Articles Posted in Car Accident

A Fort Lauderdale car accident sent three people, including a Fort Lauderdale police officer, to the hospital recently.
The accident happened on a Tuesday morning just after 9:00 a.m. near the 100 block of North Andrews Avenue, according to The Palm Beach Post.

The police officer’s patrol car received front-end damage from the collision with a Lincoln Navigator SUV. The SUV flipped on its side. The last vehicle involved in the accident was a Nissan Murano. An innocent bystander was injured in the accident as well. Police have charged the man in the Navigator for failing to yield to a police vehicle. The officer was reportedly responding to a domestic violence call at the time of the accident.

Our West Palm Beach car accident attorneys ask that everyone be extra cautious on our roadways during the summer months. Motorists should be on the lookout for law enforcement vehicles, emergency responders and construction crews. All of these vehicles travel to their own tune on our roadways and must be accommodated effectively to avoid an accident.

The driver of the Navigator was taken to Broward General Medical Center. The Fort Lauderdale police officer and the driver of the Murano were taken to Broward General.

The man driving the Navigator reportedly was also ticketed for driving with an expired tag and for having no proof of insurance, according to 7 News. The driver that Navigator had to be pulled from his SUV with the jaws of life.

“Once the front-end of the officer’s vehicle struck the passenger side of the other vehicle, it caused it to roll over, which subsequently struck the front of another vehicle,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Travis Mandell.

Police have yet to determine whether the officer’s lights were on. They’re say they are still investigating.

According to the Sun Sentinel, more officers have been killed in car accidents in the past 14 years than from gunfire. It is estimated that approximately 20 South Florida officers have been killed in motor-vehicle accidents. In contrast, nine were shot to death.

“Cops are the world’s worst to suffer from the ‘invincibility syndrome,’ ” said Ron Kelley, a retired Osceola County sheriff’s deputy who now contracts with police departments to provide training. “They get uniformed and a car with all the horsepower and because they have sworn to protect and serve, they go beyond their capacity.”

An exact number for law enforcement accidents doesn’t exist because agencies use varying criteria for defining law enforcement accidents.

“It’s not the cop’s emergency,” said Kelley, “It’s somebody else’s emergency. You’ve got to get there safely.”

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offers you these tips to keep you safe near emergency response vehicles:

-When traveling on a two-lane roadway, you are required by law to slow down to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit. If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to 5 miles per hour.

-If you encounter one of these vehicles parked on an interstate or a roadway with multiple lanes of travel in the same direction, you must leave the lane closest to the stopped vehicle as soon as safely possible.

-If you’re unable to switch to the appropriate lane, you MUST slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.

-Failing to abide by these rules can result in a fine and points on your license.
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Florida is one of the few states left that has yet to enact a law to prohibit drivers from using a cell phone or text messaging behind the wheel, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Administration. Florida is lacking laws, lacking enforcement and lacking highway safety and it shows in the high rate of distracted driving related car accidents in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere in the state.

A number of studies have proven that strict enforcement efforts of these types of laws drastically reduce the number of distracted driving accidents. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Syracuse, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut, have both witnessed a drastic reduction in the number of these kinds of accidents after completing two pilot projects aimed at measuring the effect of increased law enforcement and high-profile public education campaigns.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys understand that drivers in our state pretty much have free reign when it comes to involving themselves in distractions while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 5,500 deaths on our roadways because of traffic accidents that involved a distracted driver last year. Another 500,000 people were injured in these incidents. As technology advances, so will the number of these accidents. Distracted driving car accidents accounted for nearly 20 percent of all of the reported traffic accidents in 2009.

“These findings show that strong laws, combined with highly-visible police enforcement, can significantly reduce dangerous texting and cell phone use behind the wheel,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Based on these results, it is crystal clear that those who try to minimize this dangerous behavior are making a serious error in judgment, especially when half a million people are injured and thousands more are killed in distracted driving accidents.”

Both of these states were able to conduct these pilot programs through federal funds of $200,000 and $100,000. The states increased both their police enforcement efforts and their news and media coverage to spread the word. These states used the “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” campaign, which is a media campaign structured just like the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

“The success of these pilot programs clearly show that combining strong laws with strong enforcement can bring about a sea change in public attitudes and behavior,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “We applaud the work of the men and women of the Syracuse and Hartford police forces, and call on state legislatures, law enforcement and safety advocates across the nation to follow their lead.”

