Florida Accident Attorney Blog

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)

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

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

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 Florida car - pedestrian accident happened on Thurs. Oct. 29 on a stretch of 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 in this traffic pedestrian accident, 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

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) blamed heavy rains and slick pavement for multiple motor vehicle crashes and pile-ups that occurred along Florida Interstate 75 on Saturday night.

According to news reports, the following car, SUV, and truck accidents took place:

--A female motorist, who saw an SUV slide off the road and go into the brush, pulled over and got out of her car to help during a heavy downpour. As she dialed 911 for emergency assistance, three vehicles collided behind her vehicle and a truck ran into the meridian. Two motorists, one from Cape Coral and another from Fort Myers, Florida suffered minor injuries. This accident occurred near Palm Beach Boulevard on I-75.

--The Lee County Sheriff's office reported that a truck driver was hospitalized in critical condition following a single-vehicle accident. The driver was ejected from his vehicle, which landed upside down and damaged a bridge on SR 31 south of Bayshore Road.

Fort Myers, FL car accident lawyers may be consulted in cases where personal injury or fatality occurs due to reckless and/or impaired driving, driver negligence, or equipment failure. The FHP stated that the I-75 accidents that occurred Saturday night were due to poor driving conditions and drivers more likely "not paying attention" rather than speeding.

At press time, there were no traffic fatalities resulting from these Sat. night accidents. Heavy rain, slick road conditions, and poor visibility are not to be underestimated as driving hazards. Highway pile-up accidents can cause multiple deaths and injuries when motorists come upon existing accidents and are unable to safely stop, and they become part of the accident scene themselves.

Wrecks Litter I-75 in the Rain
News-Press.com, Sept. 27, 2009

Related Web Resources

Florida Dept. of Highway Safety

Florida Highway Patrol

The attorney representing a woman injured in a fatal Florida semi-truck crash is asking the courts to reconsider the case.

The fiery commercial truck accident involving two semi trucks -- one transporting potato chips for Frito-Lay and another carrying hot dog meat -- occurred Oct. 12, 2007, at the U.S. 441 exit off I-75 in Alachua, Florida, around 7 a.m. According to news reports, the Florida Highway Patrol had ordered traffic diverted off interstate 75 southbound due to an earlier accident in Gainesville. I-75 begins near Miami, Florida and ends at the Georgia state line.

Alachua Police were directing traffic when the accident between the two semitrucks and a van transporting employees to the V.A. Medical Center in Gainsville occurred. Reports state that the Frito-Lay semi-truck slammed into the rear of the semi carrying hot dog meat, forcing it into the van. The Frito-Lay truck driver was killed in this Florida highway traffic accident.

A Florida attorney representing a woman in the van who suffered personal injury objects to the jury's findings, which split negligence across four parties: the Alachua Police Dept. (35% negligent), the deceased Frito-Lay truck driver (15% negligent), the van driver (35% negligent), and the hot dog meat semitruck driver (15% negligent). No monetary compensation was awarded in this case. The lawyer for the injured woman asserted that the deceased truck driver had a history of hypertension and traffic violations, and that the trucking company should have been held accountable for full damages.

Florida truck accident lawyers have experience and knowledge in the areas of personal injury law and liability, in complex cases like these involving multiple drivers and entities. The attorney representing the woman injured in this accident has scheduled an October 2 date asking for the case to be reconsidered. He would like to see charges against the Alachua Police Dept. dropped, as they were not named a defendant in the original lawsuit in Florida. He alleges that assigning a percent of negligence to parties not named in the original lawsuit is a tactic used by trucking companies to avoid paying full damages. His client had filed a lawsuit against FL Transportation Inc., which maintained the Frito-Lay Orlando Traffic Center where the deceased potato chip semi-truck driver was headed.

Attorney wants ruling against Alachua Police Department dropped
The North Florida Herald, Sept. 17, 2009

Jury finds Alachua police, others negligent in crash
Gainsville.com Sept. 4, 2009

Related Web Resources

Alachua County, Florida

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The Miami Herald reports that a driver being held in the Broward County, Florida jail for a fatal DUI accident was also wanted in Maryland for violating probation related to drunk driving charges in that state. Robert Jones, 31, is being held on nine charges including two counts of DUI manslaughter for a car and motorcycle accident that occurred in Miramar, Florida early last week.

According to the report, Jones was taking his step-daughter to school when his car struck a 43-year-old motorcyclist from Davie, Florida. The motorcycle operator was dragged down Pembroke Road for 180 feet before Jones' vehicle stopped. Jones and the child fled the accident scene but police arrested him a few blocks away. The Herald reported that Jones' blood-alcohol level tested at 0.236 -- nearly 3 times the legal limit of .08 in Florida.

Bereaved families may contact a Broward County accident lawyer in cases where a driver operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol causes a traffic accident that results in death or personal injury to others.

The news report went on to state that Maryland court records revealed that Jones had served time in that state for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury in 2006. An arrest warrant had been issued after he failed to appear in court and violated his probation. According to The Herald, Jones came to Florida 4 months after the warrant was issued and applied for a Florida-only driver's license (which is granted to snowbirds and others who maintain a primary driver's license in another state). Jones was approved for a Florida-only license when he showed a valid Delaware driver's license.

Repeat DUI offenders are a hazard on the roads and highways of Florida and every other state. Nationally in 2007, nearly 13,000 people lost their lives due to alcohol-impaired driving (NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data, "Alcohol Impaired Driving").

Miramar DUI suspect is wanted in Maryland
MiamiHerald.com Sept. 11, 2009

Related Web Resource

Obtaining Your Florida Driver's License
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles