South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

A recent tractor-trailer accident in Boca Raton shut down two lanes of Interstate 95 between Glades Road and Palmetto Road. Boca Raton firefighters responded to the accident and determined that the accident was the result of leaking fuel tank from the tractor-trailer's saddle tank.

According to CBS12, emergency response teams including the DOT. were there to clean up the spilled fuel with a special absorbent. They also removed the rest of the fuel from the truck's saddle tank by pump to help ensure no more spillage. About 100 gallons of fuel were removed from that saddle tank. Cleanup took about two hours. FHP is investigating the accident.

Our West Palm Beach trucking accident attorneys understand that the risks motorists face when traveling around large tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles. Because of their large size and heavy weight, they can inflict serious damage and injury on passenger vehicles and occupants. Motorists are urged to travel with extreme caution. This is especially important to remember during the holiday and the tourist season. Florida's roads are expected to be packed with out-of-state drivers who are unfamiliar with the area. These conditions greatly increase your risks of being involved in an accident.

It's estimated that there are nearly 20 million trucks on our roadways. Nearly 15 percent of these trucks include tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, big rigs and semis. Approximately 98 percent of the accidents that involve one of these massive vehicles result in at least one fatality. Americans dish out more than $20 billion each year for fatal tractor-trailer accidents. More than $13 billion is associated with the loss of quality of life. There are 2.3 deaths and more than 60 injures for every 100 million miles traveled on our country's roadways.

It is estimated that semis, big rigs, 18-wheelers and tractor-trailers are involved in more 500,000 accidents every year. These accidents result in about 5,000 fatalities.

To help prevent these accidents, a number of transportation officials, departments and organizations stay on top of the industry to help ensure that these large vehicles are traveling safely. These organizations include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

"We are sending a strong message that companies will face serious consequences when they do not make safety a top priority," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Safe driving tips for motorists from the FMCSA:

-Never cut in front of a large truck. Heavy trucks take longer to stop than a small passenger vehicle. Cutting in front of one of these vehicles puts you at a serious risk for a rear-end accident.

-Always wear a seat belt. It has been proven in numerous studies that seat belts are one of the best forms of protection in any type of accident.

-Be aware of blind spots. Blind spots, or "no-zones," on a truck are much larger than the blind spots that you and I have to deal with. Always make sure that you can see a truck driver. If you can't see them, they can't see you.

-Put away all distractions. You must be fully focused when driving near one of these vehicles. Pay attention to their signals and their maneuvers to avoid a serious accident.

-Never get between a truck and a curb when making a turn. Large trucks take turns much differently than passenger vehicles. Never turn on the inside of a truck and a curb. You could get stuck in a tight squeeze and potentially in an accident.

Continue reading "Fuel Leakage Causes Trucking Accident in Boca Raton on I-95" »

A feature of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles could help to make sure your family is notified in a timely manner in the event of a serious car accident in Boca Raton or elsewhere. Motorists are now able to register the names and numbers of emergency contacts with the Department.

To promote ongoing awareness of the program, Governor Rick Scott held a statewide Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week. During this time, residents were urged to visit the DHSMV to register vital contact information that can be used in the event of an accident. The DHSMV teamed up with the Division of Emergency Management to help to get all Florida residents on board with the new program. Residents are still able to register this information with the Department.

Our Boca Raton car accident attorneys understand how important this type of information can be. Unfortunately, there are many times when family members are not notified in a timely manner after a serious car accident because the information cannot be retrieved from the victim. With this information on file with the Department, officials can contact your loved ones more quickly.

"As we celebrate Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week this first week of October, please register and encourage your friends and family members to do so, too," said Julie L. Jones, the Executive Director for the DHSMV.

There have already been more than 5 million people register their emergency contact information with the Department. The new program hopes to obtain this important information from Florida's 15.5 million licensed drivers.

Once you've registered with the program, residents with either an identification card or a driver's license will be able to submit two contacts to the Department to notify in the event of an emergency, such as a traffic accident. Don't worry! The information is only to be used by law enforcement offices in the event of an accident.

