Articles Posted in Auto Accident

According to Governor Rick Scott, December is “National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month.” During this time, local and state officers are on our roadways in search of intoxicated drivers through the holiday season. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and thousands of other local law enforcement departments are also pushing the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, according to WCTV. The campaign began last week and is running through January 2nd, and is aimed at helping to decrease the risks of drunk driving car accidents in Boynton Beach and elsewhere throughout the state.

Drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired accidents are some of the deadliest ones, especially during the last part of every year and through the holidays. In 2010, nearly 40 percent of car accidents during the New Year’s and Christmas holiday periods were alcohol-related.

Our Boynton Beach drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that FHP Reserve and Auxiliary troopers also will be patrolling our roadways throughout the rest of the year. With the holiday season, residents and visitors venture out to gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays. Many of these gatherings involve alcohol, and all too often drivers hop behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after drinking.

“Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we’re stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans ‘drive sober, or get pulled over,’ ” said USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood. “We’re making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up.”

FHP is asking drivers to practice the following safety tips to avoid a drunk-driving accident:

-Plan head. If you’re going to go out drinking, make sure that you have a sober driver who can get you home safely.

-Designated driver doesn’t mean someone who is “less drunk” than you. It’s someone who has had nothing to drink.

-If you’ve been drinking and you don’t have a sober driver, call a friend or family member to help get your home, call a cab, use mass transit or stay at a hotel or friend’s home.

-If you think you’ve spotted someone on our roadways who is drunk, dial *FHP (*347) to help to get them off the road. You can also use this number to request assistance if your car has broken down.

“Impaired driving continues to be a priority for law enforcement in the state, and the Florida Highway Patrol will be intensifying enforcement during the holidays,” said FHP Director, Col. David Brierton. “Our goal is to create the safest possible driving environment by modifying driver behavior – and helping drivers make better decisions.”

We ask all drivers to be cautious at the wheel and to be patient with the heightened volume of traffic. Practice responsible driving habits and ring in the near year injury free.
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Drivers in the state of Florida are still allowed to talk on cell phones and text message at the wheel. In fact, we’re one of the few states left in the U.S. that hasn’t enacted any laws to regulate such dangerous behavior, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. That could all be changing soon.

At a meeting earlier this week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended a nationwide ban to stop drivers from using portable electronic devices behind the wheel, according to CBS Miami. If this recommendation makes it into office, drivers would be able to use these devices only in emergencies or to help aid safe driving. Regulating distractions for drivers could help to significantly cut down on the number of car accidents in Lauderdale Lakes and elsewhere throughout South Florida.

“According to NHTSA, more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,” said NTSB chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices while driving. No call, no text, no update is worth a human life.”

Our Lauderdale Lakes car accident attorneys understand that many states have trouble enforcing distracted driving-related laws. In many states, drivers are permitted to make phone calls at the wheel, but aren’t allowed to send or receive text messages while driving. These laws make it hard for law enforcement officials to determine what a driver was actually doing at the wheel; talking on the phone or composing a text message. A federal ban on these behaviors may be a better way to reduce the risks of car accidents across the U.S. and help officials to better enforce distraction-related driving laws.

Throughout the years, lawmakers in our state have made several attempts to pass bans on text messaging at the wheel. There’s even another proposal on the lineup for the upcoming 2012 legislative session. If this law makes it through, drivers could face a $30 fine for texting while operating a motor vehicle. This would only be a secondary offense and still cell phone use wouldn’t be regulated.

“Needless lives are lost on our highways, and for what? Convenience? Death isn’t convenient,” Chairwoman of the NTSB, Deborah Hersman said. “So we can stay more connected? A fatal accident severs that connection.”

The NTSB isn’t the only organization that agrees with these measures. The National Safety Council (NSC) is applauding the NTSB for making such a move to make our roadways safer. The NSC reports that more than a million traffic accidents occur every year because of distracted drivers.

