Florida Accident Attorney Blog

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that a 17-year old boy from West Palm Beach was killed in a weekend motorcycle accident in Coral Springs, Florida.

According to news reports, the fatal motorcycle traffic accident took place at approx. 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2010. The motorcycle operator, identified as Michael Ferraz Lanzoni, 17, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was driving a Suzuki motorcycle when he struck the rear of a Ford Escape SUV near the 9000 block of Wiles Road in Coral Springs, Florida. Lanzoni, who was thrown from his motorcycle, died at the scene. He was reportedly wearing a helmet. The driver of the SUV was treated for injuries at an area medical facility and released.

The Coral Springs motorcycle and car accident remains under investigation.

Florida Motorcycle Accident Fatalities and Facts
According to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,290 motorcyclists were killed and another 96,000 were injured in the U.S. in 2008. Motorcycle accident deaths increased by 2% over the 2007 figure.

A West Palm Beach car accident lawyer is knowledgeable about traffic laws and safety regulations designed to keep motorists safe on Florida's roads and highways. Some facts:

o The state of Florida requires motorcycle operators to pass a Basic Rider Course through the Florida Rider Trainer Program to obtain the motorcycle endorsement for their driver's license.

o Helmets must be worn by younger drivers under age 21 in the State of Florida, and by older riders with less than $10,000 in medical coverage. (Florida changed its univeral helmet law in 2000 to only cover some drivers.) (Source: IIHS, Q&As: Motorcycle Helmet Laws)

o In Florida, 523 motorcyclists were killed in 2008, a slight reduction compared to 2007. (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2008 Data: Motorcycles)

Friends remember cyclist killed in Coral Springs
SunSentinel.com June 7, 2010

Palm Beach Teen Killed In Springs Bike Crash
CBS4.com June 6, 2010

Related Web Resources

NHTSA Portal: Motorcycles

Florida Safety Council: Florida Motorcycle Training Courses

Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Share the Road

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Q&As: Motorcycle Helmet Laws

The Florida Highway Patrol announced it will be on the lookout to stop and apprehend drunk drivers in Florida over Memorial Day weekend, as well as anyone else breaking Florida driving laws. The step-up in driving safety law enforcement extends through midnight of May 31, 2010.

FHP is participating in three national driving safety campaigns this holiday weekend designed to save lives and prevent injury caused by Florida traffic accidents. These include the Click It or Ticket seat belt use campaign, Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort -- an initiative involving United States state police and highway patrol agencies), and Take Back Our Highways (also involving Alabama Highway Patrol).

Florida law enforcement and safety officials continue to strive to stop drunk drivers and other reckless or negligent drivers (including speeders and distracted drivers) in an effort to prevent South Florida car accident injuries and fatalities.

In fact, in recent years, DUI deaths on Florida roads have been on the decline (most recent stats show 875 deaths in 2008 compared to more than 1,000 in 2005). But as any experienced Miami Dade accident injury attorney who works with victims of Florida car and pedestrian accidents knows, the best form of prevention is for drivers not to get behind the wheel when alcohol has been consumed. In addition, speeding, talking on cell phones, and texting are all forms of dangerous driving which can lead to injury and death.

Chances for Miami Dade and other motorists to be involved in car accidents increases over long holiday weekends, as residents, visitors and vacationers flock to South Florida roads and highways to enjoy their extra day off.

Florida Highway Patrol Steps Up Enforcement This Weekend
Florida Highway Patrol News Release May 27, 2010

Related Web Resources

Click It or Ticket Florida

Operation C.A.R.E.

Florida and Alabama: Take Back Our Highways

The Fort Myers man accused in a fatal Lee County traffic accident is being held on several counts of DUI manslaughter in a Lee County, Florida jail.

According to news and police reports, 21-year-old Joshua Lee Reynolds of Fort Myers, Fla., was driving with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal state limit when he was involved in a fatal Florida DUI car accident.

The car and pickup truck accident occurred last September in Cape Coral, Florida, at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Country Club Boulevard. Reynolds had allegedly been drinking while bartending at a local restaurant, before he got in his pickup truck and struck a car, killing 20-year-old Ernesto Romero, also of Cape Coral, Florida.

New reports state that Romero was a passenger in a car driven by Donna Snow; Romero, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the car when it was struck by Reynolds' truck, which allegedly ran a yellow light and slid through the intersection. Driver Snow and her sister Robyn, the victim's girlfriend, both suffered personal injury in this Lee County, Florida car crash. Reynolds turned himself into police last week after test results came in and the investigation was completed. He faces Florida DUI manslaughter among other charges.

