The neck is a crucial and complex part of the body. Doctors and surgeons have limited access to much of the neck area, so many neck injuries tend to be permanent or complex. As well, since the neck area is constantly moving and supporting the head, any injury to this area can be extremely severe. In the most extreme injuries, neck injuries lead to fatalities. Survivors of such injuries often have severe, permanent injuries.

The most common types of neck injuries arising from car accidents include:

1) Pinched nerves. Nerves can become pinched due to broken bones or ruptured disks. When damage to the nerves occurs, the result is usually extreme pain. Also, many nerves in the neck area tend to be linked to the spinal cord and arms. This means that patients with pinched nerves sometimes find that an arm is in extreme pain or experiences numbness or weakness due to a neck injury. Pinched nerves also inhibit mobility due to the pain they cause.

2) Neck sprain. Ligaments connect the bones in the neck. When these ligaments tear, stretch, or otherwise are damaged, the result is a neck sprain. Neck sprains result in severe pain as well as stiffness in the neck area which can extend into the back as well.

3) Herniated discs in the neck. The vertebrae in the neck are protected by soft tissue, which also protects the discs in the neck. When the tissue is damaged or torn, part of the disc the tissue is meant to protect protrudes into the spinal column, putting pressure on muscles and nerves. A herniated disc results in extreme pain. Most people with a herniated disc experience stiffness and difficulty with regular motion.

Bone fractures and broken bones are among the most common injuries experienced by car accident victims. In a car collision, passengers of a car can be thrown about quite violently inside the interior of the car. If the passenger comes into contact with a solid surface – such as a dashboard, this impact can cause a bone to break. As well, if part of the car is crushed in a trucking accident or serious car accident, a passenger may fracture a bone if part of their body becomes trapped in the crushed part of the vehicle, where a great deal of force is exerted.

The most common types of bone fractures experienced in car accidents include:

1) Broken necks. The neck is vulnerable in a car accident because the head is often whipped around by the impact of the collision. While other parts of the body may be protected if a passenger is wearing a seat belt, the head can still move more. Air bags can help reduce the risk, but the force of having one’s head whipped around can cause a broken neck. This sort of broken bone is the most serious. It can cause fatalities or permanent injury and paralysis. If the head is thrown about, brain injury as well as neck injury can also result.

2) Broken jawbones. Again, because the head is not as secured as the rest of the body, bones in the head area are especially vulnerable in a car accident. Passengers in the front seat are especially vulnerable, since the passenger can be forcefully pushed against the hard dashboard surface in an accident, especially in cases where the airbag fails to inflate.

3) Broken limbs. Broken limbs are among the most common broken bones in an accident. This is because arms can be in motion while a car is in motion. If someone is doing something with their hands, their hands may fly up in an accident and a fracture can take place. If a passenger has their arm outside of a window at the time of impact, amputation or fracture are very likely. As well, passengers tend to instructively throw their arms in front of their faces at the moment of impact. While this protects the head, it can also lead to broken bones along the arm area. Broken legs are also quite common for passengers in the front seat because legs are under the dashboard, which is a very vulnerable area in a car accident, especially in some smaller economy cars.

In the most severe cases, broken bones can kill and paralyze. However, even car accident survivors who sustain only a broken arm or leg may experience severe discomfort and lost income due to their injury.

1) The ACL tear. The ACL is the ligament holding the knee joint in place. It is located closest to the joint. This type of personal injury requires a long recovery time and long-term pain. Some patients do not initially know they have sustained a knee injury when they have an ACL tear, because this injury does not present a lot of initial pain. The ACL tear is one of the more severe knee injuries one can sustain in a car accident.

2) The PCL tear. The PCL ligament is located towards the back of the knee. The PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) helps to maintain a knee’s stability and when injured in an accident the result is swelling and pain. Patients with this type of injury require long-term treatment and may have trouble walking for an extended period of time.

3) Torn meniscus. This injury essentially refers to a torn cartilage. Cartilage is a softer type of substance which is linked to the ligaments and helps to prevent friction in the knee joint. When the cartilage tears in an accident, patients may not be able to move easily, their knee joint may pop or snap, and they may suffer from pain.

4) The MCL (medial collateral ligament) tear – The MCL ligament helps promote the flexibility of the knee. When it is torn or damaged in an accident, a patient may feel a great deal of pain. A patient with a torn MCL will also generally have trouble walking and trouble with everyday activities.

