Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Inaugural Pedestrian Safety Month an October Focus

September 28, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The inaugural Pedestrian Safety Month launches this week as the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and safety advocates continue to address the rising number of walkers being killed in traffic collisions.

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers have written extensively on this blog about the epidemic of serious and fatal collisions victimizing our most vulnerable road users, including walkers, cyclists and motorcycle riders. South Florida in particular has been identified as among the deadliest locations in America for walkers, with Cape Coral being signaled out as frequently the most dangerous location in America.

Nationwide, the number of pedestrian deaths has increased significantly in the last decade as urban centers have revitalized. Explosive growth in places like Southwest Florida has also impacted the safety of walkers, particularly as it relates to pedestrians. E-scooters and rental bicycles have added to the risks. And the COVID pandemic has prompted a record number of bicyclists and pedestrians to take to the streets in favor of socially distanced modes of travel and physical activity.

Back-To-School Safety Not Just COVID and School Buses

September 15, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a campaign to address the broad risks that come as kids head back to class.

While the coronavirus pandemic has made this school year unlike any other in history – and largely turned the safety conversation to topics like social distancing and face masks – safety advocates are reminding parents of the broader spectrum of autumn risks that greet students and motorists alike.

COVID Increasing Risk of Bicycle, Scooter and E-Vehicle Injuries

September 14, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

COVID-19 restrictions continue to increase demand for bicycles, scooters, and e-vehicles. Purchases have reached record highs and an increasing number of rental options are also reporting high demand throughout South Florida.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association is among the organizations highlighting the increased need for bicycle and e-scooter safety campaigns amid the coronavirus pandemic. This is true in vacation and resort locations like Southwest Florida, and in large urban centers where residents continue to flee the subway and other public transportation options, in favor of bicycles and scooters.

Our injury lawyers in Cape Coral and Fort Myers continue to see an increase in the number of incidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists and scooters. This was true even before the pandemic’s social distancing restrictions increased the popularity of such open-air independent and environmental friendly modes of transportation.

COVID Impacting Teen Drivers’ Ed in SWFL

September 13, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Autumn is traditionally the time of year when many teenagers get their driver’s licenses. Those eligible by age through the summer and autumn often enroll in driver’s education classes at their local high school.

Like traditional schooling, COVID restrictions are impacting driver’s education in many ways, including less in-person class time and behind the wheel training in favor of virtual and online education models.

Celebrate Responsibly this Labor Day Weekend

August 30, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Federal, local and state agencies are kicking off campaigns aimed at preventing drunk driving during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

It has been a stressful summer, unlike any other in history. Typically, Labor Day weekend ends the 100 deadliest days of summer travel. However this year, amid the COVID pandemic, the world is gearing up in an attempt to return to near-normal, which will likely make the roads busier than they have been in months.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s message, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” reports 439 motorists were killed over Labor Day weekend 2018. Nearly half of those crashes involved a driver who had been drinking and more than 1 in 3 involved a driver who was legally intoxicated.

At Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, we have been fighting for the rights of victims injured or killed by drunk drivers since 1971. As proud supporters of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, our law firm also supports drunk-driving checkpoints and roving patrols conducted by local law enforcement agencies.

Parents, Employers, Can Reduce Road Risks

August 27, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The National Safety Council has launched a campaign targeting the Big Three road threats: distracted driving, drunk driving and speeding.

Our car accident attorneys recently posted ways motorists can help keep themselves safer as the world attempts a return to near-normal amid the coronavirus pandemic. As we noted in “Understand Road Risks can Prevent Collisions,” safe driving is a learned and practiced activity.

As the NSC notes, more than 40,000 people were killed on the roads annually each year leading up to the pandemic, as record economic activity pushed fatalities near record highs. The organization is now targeting employers and parents, urging them to better advocate road safety to employees and teenagers.

Few Visitors Increase Risk of Nursing Home Neglect

August 25, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, our nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys have sounded the alarm about the failures in the system that have left powerless our most vulnerable citizens and their families. In April, we wrote about nursing home coronavirus liability, and in June we outlined failures of the industry to comply with safety regulations put in place after residents died in the wake of 2017’s Hurricane Irma.

Unfortunately, because of the threat posed by COVID-19, we enter the height of the hurricane season this year with the vast majority of nursing home residents isolated from friends, family and loved ones.

The threats posed by COVID are real, of course, particularly for this elderly, vulnerable population. The Wall Street Journal reported nearly half of Florida’s 7,000 virus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities. About one in five residents in Florida is a senior citizen—the highest proportion in the U.S.

Child Injury Risks in Southwest Florida

August 19, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We all have increased concerns when it comes to child safety and the start of the school year. But this year is unlike any other in modern history, with the coronavirus pandemic causing much stress and uncertainty in all of our lives.

Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties all expect to begin in-person classes on Monday Aug. 31. Most families will also have the option of enrolling their child in some form of virtual learning; in Lee County, that means Lee Connect or Lee Virtual School.

But, while the pandemic brings its own unique risks, the fact remains the most common causes of serious and fatal child injuries have not changed.

Understanding Road Risks Can Prevent Collisions

August 16, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Knowing what causes “accidents” is the best way to prevent them.

Our car accident attorneys recently posted about the dangers of aggressive driving in Southwest Florida as the nation seeks a return to normalcy amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Forms of aggressive driving have become so pervasive that it is a factor in virtually all traffic collisions; even those blamed on a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs are typically caused by some form of aggressive driving.

At its most basic, if you are not driving safely, you are driving aggressively. While aggressive driving nearly always involves breaking a traffic law, some forms may just be a violation of common sense (distraction can fall into this category).

Aggressive Drivers an Autumn Safety Risk in SWFL

August 14, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

There is some evidence that drivers are on a hair-trigger, despite the congestion respite that has been a welcome benefit of enduring the coronavirus pandemic. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is among the agencies warning drivers specifically about the risk of road rage and aggressive drivers during this stressful time.

Our car accident attorneys in Fort Myers and Cape Coral share the roads with you right here in Southwest Florida. We have rode with you as morning and afternoon traffic has returned to near-normal as society seeks to do the same. The six-months since the COVID lockdowns began in March have been unprecedented in modern society.

But with returning school buses and other traffic hitting the roads, the risks of collisions is once again increasing. As we continue to report, pedestrians and bicycle riders are at particularly high risk as our most vulnerable road users and there are increasing reports of road rage being targeted at cyclists.