Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Florida semi accidents, bus, large truck crashes targeted to reduce risk of serious injury and death

November 20, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Targeting drivers contributing to Florida semi crashes and large truck and bus accidents will be a priority heading into the holidays, authorities announced this week.

“During this operation, FHP troopers and Motor Carrier Compliance officers will be watching for unsafe drivers, especially those who contribute to collisions between passenger vehicles and large trucks or school buses,” said Colonel John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, noting the agency believes most commercial drivers act responsibly. “However, because of vehicle size, weight and the type of cargo hauled by commercial vehicles, the potential for causing significant damage to other vehicles or property is very real. Therefore, it is imperative that commercial truck drivers obey state and federal laws and regulations meant to protect their safe passage and that of the motoring public.”

Trucking companies have an obligation to put safe trucks and safe drivers on the road. When they don’t, innocent people can be seriously injured or killed. Dump trucks and semis can weight 70,000 to 80,000 pounds – 20 times the weight of a 4,000 pound passenger car.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in an accident with a commercial truck, there are certain things you can do to help protect your rights. Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, offers free appointments with an attorney to discuss your rights.

State traffic statistics show commercial vehicles were involved in more than 18,000 crashes that resulted in 365 deaths in 2007.

“Drivers of smaller vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all at a considerable disadvantage when involved in collisions with large trucks,” the patrol reported in announcing this week’s initiative.

The patrol said the operation will include all available patrol personnel using laser, radar, video cameras, motorcycles and unmarked patrol cars as well as pilots in the air directing troopers on the ground to violators.
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Florida bicycle deaths lead nation

November 19, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Florida’s 119 fatal bicycle accidents led the nation in 2007, according to statistics released this week by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

Only one other state, California with 109, had more than 100 people killed on bicycles last year.

The attorneys at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, are dedicated to fighting for the rights of people injured or killed in Southwest Florida while promoting safety and the rights of everyone on our roadways.

At Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, our message to riders is simple:”Whatever you ride, ride safe!”

NHTSA issued the following safety reminders:
– All bicyclists should wear properly fitted bicycle helmets. Helmets are the single most effective way to prevent head injuries resulting from bicycle crashes.
– Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators and are required to obey the same rules of the road as other operators. When cycling in the street, bicyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic.
– Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous. Allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist. Look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out of a parking space. Yield to cyclists at intersections.
– Bicyclists should increase their visibility by wearing bright or florescent clothing, even during the day. To be noticed at night, use front and rear reflectors and lights and use reflective tape or markings on clothing and equipment.

The government report shows only one-seventh of bicycle deaths involved kids ages 5 to 15. Average age of death increased from 31 in 1997 to 40 in 2007.
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Cape Coral dog bite victim faces costly, painful recovery

November 15, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Dog bites and dog attacks in Southwest Florida made news again this week when Cape Coral authorities announced they were searching for two Rottweilers that attacked a 74-year-old man walking his two Schnauzers.

The dogs have not been located, making it likely the man will have to undergo a 30-day period of rabies shots at a cost of $1,500 unless the dogs can be quarantined for 10 days, according to an article in The News-Press of Fort Myers.

The dogs apparently attacked the man on Nov. 6 as he was walking his mini-Schnauzers at 10:30 p.m. They carried off one of the small dogs and the man was knocked down and bit on the left hand and leg while retrieving his pet.

While many of us have loving pets that are like members of the family – nationwide, more than 1,000 people each day suffer dog bites serious enough to visit the emergency room and three times that number require some lesser form of medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Being a dog owner also comes with responsibilities. If you or someone you love is bitten by a dog, there may be things you can do to protect your rights.
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Little Motorcycles no little danger as Southest Florida motorcycle season opens

November 13, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Scooter drivers beware with a summer of record-high gas prices and the pending tourism season, more little motorized bikes and motorcycles on the road increases the danger of scooter and motorcycle accidents.

Tourists in cities across Southwest Florida – including Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte, Sebring and Venice – will be taking to the road on rented scooters and motorcycles where they will join new riders prompted by skyrocketing gas prices.

“If in a car, that victim likely walks away,” said John Moore of the Denver Post in a recent Naples Daily News article of the prospect of being rear-ended on a scooter. “But on a scooter, he dies. It’s a risk every scooterist assumes.”

Scooter sales are up more than 24-percent in 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

“The beautiful state of Florida offers many free and exhilarating riding opportunities,” said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, which has been representing Southwest Florida motorcycle accident victims for four decades. “But remember, whatever you ride, ride safe!”

Authorities say scooters can be particularly dangerous in part because often inexperienced riders have a tendency to treat them as toys and can lack the proper rider training.

By law, scooters over 50cc are considered motorcycles and require a motorcycle endorsement and a rider-safety course. Directions on obtaining a motorcycle license and attending a rider-safety course can be found on our sister site, www.flbikers.com, a website dedicated to Southwest Florida motorcyclists and their safety.

The Naples article contained some standard safety tips for all riders:
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Bicycle, Motorcycle, Pedestrian Accident awareness a goal of new Florida program

November 11, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Preventing motorcycle accidents and bicycle and pedestrian accidents is the aim of the “Give Others a Brake – Share the Road” campaign, launched this week by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Tragically, walking proved almost as deadly as riding a motorcycle in 2007. A total of 537 Florida motorcycle riders were killed in 2007, compared to 530 pedestrians.

Florida motorcycle deaths were the most in the nation in 2007. The “Give Others a Brake – Share the Road” program seeks to also remind motorists about pedestrians and bicyclists as the state heads in tourism season.