“Making citizens safer is one of the most important roles of government,” said the president of the NSC, Janet Froetscher. “We are hopeful that legislators across the nation will recognize the value of NTSB investigations and recommendations and take the necessary actions proposed by NTSB to make our roadways safer for everyone.”
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The National Safety Council (NSC) and The Allstate Foundation recently started the HEARTS Network, also known as Honoring Everyone Affected, Rallying The Survivors, and is asking victims and family members affected by teen car accidents in Lauderhill and elsewhere to step forward. These organizations are asking for these individuals to join Network to help raise awareness about the serious consequences that result from accidents involving these young, inexperienced drivers.

David Teater, senior director of transportation initiatives at National Safety Council, says that the stories from victims will help prevent or at least reduce accidents. Car accidents continue to be the number one killer for teens. With more awareness, we can help to turn this statistic around and help make our roads safer for everyone.

Our Lauderhill car accident attorneys understand the dangers that teen drivers face on our roadways, and that these young drivers have higher accident rates than any other age group of drivers. The HEARTS Network was launched to allow accident victims and participants with the chance to speak with organizations throughout the community, to help their communities to improve teen driving problems, and to recruit the help of community leaders and traffic safety leaders to raise awareness about the epidemic. The group also serves as a support system for those who have experienced similar tragedies, offering them a place to turn to in difficult times.

John Farrace became a member of the HEARTS Network after his 17-year-old son was killed in a car accident in 2007. Farrace says that he hopes the program will help to enlighten parents and teen drivers about the importance of driver road safety.

The HEARTS Network has shared stories with audiences at the NSC New York Teen Driving Forum, the National Conference for State Legislators and the N.J. Governor’s Teen Drivers Study Commission. Awareness is the number one step to help reduce the risks of these types of accidents.

Of course teenagers aren’t the only people who are suffering in these accidents. In fatal car accidents that involved drivers between the ages of 15 and 17, nearly 70 percent of the victims aren’t the drivers but those in other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. Nearly 6,000 fatal accidents happened in 2009 that involved a teen driver.

HEARTS Network participants are also serving on various traffic safety groups. One of the main groups is the Teen Safe Driving Coalitions funded by The Allstate Foundation. The coalitions are overseen by the National Safety Council in 10 states, including Florida.

If your teen driver has been in an accident or you’ve been in an accident with a teen driver and would be willing to to share your story to help raise awareness about the issue, you can e-mail the NSC or call them at (630) 775-2411.
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Talking with your elderly parent or spouse about your concern for their diminishing motor skills is no easy task. But taking the first step to help a loved one who no is longer able to safely navigate our roadways can help to reduce their risks of a car accident in Davie and elsewhere.

According to Florida’s traffic data, the number of drivers who had their licenses taken away because they were deemed as unable to safely drive has doubled over the last 10 years. Most of these licenses were revoked because of physical or mental health challenges related to age, including strokes, dementia and seizures, according to News 4 Jax.

Our Davie car accident attorneys understand that drivers’ risks for an accident drastically increase once they reach the age of 60. To help prevent these types of accidents, Florida lawmakers have decided to promote a longstanding, but little-known Florida law that allows residents to contact the state regarding motorists who may be suffering from mental of physical conditions that could affect road safety. We’re not asking you to go report you elderly family members to the state. We would just like to raise awareness about the dangers they face behind the wheel and head off that problem before it gets here.

Family members are urged to speak with their elderly loved ones face to face, but if nothing seems to work then you can report the driver to the state. Reports are confidential.

“There’s a lot wrapped up in having a driver’s license, in terms of identity and dignity,” said
Linda Levins, of ElderSource.

Florida drivers are required to get their eyes checked every six years once they’ve reached the age of 80. Since 2004, about 7,000 drivers’ licenses have been taken based on these vision tests alone.

“We know that Florida’s older adult population has positively impacted our state, both socially and economically,” said Terry White, secretary of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and council member. “We are committed to addressing the safety and self-sufficiency of Florida’s elder drivers.”

Signs from AARP that a driver should start limiting his or her time behind the wheel:

-Having near-misses, close calls or almost accidents on our roadways.

-Discovering dents and scrapes on your car or on the property around your driveway.

-Getting lost on routes that should be familiar.

-Have a tough time seeing road signs, road markings and traffic lights.

-A slow response time to road hazards.

-Underestimating gaps in traffic.

-Receiving many honks from other drivers.

-Easily becoming distracted.

-Having a hard time turning to look at your vehicle’s surroundings.

-Receiving numerous written and verbal warnings from officers.

Take the time to examine your elderly loved one’s driving abilities. Make sure they’re not endangering themselves or anyone else on our roadways. If not, consider sitting them down and talking to them about their safety behind the wheel. Your concern could help to save their life.
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Hybrids have a safety edge over the gas-guzzling vehicles on the roadways. In a recent study, conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), hybrids are better able to protect vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. As a matter of fact, you’re 25 percent less liked to be injured in a hybrid during a car accident in Deerfield Beach and elsewhere.

“Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes,” says Matt Moore, HLDI vice president.

As we recently reported on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the type of car you choose is an important decision in your likelihood of staying safe in the event of a car accident. Drivers are urged to check out the safety ratings of vehicles before making a purchase. The new discoveries regarding hybrid vehicles are good news to energy-conscious consumers who aren’t willing to trade safety for fuel economy. Before this, green drivers had to choose between one or the other because the hybrids were typically smaller and lighter and more dangerous for occupants.

Hybrids now come with more safety options than every that can help save money at the pump and save lives in accidents.

In the recent study, crash results were the same for hybrid vehicles and their conventional versions were uplifting for hybrid owners. Hybrid passengers’ odds for injury were more than 25 percent lower than their standard counterparts, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Size and weight has always been associated with safety. Both the hybrid and its conventional counterpart share the same structure and footprint, but now the hybrid outweighs gas guzzlers because of the added weight of battery packs and a number of additional components used in dual-power systems. The additions on the hybrids add the extra weight needed for safety. The newer model hybrids oftentimes weigh more than their counterparts.

A downside discovered in the study regarded hybrid-pedestrian car accidents. All too often, the electric motor is too quiet for pedestrians to hear on our roadways. Study data concluded that hybrids were about 20 percent more likely to be involved in pedestrian accident that their convention versions.

This is a problem that has become so widely recognized that it’s even gaining attention from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as they work to correct the problem. In the beginning of this year, Congress allotted the NHTSA with three years to find a way to make these vehicles more noticeable by pedestrians.

As vehicle technology advances, we’ll continue to face safety issues. Consumers are urged to research potential purchases to help ensure the safety of vehicle occupants. Regardless of which vehicle you choose, it’s important to drive carefully and cautiously to help to preserve the safety of your fellow travelers.
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Dr. Val Jones with Healthy Vision recently interviewed optometrist Dr. Cristina Schnider and John Ulczycki of the National Safety Council to discuss the dangers of nighttime driving. With the recent time change, drivers are spending more time on our roadways during dark hours. Statistics illustrate that about a quarter of all travel is done during the evening, yet about half of all fatal car accidents in Royal Palm Beach and elsewhere occur during this time. According to Road and Travel Magazine, about one out of every three drivers admits that they have trouble seeing while driving at night.

Our Royal Palm Beach car accident lawyers understand that many drivers fail to adjust their driving habits during the evening hours. Driving is more dangerous at night because drivers are less likely to see hazards or dangers on our roadways. Because drivers can’t see the dangers, many just assume they aren’t there instead of reducing speed and driving more cautiously.

