We recently completed a series of blogs about driver safety during high traffic season on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog. We reported that 18 year-olds had the highest crash rate involvement in Florida in 2009.
We also reported that 17 year olds had the highest rate of fatal crashes in Florida for 2009. In a new series, Spring Break 2011, teen safety will be a focal point as so many students are traveling to Florida this time of year. Other topics included in the series are distracted driving, drunk driving and premise liability injuries that can occur while on Spring Break.
Our West Palm Beach injury attorneys often report about the risks teens face when it comes to car accidents in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Statistically, this age group (ages 15 to 20) is most at risk for fatal motor vehicle crashes in the state and throughout the country.
Spring break brings increased risk of teen car accidents throughout South Florida.
Classmates at Sarasota Military Academy can speak from the heart on this issue as they are mourning the death of their friends in a recent fatal crash. Tampa Bay Online reports about the recent tragedy of four teens who were killed early on a Sunday morning after crashing into a wall in a residential neighborhood. Though alcohol does not seem to be a factor in the crash, it was speed-related according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The single-vehicle crash occurred when the teen driver lost control of his Chevy Trailblazer on Wilkinson Road near Marriott Circle. The driver and one other teen, who held a soccer scholarship at a nearby university, were both home for Spring Break when the accident occurred. The two female teens attended the charter school for Army Junior ROTC.
Car accidents aren’t our only concern. College students tend to lose their heads during Spring Break week. Call it a short mental breakdown where common sense tends to go out the window. For instance, the Sun Sentinel reports about a college student who chugged a can of beer through a funnel while standing on the beach right next to an “Alcoholic Beverages Prohibited” sign. Lucky for him he didn’t get caught.
According to the article, Fort Lauderdale is once again a hot spot for Spring Break itineraries. The city is ranked 5th on the Top 10 list of Spring Break destinations. Once known as “Fort Liquordale”, local merchants and city officials are trying to find a happy medium to keep the attention and money of college students, while addressing concerns of local residents about the havoc that spring break creates. Many students are choosing Fort Lauderdale as a safe option as violence has picked up in other Spring Break locations like Mexico. Though law enforcement out in force this time of year, students reported they feel like they have free reign to do just about anything.
In this case, ‘anything’ can lead to breaking the law, causing serious harm to another person, or even fatal accidents caused by drinking, falls, or drowning if teens aren’t careful. Teens are reminded to be careful on roadways and beaches during Spring Break week. Accidents can easily happen with the high volume of people and traffic, especially when alcohol is involved. Don’t drink and drive.
If you have been injured in an accident in West Palm Beach, Margate, Miami, Port St. Lucie or Fort Lauderdale, contact the personal injury lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp, & Gonzalez, LLC for legal action. For a free and confidential appointment call 1-800-529-2368.