Articles Posted in Car Accident

Florida reported fewer traffic fatalities last year than at anytime since Jimmy Carter was President, according to new information released by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

However, as our Palm Beach personal injury lawyers reported on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, Florida remains one of the most dangerous states in which to drive. And the winter tourism season can be especially hazardous as winter residents and visitors swell the traffic on South Florida roads.

In 2010, a total of 2,430 Florida traffic fatalities were reported — the fewest recorded since 1978, when Florida had half as many residents. In 2009, a total of 2,563 traffic fatalities were recorded in the Sunshine State.

“It is encouraging to see the number of traffic fatalities continue to drop, and the Department will continue our efforts to educate motorists and aggressively enforce the traffic laws to create the safest possible driving environment,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “Unfortunately, we know all too well the devastating impact that even a single fatality resulting from a careless, inattentive or impaired driver can have on a family and community.”

The full report is due out later this year. The 2009 report noted it was the fourth year in a row for a decrease in traffic fatalities. Still, more than 1,000 motorists were killed in drunk driving accidents. Fatal motorcycle accidents claimed 402 lives and 100 people died in bicycle accidents. Florida pedestrian accidents also continued to be a primary concern, with 482 pedestrians losing their lives in accidents.

“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to patrolling Florida’s highways around the clock, every day of the year, to safeguard motorists and stop dangerous drivers,” said FHP Director, Colonel John Czernis. “Our law enforcement partners and public safety stakeholders also deserve credit for their efforts to keep our streets safe. Motorists can do their part when they buckle up every ride, every time.”
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The Florida Highway Patrol began its winter enforcement efforts over the holidays, issuing 40,667 citations, including 474 arrests for drunk driving.

Still, 56 people lost their lives in Florida car accidents during the 19-day enforcement period, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

“Our troopers worked hard to help our residents and visitors have a safe and enjoyable holiday period,” said Col. John Czernis. “Motorists who operate their vehicles in an unsafe fashion are a danger that puts innocent lives at risk. The men and women of the Florida Highway Patrol did their part to identify the unsafe drivers and take the steps necessary to decrease that risk.”

However, the risk of car accidents in Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale increases as the winter tourist season begins in earnest. As our Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys frequently report, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties report more traffic fatalities each year than any other area of the state. And the first four months of the year are among the most dangerous as winter residents and tourists swell the amount of traffic on area roads.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Florida joins California and Texas as the states with the highest number of most types of accidents, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents.
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In light of the utter lack of action by state politicians, Floridians are increasingly banning together to reduce the risk of distracted driving car accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce and elsewhere in South Florida, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Our Port St. Lucie car accident attorneys are frequently called to fight for the rights of clients who are seriously injured or killed in car accidents in which distracted driving played a role. Text messaging and cell phone use are among the most common causes but eating, drinking, playing with the radio, talking to passengers and gawking at external distractions are also common causes of such preventable tragedies.

Nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates about 5,000 people are killed and more than 500,000 are injured each year in accidents caused by distracted driving. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports Florida is one of only a handful of states that have done nothing to outlaw text messaging, even by teen drivers who are already at high risk.

Thirty states have outlawed text messaging so far and eight others prevent all hand-held cell phone use. Not only have Florida lawmakers failed on this front, they are one of the few state legislatures in the nation that have passed a law preventing local cities from enacting their own ordinances to protect the public.

Meanwhile, Florida joins Texas and California as the three states with the most fatal accidents each year, including car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents.

Those taking matters into their own hands include a South Florida congresswoman-elect, high school students, parents and a Boca Raton software company that makes PhoneGuard, an anti-texting app for smart phones. Even Disney has weighed in, announcing last month a ban on texting for all employees.

A study by the University of North Texas contends there were an estimated 16,000 deaths as a result of texting between 2002 and 2007. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be involved in an injury accidents.

Teenagers are most at risk, with 9 in 10 engaging in some form of distracted driving. A separate study found that texting and driving can add 30 feet to the necessary stopping distance, compared to 15 feet for drinking and driving.

Don’t wait on the lawmakers, resolve to put your cell phone down and become a safer driver in 2011.
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Rollover accidents aren’t the most common type of passenger vehicle crash but they are considered one of the most dangerous. South Florida drivers should use common sense under certain circumstances in order to avoid a West Palm Beach rollover accident from happening.