Even drivers who have perfect vision during the day have a reduction in vision at night. At night, the eyes search around to find an object to focus one. Since there’s less to focus on, the eye wanders looking for something to focus on. This wander makes your overall vision more blurry. What the eye typically focuses in on is the windshield. This is dangerous because there’s much more going on that you should be focused on. It’s important to look past the windshield. You can do this by looking above the headlights of oncoming vehicles.

Another obstacle that nighttime drivers must overcome is the lack of color visibility in your peripheral vision. You typically only see movement, and not color, in your peripheral vision during this time. That’s why it’s so important for you to keep scanning your roadways while driving at night.
Drivers are reminded to blink while driving during the dark hours. People tend to keep their eyes open for a longer time when trying to focus on something. Keeping your eyes open can dry them out and hinder your vision even more.

John Ulczycki from the National Safety Council asks drivers to change their driving habits to accommodate the nighttime dangers on our roadways. He brings up the fact that teen drivers are at a greater risk for a nighttime accident than older, more experienced drivers. While both teens and older drivers face some of the same vision problems, older drivers typically have more experience dealing with these driving conditions. Ulczycki says that teen drivers’ crash rate is three times higher after 9 p.m. than during their daytime accident rate. He suggests that parents ride with their teen drivers for a generous amount of time before cutting them loose on our roadways.

Ulczycki reiterates the importance of curbing all distractions while driving at night. Florida has no law that governs the use of cell phones or text messaging devices for drivers. We’re asking everyone to be safe and be responsible on our roadway to help avoid a potentially fatal nighttime accident.
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A recent trucking accident in Fort Lauderdale put a gas tanker through a guard rail that runs along U.S. 1, according to 7NEWS. The accident happened when the semi suddenly lost control on the highway near Interstate 595. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office reports that the tanker was not hauling gas at the time of the accident.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys are thankful that no other vehicles were involved in this accident. It could have turned out much worse. Unfortunately, this clean of an accident isn’t always how it works out. Traffic accidents that involve a big rig, a semi, a tractor-trailer or an 18-wheeler can oftentimes produce deadly results. As we round out the year and head into the holiday season, we can expect to see a drastic increase in the amount of traffic on our roadways. This increase in traffic means that we’ll be seeing a boost in accident risks as well. With every holiday season, tourists and snowbirds flock to the area to get away from the wicked winter and to soak up the Florida sunshine. Unfortunately, many of these individuals have no idea where they’re going on our roadways. Mix their confusion with the dangers of semi-trucks and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 3,500 traffic fatalities resulting from accidents with these larger vehicles. Another 75,000 people were injured in these incidents. It’s estimated that there are roughly 300,000 large trucks that were involved in traffic accidents on U.S. roadways in 2009.

The occupants of the other vehicle (the passenger vehicle) are most likely to be killed in an accident with a big rig:

-About 76 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the other vehicle’s occupants.

-About 2 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among non-occupants.

-About 22 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the truck’s occupants.

The occupants of the other vehicle (the passenger vehicle) are most likely to be injured in an accident with a big rig:

-About 71 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in injury among the other vehicle’s occupants.

-About 3 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in injury among non-occupants.

-About 26 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the truck’s occupants.

There were nearly 3,500 fatal traffic accidents in the state of Florida in 2009. There were nearly 200 large trucks involved in these fatal accidents. Safe driving habits are your best defense against an accident with a semi. Drivers should remain aware of their surroundings, and should travel carefully and cautiously along roadways where these trucks travel as well.
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According to recent statistics, someone dies in a car accident in Port St. Lucie and elsewhere every hour of every day. If you’re one of the lucky ones who survives an accident, the cost can be just as stunning as this statistic. According to CBS News, car accidents across the U.S. cost about $300 billion every year.

“Traffic crashes really need to be moved to the forefront of the American discussion as the public safety (and) health threat that they are,” says AAA spokesman Troy Green.