Knee injuries are a difficult personal injury to experience because patients with these types of injuries often have trouble with basic mobility for extended periods of time. In car accidents, as well, it is common for multiple ligaments to tear, and this of course delays the recovery proves. Many patients who have sustained knee injuries in a car accident require multiple surgeries and physiotherapy.

1) Have a professional evaluate your ability to drive. There are driving instructors, doctors, and occupational therapists who can evaluate your vision, strength, movement, and reaction time to determine whether you can safely drive after your accident. These professionals may give you the go-ahead to drive or may suggest specific therapies or other suggestions to make you capable of driving.

2) Learn to drive a vehicle with the equipment you need. If you have sustained a spinal cord injury, you may need special adaptive equipment in a car to drive safely again. You will need to train yourself to drive in this type of equipped vehicle. Rehabilitation centers offer special rehabilitation classes that can teach you this skill.

3) Get your car ready. After a spinal cord injury, you may need to equip your car with special equipment that will make it easier for you to reach controls, get in and out of the car, see the road, and buckle up. Your car may be specially adapted or you may want to buy a car with lowered floors, higher roof, and other special features. Your specific injuries will determine what changes – if any – you need to make. Speak with your doctor and physical therapist about the changes you will need to make. However, make as few changes as you need to. It will be easier to adapt to a car with fewer alterations.

4) Get your licensing ready. If you have sustained a serious spinal cord injury, you may need a note from your doctor or retesting. You may also need license plates that allow you to park in special blue zones to make it easier for you to get to your destination.

5) Get your insurance ready. As a result of your injury, your insurance coverage may have changed. You may need to pay different premiums. You may also need more coverage, as your car may cost more to replace with the new adaptive equipment.

1) Medical Coverage. If you have this coverage, the medical bills of yourself and some of your passengers may be covered. This is very important if you have sustained head injuries, spinal cord injuries, or other injuries as a result of the crash. This coverage is often for $1,000 to $2,000. However, you may be covered for a different amount, depending on your coverage.

2) Property damage. If you have this type of insurance, your insurance company will pay for repairs to your car, as long as your car can still be repaired. Some insurance providers also offer a rental car while your car is in the shop.

3) Uninsured Motorist Coverage and Underinsured Motorist Coverage. If you are in an accident with a driver who has no insurance or very little insurance, having this type of coverage is important. It ensures that you are covered for a specific amount for your injury and property damage.

4) Health Coverage. In addition to your car insurance, do not forget to take a look at your health insurance. You may be able to use this insurance to pay for medical costs. If you do not have health coverage or do not have adequate health coverage, you will want to hire a good Florida personal injury attorney if you have sustained an injury. Your attorney can seek out a settlement for you in the event that someone’s negligence or recklessness has caused the crash. Your attorney can also send a “letter of protection” to doctors and clinics, assuring them that medical costs will be paid after your settlement. This letter will ensure your credit rating does not suffer.

5) Compensation for Lost Wages, Pain and Suffering, Medical Bills, Mental Anguish, Disfiguring Scars and Permanent Physical Injury. Most insurance companies cover for these losses. If you have sustained a serious injury, such as a burn injury or spinal cord injury, you will want to seek compensation for these items. However, you will need to ensure that these losses are well documented. Visiting a doctor regularly and keeping evidence of your injuries in the form of photos and journals can be useful.

Many drivers feel that they are adequately covered by the car insurance that they spend considerable amounts of money on, but this is not always the case. Not every driver on the road is adequately insured, so you may have a hard time making a claim against another driver. Even your own insurance company can beset you with questions and forms to ensure that you are honest in your claim. Here are some tips for making your claim process easier:

1) Have the right insurance. Go over your insurance regularly and know what is covered and what is not covered. Make sure that you have adequate insurance in the event that you are in an accident.

2) If you are in an accident, start gathering information as soon as you can. Always exchange insurance information, names, license plate numbers, contact information, and more. Take photos at the scene if at all possible, and keep a journal of any personal injuries or expenses you incur as a result of the accident.

3) Contact your insurance company right away. File a claim as soon as you can after an accident. Cooperate with the insurance provider and keep lines of communication open so that you understand how your claim is progressing. If you need help filling out forms, ask for it. Insurance forms are sometimes rather complex.