Bryan W. Koon, the Florida Division of Emergency Management Director, says that the program is 100 percent voluntary but he still urges residents to get registered as this information can help to ensure that you're connected with your loved ones in a timely manner.

Singing up only takes a minute. You can do it from any computer. Just visit the DHSMV's website. If you don't have access to a computer, you can still register at any Florida driver's license office or county tax collector office. This program is completely free!

The program was started after a motorcycle accident that killed Tiffiany Olson in December of 2005. In this case, officials were unable to notify her mother in a timely manner. They were unable to retrieve emergency contact information from Tiffiany. Tiffiany's mother, Christine Olson, brought the idea of the program to Rep. Bill Galvano and the idea took off.

Continue reading "New Program to Register Emergency Contacts before a Car Accident in Boca Raton or Elsewhere" »

Floridians are wearing their seat belts now more than ever. According to the Florida Department of Transportation Secretary and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more Florida motorists were witnessed wearing seat belts during the 2011 Click It or Ticket campaign than any other year. Throughout the campaign, 12 Florida counties were observed and the seat belt usage of their drivers was recorded. An average of 88 percent of drivers in the observed counties were recorded traveling with a seat belt.

Florida motorists who ride while wearing a seat belt are less likely to be injured in a car accident in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere throughout the state. It has been concluded through a number of studies that seat belts greatly reduce the risks of injury for motorists. Some of the strictest safety laws and enforcement efforts won't compare to driver discipline. Please make sure that you and all of your passengers are buckled up during every drive, no matter how short or long it may be.

Our Boca Raton car accident attorneys would like the congratulate Florida drivers on their improvement. As technology improves and motor vehicles technology advances to help keep occupants safe, seat belts still remain as one of the top protectors in traffic collisions.

"We have made great strides in getting more and more people to buckle up, but we still have a long way to go," said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad.

The Click It or Ticket campaign concluded that pickup truck occupants were the least likely to buckle up on Florida roadways.

This year's Click It or Ticket campaign was held from May 23rd to June 5th. During this time, local and state law enforcement agencies combed the roadways in search of motorists who were breaking Florida seat belt laws.

Florida's seat belt laws:

-All seat belt laws apply to the occupants of cars, pickups and vans.

-All occupants of the front seat are required to wear a seat belt.

-All passengers that are under the age of 18 are required to wear a seat belt.

During the seat belt campaign, Florida law enforcement agencies practiced a zero tolerance policy. All motorists who were stopped for neglecting to wear a seat belt were reprimanded.

"Florida's record high safety belt compliance rate is a great example of how effective legislation can be," said Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' Executive Director Julie Jones.

In the state of Florida, motorists who are busted without a seat belt up will be slapped with a $30 seat belt violation. If your child is not properly buckled up, you'll receive a $60 violation.

2011 Ticket of Click seat Belt county usage observances:

• Hillsborough: 85.6%


• Marion: 85.6%


• Orange: 85.9%


• Polk: 86.3%


• Miami Dade: 86.5%


• Pinellas: 87%


• Leon: 89.8%


• Broward: 89.8%


• Duval: 88.9%


• Palm Beach: 91%


• Collier 91.2%


• Lee: 92.4%

Continue reading "More Florida Drivers Using Seat Belts and Saving Lives in Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents" »

Florida is one of the few states left that allows drivers to talk on a cell phone while driving, but those days may be limited. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. recently introduced legislation that could potentially, if passed, federalize driving and cell phone usage. As it stands now, each individual state currently manages their cell phone and driving laws. Under the proposed legislation, the U.S. Department of Transportation would be required to set a nationwide standard that would prohibit all drivers from using a cell phone while they're behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, according to Auto Trends Magazine.

Distracted driving car accidents in West Palm Beach and elsewhere in Florida are bound to continue with no state or federal law in effect to ban the use of cell phones by drivers. Drivers who use a cell phone are four times as likely to get into an accident that's serious enough to cause injuries.

