Florida Accident Attorney Blog

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.

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

An Illinois resident originally from North Fort Myers, Florida was sentenced to 2 years in prison following a pedestrian car accident that left a Cape Coral boy with serious injuries.

According to news reports, three-year old Gage Root suffered several broken bones and other serious injuries in Oct. of 2008, when he jumped out of a child's wagon being pulled by his aunt and ran across a construction site on Del Prado Blvd near Kismet Pkway. The boy was struck and dragged by a vehicle that did not stop at the accident scene. Police identified the maroon Lincoln involved in the Florida hit-and-run crash as belonging to Kenneth W. Upmann, 43.

News reports state that Upmann had left Florida during the police investigation, but tips led authorities to his location in Warren, Illinois. He was extradited back to Florida. Last week, a Lee Circuit Court judge gave Upmann a plea deal of two years in prison and three years probation.

Fort Myers pedestrian accident lawyers follow cases such as this where people out for a walk in Florida are seriously injured or killed by hit and run drivers.

Construction zone accidents are unfortunately not all that uncommon. Safety advocates advise pedestrians, motorists, police, flaggers and road workers at construction sites to use extra caution to avoid car-pedestrian accidents.

(See related blog entry Report Sheds Light on South Florida Highway Construction Zone Accidents & Deaths).

Man accused of running over Cape Coral boy strikes plea deal
News-Press.com Jan. 14, 2010

Suspect in Hit-and-Run Accident from October Arrested in Illinois
CapeCoral.net May 8, 2009

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.

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.

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

West Palm Beach and Delray Beach, Florida were the sites of two separate fatal traffic accidents that claimed the lives of two elderly Florida pedestrians within a 24-hour period.

According to news reports, on Weds. Nov. 12, Mona Radowsky of West Palm Beach, Florida, whose age has been reported as 81 or 91, was struck by a Toyota as she walked north across the westbound lanes of Okeechobee Blvd. This car - pedestrian accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the evening.

On the evening of Tues. Nov. 11, Charles Meyer of Delray Beach -- an Alzheimer's patient who had been reported missing shortly before the accident -- was struck and killed by a northbound Chrysler that had a green light. News reports state that Mr. Meyer was walking across the intersection of South Military Trail and Via Del Ray.

A West Palm Beach car accident lawyer is familiar with Florida traffic laws and safety regulations designed to keep pedestrians safe. No further details were available on these two fatal Florida car and pedestrian accidents.

Florida Traffic and Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004-2008, of the total 2,978 state traffic deaths in 2008, 490 were pedestrian fatalities. This statistic was down from 530 pedestrian traffic fatalities in 2007. NHTSA reports that in 2007, older people (over age 65) represented 19 percent of all pedestrian fatalities (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data: Older Population).

Fatal car accident near West Palm kills pedestrian, 91
SunSentinel.com Nov. 12, 2009

Two pedestrians killed in separate accidents
CBS12.com Nov. 12, 2009

Related Web Resource

NHTSA Traffic Safety: Pedestrian Programs

A South Fort Myers High teen from San Carlos Park, Florida was hospitalized after being struck by an SUV while riding his bicycle along busy U.S. 41.

According to news reports, 15-year-old Todd Beland was airlifted to Lee Memorial Hospital earlier this week after being struck and injured in a Lee County traffic accident. Police told the press that teens were cycling in and out of traffic on the heavily traveled highway, when Beland was struck by a car that could not stop in time.

The Fort Myers car bike accident occurs as a national safety study just released ranks the Lee County, Florida metropolitan area as no. 23 among the nation's most dangerous locales for preventable fatal pedestrian accidents.

Florida Most Dangerous State for Car and Pedestrian Accidents
Often the conditions that make some roadways more prone to bicycle accidents are similar to those that contribute to pedestrian accidents. NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004-2008 reports that 490 pedestrians were killed in Florida traffic accidents in 2008. The Dangerous by Design study released by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Transportation for America campaign (see link below) lists the top three most dangerous metro areas in the U.S. for pedestrians as Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, Florida.