Fort Myers car accident injury lawyers are well aware of the heavy toll that drinking and driving can take on Florida families. In 2008, a total of 875 people lost their lives on Florida roads and highways in alcohol related traffic accidents (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004-2008). That number has been decreasing from a recent high of 1,106 Florida DUI deaths in 2005, however any life lost due to drunk driving is one too many.

Man intoxicated at time of fatal Cape Coral crash
News-Press.com May 25, 2010

Related Web Resource

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:
FAQs on Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

The mother who was driving in a recent Fort Lauderdale, Florida highway accident that sent a boy hurtling out of the car, over a wall, and into a backyard will go from the hospital to jail.

According to news reports and the Florida Highway Patrol, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. single-car crash along Florida I-95 took place last Friday around 11:30 a.m. News reports state the mother, 28-year-old Roseline Jean-Baptiste, of North Miami Beach, Florida, was driving in the northbound lanes when she swerved to avoid a tire in the road (a form of highway road debris that poses a serious hazard to drivers) -- then going on to the grassy shoulder, flipping the car several times, and stopping at a concrete barrier.

Jean-Baptiste's son, age 11, who was in the backseat, was ejected from the car, flew over an 18-foot wall, and landed in a nearby backyard. A 3-year-old sister remained in the backseat; she was hospitalized at North Broward Medical Center in Florida along with her mother and brother. All three are expected to be OK.

Fort Lauderdale car accident injury attorneys are very familiar with Florida safely laws in place to keep children safe in motor vehicles. In the State of Florida, children age 5 and younger must be properly restrained when riding in family cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs, no matter where they are seated. And children age 3 and younger must be in car seats in the back seat in Florida. Infant passengers have their own special safety regulations in place that parents must follow regarding child car seats and safety restraints. (For more, see link below on "Child Car Seat Requirements" from the Broward Sheriff's Office, Broward County, Fla.)

Media reports state that Jean-Baptiste will face a number of charges in this Fort Lauderdale I-95 car accident, including child neglect (both children wore seat belts but were not in child seats), along with Florida Highway Patrol charges including driving without a valid license, multiple traffic violations, and negligence. A Broward County, Florida judge has also barred her from seeing her children, according to the latest news reports.

Mother barred from kids after car crash
WPTV.com, Sun-Sentinel May 17, 2010

Mom charged in car crash that propelled son into backyard
The Bellingham Herald, May 15, 2010

Related Web Resources

Child Car Seat Requirements (from the Broward Sheriff's Office)

Child Passenger Safety News & Features (from the Florida Highway Patrol)

A tow truck driver who'd stopped on the highway to assist a motorist with car trouble was struck and killed shortly after 11 p.m. Monday May 10 in West Miami-Dade, Florida.

According to news reports, the fatal West Miami-Dade highway traffic accident occurred near the Flagler St exit of the Palmetto Expressway south bound. Tow truck driver Nelson Hernandez, 58, had stopped to assist a disabled motorist when he was reportedly struck and killed by a white van.

News reports state that the driver of the white van in this fatal motor vehicle accident had initially driven away, but returned later to the accident scene. The Palmetto Expressway is also known as Florida state road 826 and is an alternate highway to I-95 to get around the greater Miami, Florida area.

No further information was available on this fatal South Florida highway accident. Investigators continue to examine the details surrounding what happened.

Miami, Florida car accident injury lawyers have knowledge pertaining to the traffic laws in place designed to protect emergency roadside workers such as tow truck drivers as well as police officers and road construction workers. The Florida Move Over Law was passed requiring motorists to slow down and change lanes if they see an emergency vehicle, construction workers, or a Florida Highway Patrol or other law enforcement officer or first responder stopped on the side of the road assisting a motorist. According to Move Over America, thousands of emergency responders are killed every year while doing their jobs on our nation's roads and highways by motorists who fail to slow down and avoid them.

Tow truck driver killed on the job
WSVN.com May 11, 2010

Related Web Resources

Towing and Recovery Association of America

Florida Move Over Law

Move Over America

As if faulty hybrid brakes, sticky gas pedals, and millions of dollars in government fines weren't enough, Toyota can add a defective spare tire cable product recall to its growing list of consumer issues.

