Some recent data that tabulates the numbers of crashes and fatalities on roads throughout Southwest Florida should give area drivers reason to take notice. The information regarding which local highways and roads are the scene of the most accidents may not come as much of a surprise to those who drive them daily – but the numbers support what local motorists have often thought – there are far too many accidents in Lee and Collier Counties.

A recent report released by the Lee County Department of Transportation’s Public Works Departments compiles data to show the roads there that had the highest number of traffic accidents in 2008. The top 15 “hot spots” are identified here – the “2008 Rate” numbers indicate the number of crashes per million vehicles entering the specific intersection:

If there is any good news to take away from this information, it is that in all but one location, the number of accidents is down from 2007. Still, local government and law enforcement officials are constantly working to make area roads safer,
and reduce the number of accidents in Southwest Florida.

There are other reports compiled which detail the total number of crashes on Lee and Collier County roads, the fatality rates involved, and the causes of the accidents.
The U.S. Department of Transportation publishes a Fatality Analysis Report from information contained in law enforcement accident reports.

Lee County Traffic Deaths from 1994 to 2008

Fatal Accidents            1340

Total Deaths                        1464

Drinking                        25.3%

Speeding                        17.5%

No Seat Belts                        68.2%

Lee County Roads with Highest Death Counts from 1994-2008

Type of Road                        Name of Road                        Number of Deaths

INTERSTATE            I-75                                    164

US HIGHWAY            US-41                                    148

STATE HIGHWAY            SR-80                                    83

_________________________________________________________

Collier County Traffic Deaths from 1994 to 2008

Fatal Accidents            713

Total Deaths                        825

Drinking                        19.5%

Speeding                        16.4%

No Seat Belts                        65.9%

Collier County Roads with Highest Death Counts from 1994-2008

Type of Road                        Name of Road                        Number of Deaths

INTERSTATE            I-75                                    208

US HIGHWAY            US-41                                    112

COUNTY ROAD            CR-846                        53

Recently, The Scripps Howard News Service conducted their own study of national and area roads via the newspaper and television outlets they operate throughout the country. (Scripps has no media outlets in Lee County.) The company’s reporters compiled data illustrating which roads were the most deadly, and called their special report “Killer Roads”. In the series, the Collier County information uncovered by reporters from The Naples Daily News revealed what most people would think to be obvious – the best way to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities is to not drink and drive, travel at the posted speed limit, wear your seatbelt, and avoid aggressive and distracted driving habits. Also, the series pointed out that there might be a correlation between expanding the number of Interstate lanes and reducing accidents. A Florida Highway Patrol spokesman was quoted as saying that more lanes equal less congestion, and the result is a reduced incidence of accidents.

“As the Scripps series pointed out, most of the traffic fatalities can be attributed to speeding, alcohol or drug impairment or not wearing seat belts,” noted Bruce L.
Scheiner, Founder and Senior Attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A. He continued by adding that “distracted drivers who are texting, eating or using their cell phones have also been shown to be as dangerous as drunk drivers.”

Aggressively fighting for justice on behalf of accident victims and their families has been the mission of the experts at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers since 1971.  If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another or by a roadway that may be unsafe, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you.  Please call 1-800-Dial-BLS or log onto www.focusedonjustice.com to arrange for a no-obligation,
free private consultation. If our firm works on your case,   you pay us nothing unless we win. 

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While motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk or impaired drivers seem to grab the headlines, few people are aware of the dangers of driving while sleepy. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says there are just as many accidents caused by sleep-deprived drivers as there are involving drunk drivers. And drunk drivers, even though they are impaired, can usually react to an impending crash. Drivers who doze off at the wheel, however, have no warning of an accident, and the result is a more violent impact and aftermath.

Falling asleep at the wheel causes more than 100,000 car crashes per year, simply because the driver thought they were fine to drive a vehicle. The National Sleep Foundation reports that drowsy-driving accidents cause 1,550 unnecessary deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in property losses and lost productivity every year. Not only are the drowsy drivers risking serious injuries or death for themselves, but putting fellow passengers, other motorists and pedestrians at risk as well.

Those who drive for a living are even more susceptible to the effects of falling asleep while driving. Long-haul truck drivers, cab drivers and others who work for long periods of time as professional drivers have a greater risk of falling asleep and general fatigue that can lead to a serious car or truck crash. Almost half of all truck drivers have admitted that they have fallen asleep while behind the wheel at least once during their professional driving career.