A Fort Myers, Florida pedestrian and bike accident lawyer may by consulted in cases where a cyclist or person on foot is injured or killed due to an aggressive or reckless driver, and/or because someone was driving under the influence (Florida drunk driving accidents).

San Carlos Park teen hit by car
WINK News, Nov. 9, 2009

Transportation for America: Dangerous by Design
Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods)

Related Web Resource

Federal Highway Administration: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

A traffic accident this past week in Lee County, Florida, has left a construction worker with a broken arm.

The car - pedestrian accident happened on Thurs. Oct. 29 on a stretch of Florida Interstate 75 undergoing road expansion work in Lee County. The accident occurred on the northbound side of I-75 between the Daniels Parkway and Alico Rd. exits, just past 3 a.m. Florida Highway Patrol took a male driver into custody after he struck a highway worker and fled the scene.

The driver was apprehended by police after searching the woods surrounding the accident scene. He will be charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and leaving the scene of an accident. (In Florida, the legal blood alcohol concentration limit is .08) The injured construction worker was taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center for treatment and released.

A Florida construction site accident lawyer is familiar with the laws in place designed to protect highway workers and law enforcement officials from this type of motor vehicle/pedestrian accident.

Florida Highway Construction Accidents
Construction work accidents where road workers are injured or killed by motorists are unfortunately not all that uncommon. Construction workers doing their jobs in or on the sides of the highway or roadway are vulnerable, particularly at night. Earlier this year, a traffic accident in Bonita Springs, Florida, on I-75 resulted in the death of a highway construction worker when he stepped into the path of a semi-truck.

Florida law enforcement officials are also at risk for this type of work-related injury or fatality when they pull over motorists or stop to assist disabled vehicles. The Florida Move Over Law states that motor vehicle drivers are required to safely change lanes or slow down to a speed that's 20 mph below the speed limit when encountering a police or emergency vehicle stopped on the roadway.

VIDEO: I-75 construction worker injured; DUI arrest made
NaplesNews.com Oct. 29, 2009

Construction worker struck on I-75 in Lee
News-Press.com Oct. 29, 2009

I-75 construction worker killed when hit by semi in Lee County
NaplesNews.com April 3, 2009

Related Web Resources

iROX I-75 Road Expansion Project

Florida Move Over Law

News reports state that two friends from Fort Myers, Florida, who were killed in a car accident this past weekend, were U.S. Army soldiers en route to surprise their families in southwest Florida, before being deployed to Iraq.

According to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), this fatal traffic accident occurred in Fort Pierce on a dark stretch of Okeechobee Rd on Sat. night Oct 24. The FHP reports that a 21-year-old man from Fort Myers, Florida, and his friend, a 24-year-old man from North Fort Myers, Florida, had pulled over, parked on the median, and were arguing in the westbound lane of SR 70. They were struck by a vehicle traveling westbound.

The other vehicle involved was driven by a 24-year-old Okeechobee man, who told authorities he did not see the other two men in time to swerve and avoid them. There were no further details available regarding investigation into this Florida motor vehicle accident.

Fort Myers car accident attorneys may get involved in cases where a fatal Florida car crash or car-pedestrian accident has occurred due to negligent or reckless driving. To date no charges have been filed in this tragic case, which has left all the families involved grieving.

New details released in deaths of two Lee County soldiers
News-Press.com Oct. 26, 2009

Two men killed by vehicle in Fort Pierce were soldiers on their way home to families
TCPalm.com Oct. 26, 2009

Arguing Soldiers Killed in Car Accident
NBCMiami.com Oct. 26, 2009

Related Web Resource

Florida Highway Patrol

The victim of a Lauderhill, Florida pedestrian accident remains hospitalized at Broward General Medical Center after he was struck by a driver who left the scene.

