Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

If your teen is a new driver this fall and is looking forward to driving to school, work, or after-school activities, you will of course want to ensure that your teen is driving safely. There are many ways you can help your teen avoid a Florida car accident or truck accident:

1) Help your teen find a safe car. Whether your teen is saving up for their first car or whether you will be gifting a car to your child, make sure that the car is safe. Have it inspected by a trusted mechanic and consider adding some safety features – such as a security system that lets your teen get in touch with a live operator in the event of a problem. Alternatively, make sure your teen has a cell phone so that they can call for help if needed.

2) Establish rules about drinking and driving and distracted driving. Your teen has already heard the message in driver education, but this is one message that needs to be stressed again and again. Make sure that your teen has several options for getting home safely without drinking and driving. This may mean that you need to agree that your teen can always call you for a ride with no questions asked and no lectures or punishment for underage drinking. An agreement like that can help prevent one more Florida drunk driving accident, however. As well, review the types of activities that constitute distracted driving and ensure that your teen agrees never to engage in those activities.

3) Limit the number of passengers your teen can have in the car – at first. Even if your teen promises never to drive distracted, passengers are one of the most distracting things for a new driver – and, inevitably, once your teen has a license many unlicensed friends will want a ride. At first, limiting the number of passengers your teen is allowed to take can ensure that distractions are kept to a minimum. As your teen gains confidence and experience behind the wheel, you can consider relaxing the restrictions.

4) Consider additional training. Private lessons, defensive driving courses, and even racing school, can help address any bad driving habits before they set. Additional training with a qualified instructor can also give your teen additional guided experience on the road – an important factor in preventing car collisions.

5) Take frequent drives with your teen. Being a passenger when your teen drives can reassure you about your teen's driving. It can also help you to see whether additional training and restrictions are needed.

Continue reading " Helping Your Young Driver Avoid Accidents This Fall " »

Most insurance companies charge young drivers higher insurance premiums because statistics show that young drivers do have higher rates of accidents. Over the past two decades, a number of initiatives have been launched to help prevent Florida car accidents involving young drivers. For example, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have created education campaigns to alert young drivers about the dangers of Florida drunk driving accidents. As well, legislators have passed laws requiring more training and placing additional restrictions on new drivers. Graduated licensing ensures that teens cannot

However, most experts agree that the way to prevent car accidents among young drivers is to include more training. There are many suggestions about adding more training for young drivers:

1) Defensive driver training. Defensive driving courses go one step further than basic driver education, by helping new drivers learn how to anticipate and avoid car collisions. Many parents already send their teens to defensive driving courses or even to racing school – which also teaches additional defensive driving skills. Insurance companies often encourage parents to pay for this type of additional training by offering insurance discounts to teen drivers with additional defensive driver training.

2) Decision training. Some experts believe that teens may be more likely to make poor decisions – such as the decision to drive while talking on a cell phone or the decision to overload a car with passengers – which older and more experienced drivers can resist. Teaching teens to make good decisions behind the wheel can help prevent Florida pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents, according to some experts.

3) Night driving training. Most driver education classes and all driver tests for licensing take place during the day, which means that most teens learn night driving through practice. Taking private night driving lessons with a trained driving instructor can help close the gap, but currently this additional training is not required.

4) Additional restrictions for new drivers. Young drivers are not allowed to have any alcohol in their system and may face additional restrictions. Some legislators have suggested additional restrictions for young drivers – such as banning young drivers only from using mobile devices while driving.

5) Increasing the age for new drivers. Some Florida residents in years past have suggested that 16 years old is too young to be behind a wheel. In fact, across the country there have been campaigns to increase the driving age to 18. However, this is considered a very controversial suggestion.

6) Winter driving training. Most Florida residents do not need to worry about whiteout conditions, black ice, and other dangers of winter driving. However, some argue that winter driving skills should also be taught in Florida, since eventually Florida drivers may move or travel to other states where winter driving is a very different experience.