In 2009, there were 166 fatal passenger vehicle rollover crashes and 355 light truck fatal vehicle rollover crashes in the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Analysis Reporting System.

Going back a year previous in 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 35% of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities were from rollover crashes. The vehicle type found most in rollover accidents where occupants were fatally inured were SUV’s (58%) and pick-up trucks (48%). Only 25% of passenger cars occupants in rollover crashes were fatally injured. Statistics supported that more rollover accidents occur on rural roadways than in urban areas. Increased use of seat belts decreases the number of rollover fatalities.

Just recently in South Florida, Bradenton Herald reported a tragic rollover accident that ejected three occupants from their vehicle which resulted in one fatality. It appears the vehicle was coming to a curve when it left the roadway. The driver in an attempt to get back on the road over-compensated losing total control of the vehicle. The inability to get the vehicle back on the road caused it to roll over three times into a ditch.

The following are some common causes of rollover accidents:

-A vehicle hitting a ‘trip’ which is any obstacle that would cause a vehicle to rollover. Examples of trips are things like trees, ditches or curbs.

-Top heavy vehicles – any vehicle whose center of gravity is further from the ground will increase the chance of the vehicle rolling over.

-Driving aggressively – excessive speed and abrupt lane changes can cause a rollover accident
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-Steering overcompensation can occur when a vehicle leaves the roadway and the driver over steers to get back on.

Beginning in 2012 all new passenger vehicles will be required to have electronic stability control (ESC) technology. This technology will automatically apply breaks when loss of steering is sensed in order to help the vehicle to steer in the right direction. The goal of ESC technology is to decrease rollovers as well as other accidents substantially by maintaining better control of your vehicle.
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Drunk driving remains one of the leading causes of traffic accidents across the United States so the crackdown on driving under the influence is warranted, especially this time of the year.

Before you take your first drink at your New Year’s Eve party this weekend, have a plan in place on how you are getting home. Our Fort Pierce car accident attorneys would all agree, it’s a bad move to drink and drive this weekend with enhanced patrolling and increased check points.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported that in 2009, there were a total of 156 fatalities from crashes involving a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Florida, ranked third among all states in fatalities, reported a total of 17 on these two holidays alone when blood alcohol was tested and recorded over the legal limit.

Earlier this month, US Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, offered a new strategy to help minimize drunk driving this holiday season. The NHTSA proposes a No Refusal strategy that numerous states are using to cut down drinking and driving. The premise is that judges will remain on call to issue warrants immediately when police officials call and need a blood test due to the fact that the DUI suspect refused a breathalyzer test. Florida drivers refuse breathalyzer tests 40% of the time which is third behind New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Florida is one of a handful of states utilizing the “No Refusal” plan in hopes of getting more drunk drivers off the streets quicker to keep the roadways safer for everyone else.

If you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party – don’t play a role in irresponsible behavior. The following are things you can do to make sure your guests get home safely:

-Have a key box at the door that keys get dropped into when guest arrives.

-Have plenty of soda and water available all evening located throughout the house so it’s available to everyone at all times.

-Refrain from playing games that involve excessive alcohol consumption.

-Prepare for guests to stay over by having plenty of bedding available to make up beds or sleeping areas in each room if needed.

-If someone is showing signs of intoxication, do not allow them to leave unless they are being driven home.
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Parents find their teens acquiring a license to drive a bitter sweet occasion. Though they no longer have the added pressure of pick-ups and drop-offs their worry now changes to the safety of their teens on roadways. The inexperience new drivers possess can often lead to Fort Lauderdale car accidents.

The Sun Sentinel reported last month that fewer 16 year olds are getting their drivers licenses. This could be due to a couple of reasons. Texting and the use of Facebook keeps teens in much more frequent contact so seeing each other face to face is no longer as important. Another reason for not wanting to drive is that owning a car can be quite expensive with the price of gas and high insurance costs, particularly in this economy.

According to the Florida Highway Safety and Division of Motor Vehicles Florida has almost 773,000 teen drivers. They acknowledge that the teen age group has the highest accident rate. There were almost 30,000 crashes involving teen drivers resulting in 284 deaths last year. There were 21% fewer teen crash fatalities from 2008 to 2009 and 8% fewer teen crashes.

Sadly, this teen car crash reported by The Gainesville Sun took the life of a 16 year old boy because he was reaching for a dropped cell phone while he was driving.