News reports state that 600,000 Toyota Sienna minivans manufactured from 1997 to 2010 are part of a new recall, due to risk of the spare tire carrier cable becoming corroded and breaking, and the spare tire falling out onto the road. While the concern is centered around vehicles originally sold in cold weather states where road salt is used, Florida motorists who drive a pre-owned Sienna should contact Toyota for instructions, or they can call the NHTSA Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Defective tire accidents can cause serious injury and death to motorists -- not just for the drivers of the affected vehicles, but for other motorists who share Florida's highways and roads with them.

As experienced Florida tire defect attorneys, we are keenly aware that the safety of spare tires can easily be overlooked -- sometimes with disastrous results. Spare tires are stashed away out of sight, in car trunks, on the backs of SUVs, and underneath minivans, where drivers don't think about them until they get a flat. In Florida, the extreme heat can cause spare tires to deteriorate from the inside, and a seemingly new or unused spare tire can actually be unsafe to use. (Read more on Florida driving and tire date coding, an important driving safety issue that most consumers are unaware of.)

Toyota recently agreed to pay $16.4 million in fines, the largest government penalty ever against an automaker, for not revealing information re: the sticking gas pedal recall. Defective accelerators that consumers have reported caused their Toyotas to "run away" uncontrollably at horrifically high speeds have been blamed in fatal car accidents around the country.

In addition, Toyota has recalled and stopped manufacturing the Lexus GX 460 and the Land Cruiser Prado after Consumer Reports branded the luxury SUV with its dreaded "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" bullet, citing read-end stability issues on turns that could increase risk for roll-over SUV accidents.

Toyota Recalls 600,000 Sienna Minivans
The Auto Channel April 20, 2010

Toyota Sienna recall spare tire cable corrosion
Examiner.com April 17, 2010

Lexus to Recall S.U.V. in Another Black Mark to Reputation
The New York Times April 21, 2010

Don't Buy: Safety Risk--2010 Lexus GX 460
ConsumerReports.org April 13, 2010

A mother and two daughters who went missing in 1999 during a drive from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida, has been found deceased -- their car submerged in a canal. According to news reports, a Broward Sheriff's Office dive team on a training exercise in a canal off Florida I-75 last week discovered a green submerged van containing skeletal remains. Police identified the remains as those of Nelta Jacques, her two young daughters, and her unborn child. Ms. Jacques and her children had gone missing in June 1999 on a rainy night, as they were driving from Ft. Lauderdale to their home in Tampa, Florida.

Broward County, Florida Police have ruled the deaths accidental, due to an apparent car accident. Police theorize that Ms. Jacques may have pulled off Florida Interstate 75 to get out of the bad weather and accidentally drove into a canal around mile marker no. 31, near a boat ramp. The BSO dive team found the green van submerged under 18 feet of water -- the bodies still strapped in to their seat belts.

NBC News of Miami, Florida, reports that traffic accidents occurring off Florida canal roads -- where vehicles and their occupants end up trapped under water -- are tragically all too common. A news article stated that...

Divers from the Broward Sheriff's office made 90 dives in canals last year alone. One in every 100 cars they find has human remains.

Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers may be consulted by families when a serious or fatal car accident occurs, to determine whether negligence or recklessness on the part of another party or parties may have caused or contributed toward the accident.

NBC News reported that the Broward County Medical Examiner called on Florida transportation officials to join him in identifying the most dangerous roads along South Florida's canals (e.g., those with difficult bends), where cars are most apt to go off the road and into the water -- in hopes of improving safety and preventing deadly motor vehicle accidents such as this sad story.

Vanished 11 Years Ago, Missing Mom Mystery is Resolved
NBCMiami.com April 2, 2010

Related Web Resource

Broward County Sheriff's Office: Marine Patrol and Dive Team

The son of a wealthy Chicago area family is being held without bail in a Broward County, Florida jail in connection with a hit and run pedestrian car accident last year that left two British businessmen dead.

According to news reports, Ryan LeVin, 35, was arrested at his condominium on South Ocean Lane in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Levin is the son of a wealthy Illinois family in the jewelry business. He became the subject of media attention surrounding his involvement in a fatal Fort Lauderdale hit-and-run motor vehicle accident that occurred in Feb. 2009.

Police stated that LeVin's Porsche sports car was driving along State Road A1A near Fort Lauderdale beach when it jumped the curb, striking and killing two British businessmen as they walked to their hotel. Pedestrian accident victims Craig Elford, 39, and Kenneth Watkinson, 48, were in America recruiting staff for their pharmaceutical business. LeVin has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide as well as leaving the scene of an accident causing death. LeVin, whom the media reports has a long history of multiple traffic violations, has denied being behind the wheel at the time of the accident. His friend, Derek Cook, surrendered to authorities this week and has been charged with being an accessory for helping LeVin hide the damaged Porsche, as well as for aggravated fleeing and eluding.