Florida took a shot at a media campaign to curb cell phone use by drivers back in 2009 by joining the efforts of the National Safety Council‘s “Death By Cellphone” campaign. Through this campaign, billboards were placed in 67 markets across 37 states. These billboards displayed safe driving message and people who had been killed in cellphone-related accidents, according to HCP Live.

Florida has not engaged in a similar campaign since. If Florida doesn’t enact a ban against cell phone use by drivers, our only hope may be to wait and hope for the Safe Driving Act of 2011 to pass, which is a proposed law that aims to make the banning of cell phone use a federal offense and no longer a responsibility of state government.
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A recent bus accident in Margate has passengers mindful to select an accredited charter company before your travel in order to reduce the risk of injury or else you will need to get an experienced Fort Lauderdale bus accident attorney to help you sort through the negligent behavior provided by the driver and tour bus company.

The Sun Sentinel reported the accident that involved an empty fuel tanker that smashed into the back of a Broward transit bus. Both vehicles were traveling on the northbound lanes of State Road 7 near Margate Boulevard when the crash occurred. There were a total of 25 passengers injured. One passenger sustaining severe injuries was sent to North Broward Medical Center, three passengers were treated and released at the scene and the other 21 were transported to various area hospitals. The crash is still under investigation as no apparent cause has been determined yet.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued several gag orders recently to bus companies that have been caught red-handed for unacceptable safety violations. The Mr. Ho Charter Service of Pennsylvania was shut down by FMCSA for several drug and alcohol testing violations and for not complying with the federal hours-of-service standards required of the drivers. The order was issued following a fatal accident on Pennsylvania Turnpike which killed one and injured 25 others aboard the charter bus.

A Georgia bus company, H&W Tour, Inc. was ordered to get off the road within hours of FMCSA discovering violations so flagrant and with complete disregard for its passengers’ safety. Numerous violations were accrued after a complete investigation was completed by FMCSA investigators.

“Illegal and unscrupulous bus companies are a serious threat to innocent travelers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The full force of the federal government will be brought to bear on those who willfully place bus passengers and others who share the road in needless peril.”

United Tours, Inc. and Sky Express Inc., charter companies based in North Carolina, were both ordered out-of-service by FMCSA for Imminent Hazard to the Public and Unsatisfactory Safety Rating for multiple violations, respectively.

FMCSA is asking for consumers feedback on the 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar. The devised plan proposes to:

-Raise the level at which motor carrier companies are accepted in to the industry.
-Expect high safety standards to be maintained by all members of the industry.
-Eliminate the risk of injury to passengers by placing high risk carriers, drivers and service providers out-of-service when violations are made.

“At the Department of Transportation, safety is our number one priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This strategic plan represents a fresh and bold new view on issues critical to bus and truck safety, and I encourage Americans across the country to provide feedback and help shape the final plan.”

To submit a comment about the strategic plan on FMCSA’s website, click IdeaScale Community to post.
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Individuals and organizations are encouraged to submit a nomination to the National Safety Council for this year’s Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award.

Our Margate personal injury lawyers agree that recognizing exemplary role models that promote teen safety is a show of good faith in reducing teen car accidents in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere throughout the country.

The NSC Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award is sponsored by General Motors and was established to recognize individuals or organizations who have stepped up and made contributions towards reducing the number of teen crashes, injuries and deaths. Nominees should be submitted for the following efforts:

-Showing of support to reduce crashes involving teen drivers.
-Have promoted or coordinated safety methods that are geared towards adopting safer driving practices.
-Taken proven safety methods to legislation to help enact.
-Advocate to the public to gain understanding of the dangers of inexperienced drivers and ways to prevent young driver crashes.
-Have a longstanding commitment to improving teen driving safety.

“General Motors has a longstanding affiliation with NSC and the Teen Driving Program,” said Mike Robinson, vice president, GM Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. “Driver behavior plays a critical role in safety, particularly for new, inexperienced drivers. We are pleased to support this recognition program and the awareness it gives to developing and maintaining safe driver habits.”