7) Longer in-car training hours. Most basic driver education courses require only a limited amount of in-car training. Some argue that these hours are not adequate to really teach teens to drive safely. Some Florida parents pay for additional private lessons for their children, to ensure one-on-one attention from a driving instructor and more supervised driving.

Continue reading " How Much Training is Enough to Prevent Young Drivers From Getting into Florida Car Accidents? " »

Driving at night can increase the risk of Florida car accidents, for many reasons:

1) Fatigue. Driving late at night can mean driving at a time when the body is naturally tired and ready to go to sleep. If you are driving past the time when you normally would go to bed, especially, you may be fighting your natural rhythm. Many drivers who fall asleep at the wheel do so driving late at night.

2) Animals. Many animals – including deer and raccoons, to name only two – are most active at dusk and dawn. When these animals run out into the road, drivers often have only seconds to react. Combined with the darkness and poor visibility of the night, this can be a fatal combination, especially on rural roads, which are more likely to be dark and more likely to have animals on them.

3) Glare. Glare can occur from many things, including a dirty windshield, eye glasses problems, vision problems, high beams, and other reasons. When it occurs, through, it is difficult to focus on the road and difficult to see well enough to drive.

4) Shadows and poor visibility. Poor visibility due to darkness can cause all sorts of problems for drivers. Drivers may feel nervous when driving along dark stretches of road or may not see enough to anticipate hazards ahead. When pedestrians and bicyclists do not wear reflective clothing on dark roads, Florida bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents are the tragic result.

5) High beams from other drivers. On rural roads especially, some drivers leave their high beams on at all times. This effectively blinds oncoming drivers and can cause a serious accident.

6) Vision problems. Many vision problems are worse at night. For example, some people with vision problems see halos or a glare around objects in the dark. Eye glasses can give off a glare in the dark and any flaws in corrective lenses – such as scratches – can be more visible in the dark. If you have any vision problems, it is important to visit a doctor every year for a check up to ensure that your corrective lenses are in good shape.

7) Lack of training. Most driving classes take place in the daytime and all driver tests take place during the day. As a result, most new drivers do not have their night driving skills tested extensively. With time, drivers gain confidence and experience with night driving. However, since night driving is under-tested it is a good idea to give your teen driver some night driving lessons. In many cases, private lessons are available for this particular skill.

We all need to drive at night at some point. However, it is important to be alert that the night time does pose some added dangers. If you do not have to drive at night, avoid doing so, especially along darker highways and roads where visibility can be especially bad. If you have teen drivers in your home, make sure that they have adequate training before driving alone at night.

Continue reading " How Night Driving Contributes to Florida Car Accidents " »

If your teen has gotten a driver's license over the summer, he or she may be excited about driving to school for the first time. However, it is natural to have some qualms about this as a parent. After all, the news reports daily on deadly Florida truck accidents and car accidents. Before letting your teen drive to and from school, you may want to ask the following questions:

1) Does your teen have a reliable car? A car that is not in good repair is a considerable danger, because it may not respond adequately if your teen needs to make a sudden move to avoid an accident. You may want to ask your teen to make sure that their car is in good shape before being allowed to drive to and from school. A summer car may not be adequate for the daily wear and tear of a daily commute.

2) Can your teen find a safe parking space nearby? Some high schools provide parking to students, but in other cases students need to find a spot on nearby streets. Are these streets safe to park on? Is parking adequate? Can your teen parallel park well enough to squeeze into a parking spot? Make sure that your teen can park safely and close enough not to have to be late for class.

3) Is your teen willing to sign pledges not to drink and drive or text and drive? Using a cell phone while driving or drinking and driving should carry serious penalties – such as the loss of driving privileges. Get it down on paper.

4) Can you agree on a route to school? Go over the routes to school, with an eye for safety and traffic.

5) Will your teen want to take friends to school? Extra passengers in the car add considerably to distraction for the driver and increase the risk of a Florida pedestrian accident or traffic accident. It is also difficult to enforce how many passengers your teen has in their car. Nevertheless, you will want to impose a passenger limit and have penalties in place if your teen driver disobeys this rule.