Florida Pedestrian-Car Accident Statistics

Fort Lauderdale, Florida hit and run injury lawyers are familiar with state and federal laws designed to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe on our streets and roadways. The LeVin case has received considerable media attention due to the wealth and status of the accused driver; it is one Florida pedestrian traffic accident among many more that add up to 490 pedestrians being killed in Florida in one year (2008 statistic from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). In addition, NHTSA reports that...

• Nationally, one in five pedestrian-car accident fatalities is caused by a hit-and-run driver


• Of the 10 most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrian traffic accident injury and fatality, 5 are located in Florida

For background on the case, see previous blog entry: Lawsuit Filed in Fatal Fort Lauderdale Hit and Run Pedestrian Accident

Hit-and-run suspect Ryan LeVin ordered held without bail
Sun-Sentinel.com March 17, 2010

US heir Ryan LeVin charged over deaths of Britons
The Independent March 17, 2010

Porsche driver jailed in Florida hit-and-run
ChicagoBreakingNews.com March 17, 2010

Fort Lauderdale, Florida police are seeking a black late model SUV, possibly American made, in connection with a hit and run car accident that injured two pedestrians, leaving one with a life-threatening head trauma.

According to South Florida news reports, 65-year-old Carolyn Bianco of Fort Lauderdale and her friend, 62-year-old Victoria Kirby, were attempting to cross busy Las Olas Blvd near Southeast 11th Ave last Weds. night around 7:30 pm, near several restaurants. Witnesses told the press that as the women were crossing Las Olas Boulevard in the crosswalk, a dark-colored SUV hit them and sped off.

Ms. Bianco was taken to Broward General Medical Center with a serious head injury resulting from this Fort Lauderdale traffic pedestrian accident. Ms. Kirby sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital. The family of Ms. Bianco is appealing to the public for anyone with information about this hit-and-run traffic accident in Fort Lauderdale to come forward. Broward County, Florida Crime Stoppers has asked anyone with information to call them at 954-493-TIPS (8477).

Fort Lauderdale pedestrian injury lawyers work with families whose members have been injured or killed by reckless or negligent drivers, including pedestrians and motorists who have been hurt in drunk driving accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 490 pedestrians were killed in Florida car pedestrian crashes in 2008 (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004-2008). In this case, Fort Lauderdale Police are examining pieces of the SUV left behind at the traffic accident scene in hopes of determining the make and model of the car, and finding the driver responsible for injuring two women pedestrians.

Family of woman critically injured in Fort Lauderdale hit-and-run pleads for help
SunSentinel.com March 17, 2010

Police Search for SUV Driver Who Hit Two Women & Fled
NBCMiami.com March 12, 2010

Hit and run injures 2 women
WSVN.com March 11, 2010

Related Web Resource

Broward County Florida Crime Stoppers

Concerns about the quality and safety of Toyota vehicles continue to mount, as the car manufacturer issues yet another safety recall -- this time for the four-wheel drive 2010 Tacoma pickup truck.

There is concern that the front drive shaft in some 2010 Tacoma trucks could be cracked -- an equipment manufacturing defect that could lead to malfunction and loss of vehicle control, which in turn could cause serious car and truck accidents.

The Tacoma recall is just the latest in a series of public safety and public relations problems for Toyota, which has been in the headlines since late last year when news of fatal car accidents blamed on faulty gas pedals came to light. An additional braking problem with hybrids such as the Prius prompted an additional recall -- while Toyota had shut down manufacturing and tried to come up with fixes for millions of vehicles.

Florida truck accident attorneys with experience handling product liability and defective auto parts cases monitor safety recalls such as this one closely. The Toyota Tacoma recall is a voluntary recall for owners to bring their trucks to a dealer for the drive shaft to be inspected and repaired, if needed. The Toyota website states that owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail beginning in March.

Pickup trucks used to be mainly driven by construction workers and others who needed a powerful vehicle to haul equipment and supplies for work purposes. Now pickup trucks with modern comforts and amenities, such as the Toyota Tacoma, are driven by many people who simply like to drive trucks -- whether for off-roading, commuting to work, taxiing the family, or pulling trailers for recreational activities such as boating. If you live in Florida and are driving a 2010 Toyota Tacoma, contact your local dealer or visit Toyota.com for more information.

