Articles Posted in Car Accident

We tend to post frequently about teen drivers on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog because we want parents and teens to stay informed. We are also hopeful we can be of help to you in making smart decisions and reducing the risks of teen car accidents in Weston, Sunrise and elsewhere.

Now that school is back in session, Boynton Beach car accident lawyers worry about young drivers because they can get distracted easily with school, friends, extracurricular activities and events. Losing focus for even a second while driving can change a life forever.

According to the traffic crash statistics recently released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there was no change in the number of teen drivers killed in crashes in 2010 compared to 2009. Nearly seven teen drivers died every month in 2010 on average. There were nine fewer teen passengers killed in crashes in 2010 compared to the previous year. Teen drivers injured in a crash in 2010 remained about the same as the previous year: 10,563. In the same year, teenage passengers injured in a crash decreased by almost 8 percent from the previous year. There were 2,637 fewer teen car crashes in 2010 than the 29,485 reported in 2009. Teen drivers between the ages of 15-19 had the highest rate of involvement in crashes per 10,000 licensed drivers than any other age group.

Our Broward County car accident lawyers are compiling a county comparison of crash statistics in our area to determine which cities appear to be safer for motorists. We have been examining 2010 crash statistics recently released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The report covers crash information related to pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, teen drivers and drivers under the influence. We understand that driving behaviors have a lot to do with the number of fatal crashes that occur on Florida roadways, but want to compare which counties appear to be safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Overall, the number of car accidents in Palm Beach County and Broward County increased from 2009 statistics, compared to a slight decrease in traffic crashes reported in St. Lucie County from 2009 to 2010. Broward County reported the second highest number of crashes of any county at 26,233, behind only Miami-Dade County. Similarly, Broward County reported the second most number of injuries related to car crashes in 2010, at 20,540, more than any other county in the state except Miami-Dade. St. Lucie County’s reported 2,210 crashes in 2010 is the fewest it has had in any of the last five years.

Broward County, Palm Beach County, and St. Lucie County all reported fewer alcohol-related crashes compared to 2009, with a total of 1,424, 1,123 and 183, respectively. Of the three counties, Broward reported the most drunk-driver crashes in 2010 compared to Palm Beach, which reported the most alcohol-related crashes of the three counties in 2009 at 1,715. Thus, Palm Beach County showed the biggest decrease in alcohol-related crashes from 2009 to 2010 in the three-county comparison.

You may remember earlier this year when we reported on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog that Toyota Motor Corporation lost millions of dollars for failing to report vehicles that were mass-produced with faulty floor mats and accelerator pedals. Defective vehicles can cause serious injury in a St. Lucie car accident so recalled vehicles should always be taken to the dealer for proper inspections and repair.

Greenacres car accident attorneys know that Toyota has been in the news recently but in a positive manner this time. CNN reports that Toyota will fund comprehensive research studies that will look at drivers’ attention and behavior rather than examining the vehicle itself. Under much scrutiny for producing malfunctioning vehicles, NASA scientists actually discovered that driver error was more to blame than defective parts in Toyota models involved in accidents.

This study may be especially insightful for younger drivers, who seem to have an illusive superiority when it comes to their attitudes about driving, according to recent surveys. They reportedly overvalue positive abilities and devalue the negatives when it comes to many aspects of their lives, including roadway behaviors.

Toyota Motor Corporation will place distracted driving at the top of the research priority list and will target the behavior of the two most critical problem populations: older drivers and newly licensed drivers. Toyota will fund $50 million dollars over the next five years for 10 new research projects that will take place at six top-notch universities or research institutions. The six new safety technology partners are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Transportation Active Safety Institute, Virginia Polytech Institute and State University, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Washtenaw Area Transportation Study and Wayne State University School of Medicine.

We all know that driver distraction is a hot topic right now. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) has been trying to get an inkling on how driver distraction affects driving behavior in a naturalistic study. Researchers have been examining footage from drivers who have a camera installed in their vehicle. Findings have suggested that teens are quite oblivious to their surroundings until they are shaken back to reality by a collision. Toyota’s answer is to offer a free defensive driving program to 90 teens and their parents, and then monitor the teens for six months to judge the program’s effectivness.

