Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Traffic officials in Florida are hailing the fact that car accident fatalities on Florida roadways are declining.

But the 2 percent decline is likely temporary. On the other hand, the number of those killed in motorcycle, bicycle and teen car accidents has increased — significantly. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), there were 2,444 people killed on Florida roadways in 2010. There were 2,400 killed in 2011. The truth of the matter is that we’re still losing far too many people to traffic crashes each year.

Our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers understand that car accident risks are expected to increase exponentially with the holiday travel season. This is a time when most families venture out on vacations — gas prices are dropping and consumers are feeling comfortable at the pump once again. Transportation officials say that one of the only reasons that accident fatalities dipped is because more people were staying home through the economic downtrun. We all know that’s not the case anymore.

With the increase in traffic during this time, with residents taking vacations and snowbirds arriving for the winter, we’re asking all drivers to be on their best behavior out there.

“Traffic crashes are largely avoidable, and so I could urge drivers to give their full attention to the road when they are behind the wheel,” said Julie L. Jones, the Executive Director for the DHSMV.

The most recent statistics for motor-vehicle accidents in the state were released in the 2011 Florida Traffic Crash Statistics Report. Listed below are some of the key findings.

Florida Traffic Crash Statistics 2011:

-The state mileage death rate (the number of fatalities per million miles traveled) was close to 1.5 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2011. That’s the same rate as 2010, and is also the lowest since these records were first kept in 1968.

-The number of fatalities among bicyclists, motorcyclists and teen drivers increased despite the overall decrease. The number of bicyclist fatalities increased by nearly 60 percent, motorcyclists by nearly 20 percent and more than 5 percent for teenage drivers.

As you may remember, the number of travelers increased over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, by close to 1 million. We can only expect even larger increases over end of the year travel.

We’re asking all drivers to be safe out there. Try to remain calm behind the wheel and allow yourself plenty of time to get where you’ve got to go. Make sure safety is your number one priority and you travel with a purpose this holiday season.
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Under new legislation that was filed in the Senate last week, drivers would be prohibited from manually typing or reading text messages, emails or any other kind of electronic message.

According to FOX4, Senate Bill 52 was filed by Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice. It’s asking for these dangerous and distracting driving behaviors to become secondary offenses in the state. This means that a law enforcement officer would be able to pull over and cite a driver for texting only if a driver is stopped for some other traffic violation. This means that an officer would have to observe you speeding or breaking another road law first.

With this proposal, drivers would still be allowed to use GPS systems and other navigational devices. Weather alerts and other safety-related information would also be fine under the law — as would hands-free applications.

Our Cape Coral accident attorneys understand that parts of this proposal may be difficult for officers to enforce. It would be tough to tell whether a driver was checking the weather or traffic report rather than text messaging or emailing. The truth of the matter is that distractions of any kind are dangerous and severely increase risks for car accidents. According to recent studies, your risks for a car accident are nearly 25 times higher when text messaging at the wheel.

If this law were to pass, drivers in the state of Florida could find themselves with a non-moving violation and a fine of $30 if busted.

Lawmakers won’t be in full session until March, but bills are able to be filed now and committee meetings on proposed legislation will kick off on December 3rd. Detert’s bill was one of the first measures in the Senate to emerge from bill drafting for the coming year.

Recently, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) strongly suggested that the state of Florida and others across the country ban cell phone use for all drivers. Florida continues to be one of the only states, one of the five to be exact, that has yet to enact any kind of law on drivers and text messaging.

According to the NTSB, there were about 4,000 accident fatalities that resulted from distracted driving. As a matter of fact, about 25 percent of drivers admit to this dangerous behavior. It’s so bad that this distracted driving habit made it on the NTSB’s “most wanted” list for changes to be made among transportation departments across the country.

This isn’t Deter’s first rodeo either. She has sponsored this proposal the past two years and still has not succeeded in pushing it through the law-making process.

Drivers are asked to be safe out there and to keep safety as a number one priority. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. No text message should be worth a human life.
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Are you wearing your seat belt?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the rate of seat belt usage is at a record high, but there are still millions who aren’t buckling up. In 2012, officials estimate that just over 85 percent of drivers are wearing their seat belt during every car ride. It’s a decision that could save your life in the event of a motor-vehicle accident.