In Collier County, 120 bicyclists were injured or killed in accidents in 2007; in Lee County, 96 bicyclists were injured or killed in 2007; in Sarasota County 92 bicycle accidents caused injury or death.
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Motorcycle accident less likely with anti-lock brakes, study suggests

November 5, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Florida motorcycle riders might cut the risk of death or serious injury from a motorcycle accident nearly in half by riding bikes with antilock brakes, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

While ABS usually adds about $1,000 to the cost of a motorcycle, the study found riders with anti-lock brakes had a fatal crash rate 38 percent lower — 4.1 per 10,000 registered motorcycles, compared to a rate of 6.6 fatal crashes for bikes without ABS.

The institute said the brakes were standard or optional equipment on about 40 models for the 2008 model year, including BMW, Harley-Davidson and Honda.

“It’s definitely a bonus,” said Frankie Kennedy, president of the Southwest Florida chapter of American Bikers Aimed Towards Education. “It takes some getting used to from senior riders who have been riding for years without them, but the advancement of antilock brakes on motorcycles is definitely a good idea.”
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Florida Traffic Deaths third-highest in nation

November 4, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Florida motorists were more likely to die in a car accident or other traffic crash in 2007 than anywhere else in America except California and Texas.

But statistics recently released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did have some good news — for the first time in at least a decade Florida’s traffic fatalities declined for the second year in a row, from 3,357 in 2006 to 3,214 in 2007.

Nationwide, deaths declined to 41,059 in 2007 from 42,708 in 2006. The decline was attributed to proactive measures by law enforcement and safer vehicles.

It is important to take certain steps to protect your rights after an accident. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed, you can contact a lawyer with experience in representing Florida accident victims, like those at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers.

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, has been representing Florida accident victims for four decades and will meet with you free of charge to discuss your case — in your home or hospital room or at any of the firm’s offices in Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Sebring, Port Charlotte, Venice and Arcadia.

The weekend — Friday to Sunday — continued to be the most dangerous time on the road with overnight Friday and Saturday (midnight to 3 a.m.) the most deadly time of the week, according to the data. Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. also saw significant spikes in fatal accidents.

Tourist season — November to May — saw a large increase in the number of accidents corresponding with increased traffic and congestion. March was far and away the most dangerous month on the road with 25,000 crashes and more than 300 fatalities.

Area accident statistics for 2007:
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Florida leads nation in motorcycle deaths

November 3, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Florida leads the nation in motorcycle deaths, according to statistics recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on 2007 motorcycle accidents.

Tragically, 537 motorcycle riders died in Florida last year — far more than anywhere else in the United States. In fact, more than twice as many riders died in Florida than any other state in the country except California (495) and Texas (375).

Florida motorcyclists are encouraged to visit www.flbikers.com for information on motorcycle safety and Florida motorcycle licensing information, area locations for rider safety courses and area motorcycle events and other information dedicated to Florida motorcycle enthusiasts.

“We want you, as a rider, to experience the ride of your life each time you get on your bike, without any chance of an accident,” said Bruce L. Scheiner, the sponsor of www.flbikers.com and founder and senior attorney of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, a firm with four decades of experience fighting for the rights of motorcycle accident victims.

Florida motorcycle deaths have skyrocketed in the last 10 years – from 158 in 1998 to more than 500 in each of the last two years, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Nationwide, motorcyclist were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash.

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, offers free consultations to injured riders and their families throughout Southwest Florida. The firm has offices in Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, Arcadia, Sebring and Venice and can even arrange to meet you in your home or hospital room.

National Motorcycle Crash Statistics:
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Drunk Driving remains a concern in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Southwest Florida

September 25, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Drunk Drivers are being targeted by local law enforcement in an effort to reduce the number of serious and often fatal crashes they cause on Southwest Florida roads.

Eighteen people were arrested by Lee County deputies for Driving Under the Influence during the second week of September, the sheriff’s office reported. The following week, Lee County deputies arrested 25 people for drunk driving.

“In 37 years of practicing law, some of the most tragic cases we have taken the responsibility of representing have been caused by the careless, senseless and negligent acts of a drunk driver,” said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers.

Last year, 1,099 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in Florida – making drinking and driving a cause of about one-third of the state’s 3,365 road deaths. Another 10,439 motorists were injured by alcohol-related crashes on Florida roads.

The number of area crashes caused by alcohol remained staggering in 2006: 654 in Lee County; 372 in Collier; 211 in Charlotte; 457 in Sarasota.

“It’s obviously a problem that, unfortunately, is not going away,” said Brenda Gellinger, who works with DUI victims at the sheriff’s office and with the local Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Gellinger noted those 18 were arrested by deputies, while other local law enforcement agencies, including Cape Coral and Fort Myers police as well as the Florida Highway Patrol, are also picking up enforcement.
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Fatal I-95 semi accident a reminder: Heavy trucks can pose danger to Southwest Florida motorists

September 23, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The recent deadly semi truck accident that spilled $182,000 worth of nickels across a Florida highway serves as a stark reminder of the enormous weight packed into semis and the devastation such accidents cause.

Semi and large truck accidents can lead to serious injury or death, in part because a fully loaded truck can weigh 20,000 pounds, more than five times the weight of a passenger car.

Anyone who has been in an accident with a semi should consider consulting a qualified attorney like those at Florida-Injury-Lawyers and Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner Personal Injury Lawyers, for a free consultation to discuss their rights.

The 3.5 million nickels would have made 82,500 rolls of coins weighing about 7,700 pounds – or about one-third of a semi’s maximum load.
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