pedestrian accident lawyer

Published on: March 28, 2017

NHTSA: Hybrid Vehicles Must Make Noise So They Aren’t Deadly to Pedestrians

Being a pedestrian in Florida is dangerous. The risk of being hit by a car while walking is increasing everywhere, but the Sunshine state has one of the highest rates of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the country. This risk is exacerbated by the proliferation of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Although these cars are great for the environment, they are not so great for people on foot. The reason has to do with the fact that they are so quiet, they “sneak up” on pedestrians, who might otherwise hear the vehicle approach and take appropriate protective measures. The risk is especially out-sized for people who are blind, visually impaired or elderly.

Engine noise in these vehicles is next-to-nothing, usually limited to sounds generated by wind resistance or tire noises – and even that occurs only at moderate speeds. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a new rule requiring that by September 2019, all newly-manufactured electric vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less make some audible noise when traveling either forward or in reverse at speeds of 19 mph or less. Continue reading →

Published on: September 11, 2016

NHTSA: Non-Traffic Crash Injuries and Fatalities a Serious Problem

By Dean Freeman

The term “non-traffic motor vehicle crashes” is one of those clunky ones mostly used by regulators and policy wonks, but it’s one that should capture everyone’s attention because it’s a serious and ongoing, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

If you’ve never heard the term, you’re not alone, though you’ve likely heard of the incidents to which it refers. Non-traffic motor vehicle crashes are a type of crash that occurs off a public traffic way. Those may include:

Single vehicle crashes on private roads
Two-vehicle crashes in parking lots or parking garages
Collisions with pedestrians or bicyclists in driveways

In addition to these, there are also “non-traffic incidents,” which might include things like a person falling underneath a vehicle or someone falling victim to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Continue reading →

Published on: September 21, 2015

Orlando Pedestrian Accident Kills Grammy-Nominated Venezuelan DJ

By Dean Freeman

A beloved and talented musician from Venezuela was killed in an Orlando pedestrian accident recently while chaperoning a group of children on vacation.

Grammy-Nominated DJ Luis Borges was staying with a group of children whom he and other adults were chaperoning at a hotel near Lake Buena Vista. He and one of the chaperons decided to walk to a nearby grocery store to stock up on food. The two adults loaded up their carts at a local grocery store, pushed the carts back to the hotel, unloaded the food and then walked back to the store with the carts to return them.

Around 12:35 a.m., it was raining heavily and Borges was reportedly walking in the road. A 42-year-old man driving on Lake Street says he never saw the pedestrian before striking him. There were no street lights and Borges was not in a crosswalk. The driver did remain at the scene until troopers arrived. Neither alcohol impairment nor speeding is believed to have been an issue, and no criminal charges are expected. Continue reading →