“When it comes to driving safely, one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your family is to use a seat belt,” said Ray LaHood, United States Department of Transportation Secretary.

Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers understand that it’s that time of year again — a time when we see a spike in the number of car accidents on our Southwest Florida roadways. The snowbirds are trickling in and northerners are taking their holiday vacations and venturing south to soak up some of our warm weather. With more travelers on our roadways, the risks for car accidents increase significantly. We see a good number of car accidents, fatalities and injuries during the holiday season. We’re asking all drivers to be safe and alert out there, and we’re asking all motorists to buckle up during every car ride.

Officials with the NHTSA recently conducted their National Occupant Protection Use Survey. According to this study, the rate of seat belt usage has been increasing each year since 1994. It’s still not enough though as there are thousands of Americans who are dying every year in car accidents.

In the state of Florida, all front seat passengers must wear a seat belt. This law applies to all vehicles that were manufactured after 1968. In addition to this law, all vehicle occupants who are under the age of 18 are required to wear a seat belt or must be in the appropriate child car seat. Parents and guardians are urged to make sure that all young passengers are properly buckled in and are sitting in the appropriate car seat/booster seat during every car ride.

Seat belt usage is consistently higher in areas that enforce primary seat belt laws. These primary laws allow an officer to write citations to motorists just for not using a seat belt rather than requiring additional traffic violations. Officers have been on the lookout too — hunting down motorists who aren’t following these rules. Buckle up not only to avoid a potentially costly traffic ticket, but to also help to stay safe on our roadways.

In the state of Florida, there were close to 235,500 car accidents reported in 2010. There were more than 338,000 motorists involved in these accidents. That means that there were well over 600 car accidents each and every day. In these accidents, there were close to 2,500 people killed and another 200,000 injured, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). Many of these injuries and fatalities could have been prevented if more motorists wore their seat belt.

Enjoy the holiday season, but please do so safely and wear your seat belt to help stay safe.
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There’s going to be even more people out there on our roadways over this Thanksgiving holiday, according to ABC7.

Most travelers are going to be driving instead of flying because of tight budgets. Everyone’s urged to be safe out there and to be on their best behavior to avoid an accident.

According to AAA, close to 44 million Americans will be traveling at least 50 miles from their home over Thanksgiving break. That’s up close to 1 percent from last year. Many believe that the increase is because of the lower costs at the pump. The national average cost for a gallon of gas dropped close to 40 cents over the last 30 days. AAA is saying there’s going to be even more decline before the holiday driving period ends with New Year’s.

Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers understand that the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the most dangerous weekends to be out on our roadways. Thanksgiving may only be Thursday, but many workers get to enjoy Thursday and Friday away from the office, making for an extra-long weekend. During this time, we see a significant increase in the number of roadway fatalities. Drivers can reverse this trend though, and help to keep everyone safe. All it takes is a little awareness. Drivers need to be safe and courteous out there.

Officers throughout the state will be on the lookout for dangerous and irresponsible drivers. Over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday, officials with the Florida Highway Patrol handed out more than 9,000 citations. More than 7,000 were for speeding, more than 1,600 were for seat belt and child restraint violations and close to 100 were for drinking and driving. Troopers also helped out more than 3,500 by offering roadside assistance.

Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are here to help to keep you safe over the busy travel weekend with the following tips. Review them and share them with your loved ones to help to preserve everyone’s safety.

Holiday Safe Driving Tips:

-Make sure your car is ready to go. Check your tire pressure and the fluids under your hood before heading out.

-Make sure your windshield and your headlights are clean to increase visibility.

-Plan out your trip before departure. Pick the safest route possible and check weather conditions as well.

-Schedule in breaks every 100 miles or every 2 hours. This will help to keep you alert and awake behind the wheel.

-Avoid engaging in distractions. Driving is a full-time job that provides no room for error.

-Make sure you have emergency supplies in your vehicle. Keep a flashlight, a first-aid kit, some water and nonperishable food items with you.

