Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
This is a time for all of us to resolve to improve ourselves in 2014. We’re not talking about getting along better with your boss at work or losing weight; this is much more important. We all need to be better drivers.
Resolutions often only pertain to the person making them, but this is significant because they have the potential to affect family, friends, and every driver or passenger who shares the road with you at any given time.
Our Port St. Lucie car accident lawyers know when it comes to driving, it’s never been more important to just slow down. Your safety, your life, and the lives of others all depend on you to make the right choices behind the wheel. The three top causes of car accidents in the U.S. are drunk driving, speeding and distracted driving, according to Drivers.com.
Traffic accidents continue to be the leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2009, there were close to 2.5 million Americans who were treated in an emergency room as a result of being injured in an accident. The economic impact is also notable: the lifetime costs of crash-related deaths and injuries among drivers and passengers totaled $70 billion in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Drunk Driving:
Before heading out for a night on the town, you’re urged to designate a sober driver to get you home safely. Sober means that a person has had nothing to drink. It’s not the person who has had the least to drink. If you find yourself without a sober driver to get you home, consider calling a taxi, using public transportation, calling a friend or family member to come get you, staying the night at someone’s house or renting a hotel room.
Speeding:
The management of speed through appropriate speed limits is an essential element of highway safety. Appropriate speed limits are a prerequisite for effective and sustainable speed management. In terms of traffic law, speed limits should reflect the maximum reasonable and safe speed for normal conditions.
In short, speed limits are set to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely, they’re not there to slow you down. Make sure that you always keep an eye on your speedometer. Increasing your speed only increases your risks for an accident and a citation.
Distracted Driving:
There are so many kinds of distracted driving, but cell phones and text messaging devices continue to be some of the worst. According to the United States Department of Transportation, text messaging while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted.”[1] Despite these statistics, more than 37 percent of drivers have admitted to sending or receiving text messages while driving, and 18% admit doing so regularly.
Stay off the phone in the driver’s seat. Keep two hands on the wheel at all times. If you have business to attend to, pull over and then handle it. No phone call or text message is worth a life.
Call Freeman Injury Law — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Speed a Major Contributing Factor in Coral Springs Car Accidents, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, December 30, 2013
Study: Children More Distracting to Drivers Than Cell Phones, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, December 27, 2013