Truck recall adds to Toyota's troubles
AFP, Yahoo! News Feb. 13, 2010

Toyota Extends Recall To 2010 Tacoma Trucks
AP, Fox40News.com Feb. 12, 2010

Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall on 8,000 2010 Model Year Tacoma 4WD Trucks to Inspect the Front Drive Shaft
Toyota.com News Release, Feb. 12, 2010

Related Web Resources

Toyota.com: 2009-2010 Recall List

Toyota.com: Tacoma

Florida Governor Charlie Crist says he would approve a ban on texting while driving in the Sunshine State if pending highway safety legislation passes, according to a report this week in a Fort Myers, Florida news outlet.

Distracted-driving traffic accidents in Florida cause injury and death on our highways and streets. The problem of drivers talking on cell phones and typing text messages is a major concern among Florida and national safety advocates:

> Currently 19 states ban all drivers from texting while driving, while another 9 ban the practice for youth-aged drivers.

> The U.S. Dept. of Transportation also banned texting while driving for commercial vehicles, in an effort to cut down on bus and truck accidents.

> President Obama banned Federal employees from texting while driving.

The pending Florida highway safety legislation (SB 328 and HB 323) is one of several highway-safety bills targeting distracted driving in Florida. If passed, drivers caught texting while driving would be subject to fines. Texting while driving has become a more serious and dangerous traffic safety problem, as more and more people -- including teenagers -- use cell phones and hand-held devices to type and send each other text messages. Fatal car accidents have been linked to texting while driving. The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that 1.6 million traffic crashes annually -- or 28% of all auto crashes -- are caused by cell phone use or texting while driving.

Fort Myers car accident injury lawyers are well aware of what can happen when drivers take their eyes off the road in South Florida, even for just an instant. Distracted drivers are a danger to themselves, their passengers, and to other motorists, and their inattention to the road may also cause serious or fatal traffic pedestrian accidents.

The risk of causing a serious traffic accident increases when drivers are doing other things and not paying attention to what's around them. Florida's busy interstates, highways and city streets are challenging enough for drivers. Texting is an example of how technologies that bring convenience to our automobiles -- when used while driving -- can cause serious car crashes, injury, and death.

Florida legislators propose fines for drivers who text
News-Press.com Feb. 9, 2010

Related Web Resources

National Safety Council: Distracted Driving

Distracted Driving: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Florida drivers with a Honda in the garage can now share in Toyota owners' headaches and safety concerns, as they all flock to auto dealers for recall repairs. This week Honda recalled hundreds of thousands of cars due to concerns about potentially dangerous airbags. Honda issued a news release stating that the airbags could inflate with too much pressure -- enough force to rupture the air bag casing, which could cause serious personal injury or even death.

Toyota's latest safety recall involves its popular hybrid model, Prius -- which reportedly has a glitch in the braking system. Owners report the brakes fail to engage immediately when applied over rough roads, which could lead to serious auto accidents. The Prius recall adds to the public relations nightmare for Toyota, which hit news headlines late last year for problems with gas pedals becoming ensnared in floor mats.

The Toyota gas pedal recall expanded to millions of cars, trucks, and SUVs earlier this year, with reports of gas pedals being slow to rise when drivers try to decelerate their vehicles.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida product liability lawyers with experience in personal injury cases involving defective auto parts are watching these latest consumer recalls carefully. CNN reports that there are already several lawsuits in the works against Toyota, as nervous consumers wonder if the car in their driveway is safe to drive.

Honda recalls 438,000 cars for airbag hazard
CNN.com Feb. 10, 2010

Toyota Recall -- Special Coverage
CNN.com Feb. 9, 2010

Related Web Resources

Toyota Recall Information

Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Expansion of Driver's Airbag Inflator Recall
Honda News Release, Feb. 9, 2010

Florida motorists who own a Camry, RAV4, Avalon, or any other number of popular Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs may have reason to be concerned as to whether they are safe to drive.

Toyota, which has prided itself as an industry leader in building safe, reliable cars, has expanded its safety recall of millions of vehicles. They've also done what no other auto manufacturer has ever done before -- stopped production and sales while they try to identify the source of a suspected automotive defect that could lead to deadly traffic accidents on Florida and U.S. roads and highways. Six factories so far are involved in the shutdown.

Problems for Toyota made the news last year when in November, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the auto maker had a fix for a problem with the gas pedal becoming entrapped by floor mats on some models. The serious safety issue came to light after fatal car crashes were attributed to the accelerator getting stuck and motorists being unable to stop their out-of-control, speeding vehicles (see previous blog entry, Florida Driving Alert: Toyota Lexus Issues Safety Advisory After Fatal Car Accident Involving Floor Mats).