-Be courteous. We all have somewhere to be. Let’s work together to get there quickly and safely.
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The weather here in Florida can be tricky. It can change at the drop of a dime. Not only do we have to worry about pouring rain, but we also have to worry about smoke and fog — especially if we’re driving.

Officials with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) are urging drivers to be safe out there and to use extreme caution when driving through these conditions.

Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the Florida Forest Service and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently launched a new campaign to help to get motorists to drive as safely as possible in these conditions.

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers understand that these conditions can quickly endanger motorists. During many of our morning commutes, our roadways are covered in fog at this time of year. During all hours of the day, we run the risks of dealing with fire and smoke on our roadways — whether from controlled burns or other fire sources. Drivers need to beware of these risks and understand how to alter their driving in these conditions to help to reduce the risks of accidents.

Safety Tips for Driving in Low Visibility Conditions:

-Be sure that your headlights are on low. Putting on your high beams will only hinder your visibility even more.

-Slow it down. Travel below the speed limit if you have to.

-If you can’t see well enough to navigate safely, pull over to the side of the road. Make sure you’re as far from the road as you can go. Turn on your emergency flashers to help other motorists to see you there.

-Make sure you only turn on your hazard lights when you’re stopped on the side of the road. Do not drive down the road with them on.

-Report all hazards to local law enforcement agencies.

-Make sure you check out the weather conditions, the traffic conditions and the conditions of our roadways before venturing out.

-Allow extra distance between you and other vehicles when driving in low-visibility conditions.

-Be patient. We’re all in this together.

“Smoke from wildfires or prescribed burns can be unpredictable in changing weather conditions. Add fog into the mix and driving conditions may become worse. The Florida Forest Service along with FHP and FDOT are working together to educate drivers on what to do if they encounter smoke or fog on Florida’s roadways,” said Jim Karels, Director with Florida Forest Service.

Be patient out there. If you run into conditions that make it difficult for you to see — like heavy rain, smoke or fog — keep your cool. Don’t feel bad about pulling over to the side of the road. If that’s what’s going to help you to stay safe then do it. Taking these safety precautions is going to also help to keep the travelers around you safe, too!
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On Florida roadways there were close to 3,000 car accidents that were caused by drowsy drivers in 2011. These accidents took the lives of more than 20 people and injured another 2,500, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

The problem is so bad that officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) calculate that there are roughly 100,000 of these accidents reported nationwide each year, resulting in nearly 2,000 fatalities, more than 70,000 injuries. at a cost of more than $12 billion. In all honesty, there are probably many more of these accidents that are never reported as drivers are hesitant to admit that they were sleepy at the time of a crash. There’s no test, like there are breathalyzers for drunk drivers, to point out a drowsy driver.

Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys understand that about a third of all American drivers have admitted that they’ve fallen asleep at the wheel. According to a study conducted by the Sleep Foundation, more than half of all drivers say that they’ve driven while feeling drowsy. It’s probably happened to most of us — feeling sleepy behind the wheel. But the truth of the matter is that it’s alarmingly dangerous and you’re likely to get into a car accident when doing so.

This year’s Florida’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week honors Ronshay Dugans. She was an 8-year-old girl from Tallahassee who lost her life when a drowsy driver slammed into the vehicle she was riding in.

Officials with FDOT have a message: “When you snooze behind the wheel, everyone around you loses.”

Who is most at risk for drowsy driving car accidents?

-Young drivers are most likely to get into these accidents — more specifically, males under the age of 26.

-Drivers who are considered shift workers or those who work long hours.

-Drivers who operate commercial trucks. Make time these drivers are forced to spend hours behind the wheel at a time. Close to 20 percent of all trucking accidents involve a fatigued driver.

-Drivers who may have untreated or undiagnosed sleep problems. They’re actually about 7 times more likely to fall asleep while driving.

-Those who travel on business and either spend a lot of time behind the wheel or those who may be jet lagged.

The best things that you can do to avoid these accidents include:

-Avoid medications that cause drowsiness.

-Avoid drinking alcohol.

-Get enough sleep before hitting the road.

-If you feel tired while driving, switch drivers or pull over and get some rest. Pushing through the sleepiness is one of the most dangerous moves you can make.

-Take someone with you on your long road trips. This way you can switch out the role as driver and keep everyone well-rested.

