holidays and your risks increase.

According to the NSC, the Christmas holiday period starts at 6 p.m. on the 23rd of December and goes through 11:59 p.m. on the 26th of December. The council is predicting that we’re going to see more than 280 traffic accident fatalities during this 3.25-day period. The NSC goes on to predict that another 28,700 individuals will be injured in car crashes during this time.

The number of roadway fatalities during any time of the year could be greatly reduced if all motorists were to wear a seat belt. According to studies, seat belts are more than 40 percent effective in saving lives during car accidents. This information indicates that more than 100 people may potentially be saved in car accidents over this year’s Christmas holiday period because of seat belts. If all motorists were to wear a seat belt during travel, experts conclude that another 75 people could be saved.

The NSC also reports that there are going to be close to 300 people killed in traffic collisions during the New Year’s holiday period. This time period officially begins on Friday, December 30th at 6 p.m. and goes through Monday, January 2nd at 11:59 p.m. In addition to these predicted fatalities, the NSC is estimating that another 29,700 people will require medical attention from injuries resulting from car accidents during this time.

According to the NSC, more than 105 people may be saved in car accidents during this holiday period because of seat belt usage. If all motorists were to wear a seat belt during this time period, the NSC predicts that an additional 75 people could also be saved.

Drivers are asked to be careful on our roadways during the upcoming holidays. Be safe, exercise defensive driving habits and always wear a seat belt. Have a safe and happy holiday!
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