South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

High-riding SUVs known for their dangerous rollover tendencies are now less likely to be involved in the lethal crashes than ordinary cars, according to CNN.

Our Fort Myers car accident attorneys know that rollover crashes are far deadlier than other types of car accidents in Naples and elsewhere.

Surprisingly, a driver of a 2009 model year sedan is nearly two times more likely to be killed in a rollover crash than a driver of a 2009 model year SUV. This shocking statistic is part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report on real-world auto accident fatality rates for a variety of vehicles.

According to the Institute, electronic stability control (ESC) in SUVs is the biggest factor for the decline in rollover and fatality rates for SUV drivers. ESC, which is available in all SUVs sold in the U.S., assists drivers in maintaining control during sudden maneuvers and on slick roads. This computer-based technology has greatly decreased the chances of SUVs to skid and roll over. SUVs are also being designed more like cars.

Consumers believed that the large, heavy, high-riding SUVs would keep them safer in a crash than other vehicles. But as more and more SUV rollover accidents occurred, the safety benefit dwindled. Thanks to ESC, SUVs are now safer than large cars. Only minivans are safer.

The Institute reports that annually from 2006 through 2009, drivers of newer SUVs endured about 28 deaths per million vehicles, which is half the death rate for car drivers -- 56 fatalities per million vehicles. ESC technology is available in nearly all types of cars, but it is most common in SUVs. Stability control has helped reduce death rates across the board. Model year vehicles from 1989 to 1993 had a death rate of 110 per million registered vehicle years, compared with 48 for model years 2005 to 2008. Size does matter when it comes to vehicle safety. Though small cars do well on crash tests, they have the highest death rates. Large to mid-size vehicles tend to have lower death rates.

The vehicles with the lowest death rates include: the Audi A6 and the Mercedes Benz E-Class luxury cars, the Toyota Sienna minivan, the Ford Edge SUV, Nissan's Armada SUV, the Land Rover Sport and LR3, and the Lexus GX 470 SUV.

The vehicles that are the least safe include: the Nissan 350Z sports car, the Titan pickup and Chevrolet's Aveo and Cobalt.

It should be noted that none of the 26 lowest-rated vehicles had standard ESC, while nearly all of the top-rated vehicles did.

Check out vehicle safety ratings at safecars.gov.

Continue reading "Newer Model SUVs Less Likely to Roll Over in Fort Lauderdale Crashes " »

Bicycling.com recently announced its top 50 cities for cycling, and two Florida cities made the list.

Our Boca Raton bike accident lawyers know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported more than 100 fatal bike crashes in 2009. We know that bike fatalities are down 12 percent from 2008, but more needs to be done to protect cyclists from tragic Fort Lauderdale bicycle accidents.

Gainesville was ranked 16th and Miami came in 44th among cities with smart, savvy bike stores and a diverse bike culture. Ranking criteria included municipal bike racks, segregated bike lanes and bike boulevards.

The bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle in Florida. Riders have the same rights and must obey the same traffic laws as motorists. Riders have to stop for stop signs and red lights, yield the right-of-way when entering a road, ride with the flow of traffic and use lights at night.

Below is a summary of traffic laws pertaining to bicycles:

Bicycle Regulations
-Riders must obey all traffic controls and signals.

-Riders must use a fixed, regular seat for riding.

-No bicycle can be used to carry a passenger.

-One hand must be on the handlebars at all times.

-Parents and guardians should make sure children obey bicycle laws.

-All bicycles must be equipped with properly working brakes. If traveling at 10 miles per hour, the bike must stop within 25 feet.

Sidewalk Riding
-Riders have the same duties and rights as a pedestrian when riding in crosswalks or on sidewalks.

-When riders are in crosswalks or on sidewalks, they must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. An audible signal must be sounded prior to passing.

Lighting
-At a minimum, a bicycle needs to have a white front light visible from 500 feet and a light and red reflector on the back visible from 600 feet.

-Additional lighting is recommended.

Signaling Turns
-A rider must signal a turn at least 100 feet before turning.

-A right turn hand signal can be either extending the right hand and arm horizontally to the right side of the bike or extending the left hand and arm upward.

Headsets
-A rider cannot wear headphones, a headset or any other listening device (hearing aides are permitted).