-Be sure to schedule in breaks during your road trips. Stop every 100 miles or every 2 hours to get out, stretch and wake up.
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According to a recent study from the University of Florida, Lee County has close to 100,000 temporary residents (known to many of us as snowbirds) during peak winter season.

The News-Press reports that’s good enough to give Lee County the largest population of winter residents in the state.

So there really is much more traffic on the road. The fact that many are elderly drivers, temporary residents and tourists, only serves to increase the risk for accidents.

Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers encourage you to stay safe as hundreds of thousands of tourist and seasonal motorists descend on South Florida in coming weeks.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida is making a special effort to help keep older drivers out of accidents. It’s called the Florida Guide for Aging Drivers. It’s a free book that helps these elderly drivers to get around safely.

For elderly individuals, or those who are snowbirds, who aren’t required to undergo FDOT driver training or requirements, friends and loved ones must take the lead. Take a look at your loved one’s driving habits. Make sure they’re doing alright behind the wheel. Make sure they’re not endangering themselves or other travelers.

It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We all age and with age comes deteriorating senses and abilities behind the wheel. Know when it’s time to hang up your keys and start using alternative modes of transportation. This move can help you to live a longer and healthy life.

For the rest of us who live here year round, we have to adjust our driving habits when season rolls around. You always know the first sign of season — when the roadways get a little more crowded. We’re forced to deal with drivers who are not as familiar with the roads as we are and we oftentimes have to deal with drivers who travel a little slower than the rest of us.

Through the holidays, and until season is over, all drivers must keep safety a top priority. Pay more attention to the road. Keep calm behind the wheel. It’s no surprise that we all get a little more agitated behind the wheel when there’s more traffic. Keep it calm and remember that we’re all just trying to get around.

Remember that these individuals not only bring traffic with them, they are bring their money, too. This is the money they helps to keep our economy thriving. Be safe out there, be cautious and be courteous. We’ve all got places to go. Let’s work together to ensure that everyone gets there safely.
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On Sunday, we turned our clocks back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. to mark the end of Daylight Savings Time.

We’re going to get an extra hour of sleep time, but we’re going to pay for it with increased risks for car accidents. Low-light and dark driving conditions can have some serious and dangerous effects on your vision.

Drivers are going to be more likely to experience halos and glares when driving during the early morning and evening hours. A halo is the ring that you see around a point of light and glare is difficulty in seeing in bright environments like when you’re looking into the headlights of oncoming vehicles.

These two circumstances can cause for distorted images and may make objects seem blurry or hazy, according to The Business Journals. In these cases, drivers may become distracted or they might become completely unaware of their surroundings. Since roadway dangers are already harder to see after dark, the risks increase exponentially.

Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers are asking drivers to make the proper adjustment to driving habits to help to compensate for these conditions. Drivers are asked to pay close attention to their surroundings when driving after the sun has set. Aside from having limited visibility when driving during the night, a majority of drivers are generally more fatigued at night. All of this makes it much tougher for drivers to concentrate on the road.

One of the first steps that you can take to better your nighttime driving is to talk to your eye doctor. They’ve got plenty of effective ways to help to improve your nighttime vision.

“Patients should ask their eye care professional about the solutions available, including new innovative contact lenses designed to reduce the appearance of halos and glare and/or glasses,” said Lorne Kashin, the vice president of the Optician’s Association of Canada.

There are a few other quick fixes for nighttime driving. Review the tips below to get on the road to safer nighttime driving.

Nighttime Driving Tips:

-Use your headlights. Your best driving with your headlights on at all times of the day. There’s no harm in it, and there are some serious benefits — like avoiding a car accident.

-Slow it down. You need more time to react to dangers when driving at night. Slowing down will help to increase your reaction time.

-Back off. Use a greater following distance behind other vehicles after the sun sets.

-Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road continuously to prevent your eyes from entering into an autonomous state.
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The state of Florida is lined by water and has bodies of water scattered throughout it. While it’s pleasant to live in paradise, it also comes with a lot of risks — like the risks for a submersion car accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there are roughly 250 vehicle submersion car accidents that happen every year in the United States in which at least one person is killed.