6) How will you know where your teen will be after school? One of the dangers of driving to and from school is that your teen may drive off after classes and may forget to tell you where he or she is going. You may need to have rules in place to ensure that you know where your teen is.

7) Has your teen received adequate driver training? Basic driving training is great, but giving your teen additional private lessons means added experience behind the wheel. Additional defensive driving courses are also a smart investment because they give your new driver additional skills to prevent a Florida car accident.

8) Will your teen be driving home in the dark? If your teen has after-school commitments, in the winter he or she may be driving home in the dark. However, most driver training and driver's tests do not test night driving.

9) Does your teen have adequate experience with you in the passenger's seat? Driving along in the passenger's seat when your new driver heads out for a drive can help reassure you that your teen has the driving skills needed to take a car out daily. If you find that your teen has bad habits or dangerous habits, you have a chance to notice this and address it with further training before extending further driving privileges.

Continue reading " Is Your Teen Driving to School for the First Time? Plan Ahead " »

The start of the school year means a return of the school-year routine for many families. If you have a child, your morning routine will likely mean a commute to school. If you drive your child to school, you will need to plan ahead to reduce the risk of a Florida car accident on the way to school. Unfortunately, traffic accidents frequently occur on the morning school commute, as dozens of parents are dropping off children and trying to scramble through a hectic morning. You can reduce your risk if you:

1) Encourage your school to create a drop-off zone. A drop-off zone at school usually is apart from school buses and is designed to handle high-flow levels of traffic. This is far more convenient and safer than trying to drop off a child near school bus lanes or near a busy school parking lot.

2) Consider car pooling. Arranging for car pooling for your child reduces stress and saves you time. Arranging car pooling at your child's school also reduces the number of cars pulling up by the school, which can reduce the risk of collisions.

3) Get your car checked out. A well-maintained car will respond better, making it easier for you to stop suddenly if you need to.

4) Do a test run. If you are new to a school, especially, consider visiting the school some morning before classes start. Test out different routes to the school and time how long the drive takes (but make sure to factor in morning traffic during the school year). Consider where you can park and where you can drop your child off. Take note of the school bus zones as well so that you are prepared for the morning commute.

5) Create a time schedule to keep mornings less hectic. A chaotic morning can increase your risk of an accident because it is distracting to be rushing and thinking about the time. Set up a system by the door and have each child place their shoes, coats, and full backpacks by the door. Set out clothing the night before. Consider pre-packed lunches or wake early to pack them. Shaving off time in the morning also ensures you don’t have to get up too early, which reduces the risk of driving fatigued.

6) Consider alternative forms of transport. If your school offers a bus ride, consider this as a viable alternative. While Florida bus accidents do occur, they are statistically far rarer than car accidents.

7) Consider parking a block from school and walking. If your child's school is large and has no drop-off zone, you may find the traffic near the school too chaotic and unsafe. Parking a short distance away and walking up can be safer, especially if the entrance to the school is a distance away from car traffic.

Continue reading " Getting Ready to Prevent Florida Car Accidents in the School Year " »

Florida truck accidents caused by tire blowouts are often in the news, because these types of accidents tend to be very destructive. However, passenger car drivers also need to worry about car blowouts. While blowouts on large trucks are more destructive because of the pressure and force of the large vehicle, passenger car tires also fail regularly and this can cause Florida car accidents.

In fact, passenger drivers may be more at risk when their own tires blowout. Most passenger car drivers do not receive the same extensive training that truck drivers do and may have less driving experience, so they are less prepared for a tire blowout than commercial truck driver. As well, tire blowouts often frighten drivers and force drivers to respond very quickly. In most cases, drivers will slam on their brakes or move their wheels suddenly when they feel or hear a tire blowout. This can make it even harder to control the car. Experts advise that there are many things that passenger car drivers can do to make tire blowouts less likely to lead to an accident:

1) Take excellent care of your tires. Check pressure and traction regularly and have your tires aligned and maintained regularly by a trusted mechanic. When buying new tires, check to make sure that the brand and model you are buying have not been recalled (this is especially important if you are buying tires second-hand). As well, check the date the tires were manufactured. Some tires sold as "new" have been in storage for some time and may not be as safe as newer tires, since rubber can disintegrate, especially when kept in a hot warehouse.