Older Tires Pose a Serious Safety Threat

When you buy a set of tires that are advertised as “new”, you expect that, at most, they may be a few months old. However, recent research and investigations have discovered that some retailers are selling so-called new tires that have been sitting in a store or warehouse for years – sometimes 7 years or longer. When a Ft. Myers woman on the staff of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers went to have new tires installed just before Christmas, she found that the retailer installed two tires manufactured in 2009 and 2 tires manufactured in 2007. These were to be 4 matching tires. While this may not seem like an important detail, the alarming fact is that old tires can pose a real threat to those who use them.

Today, the Ft. Myers News-Press reported that Nicholas Contessa, 58 of Fort Myers, died while driving a 2000 Chevy Blazer southbound on I75 when his right rear tire blew out causing him to lose control of his SUV. The SUV went into the median, overturned and collided with a guardrail. He suffered head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Although it has not yet been determined whether the tires were “new”, it does point out the need for consumers to be diligent when dealing with their tires and their safety.

If you’ve been responsible for causing three crash-related moving violations over a three-year period, be prepared to receive a costly education.

Beginning January 1st, state legislators and law enforcement agencies have started to enforce a new law that will cancel the driver’s licenses of those who have been convicted of three accident-related moving violation citations within a three-year span. In order to get their licenses back, the offender will have to successfully complete a 16-hour educational course, at the cost of $548.00.

If you’ve been cited for a crash-related violation within the past two years, the clock is already ticking – the new law goes back to offenses incurred since 2007. Before the new law was enacted, a 4-hour educational online course was necessary for those committing two accident-related moving violations over a two-year period, but did not require any actual behind-the-wheel testing. The new law, to be administered by private driving schools, is designed with more stringent requirements, and failure to comply with and successfully pass the course will result in the continued suspension of your driving privileges. The 16-hour course must be completed within 90 days of notification, and includes 4 hours of behind-the-wheel driver evaluation.

Since the invention of the airbag restraint system in the 1970’s, it is true that it has saved the lives of people involved in car crashes. But, some people may not know that the safety feature found now in virtually all cars and passenger trucks can cause serious injuries under some circumstances.

The airbag is deployed in an explosion of a small cartridge that causes the bag to inflate in a fraction of a second. If the driver or passenger is too close to the airbag, or if it is not aimed correctly towards the sternum or chest area, serious injury or even death can occur. Even in event of emergency braking before the impact of a collision, an improperly or unrestrained vehicle occupant is thrown directly towards the airbag module, resulting in an increased risk of serious injury at implosion of the device. If you place an object on top of the passenger side dashboard, where airbags are generally stored, you’re creating a projectile that is thrown toward the occupant at incredible force.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), recommends drivers sit with at least 10 inches between the center of their breastbone and the center of the steering wheel. Children 12 and under should always ride properly restrained in a rear seat. Never put a rear-facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger air bag. A rear-facing infant restraint places an infant’s head close to the air bag module, which can cause severe head injuries or death if the air bag deploys.

Over the five day Thanksgiving Holiday period, the Florida Highway Patrol instigated a crackdown on Florida’s roads and highways. Statistics have shown that this holiday is the deadliest time of the year for drivers, due to the increased traffic caused by the large numbers of drivers traveling to family gatherings statewide. Unfortunately, alcohol and drug-impaired motorists are also more prevalent during the peak Thanksgiving travel period.

Because budgetary constraints are hampering the number of officers the FHP has on area roadways, administrative personnel were assigned road duty to assist with the Thanksgiving crackdown. The agency reports that 21 people lost their lives over the holiday period. Just under 8,000 citations were written, with almost 6,000 issued for speeding offenses. Additionally, 157 arrests were made for driving under the influence.

“The Florida Highway Patrol enhanced our patrols to remove unsafe drivers from the streets so that families could reach their destinations safely and enjoy the holiday with friends and loved ones,” said Colonel John Czernis, the agency’s Director. “Throughout the holiday season we will continue our enhanced enforcement efforts, with special emphasis on impaired drivers. Motorists should always designate a sober driver if they plan to consume alcohol.”