More specifically, about 2 percent of these accidents wind up happening because of a rear-end accident. More than 10 percent of them are the result of a serious side crash, close to a 20 percent don’t involve a collision and are the result of a rollover accident and about 50 percent come from major frontal accidents.

Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers understand that these can be some of the worst accidents to happen on our roadways. It’s important that you’re prepared for these kinds of situations no matter how good of a driver you think you are. Cape Coral canals have been a particularly dangerous location for these crashes over the years.

We’re here to offer you some safety tips should you ever find yourself in a vehicle in one of Florida bodies of water. Review the safety tips listed below and share them with your friends and family members to help to increase the rate of survival in a submersion car accident.

If you vehicle drives into water:

-Stay calm. It might be difficult, but it’s important. You need to conserve your energy for the escape process and for helping others to get out of your car safely.

-As soon as you hit the water, you’ll want to try to roll down your windows, break one open or unlock your car doors.

-Most cars nowadays have power locks and windows. When these devices get into contact with water, it’s likely that they will stop working. This is why it’s important to make a move as soon as you hit the water.

-Consider buying a tool to shatter your window and to cut your seat belt. They can be purchased at any auto parts store.

-Once your vehicle starts to submerge, wait for the pressure to equalize. Once this happens, go ahead and try to open the door.

-Keep your seat belt on until you’re ready to escape. This will help to keep you sturdy and to keep you from flying around the cab while trying to open/break windows.

-Once you are out, check out the currents of the water. Always swim with the current, never against it.

The best safety precaution you can take is to try to avoid these kinds of accidents altogether. Try not to drive when there are hurricanes or major storms in the area. You also never want to travel along a roadway that’s flooded. Always adhere to road and traffic barriers and be extra cautious when driving at night, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).
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The weather in Southwest Florida can be tricky. At any moment throughout the day, rain can come pouring down. It almost comes without warning as “scattered showers” across the area can be highly unpredictable.

And, while we might be approaching the end of rainy season, that doesn’t mean we are approaching the end of these violent, sudden downpours. It’s a message state safety advocates are pushing after a recent weekend of rainy weather led to a host of serious and fatal crashes statewide.

We’re asking drivers to always be prepared for bad weather. No, we’re not talking about keeping an umbrella with you, but we’re asking to be prepared behind the wheel.

With the recent number of car accidents in rainy weather, officials with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) find it necessary to make this reminder, too. Weather was blamed for a number of car accidents along both Interstate 75 and Interstate 10 over the last few rainy weekends. Now, officials with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are asking motorists to consider the weather and the condition of the road before stepping on the gas.

Our Naples car accident attorneys understand how important it is to adjust your driving habits to counteract the weather. When we get those afternoon showers, it’s important that we slow it down on our roadways. When our streets are wet and slick, the risks for our vehicles sliding out of control increase significantly. Cars can’t stop as easily and accidents are more common.

“Incidents such as these are a reminder of the precautions motorists should take while driving in extreme weather,” said Col. David Brierton, who is the director of the FHP.

FHP officials offer a few simple driving tips that can help you to stay safe during our fickle Florida weather. Review the safety tips and share them with your friends and family members, and remember to keep an umbrella with you at all times.

Safe Driving Tips:

-When the weather starts to get a little gloomy, slow it down. You need more time to react and you need better control of your vehicle when the storms roll in. Slow it down to achieve both of these.

-Never travel too closely to other vehicles. You want ample time to react to dangers. You also need more time to stop. Do this by staying away from other vehicles. You’re going to need more than the 2-second rule on wet roadways.

-If it’s raining too hard and you’re having a tough time seeing the road, pull over to the side, stop and wait it out. There’s no reason that you should drive in conditions that you can’t see through. Put on your emergency flashers and stay in your vehicle.

-Always drive with your headlights on, especially in poor weather conditions. This not only helps you to see, but it helps others to see you more easily.

-Keep an eye on the condition of your car. Make sure your tires are in good condition and your windshield wipers work well. In the middle of a storm is no time to figure out that either of these need to be replaced.

-Always wear a seat belt. Seat belts can be your saving grace in the event of an accident. Make sure that everyone in your car is properly buckled in, too.
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