VTTI will also use funds provided by Toyota to launch a three-year project that looks at brain fitness training for older adults and whether there is any benefit to improve their field of vision. Researchers have found that a person’s field of vision and the amount of information they can take in at a glance reduces with age by as much as 30 percent. The new study will examine elder drivers’ field of vision when performing lane changes, at intersections, as well as speed-related behaviors.

Other funded projects will include a two-year study at MIT Age Lab that will look at in-vehicle command systems and what effect they have on driver distraction. A separate study at Wayne State University will develop crash dummies with different body types to determine how body makeup effects injuries sustained in crashes. The goal is to determine how injuries can be reduced for all occupants no matter how old or what body type they are.
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Driver’s education courses may prepare young drivers for the rules of the road but a recent survey indicates teens are pretty clueless when it comes to car maintenance and safety checks on their vehicles. Failing to take care of a vehicle properly can increase the chances of being involved in a car accident in Miami, Fort Pierce, Weston or elsewhere in the state. Losing control of a vehicle from a tire blowout, brake failure or faulty system can lead to serious injury.

AutoMD released the results of a recent survey that indicated more than 65 percent of parents say their children have basic or average knowledge of general car maintenance. This concerns our car accident attorneys in Sunrise and Oakland Park because there’s probably some 35 percent of teenage drivers who don’t know much about basic vehicle maintenance, and they should. This segment of drivers typically turns to parents, who probably don’t have much more than basic knowledge of vehicle maintenance and inspection techniques.

The National Organizations for Youth Safety has tried to simplify car maintenance for teens by establishing a back-to-school car care checklist. The onus is on parents to ensure their teen driver is riding in a safe, reliable model car, but the teen should be responsible for routine maintenance. The following are some pointers emphasized in the checklist:

-Review the owner’s manual to learn what indicators and warning lights mean. If a light remains illuminated on the dashboard, a mechanic should take a look at the vehicle as soon as possible.

-Learn how to check fluid levels and check the battery in your vehicle. If the date code stamp located on top of the battery indicates it is more than 3 years old, have the battery tested by a repair shop to see if it needs to be replaced.

-While you have your hood open, turn on the vehicle with the fans running and listen for strange noises. If you hear screeching or odd sounds, have the car checked. A belt or a fan may need to be replaced.

-Check the tire treads and pressure monthly. Make sure the spare tire has sufficient air, and that a lug wrench and jack are available in the trunk in case you get a flat tire.

-Remove any garbage inside the vehicle to avoid an empty can or bag from impeding brake or acceleration action.

In response to teens needing to gain more knowledge about car maintenance and repair based on the results of the survey, AutoMD created a Teen Driver Car Maintenance and Repair Guide . Teen drivers can download it to help learn more about how to keep their vehicle running smoothly and be safer on roadways. The guide provides drivers with a vehicle diagram that can be used in conjunction with the owner’s manual. It also provides do-it-yourself repair instructions and maintenance checklist. The guide will also teach teens some nifty tricks and tips on repairing the vehicle, as well as car repair safety sto help avoid being injured. The guide also discusses roadside safety tips in case of a break down on the road.

Teens who become book smart about car maintenance and repair are encouraged to take the car maintenance quiz to earn a certificate of commitment. Knowing what to do and what to look for can give teen drivers and their family some peace of mind.
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Car accident attorneys in Hollywood, Port St. Lucie and Pompano Beach want to remind parents that next week is a good time to ask questions about the proper use of your child’s safety seat. That’s because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is holding its annual Child Passenger Safety Week from Sept. 18 through the 24th. Parents can make arrangements during this awareness campaign to ensure their children’s restraint seats meet all applicable standards.

The Palm Beach Post wrote a story featuring a parent who is thankful she took the initiative to change her children’s safety seats because a month later she was involved in a car accident in Boynton Beach. Knowing her child restraint seats were outdated, she placed a call to Safe Kids Palm Beach County in hopes of replacing them. In exchange for a donation, she received two new car seats that she believes saved her children’s lives in the tragic accident that left her a quadriplegic. A spokeswoman from Safe Kids presented the mother with the ‘Saved by the Belt Award’ for knowing that a change needed to be made, which ultimately saved her children lives.