If teens can eliminate some of the following driving distractions, more lives might be saved:

-Put the cell phone out of arms reach so if it rings there is no temptation to answer or respond.

-Wait for a traffic light or stop sign to adjust any controls. You can also get the controls right before heading out on the road.

-Don’t eat when you are driving. Ask yourself if a dropped French fry is really worth dying for?

-The car is no place to be grooming. Finish before you leave or when you arrive at your destination.

-If you aren’t sure where you are going pull over instead of concentrating on the GPS.

-Concentrating on driving is easier done when you are alone. Don’t drive with friends in the car.
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Making a choice to drive under the influence is something that happens on a daily basis across the United States. Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers are well aware that the costs outweigh the rewards when it comes to making these decisions to drive under the influence.

Please be responsible over the holidays and reduce the risk for you and your family, as well as other motorists on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 11,773 fatalities in 2008 involving a driver having a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or higher. This equated to 32% of the total fatalities for the year in the U.S. Though down substantially, last year the NHTSA reported 9,211 fatalities with the same .08 or higher BAC. In 2009, Florida reported 743 fatalities caused by a driver involved in the accident having a BAC of .08 or higher.

In 2008, there were 1,347 children (ages 14 and younger) who lost their lives in traffic crashes nationwide. Sadly, 99 children were killed because the driver of the vehicle they were in was driving drunk (BAC .08 or higher). Another 34 children were killed because a drunk driver hit them while walking or riding their bike.

The NHTSA found that a fatal alcohol impaired crash is four times more likely to happen at night then during the day. A driver who is alcohol impaired is two times more likely to be in a fatal crash on the weekend than during the week. The worst age group for drivers having fatal alcohol crashes is 21 to 24. A BAC of .16 was most the common level for drunk drivers in fatal crashes but 57% had a BAC of .15 or higher.

In Florida for 2008 there were 2,978 traffic fatalities.

-29% had a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher.

-20% had a driver with a BAC of .15 or higher.

Mother’s Against Drunk Driving ranks Florida as the 18th safest state. Let’s try to improve on that by following these simple tips:

-If you are going to drink appoint a sober driver.

-If you drink too much and one can come and get you, stay the night or call a cab.

-If you see someone else is drunk, take their keys.
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We often preach to our teens about everything from how to keep their rooms clean to keeping up with their school work so they can get into a good college. During the holidays, it might be a good time to preach to them about the dangers of driving during this time of year. Educating your teens on driving dangers could help reduce the risk of Fort Lauderdale car accidents.

The National Safety Council is proud to announce that they are teaming up with The Allstate Foundation to support teen driving safety in an effort to reduce traffic fatalities for the younger age group.

“While our roads have never been safer, car crashes remain the No. 1 killer of all people from 1 to 34 years old, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group. We must act now to create new social norms behind the wheel starting first with our youngest drivers,” said Joan H. Walker, senior vice president, Allstate Insurance Co. “With its long legacy of building safety coalitions, NSC is the ideal organization to lead new state efforts to change the teen driving culture.”

Approximately 3,500 teens were killed in car crashes in 2009, four times as many as any other age group. The Allstate Foundation will be helping fund a new program that will be focused on teens being safer drivers as well as changing their attitudes and behavior about driving. Florida is one of 10 states who will receive funding to form alliances whose first effort will be to study teen crash data followed by going out and educating families through a number of sources. The NSC will use the funding to develop a strategy and find solutions for safer teen driving.

“Funding from The Allstate Foundation allows NSC to develop a coordinated strategy for building effective state coalitions,” said Janet Froetscher, NSC president and CEO. “The coalitions will mobilize state leaders to find unique solutions to the teen driving issue and save young lives for generations to come.”

The Florida Sheriffs Association is also doing their part. They are promoting the teen driver challenge in an effort to save the younger generation of drivers. The twelve hour program educates and offers a practical approach to reduce the chances of an accident and is free of charge to students.

If your teen is driving, especially in their first year, you may want to talk to them about the following safety tips:

-Always adjust your seat and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the vehicle.

-Stop completely at stop signs and red lights by slowly coming to a stop.

-When putting the vehicle in reverse or changing lanes, turn your head to look rather than rely on a mirror to indicate it’s safe.

-Leave all tangible distractions like cell phones, IPods, or food out of reach. It would even better to leave them all home.