However, Toyota has now expanded the recall in the U.S. and to Europe and has stopped production and sale of vehicles that may have the potential for the same deadly problem. It is unclear what repairs or redesign Toyota will come up with to permanently fix the problem. The Associated Press reports that Toyota learned about an accelerator problem for the Tundra in March 2007; concerns about truck accidents arose when owners reported the gas pedal was slow to rise when they tried to slow down.

Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers follow automotive safety recalls closely, as they involve auto manufacturer product liability and Florida driver safety. We have not heard the last in this historic automotive recall and production and sales stoppage -- as Toyota works to identify and fix the source of the problem, dealers stand by idle with showrooms and lots full of cars, and consumers wonder what to do with vehicles that they thought were safe to drive. Car and Driver reported that owners of affected cars may be able to ask for and obtain loaner vehicles (see link below), though to date, Toyota had not issued a mandate for dealers to loan out other cars.

Toyota recalls additional 1.09M vehicles in US
Associated Press, MiamiHerald.com Jan. 28, 2010

Background: Toyota Announces Fix for Accelerator Pedal Entrapment Problem
NHTSA Press Release Nov. 25, 2009

Related Web Resources

Frequently Asked Questions For Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall and Suspension of Sales
Toyota Press Room Jan. 2010

List of Recalled Toyota Models
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Jan. 28, 2010

How To: Safely Drive a Recalled Toyota (Or Score a Loaner)
Car and Driver Jan. 27, 2010

Toyota recall Q & A: What to do if your car suddenly accelerates
Los Angeles Times Jan. 28, 2010

This past week has been particularly dangerous and deadly on Fort Myers, Florida, area roads and highways. Florida Highway Patrol and news sources reported the following traffic accidents:

• On Tuesday, a car accident with a school bus occurred in Fort Myers Shores at Parkview and 5th Street, injuring three students and the bus driver. The driver of the motor vehicle that struck the schoolbus faces charges.
• On Monday, Nicholas Contessa, age 58, of Fort Myers, Florida, was killed on I-75 when he lost control of his vehicle following a tire blowout accident. The victim's car was the only vehicle involved in this fatal Florida highway rollover accident.
• Last Friday, a pedestrian was killed in North Fort Myers, Florida, in a hit-and-run accident on West North Shore Ave and Business 41. Police were seeking the driver of a white van involved in this fatal pedestrian traffic accident in Lee County, Florida.

Fort Myers, Florida car accident lawyers may be consulted in cases where negligent or reckless driving may have contributed to serious traffic accidents resulting in injury or death.

Accident in Fort Myers Shores injures four
NBC-2.com Jan. 12, 2010

Victim in fatal Fort Myers I-75 crash identified
NewsPress.com Jan. 11, 2010

One person dead in North Fort Myers accident
NBC-2.com Jan. 8, 20108

Anyone who has driven on South Florida's interstates and highways knows the going can be risky, particularly during heavy commuter traffic and at night -- where the combination of speed and volume can lead to accidents. Now, The New York Times has done a report highlighting how highway construction zones pose additional hazards that can cause both serious Florida traffic accidents and motorist and construction worker injury or death.

According to the report, highway construction zone accidents are sometimes caused by driver error, with speed, driving under the influence, and other forms of reckless driving to blame. Highway construction sites often involve lane reductions, cones, concrete barriers, and other unexpected obstacles -- as well as construction workers in or near the road and construction equipment. Drivers who fail to safely slow down and move over or negotiate a highway construction site can cause serious and fatal accidents involving motorists, police on detail, and the construction workers themselves.

The report also points to highway construction company liability, citing a 2007 crash in Sarasota, Florida, where a "rolling roadblock" for work being done on Interstate 75 resulted in 10 people injured and 2 motorists killed in a single night. The report discusses how highway construction sites are managed, how traffic is flowed around them, and the actual road conditions created during highway construction. All can cause hazards that can be deadly if a car or truck accident occurs in the construction zone.

Construction zones have also proven to be hazardous to people on foot, as those who walk in or around areas of city streets and roads that are under construction may be injured or killed in traffic-related pedestrian accidents.

Florida highway traffic accident lawyers are knowledgeable about driving laws and safety regulations designed to keep motorists, construction workers, law enforcement, and emergency personnel safe on Florida's highways.