Her two children were 2 years old and 7 months at the time of the accident, and thankfully avoided injuries despite the Ford Explorer they were riding was hit several times. A 15-year-old unlicensed driver allegedly side-swiped the Ford Explorer a little over a year ago causing several other vehicles and objects to make impact during the accident.

On National Seat Check Day, Saturday, Sept. 24, parents throughout the country can visit a child-seat inspection station free of charge to determine if their child’s car seat meets standards, and that it is properly fastened into the vehicle. Parents can also ask safety technicians for advice about child safety while riding in a car. To locate a child car-seat inspection station near you, click here for a map.

In other child car seat safety news, the National Safety Commission reports that there is a growing problem with children unbuckling themselves in their child-restraint seat while the car is in motion. Children as young as 12 months are unbuckling themselves, putting them at risk of being injured at a rate three times greater than a child who is properly restrained in a car seat. The study revealed that boys were more likely to unbuckle than girls, and that 75 percent of children who unfastened their safety restraint were age 3 and under. Researchers also found that 29 percent of children who unbuckle are restrained in a five-point seat and typically unbuckle from the chest restraint.

If your child has learned to unbuckle his or her child restraint or booster seat, don’t try to fix the problem while you are driving. Instead, pull over to a safe place to re-fasten the belt, and if the child is old enough to understand, talk to him or her about the importance of staying buckled up.

To find a child safety coalition in your area, visit Safe Kids Florida. This website can also help you find a car seat check-up event or inspection station near you.
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Officers are looking into a Miami pedestrian accident that killed a man who was patiently waiting for the city bus to arrive at his stop. The accident happened on Northwest Avenue on 107th Avenue shortly before 10:00 p.m., according to Local 10. The 67-year-old male pedestrian was sitting on a bench waiting for the bus to arrive at his stop when he was hit by a vehicle that was being driven the wrong way by a 42-year-old female. The man’s wife was sitting on that bench waiting for the bus with her husband. She was able to avoid being hit.

“Once the male was struck on the bench, both him and the bench were dragged until its final resting place,” said Detective Roy Rutland.

Our car accident attorneys in Coconut Creek, Coral Springs and Weston understand that public transportation is relied upon by many in our area. Motorists are asked to practice extreme caution when traveling near bus stops and popular bus routes. Bus stops can be flooded with pedestrians boarding, exiting or waiting for a bus. While bus riders should be on the lookout for passing motorists, drivers should also be cautious of other travelers. Car-pedestrian accidents oftentimes end up fatal and can be prevented with a little consideration for one another.

Here are some safety tips for those who ride buses in our area:

-Never run to the bus. This is when a lot of accidents happen. Running puts you at a greater risk for trips, slips and falls. These injuries are some of the most common injuries sustained by bus riders.

-Have your child’s stroller folded before you get on the bus. Keep it folded for the entire trip. Open it back up once you’ve got off the bus and have moved off of the roadway and away from traffic.

-Remain aware of your surroundings when you’re waiting for your bus to arrive.

-If you’re listening to your headphones while you’re waiting, keep the volume down so that you can hear what’s going on around you.

-Never walk too close to the roadway or the curb.

-Be aware of traffic movement in both directions while waiting at your stop.

-Never cross the street in front of a bus. Wait for the bus to drive away before crossing the street so that you have a clear view of the traffic in both directions.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that were we approximately 12,000 people injured in bus accidents in 2007. Nearly 40 people died from accidents during that same year. That means that 1,000 people were injured each month, more than 230 were injured each week and nearly 35 were injured each day on public buses in the United States. Many of these statistics don’t even take the injuries sustained while waiting at bus stops into account.

Residents are urged to ride with caution and be careful while waiting for buses to arrive. Our roadways are a very busy place and awareness can be your best defense against a serious accident.
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Distracted driving car accidents in Vero Beach, Lake Worth and elsewhere took the lives of more than 5,400 people in 2009. Officials believe this number to be even higher because not all accident causes were properly reported to officers.

To help raise awareness about the dangers of these types of accidents, the National Safety Council (NSC) recently released a few short videos to address the risks and the consequences of such incidents. The “Understanding Distracted Driving” campaign features David Teater, the Director of Transportation Initiatives for the NSC, as he knows all too well the results of a distracted driving accident. Teater lost his 12-year-old son in an accident with a distracted driver back in 2004.