The best way to educate your teen is by example. Use precautionary measures and good driving behavior so that the teen knows the proper way of handling the vehicle and how to react in different situations.
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Red-light runners come by the dozen because everyone is in such a rush these days. The problem with red-light runners is they are endangering the safety of themselves and others and they are a leading cause of car accidents in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area.

Our St. Lucie accident attorneys wish each of you a safe and enjoyable holiday season. And we urge you to avoid running red lights or engaging in other risky driving behavior that can ruin the holidays for you, your family, or someone else.

The Sun Sentinel reported over the summer red light cameras were installed at nine busy Fort Lauderdale intersections. Motorists prior to September were getting courtesy warnings. Beginning September 1st fines in the amount of $158 were going to start being issued.

City police were concerned about the number of fatal intersection crashes. Fort Lauderdale had 26 deaths at intersections between 2004 and 2009. Now there are signs that let motorists know that the cameras are in operation 24/7.

Not all communities are in favor of red light cameras according to an article in the Palm Beach Post. The Village of Royal Palm Beach has had two cameras operating since last November. Up to this point only warnings had been issued and last month at a meeting the council members voted against charging a $158 fine for red light runners. Members were not convinced that the cameras made the intersections safer. The cameras are still installed and working but no one is looking at the information. At some point the cameras will be taken down.

Whether cameras make intersections safer has been widely debated. An article for AOL Auto summarizes the answer – yes, no, depends and maybe. Some studies show that T-bone accidents decrease, but rear end accidents increase. Though severe injuries that result from T-bone crashes go down, the actual number of injuries goes up from the rear end accidents as people slam on their brakes at the last second to avoid getting a ticket.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports statewide, the number of fatalities at intersections is at a five year low at 758. The high during that span was in 2006 when there were 1,060 fatalities.

Still, those statistics mean about one-third of all Florida traffic fatalities occur at an intersection, most often because someone failed to obey the signal.

Traffic signals are designed to give us plenty of distance to stop safely when it is changing from green to red. If drivers are traveling at the posted speed limit they should have plenty of time to stop. Speeding fatalities have not changed much in the last five years averaging over 600 per year. But maybe the installation of red-light cameras will begin to show some positive results in the future.
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The best way to learn about driver’s view of their safety behind the wheel is to ask them. The annual results offer a revealing look into the opinions drivers hold about the leading traffic safety issues of the day. Taken together, these issues are responsible for the vast majority of crashes handled by car accident lawyers from St. Lucie to Fort Lauderdale.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has issued its 2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index report for the third consecutive year. The information for this report was gathered from May 11th through June 7th via cell phone and landline phone interviews (offering Spanish or English dictation) with 2,000 people ages 16 and older.

Some points of interest found in the report were the following:

-Half the respondents said they have been in a severe crash or knows a friend or family member that has been in a bad crash or killed in a crash.

-Over 50% of the drivers said they don’t feel as safe as they did 5 years ago. This is a 17% increase from last year. The main reason that over 50% said that was due to others distracted driving habits.

-All respondents feel that drinking and driving is very dangerous, and 2 out of 3 support first time DWI offenders getting alcohol ignition interlock devices on their vehicles.

-Over 72% polled said not wearing a seat belt is totally unacceptable. In addition, 66% said that not wearing one should be a primary reason for police to pull vehicles over and issue a ticket. Sadly 10% of respondents offered that they are guilty quite often of not wearing a seat belt.

-Drivers overwhelmingly thought that drowsy driving was totally unacceptable but over 25% of the respondents said they had driven drowsy in the last 30 days.

-Respondents said that texting (96%) or talking on their cell phones (88%) was a serious threat to their personal safety. However 69% of drivers talk on their cell phones while driving and 24% admitted to texting while driving. Of those polled 46% would support a ban on all cell phone use while driving.

-Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a highway was acceptable to 33% of drivers. However, speeding in a residential area was overwhelmingly unacceptable. 69% of drivers thought having more police monitoring our speed was acceptable.

-Red light running is unacceptable to 93% of drivers polled. But 34% admitted to doing in the past 30 days.

No matter what your concerns for safety are as a driver, you can only control your behavior. Doing your part in driving safely is the first step to safer roadways. You could do worse than making a New Year’s resolution to avoid these poor driving habits in 2011.
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