Fatal Florida I-95 Construction Zone Accident Investigation Continues
Barely a week after The Times report was published, a four-car crash occurred on Florida I-95 at a highway construction site that left James Toles IV, 19, of Savannah, Georgia, dead and Michael Jones, 18, of Macon, Georgia, seriously injured. Four others were hospitalized. Florida Highway Patrol stated that conditions in the construction zone did not cause the crash, though it appears some victims got outside their vehicles and were struck by other vehicles that came upon the crash scene. The initial crash involved two vehicles including a Saturn that ended up straddling a concrete barrier. The investigation into the accident continues.

Efforts Lag to Improve Safety at Work Zones
NewYorkTimes.com Dec. 22, 2009

Danger in the cone zone
Inadequate review of road construction increases risks
HeraldTribune.com Dec. 26, 2009

Deadly I-95 wreck probe continues
Florida Today Dec. 30, 2009

A teenage boy is recovering from a New Year's Eve single-car rollover traffic accident in Plantation, Florida, that claimed the lives of two of his teenage friends.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Plantation Police reported that the fatal car crash happened on New Year's Eve around 8 p.m. on Sunrise Blvd. A black Hyundai was traveling west at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control and struck a brick sign. CBS4 News reported that the sign was at the Plantation Technology Park complex.

Eighteen-year-old David Naboretti from Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, was able to escape the wreckage. He was transported to Broward General Medical Center for treatment. His friends, 18-year-old Ledaaron Sweeting, of North Lauderdale, and 17-year-old John F. Smith, also of Lauderdale Lakes, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Plantation, Florida, auto accident lawyers may be consulted by families who have questions about liability in single-car accidents where death or injury to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians have occurred.

The name of the driver of the car in this fatal South Florida traffic accident has not been released. Police are investigating whether drugs and/or alcohol played a factor leading up to the holiday crash.

Teen recovering from New Year's Eve wreck
Sun-Sentinel.com Jan. 3, 2010

Car Crashes Into Sign In Plantation, Two Men Die
CBS4.com Dec. 31, 2009

Related Web Resources

Teen Driving: Drive with Care
2009 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Teen Crashes: Everyone Is at Risk (PDF doc)
AAA Foundation Report 2009

A Florida Turnpike road worker was killed early last week when he was struck by a dump truck at a construction site. The Fort Lauderdale highway accident occurred near the Commercial Boulevard exit ramp, where work to widen the road was taking place in the northbound lanes.

According to news reports, this fatal construction accident occurred around 3 a.m. on Tues. Dec. 8. Florida Highway Patrol reported that Arturo Moradiellos, 64, was working with the Community Asphalt Corp. construction crew. Moradiellos was standing in back of a dump truck when it backed up over him.

FHP reports that a preliminary investigation of this Florida Turnpike death showed that the backup alarm on the dump truck was working, but the victim failed to hear it. Alcohol did not appear to be a factor. The driver of the dump truck was part of the same road crew as his colleague who was killed.

Fort Lauderdale construction accident lawyers realize the dangers inherent in road construction work. Such projects often work overnight, in tight spaces, to minimize lane closures and traffic congestion for the thousands of commuters and vacationers who travel the Florida Turnpike daily.

Highway construction workers are also at risk of being struck by motor vehicles that swerve into the construction site. This fatal Fort Lauderdale, Florida highway accident remains under investigation.

Turnpike Construction Worker Killed On The Job
CBS4.com Dec. 8, 2009

FHP: Turnpike worker killed in accident
MiamiHerald.com Dec. 8, 2009

Related Web Resources

Federal Highway Administration: Work Zone Safety

National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

A Fort Myers, Florida traffic accident involving a school bus claimed the lives of two men last week. According to the Miami Herald, on the morning of Thurs. Dec. 3, Adrian Nunez-Romero, age 30, and Elfego Mercado-Quintana, age 28, were killed when their vehicle struck a school bus.

The Herald reported this was the area's second fatal accident involving a school bus in just more than a week, and at least the third schoolbus accident to happen that week.

On Mon. Nov. 30, another Ft Myers traffic accident sent a trainee school bus driver to the hospital with work-related injuries. No further details were available on these South Florida motor vehicle crashes involving schoolbuses.

Florida School Bus Safety
Fort Myers, Fla. truck accident lawyers are knowledgeable about safety regulations governing the operation of commercial motor vehicles, including school buses used to transport children and teenagers to and from school. School buses are also sometimes used to transport other non-school groups, such as senior citizens and church groups.

School bus safety is always a concern for Florida parents, as young children getting on and off the schoolbus may be more vulnerable to car and pedestrian accidents.