According to Ocala.com, more drivers are seeing prosecutors using text-messaging and cell phone records in court to help prove charges against drivers accused of causing a distracted driving car accident. Our car accident attorneys in Tamarac, Sunrise and Margate know that these types of accident cases are so common in the state of Florida because we are one of the last states to enact some sort of law to regulate distracting behavior by drivers. Without state laws, the safety of our roadways relies on the discipline of drivers. Hanging up you cell phone while driving can help to save lives.

The “Understanding Distracted Driving” videos consist of two short videos that discuss the answers to a few frequently asked questions regarding how distractions work against drivers, including how dangerous the behavior is and how employers can enforce a cell phone policy in the workplace to help keep everyone safe.

Teater continues to push for laws to regulate the distractions behind the wheel. He has previously spoken with several state legislatures and the U.S. Congress in an attempt to sway them into creating some sort of federal regulations on cell phone use by drivers.

With Florida being one of the last states to regulate this behavior, distracted driving car accidents are a big problem in the Sunshine State. In the event of a car accident, many local and state law enforcement officials look at phone records of the drivers involved in an attempt to see if cell phone distraction contributed to the collision. When a death is the result of an accident, charges against the blamed driver can be more severe. Motorists are urged to hang up the phone while driving to decrease the risks of experiencing a serious accident or to avoid a criminal conviction.

Sometimes a driver’s use of a cell phone can be considered reckless driving and can turn into a felony charge in court.

“We can and will continue to look at phone records to deter this behavior,” said Florida Highway Patrol Capt. Mark Welch.
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According to the Sun Sentinel, Representative Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, has been a long-time advocate for safe driving habits. The wave of advocacy came after his teenage daughter was killed in a 1996 car accident. His daughter was reportedly not wearing a seat belt during the time of the accident.

There are a few simply steps that all motorists can take to help keep vehicle occupants safe in the event of a car accident in West Palm Beachor elsewhere in South Florida. Using a seat belt and properly restraining children in a car seat may be two of the most beneficial ways of prevent injury during a traffic collision. A recently released report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) highlights just how effective these preventative measures can be.

Our car accident attorneys in Delray Beach, Lantana and Fort Pierce understand that while seat belt usage is at an all-time high in the state of Florida, nearly 20 percent of motorists are still cruising along our roadways without wearing a seat belt. The IIHS reports there were nearly 33,000 people killed as a result of traffic accidents in 2009 in the U.S. The Institute also reports that nearly 13,000 adult motorists and another 3,500 child motorists under the age of 6 could have survived car accidents in 2009 if they were properly belted in.

Right now, there are more than 30 states that follow primary seat belt laws. This means that a vehicle can be pulled over by a police officer if all the occupant is doing wrong is not wearing a seat belt. States that enact primary seat belt laws typically have a higher average seat belt usage rate.

Law enforcement officers across the nation credit the 2011 “Click It or Ticket” campaign for the record-high average of seat belt usage. Without laws and high-visibility enforcement efforts, motorists would be less likely to buckle up.

According to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles:

-All passengers that are riding in the front seat of a vehicle must wear a seat belt.

-All vehicle occupants under the age of 18 are required to wear a seat belt.

-All seat belt laws apply to vans, pickups and car that are driven on Florida roadways.

-Children under the age of 4 are required to be buckled in a federally approved child seat.

-Children that are 4- and 5-years-old are required to be buckled in a federally approved child restraint seat or seat belt.

Not wearing a seat belt and failing to properly restrain a child in your vehicle not only increases your risks of injury during a traffic accident, but it can result in a ticket. In Florida, you’ll get a $30 ticket for your first violation for not wearing your seat belt. If you’re busted with a child that is not properly restrained in your vehicle you could wind up with a $60 violation. You could even face child endangering charges.

As cars become more and more advanced with safety technology, it still remains true that seat belts are among the most effective ways to stay safe in the event of an accident. Let’s all do our part to bring down the number of fatal traffic accidents in the state and buckle up when we venture out in our vehicles.
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The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is just as simple as it sounds. Florida Highway Patrol is cracking down on impaired drivers in hopes of minimizing drunk driving accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and statewide between August 19 – September 5.