4) Hire a good Florida personal injury attorney if an accident has resulted in a serious personal injury or a fatality. You will likely need some legal advice and help. If you have been the victim of a loss or injury, you will need a good negotiator on your side to ensure that you get all the resources you need to handle your injury. Many insurance carriers only recompense you for immediate medical costs and income loss, but your injury may cost you a great deal over time. A good attorney can determine the total costs of your injury and negotiate to ensure that as much of these costs are covered as possible.

Across North America, optical speed bars are used on construction zones and other areas where slow speed is vital for safety. The bars work by making drivers more conscious of their speed, even if the drivers do not glance at their speedometer. The way the brain processes the bars makes the driver think they are going faster than they actually are, which actually encourages the driver to drive slower than they intend to.

The optical speed bars work by making drivers feel that the painted yellow highway dividers are whooshing past at a faster rate. This illusion seems to work at slowing drivers down, according to research studies. Researchers have found that on highways, in rural areas, and around construction sites, optical speed bars do seem to reduce driver speed.

One study at the University of Kansas found that drivers reduced speeds by up to 29.8% when driving by optical speed bars. Researchers found that optical speed bars yield the most significant results on the morning drive 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. This may be because drivers are more tired and more receptive to the illusion at this time. Further, studies have found that drivers maintained a lower speed even after leaving optical speed bar areas.

Some municipalities are adding optical speed bars to areas where a high incident rate has occurred. Others are adding them on curved roads or high speed limit areas, where driving conditions are more dangerous. They are also very common in construction areas, where despite posted speed limits, some drivers tend to drive too fast for safety. Hopefully, these optical illusions will help prevent accidents and the personal injuries they cause. Currently, there is no research as to whether these bars prevent pedestrian accidents or bicycle accidents, but slowing down drivers is of course key to preventing most types of accidents involving vehicles.

1) Bad mirror adjustments. Most drivers position their side mirrors so that they can see part of their own car and some of the area behind their vehicle. It is actually far more effective to position your mirrors so that you can’t see your car at all. You don’t need to see your car door and by angling a little wider you will decrease your blind spots.

2) Not idling. We all know that idling is bad, but turbochargers require some idling to ensure that oil can flow through them correctly and protect the metal. Idling for a few seconds after starting the car and after each drive can extend the life of your turbocharger.

3) Using the brakes too often. Constantly pressing down the brakes confuses drivers behind you and wears down your brakes. If you are heavy on brakes because you are a nervous driver, consider additional training or racing classes to get more comfortable behind the wheel.

4) Not using headlights correctly. At night, make sure you have your night lights on, not your daytime lights. You need the extra light to ensure that drivers can see you. At the same time, don’t drive around with high beams on unless you actually need them. Head beams can blind oncoming drivers and cause accidents. Keep in mind, too, that in some weather conditions – such as rain and fog – high beams can actually decrease your visibility.

5) Not speeding up in the passing lane. If you’re going to pass a car, you will need to enter the passing lane. Once there, though, you will need to speed up a little bit in order to pass the vehicles you wish to pass. Puttering along in this lane can cause other drivers to tailgate or drive aggressively. If you don’t want to speed up, do not pass.

6) Incorrect turning. When turning, make sure you put on your signal and make a turn in your own lane. Do not drift into another lane or change direction. This sort of incorrect turn could lead to an accident.

Even President Barack Obama has aimed to reduce texting and driving. During a conference about distracted driving last fall, he signed an executive order which bans federal employees from texting while driving. While that takes care of some government employees, however, in many states, drivers can legally text and drive. This is despite the fact that research has shown that texting and driving can lead to serious car accidents and personal injuries.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has stated that texting and driving bans should apply not only to car drivers but also to bus drivers and truck drivers, who can cause serious bus accidents and trucking accidents by texting while driving. LaHood noted that for texting and driving bans for bus and truck drivers to be effective, they would need to work across state lines, since these drivers tend to drive across states often.

However, the government may need to face the fact that legislation alone might not work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted a study which concluded that texting while driving and cell phone use actually slightly increased after these activities were banned among younger drivers. Although Phoenix banned texting and driving, a Reuters study in that city found that three out of four teens polled admitted to texting while driving. Clearly, any legislation will need to be followed up with enforcement and penalties. Most teens do not see texting while driving as something bad or wrong. Yet, many do see texting as a vital activity.

Legislators may need to ensure that penalties for texting while driving are high, in order to discourage drivers from texting while driving. Studies of teen habits also suggest that enforcement may be an issue. Unfortunately, many police agencies note that catching drivers who break such legislation is difficult. Most texters keep mobile devices on their laps or out of the way of windows, so that it is hard for officers to see texting on the roads. In addition to legislation, other types of initiatives may be important to stop texting and driving.