Here are some safety tips to avoid a deadly crash:

-Obey all state and local traffic laws.

-Ride with the normal flow of traffic.

-Recognize and understand common bicycle crash situations. Review colorful diagrams at Florida Bicycle Association on how these accidents happen and what to do to prevent them.

-Even if it is not the law, wear a properly fitted helmet.

-Wear bright clothing or reflective material.

-Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

-Keep your bike in good working order. Check of your brakes, tires, lights, seat and handlebars before heading out.

-Know your hand signals. Motorists need to know what you are planning to do. Signal at least 100 feet before you turn.

Continue reading "Cyclists, Motorists Must Know Road Rules to Avoid Bicycle Accidents in Boca Raton, Elsewhere" »

Large trucks with fully loaded trailers require a great distance to stop -- nearly twice the distance of a passenger vehicle. Tractor trailers also have sizable blind spots that must be avoided to prevent trucking accidents in Fort Myers and elsewhere.

Our Boca Raton car accident lawyers know that experienced drivers keep their vehicles out of these "No Zones" so truckers can see them on the road. Our young drivers often lack that important safety knowledge. Large truck crashes killed almost 4,000 people between the ages of 16 and 24 from 2005 and 2009.

U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance have joined forces with the National Organizations for Youth Safety for "Teens and Trucks," a program aimed to educate teens about avoiding blind spots and how to drive safely near large trucks.

"We want everyone to be safe, but as newer drivers, teens must adhere to a few simple rules," said Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. "They are: buckle up, don't drink and drive; don't speed, don't text or use your phone, and steer clear of a truck's blind spots."

The program teaches students about the importance of driving predictably and staying out of a truck driver's blind spots. To understand the difficulties truckers face, students are seated behind the wheel of a big rig while others stand in the "No Zone." This demonstration showed students a trucker's perspective to help them make better decisions while driving.

"They can see just how extensive those blind spots really are, and generally, it's a sobering message for teens who participate in these events," Ferro said.

The deadliest days of the year for teens ages 15 to 19 occur from May through August. In these four months, almost twice as many teens die on the roadways each day compared with the rest of the year (nearly 16 deaths per day compared with nine).

"Prom, graduation, and summer are fantastic times for youth to celebrate and enjoy. However, with these fun times come unfortunate tragedies," said Sandy Spavone, president of the National Organizations for Youth Safety. "Through education, enforcement, and legislation lives can be saved and injuries prevented."

A portion of the program emphasizes the dangers of distracted driving, and students hear stories from distracted driving crash victims.

"Do not expect that having a driver's license is a right that comes without responsibility or risk," said Steve Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. "Be accountable for your actions, spread the word to your friends and parents, and help create a culture of safety. Most importantly, take the driving task seriously. You never know the impact you can have that ultimately could save your life or someone else's."

Continue reading "Trucker Blind Spots Increases Risk of Teen Car Accidents in Fort Myers" »

The News-Press recently reported that 1 million drain covers are being recalled, which could shut down hundreds of thousands of pools.

In April, our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers reported on the need to install pool drain covers to prevent swimming pool accidents.

Pool and spa drain covers are essential to prevent drain entrapment death and injuries. Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) strongly advised public pools to close immediately if they had any of the recalled covers. Private pool owners were urged to contact the manufacturer of their drain cover. The drain covers have been required since 2009; the special raised design prevents all the holes from being covered, which creates the deadly powerful suction. According to the CPSC, since 1999, one adult and 11 children have died from being trapped underwater and 82 others have been injured. A CPSC investigation also recently discovered that faulty standards at certifying labs have led to unsafe drain covers.

The recalled covers are made by the following manufacturers:

-A&A Manufacturing
-AquaStar Pool Products
-Color Match Pool Fittings
-Custom Molded Products
-Hayward Pool Products
-Pentair Water Pool and Spa
-Rising Dragon USA
-Waterway Plastics

A general manger of a pool store in Cape Coral said Waterway Plastics is a "pretty major manufacturer," so there is the potential for many recalled drain covers in place in Southwest Florida. The store manager was concerned that identifying the unsafe drain covers isn't easy. You can't just look at the cover and know who made it. Your original pool installer may be able to find out the information for you or an inspection of the drain cover by a pool maintenance worker may be needed. The CPSC indicated pools with gravity drainage or multiple main drains systems are not affected by the recall.