2) If your tire does suddenly deflate, do not slam on the brakes. Your car will lose traction, so it is important to maintain your speed rather than making a drastic change. Keep both hands on the wheel to maintain better control of your vehicle.

3) Gently counter-steer. The damaged tire will drag, making you drift into an oncoming lane. To avoid a head-on Florida car crash, compensate for this with your steering, but avoid making any sudden or jerky movements with the wheel, as your car is losing traction.

4) If you feel you have the car under control, drop your speed gradually so that you can pull over. Put on your flashers and contact a tow truck for help.

5) In many cases, blown tires are caused by drivers driving over something sharp. Maintaining a good distance from the car in front of you and driving alert can help you spot objects on the road and steer to avoid them.

Continue reading " It's Not Just Trucks: Florida Car Accidents are Also Caused by Tire Blowouts " »

According to the Insurance Research Council, one in four Florida drivers is on the road with no car insurance. Across the US, one in six drivers do not have insurance, making Florida one of the top five states in the nation when it comes to uninsured drivers. Only New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama have a higher percentage. In addition to these numbers, many more drivers on Florida's roads are underinsured.

Underinsured and uninsured drivers pose a huge risk for all drivers. Florida mandates that all drivers carry a minimum amount of insurance, which covers medical injuries and other injuries to the driver and passenger as well as coverage for property damage to another car. Drivers are free to buy additional insurance as well. Florida law does not require drivers to buy coverage for any medical costs to passengers of the other vehicle involved in a car accident. Drivers who do not have this type of coverage are considered underinsured, since if they are in an accident, their insurance will not pay for the medical costs and injuries they cause another person.

If you are in a Florida car accident caused by an underinsured or uninsured driver, you may have considerable challenges in recovering the costs of injuries, medical expenses, property damage, and other injuries sustained in the car crash.

Florida is a "no-fault" state, meaning that victims who sustain an accident in a car accident can get compensation for medical costs and lost wages in the event of a car accident. The payout is usually quick, since insurance companies do not consider liability when assigning claim amounts. As well, payout comes from the driver's own insurance company, not from the company of the other driver. Therefore, even if the other driver is uninsured, the victim can still get some compensation. However, only small claims of under $10 000 qualify, in most cases, for no-fault benefits.

Serious accidents usually involve lawsuits and legal claims, since no fault benefits do not cover the substantial medical costs and lost income involved. In these cases, the victim will sue the at-fault driver for damages. If the at-fault driver has good insurance coverage and personal assets, the injured driver can get compensation through these means. If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, the injured driver may need to seek recovery from their own insurance company.

If you drive in Florida, you may wish to speak with your insurance provider about additional coverage that will protect you in the event of a car collision with an underinsured or uninsured driver. While many drivers are upset that they need to pay extra for someone who negligently does not obey the law in getting car insurance, the fact is that many drivers in Florida do not have adequate insurance to protect you and your family in an accident. If you are in an accident with this type of driver, having your own coverage can help pay for medical care and lost income for you and your family.

The claims process in a Florida truck accident or car accident involving an uninsured driver can be very complicated. In some cases, drivers with no insurance will leave the scene of an accident because they do not want to admit that they have broken the law and not taken out car insurance. For these reasons, it is important to secure a Florida car accident attorney immediately after your accident if you believe that the other driver is uninsured or underinsured.

Continue reading " Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers Can be a Risk in a Florida Car Accident " »

Many Florida spinal cord injury patients sustain their injuries as a result of a car accident. The force and impact of a car collision often causes extensive trauma to the entire body. Being ejected from the car or being tossed about inside of the car – often the result of not wearing a seat belt – can easily lead to brain injuries and spinal cord injuries as the body comes into violent contact with hard surfaces.