The 2010 Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award Winners include:

-American Family Insurance which created and provides a video feedback program to families insured by the company. The video allows parents to watch their teens driving behavior through a DriveCam system. Scientists at the University of Iowa validated that a 70 percent reduction in bad driving behaviors has occurred from the program.

-Harry D. Jacobs High School initiated several community and school projects that brought about awareness to junior high and high school students about the dangers of teen driving, including seat belt use. Since implementing, seat belt use in the community has gone from 70 to 97 percent over a three year period.

-National Organizations for Youth Safety is commended for reaching out to more than 6,000 schools and over 220,000 students through a web-based educational tool that can be used by both teens and their parents. The organization also advocates for Graduated Driver Licensing GDL) Laws and supports teen safety groups on discussions with their peers about underage drinking and distracted driving.

-Teens in the Driver Seat is a program developed by the Texas Transportation Institute. The TDS program reaches out to students throughout Texas and encourages teens to talk to teens about driving safety, changing behaviors and taking fewer risks while behind the wheel. TDS also played a role in improving the GDL laws enacted in 2009.

Nominations will be accepted for the 2011 Award until August 5, 2011. Once chosen, three winners will receive national recognition for their efforts. For more information, or if you want to nominate an individual or group, visit nsc.org/teenaward and click on the ‘Safety Leadership Award, Submit a Nomination Today’ icon located on the right side of the web page.

Each day, crashes involving teen drivers take the lives of roughly 15 people. Getting involved and nominating someone for their efforts can go a long way in helping to reduce teen driving accidents.
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Recently the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced that the 2011 Saab 9-5, the 2011 Saab 9-4x and the 2011-12 Volkswagen CC all earned the top safety pick award.

Our Fort Lauderdale injury lawyers know that driving a safe vehicle will reduce the risk of serious injuries from car accidents in Miami and elsewhere in South Florida.

The 9-4X received high marks from IIHS for side, front and rollover evaluations. Seats/head restraints performed well in a separate rear impact test giving the 9-4x a good rating for safety in rear-end crashes. The Saab 9-5 and the Volkswagen CC scored excellent marks in roof strength when tested for rollover protection. As with the Saab 9-4x they also did well in their evaluations for rear, front and crash protection.

In order for a vehicle to earn the ‘Top Safety Pick’ award they must rate a ‘Good’ in four categories: frontal offset test, side impact test, roof strength test and rear crash protection/head restraint test

“To achieve two Top Safety Picks in three weeks is, of course, extremely gratifying,” says Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile. “Our main priority is always the protection of real people in real accidents, but the IIHS tests are a valuable guide for consumers and it is important for us to achieve good results.”

According to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times, if you are thinking about getting your teen a car, a mid-size sedan is the best choice, says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Other features should include a four-cylinder engine, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and front-wheel-drive. The vehicle’s interior should have simple controls in easy reach of the driver and a hands-free calling system.

David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ auto test division recommends these vehicles for teens, all of which are 2011 top safety pick by the IIHS and under $20,000:

-VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
The 2011 Jetta has a crash response system that unlocks the doors, cuts the gas flow and switches on the hazard lights when it senses an accident. Even though it is an IIHS top safety pick due to lower scores in frontal impact and rollover tests it did not earn the highest five-star rating from the government.

-KIA OPTIMA
The 2011 Optima has two sets of side air bags: to cover the windows one comes down from the ceiling and to protect the lower body one comes out of the front seats. Bluetooth technology enables drivers to make hands-free phone calls.

-HYUNDAI SONATA
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata has traction control for assistance on slick roadway surfaces and a brake assist system that applies the brakes if it senses an emergency braking situation.
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A young Fort Lauderdale man sustained skull fractures, frontal lobe brain damage and facial fractures as a result of a Fort Lauderdale drunk driving accident and was recently awarded $15 million by a jury of his peers.

The man was a sober passenger in his friend’s vehicle. It was the impact from drunk driver’s vehicle that rear-ended their stopped vehicle that caused the injuries. The 22-year-old man was the back-seat passenger of a car that was rear-ended by a speeding car as it was stopped for a raised drawbridge.