Our Port St. Lucie car accident attorneys understand that you can end up shelling out thousands of dollars for one of these accidents if you’re not careful. According to AAA, each traffic accident-related death costs on average about $6 million. This includes emergency services, lost earnings and medical costs. It is estimated that about 33,000 people die on our roadways every year. The cost for a traffic accident-related injury averages more than $125,000.

To equal those same costs, a small aircraft would have to fall from the sky every day for about 360 days. As unacceptable as that would be, these car accidents seem all too normal. Our society has become numb to these stunning accident statistics. It’s as almost as if accidents have become a part of everyday life.

To help reduce the number of vehicle accidents, manufacturers are coming up with some pretty neat safety features, including Electronic Stability Control (ESC). This technology can improve a vehicle’s stability as it knows when to apply the brake during a skid incident. Some research concludes that if more vehicles had this technology, then nearly 10,000 lives could be saved on our roadways.

Another cool safety feature, which is still being developed, is short-range sensors, which are designed to warn a driver when an accident is about to happen. In these cases, the vehicle would activate seat restraints and airbags.

Since drivers apparently are not going to change their driving habits to make roadways safer, manufacturers are hoping to do the work for them by making cars electronically smarter and safer.

Officials aren’t giving up though. More and more states are creating laws to help stop dangerous driving behaviors, such as drunk driving, speeding and distracted driving. Now, 35 states prohibit drivers from texting at the wheel.

As of right now, AAA is looking into creating a federal bill to keep drivers focused on the road. But until this auto group is able to get Congress’s attention, the bill sits in the waiting line.

“We’re hoping that by putting a dollar amount to it, people will pay a little more attention to the fact that even if they’re not in a crash, they are still paying for them,” said AAA spokeswoman Beth Mosher.
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Your child now has a new, fun and exciting way to learn valuable safety tips to help prevent child injury in Margate. Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) teamed up with the popular animated series Chuggington and released a new video series. Throughout this series, children will be able to learn safe habits to practice around vehicles, whether they’re riding in a car, playing near parked cars, riding on buses, walking near traffic or bicycling near roadways. The new show will be targeting children ages 2 to 7, and will have online tips, a kid-focused safety pledge, and activities for parents to use with children.

“This exciting partnership with Chuggington will help us bring our traffic safety message to young children and parents alike,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Our Cooper City child injury attorneys understand that car accidents are the number one cause of deaths for children in the United States. More than 1,300 children under the age of 15 died in 2009 because of motor-vehicle accidents. Another 179,000 young children were injured in these accidents. There were more than 260 children in this age group who died in traffic-related pedestrian accidents. Approximately 115,000 young ones also were injured in pedestrian-related accidents during the same year. We encourage all parents to recruit the participation of their children to help them to learn lifelong safety habits that can potentially save their life one day.

Chuggington’s new video series will teach kids safety tips for school bus riders, pedestrians, car seat usage and bicycling. Throughout the videos, Chuggington and his friends will earn safety badges for performing safe behavior in dangerous situations. The characters will be taking the ‘Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!’ safety pledge. Your child is encouraged to take the pledge as well and to earn his or her very own Chuggington Traffic Safety badge.

This series was released just in time for National Child Passenger Safety Week. This week-long campaign was used to raise awareness in parents about the importance of properly buckling in children during every car ride. The NHTSA estimates that approximately 70 percent of all child car seats are improperly installed on U.S. roadways.

The latest child car seat recommendations:

-Younger than 1-years-old: These children should always ride in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of a vehicle.

-Age 1- to 3-years-old: Children should be kept in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible. Once they’ve reached the height and weight limits for their car seat, you may move them to a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

-Ages 4- to 7-years-old: Keep them in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they’ve reached the seat’s height and weight limits. Then a child should be moved to a booster seat that’s located in the back seat of a vehicle.

-Ages 8- to 12-years-old: Children should be kept in a booster seat until they can properly fit in a seat with an adult seat belt. he lap portion of adult seat belt should fit snugly across the upper thighs, and the shoulder portion of the belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest.
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