For additional information, call the recall hotline at 1-866-478-3521 or visit The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals website.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not having a swimming pool until your children are older than 5, but if you do have one, they suggest the following:

-Never leave children unattended in or near a pool. Whoever supervises children around water must know CPR.

-Children under 5 should always be within an arm's length of an adult.

-A minimum of a four-foot fence should surround a pool. The fence should have self latching and closing gates, with latches high enough so children can't reach them. Many young children drown in pools because they leave the house and fall into the pool.

-A phone and rescue equipment must be located near the pool.

-Don't use air-filled "swimming aids" in place of approved life vests.

-After use, remove all toys from the pool and secure the pool so children aren't tempted to return.

-Remember, even though your child may know how to swim, he or she may not necessarily be safe in the water.

Continue reading "Drain Cover Recalls Could Lead to More Pool Accidents in Fort Myers, Boca Raton" »

A USA Today article reports that Florida remains one of the deadliest states for pedestrians.

Our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers are aware of the Transportation for America pedestrian safety report and warn all Floridians to be careful to avoid a pedestrian accident in Boca Raton, Fort Myers and elsewhere in the state.

According to a study by Transportation for America, a safety advocacy coalition, Florida holds four of the top five slots for the deadliest urban areas for pedestrians.

Study statistics pertaining to Florida included:

-From 2000 through 2009, 5,163 pedestrians were killed in Florida.

-In Florida from 2000 through 2007, the average Hispanic pedestrian death rate was 3.5 per 100,000 people. This rate is 37 percent higher than the non-Hispanic white rate that is 2.5. The average African-American pedestrian death rate was 3.7 per 100,000; this is almost 48 percent greater than for non-Hispanic whites.

-From 2000 through 2007, 853 senior (65 and older) Floridians were killed in pedestrian accidents. Florida's older pedestrian's death rate is 3.7 per 100,000 residents. By comparison the death rate for those under age 65 is 2.7 per 100,000 residents. This ranks Florida 7th nationally in death rate for pedestrians over the age of 65.

-270 pedestrians 15 years old and younger died in Florida between 2000 and 2007.

-Florida ranks first nationally with an overall Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI) of 182.8. By comparison, the safest state in the nation is Vermont with an overall PDI of 11.2. The U.S. overall PDI is 56.8.

According to the study, more than 47,700 pedestrians nationwide were killed in traffic accidents in the last 10 years, and at least 688,000 were injured. Car crash deaths have dropped 27 percent over the past decade, while pedestrian deaths have fallen 14 percent.

National statistics include:

-Roads that are eligible to get federal funding for improvement or construction nationally suffered 67 percent of all pedestrian deaths.

-Almost 60 percent of pedestrian deaths happened on streets with a 40 mph speed limit or higher. Pedestrians have a slim chance (15 percent) of surviving a crash with a vehicle going 40 mph. By lowering traffic speed from 40 mph to 30 mph, a pedestrian's survival rate increases to 55 percent.

-More than 40 percent of the 47,452 pedestrian fatalities in which the location of the collision is known happened on roads with no crosswalks. Arterial roads are high-speed, wide and high-capacity thoroughfares that usually lack crosswalks and sidewalks. Pedestrian fatalities in crosswalks happen about 10 percent of the time.

-Nationally, people older than 65 are almost twice as likely to be killed while walking as those under 65. Between 2000 and 2007, there were 8,458 pedestrians killed who were 65 and older.

-According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pedestrian injuries are the third-leading cause of death for children 15 and younger. Nationally, between 2000 and 2007, 3,880 pedestrians 15 years old and and younger died.

Top Florida counties for pedestrian deaths from 2000 to 2009:

-Miami-Dade County: 753

-Broward County: 463

-Hillsborough County: 375

-Orange County: 371

-Palm Beach County: 339

Leading metro areas pedestrian deaths from 2000 to 2009:

-Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach: 1555

-Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater: 905

-Orlando-Kissimmee: 557

-Jacksonville: 342

-Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 178

Continue reading "Florida Regions Top the Danger List for Pedestrian Accidents" »