The show on distracted driving takes aim at distracted driving specifically caused by mobile devices – Winfrey addresses emailing, texting, and cell phone use behind the wheel. During the show, Winfrey speaks with several guests who have lost loved ones due to a distracted move. The guests offer a face to the losses associated with distracted driving.

Winfrey backs up her claims in the show with specific facts. She notes that 71% of drivers between 18 and 49 years of age admit to talking on a cell phone or texting while driving. She notes that such behaviors cause 6000 deaths and half a million personal injuries each year – statistics she notes will increase unless people put away mobile devices when getting into their cars. At one point, an expert notes that drivers who are talking on a cell phone are four times more likely to be in an accident than non-distracted drivers – the same accident rate as drunk drivers. Drivers who text while driving are eight times more likely to be in a car accident than non-distracted drivers, according to the show.

Winfrey calls distracted driving a “deadly habit” and notes that her interest in the issue increased when she read a number of articles in the newspaper about distracted drivers who caused serious car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bus accidents, and trucking accidents. Winfrey praises Utah’s tough distracted driving laws at one point during her show and interviews Reggie Shaw, a young man who killed two people a few years ago when he was texting and driving. Shaw admitted to texting and driving frequently while behind the wheel and notes that many of his friends do the same thing. The families of his two victims -- Keith O'Dell and Jim Furfaro – worked to change distracted driving laws in Utah and Reggie himself has spoken out against distracted driving.

At one point during the show, Oprah Winfrey speaks to a specialist who notes that distracted driving is dangerous because the brain cannot process texts or cell phone calls as well as the information being seen visually through a windshield. Distracted drivers see only part of the information before them. Their brains effectively don’t notice some items on the street in front of them – such as other cars or pedestrians – since their brains are too busy processing incoming information from a mobile device.

The show even showed what happens during texting and driving. The show invited three guests to take part in a driving test. Each driver felt confident about their abilities to drive and text at the same time. After taking a driving test while texting, all three guests could see that they could not drive safely. This allowed Oprah Winfrey to note one of the key problems with texting and driving: many people genuinely believe that they can do both but in fact no one can do both successfully.

The study found that distracted driving affected more than just response times. Test subjects distracted by a mobile device also had steering control reduced by 91%. As a result, many test subjects had trouble remaining in their lane while texting. Researchers also found that drivers distracted by texting followed too close behind the car in front of them, further increasing the risk of an accident.

Interestingly, all the test subjects in the study believed that they could text quickly and effectively, even while driving. All were experienced with texting. Despite this, it took them three times longer to compose and send a text message while driving. Researchers found that texters who think they are distracted for only a few seconds while driving in fact underestimate the amount of time it takes them to compose a text message on the road. In fact, researchers found that drivers sending just one text message were distracted for over half a mile or one full mile on the highway.

If this study is worrying on its own, research in the US is even more troubling. Accroding to US researchers, teens often text while driving, even though they know it is dangerous. Most teens polled also admit to breaking current text bans while driving and claim they would continue texting and driving, even if federal legislation makes it illegal to text message while driving in any state. Many teens claim that they are too dependent on text messaging to give it up, even while driving.

Police agencies also note that catching people who are texting while driving is difficult. The California Highway Patrol, for example, has issued 163,000 tickets since 2008 to people who are talking on cell phones while driving. However, only 1,400 texting tickets have been issued. Considering there are 23 million drivers in the state, this means that many people are texting, driving – and getting away with it. Police note that cell phones are easier to spot since drivers hold the devices up to their ears. Drivers often hold devices behind the dash or on their laps when texting, making texting drivers hard to spot. Currently, 20 states ban texting and driving. Nine states ban texting and driving only for young drivers.

No experts claim that text messaging while driving is not dangerous. However, getting drivers to listen is another matter. Police agencies believe that passing new laws alone won’t help. Like many experts, they believe that a change of perspective needs to happen. Drivers need to start seeing texting as dangerous and socially unacceptable.

A campaign in Florida known as the Move it…Yes You Can Campaign aims to reduce the number of secondary accidents. This campaign specifically aims to convince drivers who have been in an accident to move the vehicle. About half of traffic congestion is due to car accidents and Florida state laws in fact require drivers who are involved in minor accidents with no injuries to make reasonable efforts to move their vehicles so that the cars involved in an accident will not cause other accidents or traffic congestion.