While a large amount of media attention is directed towards accidents caused by a drunk or impaired driver, the offense of reckless driving is equally as serious, and many people are unaware of the definitions and consequences of this crime.

As an example, even speeding, under certain circumstances, can result in a reckless driving charge in Florida. If you are found to be exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 miles per hour or more, you may be charged with not only speeding, but reckless driving, as well. Florida statutes differentiate between “careless driving” and “reckless driving”. Reckless driving is a more serious offense, and involves circumstances defined as “driving with a willful or a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property,” or in similar terms. For a complete reference to Florida’s reckless driving statutes, click here.

One offense that can result in a reckless driving charge is racing your vehicle with that of another driver. “Drag racing” is not a new occurrence on the nation’s roadways. The dangerous activity came into popularity in the 1950’s in California, where a group of generally younger car enthusiasts would gather on weekends to engage in competitions to determine whose car was faster. Sadly, the practice still continues, and today’s cars are so far advanced in horsepower and technology, that the results can be deadly. Today’s younger drivers often lament the lack of a sanctioned, legal venue at which they can test their car’s performance, and resort to secluded public roads to challenge other drivers. Intoxicated by adrenaline and the socially-charged atmosphere, they seldom think about how this reckless behavior is not only illegal, but also that an accident could result in a life changing injury or even death.

Many people feel they are safe from being in an accident caused by a careless or impaired driver once they safely pull into the parking lot of their destination. The fact is, many accidents actually happen in parking lots. Pedestrians are seriously injured, and vehicles sustain considerable damage – just as they do on area roadways. The Washington Post reported in October, 2009 that one fifth of pedestrian accidents in their area are occurring in parking lots.

Thoughtless drivers who think the rules of safe driving do not apply to them are the most notorious when it comes to parking lot accidents. Because they are not on an actual street or road, they think the painted lines that delineate the parking lot areas are a “suggestion” of where to drive. We have all seen the hurried driver who cuts diagonally across the lot markings, which are there to indicate where vehicles should park. Not coincidentally, you will discover that these are the same drivers who often occupy two parking spaces with their one vehicle. While there are some who choose to park this way in order to avoid a potentially damaging ding to their shiny luxury car, there are still others who practice this inconsiderate parking technique absent-mindedly, with no regard for the inconvenience of others. Parking near them is almost sure to result in a banged up door or fender on your car.

Many drivers are in a hurry to get where they are going, and this becomes even more prevalent with the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season. Mall shoppers are racing from one plaza to the next, chasing bargains. This results in people driving at a speed that is not safe for parking lots. People, and most often young children, can dart out from between vehicles, directly into the path of an oncoming car. There are also many drivers who do not adequately check behind their vehicle before backing out of their space. Not only could there be another car approaching with a driver who does not notice the car backing out, but there may be a pedestrian distracted by the hectic pace of shopping that does not notice the car is backing towards them. Injuries from these types of incidents can be extremely serious.

It’s no surprise that Florida’s roadways are home to a large number of drivers in the senior citizen age bracket. Our population of older residents swells dramatically with the onset of “snowbird” season, and our traffic increase clearly illustrates how older drivers become much more prevalent than in the quieter summer months.

Unfortunately, as we increase in age, our cognitive skills, reflexes and vision sometimes deteriorate, putting senior aged drivers at greater risk of causing a serious car crash. While a great number of older drivers are perfectly capable of navigating our area roads and operating their cars safely, there are some who may not be up to the task. In a recent Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Alert, senior drivers are reminded of several tips and are provided useful information that can help keep them safe while behind the wheel:

• The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that everyone between ages 40 and 65 have an eye exam every two to four years. If you’re over age 65, you should see your eye doctor every one to two years, particularly to check for conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Between check ups, if your vision changes or you have trouble driving at night, let your eye doctor know right away.

Naples Man killed after hitting uneven pavement

Last Sunday, October 11, 2009 a Collier County father of two, Derren Kelly lost control of his vehicle after overcorrecting when he encountered uneven pavement on I-75 near mile marker 105. Even an experienced driver, as Mr. Kelly was having driven charter buses, can experience road construction hazards.

The iROX paving project will continue over the next few months with crews first working on all the northbound lanes then the southbound lanes. There will be uneven pavement until the project is completed. Please stay informed. (iROX news about construction and lane closures can be found by clicking here.)