The careless driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time accident. Investigators revealed that the driver had a .21 blood alcohol content level, according to DigitalJournal.com. The legal limit in Florida is .08

Our West Palm Beach drunk driving accident attorneys understand that many innocent motorists are injured every year because of the irresponsible and dangerous driving habits of intoxicated drivers. The innocent Fort Lauderdale passenger had corrective surgery to repair the fractures. He spent weeks in intensive care. Once he was released from the hospital, he developed a seizure disorder that cannot be controlled by medication. These seizures have altered his life in nearly every way.

Brain experts concluded that this degree of brain damage, and the location of the damage in the frontal lobe, negatively affects his decision-making processes and affects his short-term memory.

During trial, the jury found that the accident victim would no longer be able to work and awarded him with $2.7 million for past and future lost wages. He was also awarded $6.7 million for past and future medical care and another $6 million for past and future pain and suffering.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now targeting these careless drivers in an attempt to stop them from hurting any more innocent motorists. For this reason, alcohol-impaired drivers have been placed on their “most wanted” list. This is a list that increase awareness of, and support for, action to for government to adopt safety steps that can help prevent these types of deadly accidents.

The Administration estimates that someone is killed in a drunk driving accident every 48 minutes. Nearly 11,000 people were killed in these accidents in 2009 alone. Accidents that involve an intoxicated driver have not decreased in the last 10 years.

The NTSB suggests that states follow these tips to help put a stop to drunk drivers:

-Conduct frequent sobriety checkpoints.

-Enforce administrative license revocation for those who fail or refuse to take a sobriety test.

-Limit plea bargaining and diversion programs. Keep sentences strong and strict.

-Expand jail alternatives to include dedicated jail/treatment facilities, home detention with electronic monitoring and intensive supervision probation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 1,000 people were killed in Florida in 2009 because of car accidents that involved an intoxicated driver. A number of these deaths could have been prevented with more stringent enforcement efforts and more severe punishments.
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A 73-year-old woman was run over by a 19-year-old driver in a Fort Lauderdale teen car accident. The woman was walking through her neighborhood around 6:30 a.m. when the young motorist struck her, according to New Times BPB.

Officers report that the teen had been drinking. After the accident, he left the woman’s body lying in the street and parked his car at his house down the road. His mother called the Sheriff’s Office after discovering her son’s bloody car with a shattered windshield and dented hood. The boy was later taken into custody and charged with the woman’s death. He’s facing charges of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving death and DUI manslaughter, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

After hearing stories like this, about teen drivers endangering Florida residents, it’s no surprise that these young, inexperienced drivers have been placed on the National Transportation Safety Board‘s (NTSB) “most wanted” list. Our West Palm Beach car accident lawyers encourage parents to get involved with their teen’s driving. It is important to teach them safe and cautious driving habits while monitoring their driving abilities. With education and enforcement from parents, driving organizations and government, we can help to properly trains our newly licensed drivers and make our roadways a little bit safer.

The NTSB recommends that state government enforce some sort of graduated driver licensing (GDL) system. This is a driving program that allows young, novice drivers to learn and practice skills a little bit at a time before earning full driving privileges.

Back in 1996, the state of Florida established the Graduated Licensing System. The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles requires that young drivers demonstrate responsible driving habits and behaviors in each stage of licensing before they’re able to advance to the next.

In Florida, teens have to drive under the following restrictions as they venture towards obtaining a full driver’s license:

-15-years-old: A teen is allowed to get their learner’s permit. Under this license, a teen must always have a licensed driver 21years of age or older in the passenger seat. During the first three months of this stage, driving is limited to daylight hours only. After three months, the driving hours are extended 10:00 p.m.

-16-years-old: Drivers can drive without a licensed driver over the age of 21 in the passenger seat. They are only allowed to drive alone between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. If they are to drive outside of these allotted hours, they must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21-years-old in the passenger seat, or be traveling to or from work.

-17-years-old: Teens can now drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. Again, they must be accompanied by a licensed driver that is at least 21-years-old if they wish to drive outside of these hours, or be traveling to or from work.

-18-years-old: A teen is now eligible to be fully licensed. They are allowed to drive during any hour of the day without a licensed passenger requirement.

According to a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, states with a strong teen driver safety program typically sees 40 percent lower rates of injury accident involvement among 16-year-old drivers. Still, Florida saw nearly 400 teen driver deaths in 2009 alone. Parents are urged to get involved and be active in their teen’s driving experience to help reduce these fatality numbers.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is hoping that operators of trains, boats and automobiles will become more vigilant about not texting, talking, or surfing on their cell phones, according to a recent article in The Boston Globe.

Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys know that cell phones are deadly distractions and lead to a high rate of distracted driving accidents in Miami, no matter what method of transportation is being utilized.

“Many people continue to think it’s just going to take a moment (to call or text),” NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said. “How do we change that mindset? Not just the NTSB, but all of us?”

The NTSB recently met in the nation’s capital to discuss last year’s fatal crash in a busy Philadelphia shipping channel. A tour boat carrying several passengers was having some engine problems and was hit by a tug boat pushing a 250-foot barge.

The collision sent 37 people into the water, which resulted in two student fatalities and several other injuries. A family emergency had distracted the tug boat operator, who had moved to the lower wheelhouse for privacy, for the final 9 minutes right before the crash. Investigators found that the tug boat pilot had made several phone calls and had surfed the internet which are both against company policy.

“Distraction is becoming the new DUI,” NTSB member Robert Sumwalt said. “This is going to reach epidemic proportions. It takes a generation or two to change it, but change is needed,” Sumwalt said.

The NTSB is in the midst of another full blown investigation involving a semi-tractor trailer that recently collided with an Amtrak train that was headed from Chicago to Emeryville, CA. According to CNN, the truck driver was allegedly on his cell phone and investigators hope to determine whether that was the cause of the collision in Nevada that killed 6 people and injured several passengers aboard the Amtrak train. The records for both the trucking company and the driver are somewhat soiled with 19 recorded safety violations and several traffic violations respectively.

As a result, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported recently that Nevada has enacted a ban on texting and driving in their state and violators will be fined starting January 1, 2012.

It has been a slow process to get state legislatures on board with a texting ban. Washington State was the first to ban texting while driving back in May 2007, and the recent tragedy has proclaimed Nevada the 34th state to take action prohibiting the behavior. Florida remains one of a handful of states that doesn’t ban cell phone use or texting while driving.
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Our West Palm Beach car accident lawyers frequently report about the importance of defensive driving, and how it can save lives on Florida roadways.

These days, with the number of motorists operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or while otherwise distracted, being a defensive driver is the only way to minimize the risks of being involved in a Fort Lauderdale car accident.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the chances of someone being impaired driving next to you are pretty good. Two institutions teamed up with researchers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a first ever study on driver sobriety collecting data from the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers.

The Study:

Drivers were stopped at 300 locations in 48 states during four different occasions on Friday and Saturday nights. There were 60 locations that drivers were stopped by authorities during the day. Samples were taken from the drivers — 3,276 were blood samples and 7,719 were saliva samples. Researchers were able to take the samples and test them to determine if the presence of any number of 75 different drugs were present in the system at the time the driver was stopped.

The Results:
-11 percent of daytime drivers tested positive for drug use based on saliva tests.
-6 percent of drivers tested during the daytime had positive signs of illegal substances.
-Nighttime drivers were found positive for drug use 14.4 percent of the time.
-10 percent of nighttime drivers had illegal drugs found in their system.
-Alcohol was the top drug of choice with marijuana coming in as the second most popular drug used by abusers.
-States that allow medical marijuana had even higher rates of the drug tested in their system while operating a vehicle.

You may think these numbers seem minimal, but when you consider the millions of licensed drivers in the Unites States and such a small sample of drivers, the numbers don’t appear to be all that miniscule.

It is no secret that drugs and alcohol can impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle. Not only can they alter your reaction time, but consumption of drugs and alcohol can lead to aggressive behaviors, road rage, and even drowsiness.

The Center for Addiction and Mental Health reports that alcohol and other depressant drugs like sedatives and painkillers affect normal function of the brain which can alter vision, motor skills, alertness and coordination which are all skills needed to drive safely and make good driving decisions. Stimulant drugs, like cocaine, caffeine or amphetamines can have a converse affect and make you drowsy.

Many times, the stimulant effect can wear off suddenly causing the body to crash which is also unsafe when a driver is behind the wheel. There is no quick fix to sober up after a night of partying. The best way to get home safely and not risk injuring or killing another motorist is to abstain from using or to appoint a designated driver.
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