Florida spinal cord injury patients traditionally face many obstacles. Back injuries sustained in traffic accidents are often very serious, due to the impact of the accident. As well, spinal cord injuries are among the more expensive Florida car accident injuries to treat. Many patients have in excess of $100 000 in medical bills in their first year after their accident alone. This is because spinal cord injuries often require extended hospital stays, surgery, and other expensive treatment.

Florida spinal cord injury patients often face additional challenges after their accident, as well. For example, some of the treatments for spinal cord injuries – including rehabilitation work and home care – are not covered by health insurance. As well, car insurance is often capped far below what spinal cord injury patients will need to pay for their injuries, and since patients often cannot work after their injury, there are few resources available. Worse, in many cases spinal cord injuries are permanent, and require a lifetime of home care and medical treatment and represent a lifetime of lost income.

For all of these reasons, it is important to contact an experienced South Florida personal injury attorney soon after a serious car accident. A good attorney can investigate the accident, find all liable parties, and aggressively pursue all sources of recovery. This can make a tremendous impact on a spinal cord injury patient's outcome. With financial resources in place, a back injury patient can get the support, medication, income, and medical care needed to make the best possible recovery.

There is also good news for Florida spinal cord injury patients. Traditionally, some patients have been treated with spinal fusion, which helps patients with herniated discs in the neck. While the treatment can be effective, it does usually require multiple surgeries and months of recovery. However, doctors as Bay Medical Center have been offering a new procedure for patients with herniated discs in the neck. The new procedure places an artificial disc in the neck and patients who have this procedure often enjoy a shorter recovery time and may not require repeat surgeries. Surgery takes about an hour and a half and currently the procedure is available for patients with only one damaged disc. The ideal patients for the surgery are under 50, in good general physical condition, and are non-smokers. Currently, only a few physicians offer the procedure in Florida.

Continue reading " Options for Florida Spinal Cord Injury Patients " »

There is no doubt that Florida drunk driving accidents are a serious concern. Each year, these very preventable accidents claim far too many lives. However, there are concerns about certain practices and realities, which can help contribute to these types of Florida car accidents.

For example, while driving is said to be a privilege, some experts are concerned about the ways that multiple offenders are allowed to keep their driving privileges. Some families who lose a loved one to drunk driving are surprised to find that a driver with a record of DUI arrests is permitted to keep driving. While driving suspensions for DUI cases are common, these suspensions are virtually always temporary. After some weeks or months, the driver is allowed back on the road, even if they have repeatedly shown themselves to make the wrong decisions about drinking and driving. One problem is that driving is now accepted as a necessity rather than a privilege. Many people rely on driving a car in order to get to work or to run everyday errands. As a result, taking away driving privileges becomes a severe hardship and few are willing to suspend a license permanently. However, it does mean that DUI drivers with long track records of accidents are allowed behind the wheel again and again.

Another issue is the increasing number of places where alcohol is sold. Some advocates are worried about the places where alcoholic beverages can be purchased. As a result of the economic downturn, for example, many fast food restaurants have added alcoholic beverages to their options. Some Burger King restaurants, Sonic locations, Chipotle, and Starbucks locations offer alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine. Other chains have plans to add alcohol to their menus. Critics believe that such a move can help contribute to drunk driving, since in many cases people drive to these restaurants.

Another common problem is alternatives available for those who wish to make responsible decisions. Florida has many large cities, including Miami and For Lauderdale, which tend to have large public transit systems and many transportation options. Getting home safely in these cities is often quite simple. In more remote and urban areas, however, taxi cabs and buses may not be as readily available. As well, many people hesitate to take public transportation, since that often means having to return for their car the next day – at an added cost. Leaving a car overnight can also lead to a parking ticket and taxis home can be expensive. During holidays, there are free ride-home programs available, but during the rest of the summer such services are not available. Some critics say that more needs to be done to make it easier for drivers to make the right decisions after drinking.

Continue reading " Concerns About Florida Drunk Driving Accidents " »