A recent car accident in Royal Palm Beach left two men struggling to get out of their rental car.
And it’s not just the fact that they were stuck in their rental that’s most alarming. It’s the fact that it had flipped over into a canal beforehand. According to News Channel 5, the two rented a 2012 Corvette from Hertz. It all happened as they were driving through the intersection of Okeechobee Boulevard and Folsom Road, just west of State Road 7, just after 5:00 p.m.
Law enforcement officials with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report that the driver of the rental car lost control of the vehicle, slammed it into a guard rail and landed the car upside down into the canal. The two were luckily able to escape and were transported to Palms West hospital and treated for injuries. A witness who was on their way to work saw the accident and called 9-1-1. it has not been determined if any laws were broken in the accident.
Our Royal Palm Beach personal injury attorneys understand that there are plenty of bodies of water here in the South Florida area. Unfortunately, there are about 250 vehicle submersion events each year in which at least one person dies, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In these accidents, nearly half had a major frontal crash, more than 10 percent had a side crash, about 2 percent experienced a major rear-end crash, nearly 25 percent involved a vehicle rollover with no collision and about 15 percent did not involve a collision or a rollover.
Every year, officials estimate that more than 400 people are involved in these kinds of accidents. It is also estimated that nearly 300 of them never make it out.
Luckily, the NHTSA is here to offer you some safety tips to help you to get out of one of these situations.
Submersion Safety Tips:
-Stay calm and remember the following tips.
-Keep your seat belt buckled until you’re ready to get out. A seat belt can help you to stay steady as your try to open the door or break a window.
-As soon as you hit the water, try to open a window before the water gets in.
-Check out the water current before swimming to safety.
-If water has already gotten into the car, wait for pressure to equalize before trying to open the door or break the window.
-Remove all excess clothing that could weigh you down.
-If you live near water or drive near some on your daily commute, which is most of us in Florida, consider getting a hammer-type device to keep in your car. Keep it tucked away near the driver’s seat.
Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Nighttime Car Accident in Port St. Lucie Lands Driver in Critical Condition, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, July 10, 2012
Car Accidents in Palm Beach Likely at Dangerous Intersections, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, July 3, 2012