Our Fort Pierce accident lawyers wish everyone a safe upcoming Labor Day weekend but whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. Impaired drivers caused more than 30 percent of traffic fatalities nationwide in 2009. A total of 35 percent of fatalities in Florida in 2009 were caused by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .01 or higher.

Colonel David Brierton, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Director, emphasizes that the cost is just too high for motorist to take a chance. Impaired drivers trying to beat the odds could get socked with possible jail time, higher insurance rates, lost time from work and suspension of their driver’s license if they are caught in the act. There is no greater cost than taking a life.

Anyone who wears a FHP uniform will be patrolling roadways and interstates on Labor Day weekend. Traffic will be more congested with holiday travel so beefing up enforcement and making police officers more visible should help deter drivers from getting behind the wheel drunk.

Wink News Now reports that more than 10,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the country are embracing the nationwide campaign by adding sobriety checkpoints and a multitude of patrol officers, especially during evening hours when the odds of an impaired driver being on the roadway are even greater.

The goal is to reduce drunk driving accidents on roadways, create awareness by educating the public on how dangerous it is to drive impaired and dissuade someone who is drunk from wanting to get behind the wheel. Motorists can help the cause by planning ahead, designating a driver or drinking non-alcoholic beverages at a gathering or barbeque.

As part of back to school preparation this year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving offers these tips to parents with teen drivers:

-Initiate a conversation about the dangers of alcohol and how it can impair judgment and decision making.

-Make it clear to your teen driver that you will not tolerate drinking and driving and what to expect when rules are broken.

-Create a respectful relationship with your teen by give and take. Listen with an open mind and give your opinion fervently.

-Engage in family time and show your teen you care by spending quality time together. Set a goal to have dinner and work on projects 3 times a week.

-Be consistent with rewards and punishments. If a rule is broken always enforce the punishment.

Drunk driving is risky and dangerous and should never be considered when so many options are available.

If you detect an impaired driver on the roadway, dial *FHP for help.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently conducted a study on the effects of fatigued driving and found that roughly five percent of surveyed drivers admitted that they’ve fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once over the last month.

Many experts believe that this number may even be higher because a 2005 study, conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, revealed that a third of all drivers say that they’ve dozed off behind the wheel in the last year. More than 10 percent of them say that they do it regularly, at least once a month, according to Automotive Industry Today.

Unfortunately the number of car accidents in Stuart, Palm City, Fort Pierce and elsewhere can never truly be measured because there’s no guarantee that a driver will admit to officers that they were in fact fatigued at the time of the accident.

Our car accident attorneys in Vero Beach, Davie and Margate understand the frequency of distracted driving accidents. Unfortunately, many drivers are not able to recognize signs concluding that a driver is in fact drowsy at the wheel. These drivers pose serious threats to innocent drivers on our roadways.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are at least 100,000 car accidents that are believed to be caused by a fatigued driver every year. These accidents are believed to kill about 1,550 people and injure another 71,000. The NHTSA estimated that these accidents result in roughly $12.5 billion in monetary losses each year. Some studies suggest that drowsy driving may be a factor in as many as one in four accidents.

Unfortunately, many drivers think that there are quick fixes to wake up a fatigued driver. Many think that a shot of caffeine, some loud music or opening the windows will do the trick. The only problem with these theories is that they’re temporary fixes. Pushing through a feeling of drowsiness behind the wheel might be one of the worst and most dangerous things a driver can do behind the wheel.

To stay awake at the wheel, you should make sure you’re well rested before you head out on the road. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that drivers who get six to seven hours of sleep each night are just about twice as likely to get into an accident as a driver who regularly gets eight hours of sleep or more each night.

You should also allow yourself some breaks. You’re urged to stop, take a break from driving and rest every three hours of consecutive driving time. If you feel sleepy at the wheel before three hours is up, you’re urged to switch with a passenger or to simply pull over and get some rest.

Drowsy driving accidents are preventable if the proper safety measures are taken before and during a trip in the car. Don’t let being tired land you or another motorist in the hospital.
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