2 men killed in Fort Myers crash with school bus
Associated Press, Miami Herald Dec. 4, 2009

Related Web Resources

NHTSA School Bus Safety Program

School Bus Information Council

Florida Weekly published a report stating that Charlotte County and Lee County, Florida, are among the most dangerous places in the nation for motor vehicle / bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents. The article states that, "Traveling without a motor vehicle here can be more dangerous than almost anywhere else in the United States...."

The author, who references Transportation for America's recently released "Dangerous by Design" traffic engineering report, quotes a number of Floridians involved in Southwest Florida pedestrian accidents as well as car and bike accidents.

The "Dangerous by Design" study examined safety issues on roadways that were designed for motor vehicles but not for other vehicles (such as bicycles) or walkers. Florida Weekly cites some sobering facts that emerged from the study...

> Of the 360 most dangerous places for cyclists and walkers in the U.S. -- Lee County, Florida, is no. 23.

> Though it's the safest urban place to walk in Southwest Florida, the Naples-Marco Island region is still twice as deadly for pedestrians when compared to the national average.

> Charlotte County, Florida is the most dangerous place in the state to travel on foot.

In their work with injured people and bereaved families, Fort Myers, Florida car accident lawyers witness the tragic results of what can happen when car, SUV, van, or truck accidents involve bicyclists or pedestrians.

The BikeWalkLee group seeks to make Lee County, Florida streets safer for those on bicycles or on foot by urging transportation planners to finish street construction with bike paths, sidewalks, and signage that promote safe travel for all. The group's website states that, "Florida is ranked #1 in the nation for both bicycle and pedestrian fatalities per capita in 2007." Florida pedestrian deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents amounted to 490 deaths in 2008 and 530 deaths in 2007 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004 - 2008).

Southwest Florida's Deadly Streets
FloridaWeekly.com Dec. 3, 2009

Related Web Resources

Transportation for America: Dangerous by Design

BikeWalkLee

Florida drivers should be aware of an ongoing large-scale defective auto product recall issued by Toyota/Lexus, which affects popular models including Camry, Avalon, Prius, and Tacoma vehicles manufactured between 2004 and 2010 (see link to advisory, below, for exact models and years). It is the largest product recall in Toyota's history affecting millions of vehicles.

The recall occurred following a highly publicized fatal car crash in California in August, where a 2009 Lexus reached speeds of 120 mph when the gas pedal became stuck in the open position. NHTSA attributed the problem to the accelerator pedal becoming snared by an ill-fitting removable floor mat. The family in the Lexus placed a frantic 911 call prior to crashing into an SUV, flipping and bursting into flames. The crash killed the vehicle's driver and occupants: an off-duty California highway patrol officer and three members of his family. The L.A. Times reported that the Lexus involved in the accident was a loaner car from the dealer, and that the floor mat was improperly installed.

Toyota has stated that it will change the length of the gas pedal and the shape of the floor underneath it to avoid future motor vehicle accidents. In addition, Toyota will replace any of its floor mats in the affected models with new floor mats. The Toyota newsroom issued instructions of what drivers should do to avoid a car accident if their gas pedals become stuck. However an investigation by ABC News reported up to 2,000 consumer reports of "runaway" Toyotas, leaving some safety experts and dealers to question whether the car manufacturer's planned solutions will fix the root problem.

A Florida auto product liability lawyer is familiar with laws and safety regulations put in place to protect consumers from being injured or killed due to automotive product defects. Defective tires is another area of motor vehicle safety concern that makes news headlines whenever a tire recall is issued.

NHTSA's SaferCar.gov website provides a searchable database for consumers to check for product recalls related to their vehicles or tires.

Toyota Announces Details of Remedy to Address Potential Accelerator Pedal Entrapment
Toyota Press Room Nov. 25, 2009

Toyota Recall Fails to Address 'Root Cause' of Many Sudden Acceleration Cases, Safety Expert Says
ABC News Investigation Revealed Over 2,000 Complaints of 'Runaway Toyotas'
ABCNEWS.com Nov. 25, 2009

New details in crash that prompted Toyota recall
L.A. Times Oct. 25, 2009

Related Web Resources

Toyota/Lexus Consumer Safety Advisory:
Potential Floor Mat Interference with Accelerator Pedal (Models & Years listed here)
Toyota Press Room Sept. 29, 2009

Toyota recalls 3.8 million vehicles
Potentially dangerous floor mats cited for company's largest U.S. recall
MSNBC.com Sept. 29, 2009