This serious traffic accident occurred on October 10 when the male victim, age 50, was walking north across the 3200 block of West Broward Blvd in Lauderhill (which is near Fort Lauderdale, Florida) after dark. According to police, he was struck by a Chevy SUV or similar vehicle. The victim suffered serious personal injuries including head injuries, and has not been able to speak or provide police with information.

The police are seeking the public's assistance in locating the driver in this hit-run car accident.

Florida Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Fort Lauderdale pedestrian accident lawyers are consulted by families in cases such as this where a family member suffers personal injury or dies as a result of a hit-and-run traffic accident. 490 pedestrians died as a result of motor vehicle accidents in 2008 in Florida. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2004-2008).

Why Do Florida Hit and Run Drivers Flee the Accident Scene?
An article reprinted from the Orlando Sentinel on the Florida Highway Patrol website (see link below) asked the question "Why are hit-run drivers fleeing?" after several hit and run traffic deaths in Orange County, Florida, in 2006. A spokesman for the Florida Safety Council stated that drivers who strike pedestrians sometimes hit the gas pedal and flee out of fear, whether the accident was their fault or not. Interestingly, the same article stated that drivers in Norway are given CPR training before they can get their licenses -- in hopes they would assist in the event of a motor vehicle accident. Driver education in the United States tends to focus on traffic laws and driving technique.

Lauderhill police seek public's help to find hit-run driver
South Florida Sun Sentinel Oct. 19, 2009

Why Are Hit-Run Drivers Fleeing?
Florida Highway Patrol (article reprinted from Orlando Sentinel, Aug. 5, 2006)

Related Web Resources

Lauderhill Police Department

South Florida Traffic Reports

Florida Safety Council

A jury found a 26-year-old Miami, Florida woman guilty of vehicular homicide in a car and motorcycle accident that left two motorcycle operators dead. The fatal Florida car accident occurred in Feb. 2008.

Killed were an off-duty police officer from North Miami and a computer operator from West Palm Beach. According to news reports, the two friends, who were en route to Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Florida, were parked along the side of interstate 95 northbound near St. Lucie and Indian River counties. They were struck and killed by the female motorist, Dominique Brice, whom witnesses reported was travelling at high rates of speed, weaving in and out of traffic, and cutting off other drivers. The driver found guilty in this fatal Florida car crash was driving a Saturn.

The jury verdict of vehicular homicide could carry a sentence of up to 30 years. Sentencing will take place in Nov.

Florida Motorcycle Accident Fatalities Highest in the Nation
Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyers witness the devastation families endure when their loved ones are injured or killed by motorists driving recklessly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the rate of fatal motorcycle accidents rose by 7 percent in 2007 -- 5,154 motorcyclists died and some 103,000 were injured on the nation's roadways. Of those fatalities, 530 were in Florida -- the highest number killed in the country -- followed by California (495) and Texas (375). (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data: Motorcycles)

Vero Beach driver found guilty in death of two motorcyclists
TCPalm.com Oct. 14, 2009

Related Web Resources

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Florida Motorcycle Training Courses

Last month, Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney Jason Chalik was asked by a Plantation, Florida, newspaper what he thought about texting and driving. The question was posed as the community of Parkland is introducing a ban on texting and driving, in keeping with a national movement to outlaw the practice. In case you are unaware of what texting is -- it is typing (often with one's thumbs) and sending messages on a cell phone, Blackberry, or other wireless, mobile hand-held device.

Should other Florida communities also ban texting and driving? "Yes, they should ban texting while driving," Attorney Chalik said. "Your reaction time is slow if you're texting." (Source: Plantation Forum, "On the Street," Sept. 30, 2009) As a veteran motor vehicle accident lawyer in Florida, Attorney Chalik is all too aware of the deadly consequences that can happen when drivers don't keep their eyes on the road.

A national summit on distracted driving sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) was held earlier this month. The DOT is pushing to make the practice of texting and driving illegal in all states, citing that distracted drivers are more apt to be involved in serious car accidents. Some authorities believe texting and driving is as dangerous as driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. The DOT estimates that in 2008, driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in the U.S., estimating some 515,000 people injured and 5,870 killed.

In addition, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wants to curb large truck accidents, bus accidents, and other commercial and public transportation accidents (e.g., subways and rail) by restricting cell phone access while on the job. As a start, President Obama signed an executive order earlier this month banning all Federal workers from texting while operating equipment or driving vehicles while on government business.

A piece of state legislation called "Heather's Law" was proposed to ban cell phone use and texting while driving in Florida, after a young woman died in a fatal Florida highway accident on Highway 27 on her way to plan her wedding in Orlando in 2008. A truck driver who was allegedly texting while driving caused the deadly pile-up. The bill died in the Transportation Committee. Several states have laws banning texting while driving. Florida is not yet one of them.

Gov't seeks ban on texting truckers, bus drivers
SunHerald.com Oct. 1, 2009

Texting while Driving in the Headlights
CBSNews.com Sept. 29, 2009

Texting while driving gets attention in Florida
MiamiHerald.com Aug. 2009

State Bans on Texting While Driving
FoxNews.com May 11, 2009

Text and drive? Proposed law would ban it
baynews9.com Feb. 24, 2009

Related Web Resources

U.S. Dept. of Transportation: Distracted Driving Summit

Florida House of Representatives: Heather's Law (SB 172)

Stay Alive ... Just Drive! Program

When you purchase new tires for your car, van, truck or SUV, you drive away with the impression that you've invested in brand-new tires for your vehicle. What could be safer than new store-bought tires that have never hit the pavement? But are those new tires really new? You won't know for sure unless you check the tire date code, which the manufacturer stamps on the outer sidewall of the tire.

Florida tire defect attorneys Jason and Debi Chalik were featured on Comcast Newsmakers discussing tire date coding -- an important piece of information that the average consumer doesn't know is there. "If you look at the outside ring of the tire, there's a four-digit code," said Attorney Jason Chalik. "That four-digit code tells you the week and the year the tire was made. So if you see '1205' -- that means the tire was made the twelfth week of 2005."

Why Unused Tires More Than 6 Years Old May Be Unsafe to Drive
The Chaliks believe the tire industry should set an expiration date on tires more than six years old. "The U.S. Department of Transportation has done their own research and has made Congress aware that tires should not be driven if they've never touched pavement and they're more than six years old," said Attorney Debi Chalik, in an interview from the University of Miami. "There's an inherent defect where the metal inside the tire corrodes and the rubber itself dries out. The tire industry is aware of this."

The law firm cited the case of a client who was involved in a serious car accident causing permanent brain injury. The client needed a new tire for his SUV. The tire store he patronized put his spare on the rear passenger side of the car, and then they put a tire he purchased in the spare position. Though the original spare looked fine on the outside, it was actually more than 8 years old and had deteriorated on the inside. The tire tread came apart while the young man was driving and he lost control of his SUV, which flipped several times and ejected him. Defective tires and tire failure can cause loss of vehicle control and serious Florida traffic accidents, such as this one. "Unfortunately, our client suffered a catastrophic brain injury and is currently at a brain injury institute," Attorney Chalik said.

The tire store in this case claimed they did not know that tires more than 6 years old may be dangerous to drive on. The Chaliks urge all motorists to check the date codes on the tires they're currently driving on, as well as their spare tires. If any are more than 10 years old, consider getting them checked and replaced. To watch the interview with the Chaliks in its entirety, go to Firm News / Successes and scroll down to "Debi Chalik and Jason Chalik Discuss Tire Safety."

Related Web Resources

TireRack.com: Determining the Age of a Tire

NHTSA: Tire Safety: Everything Rides on It (PDF brochure)