Many drivers are not aware of this law and are in fact reluctant to move their vehicles. Some drivers assume that moving their vehicles will remove evidence of negligence or will create legal problems. The Move it…Yes You Can Campaign hopes to raise education and awareness about Florida’s laws regarding this important issue.

If you have been in an accident where injuries or serious damage has occurred, you should not move your vehicle and you should encourage other drivers not to move their vehicles. Where serious injuries – such as head injuries, burn injuries, or spinal cord injuries – have taken place, investigators will be examining evidence and charges as well as legal suits may take place. In these cases, it is best not to move your car. Remain in place until emergency personnel arrive.

Luckily, most accidents are minor fender benders with no injuries. If you have been in such a minor accident in which all passengers and drivers are uninjured, move your car off the road and wait until the other driver moves his or her car off the road to exchange information and to resolve the situation. This simple action can help prevent further accidents and injuries.

Legislators have already considered banning texting and driving – or any mobile device use while driving -- in many jurisdictions. In 2008 alone, the Florida Highway Patrol found that 1 400 personal injuries and 15 deaths were the result of driver distraction. Currently, the Florida Highway Patrol does not keep records of specific distractions. However, in the future officers hope to accumulate records on the number of driver distraction accidents caused specifically by texting or mobile phone use.

However, studies have already shown that texting and cell phone use while driving is dangerous. According to the National Safety Council, 80% of all car accidents are due to driver inattention. Other studies have found that texting while driving is as dangerous as driving under the influence – drivers distracted by texting are four times more likely to get into a serious car collision. This is the same risk factor as driving under the influence.

Unfortunately, drivers do not seem to be getting the message about driving while using mobile devices. According to the American Automobile Association, 46% of teen drivers text while driving. While there is a social stigma to drinking and driving, a similar social stigma does not appear to exist for texting and driving. This casual attitude about using cell phones while driving, warn experts, may make texting more dangerous than drinking and driving, simply because more drivers are liable to text and drive or to see nothing wrong with texting and driving.

Representative Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, has filed a bill which would ban texting while driving. The bill, which will be under review in the 2010 legislative session, is supported by cell phone companies. The main problem, legislators note, is that it may be difficult to enforce such a new law. Some members of the US Senate may begin denying funding for federal roads in states where texting is legal on roads.

Part of the problem with texting is that it violates a fundamental rule of the road: keep your eyes and focus on the road. Drivers who text remove their eyes from the road for seconds or minutes while typing or sending text messages. This is enough time to cause a serious pedestrian accident, collision, or fatality. Even talking on a cell phone removes focus from the road and can result in an accident.

Unfortunately, such conditions create severe problems for drivers. Even if Florida does not see snow, most drivers in the state may not be ready to drive in icy temperatures. This can cause a spike in car accidents in the upcoming few days. Parts of New York and Vermont have already reported increased car accident rates and personal injury rates.

Florida drivers may not be prepared for driving in icy temperatures. When driving on cold roads, it is important to slow down. Even if roadways look clear and no snow or ice is visible, it is important to keep in mind that even tiny amounts of water on the roads can freeze in icy conditions.

Unfortunately, many Florida drivers do not have winter tires – required by drivers in snowier states. Winter tires provide extra grip and some even have metal studs to better grip the roadway through ice and snow. If your car is not equipped with snow tires, slow down and use extra caution. If ice is reported on the roads, you may be safer staying inside rather than driving. Summer tires simply do not grip the icy roads very well, and this will cause you to lose control of the vehicle.

Drivers may also want to keep in mind that icy conditions can cause other problems as well. Any water on a windshield can turn to ice and can impede visibility. If precipitation is mixed with icy temperatures, blowing snow and ice can hamper visibility even further. If you must drive, get windshield wiper fluid designed for cold temperatures. Before driving, make sure that you scrape off any ice or snow on your vehicle. Do not use regular windshield fluid, as it may freeze on your windshield, making visibility difficult. Make sure that your windshield wipers work well – these are a vital tool for keeping your visibility good in the cold.

Cold temperatures outside and a warm car interior often mean foggy windshields and windows as condensation accumulates on the inside of your car. If this happens to you, use your defrost to remove the fog that might be hampering your visibility. If you do not have this feature, use a chalkboard eraser to wipe down the inside windows – pull over to do this, however. Avoid using your sleeve or clothes to wipe away fog – this usually results in streaks and dirty glass that makes it hard to see.