Our Palm Beach car accident attorneys understand that roughly 20 percent of all traffic accidents in 2009 that resulted in injury involved reports of distracted driving. If motorists aren't going to curb the habit themselves, it may be necessary to enact a nationwide ban on the dangerous driving habit.

"Driving while making a phone call, texting or using apps can be as dangerous as driving drunk, and much more common," Rep. McCarthy said. "With some basic commonsense rules that are already in place in some parts of the country, we can reduce injuries and save lives in America."

McCarthy's proposed legislation does have exclusions. Drivers will still be able to use a cell phone in the event of an emergency. They will still be able to use their phones if they're voice-operated or if it is part of a vehicle-integrated device. Drivers would also still be allowed to use voice-operated GPS systems.

This proposed nationwide law aims to reduce the number of distracted driving accidents on our roadways. Researchers have concluded that there are still some cognitive distractions present with certain hands-free devices, but it is much less of a problem than using a hand-held device.

If the law were to pass, it would require the DOT to conduct a study on distracted driving. They would have to focus primarily on the issue of cognitive distraction and the impact of distraction on young, newly-licensed drivers. After the study, the DOT would have to report the findings to Congress and provide a list of recommendations for revising the minimum distracted driving prohibitions and penalties that all states are to comply with. Each state would then be given two years to comply with the new law. If a state does not comply, they would lose 25 percent of their federal highway funding.

According to Distraction.gov, nearly 5,500 people died on our roadways because of traffic accidents in 2009. Another 448,000 people were injured in these incidents. Distracted driving was reported to be a contributor to 20 percent of these accidents. More specifically, a cell phone was the reported distraction in 18 percent of all distracted driving-related accidents.

Continue reading "Fewer Palm Beach Car Accidents Likely Result of Nationwide Cell Phone Ban" »

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 Insurance Institute for Highways Safety (IIHS) recently tested the effectiveness of tractor-trailer underride guards. The IIHS is now urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to put tougher regulations in place in an effort to decrease risks of car accidents in West Palm Beach and elsewhere. They're also trying to get the federal government to mandate guards for all large trucks and trailers.

Naples personal injury lawyers urge you to practice cautious driving while sharing the roads with these large tractor-trailers. The lack of protection from American underride guards can provide deadly consequences to those in passenger vehicles who may rear end these commercial vehicles.

"Cars' front-end structures are designed to manage a tremendous amount of crash energy in a way that minimizes injuries for their occupants," said IIHS President Adrian Lund. "Hitting the back of a large truck is a game changer. You might be riding in a vehicle that earns top marks in frontal crash tests, but if the truck's underride guard fails --- or isn't there at all --- your chances of walking away from even a relatively low-speed crash aren't good."

The IIHS proved that these guards can fail in relatively low-speed crashed by testing three separate tractor-trailers and their underride guards, according to Occupational Health & Safety (OHS).

Of the 115 real-life crashes involving underride that the IIHS observed, only 22 of the accidents involved negligible underride, if any at all. In 23 of the 28 accidents that involved a significant amount of underride, an occupant of the passenger vehicle died. These cases also resulted in the entire front-end of the passenger vehicle ending up underneath the back of the truck, causing catastrophic damage.

"Damage to the cars in some of these tests was so devastating that it's hard to watch the footage without wincing. If these had been real-world crashes there would be no survivors," says Lund.

The results of these tests bring up a serious problem that needs to be corrected and regulated by the NHTSA. In 2009, more than 3,000 fatalities and approximately 74,000 injuries were a result of accidents involving large trucks. The IIHS will continue to push for new, stricter regulations in attempt to lower these numbers. Underride accidents can be prevented with the proper equipment.

"Underride standards haven't kept pace with improvements in passenger vehicle crashworthiness," Lund says. "Absent regulation, there's little incentive for manufacturers to improve underride countermeasures, so we hope NHTSA will move quickly on our petition."

Continue reading "Faulty Underride Guards Increase Risks for Fatal Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents" »

While a spilled log truck on Hwy. 97 in Escambia slowed traffic for hours on Monday, the two-vehicle accident thankfully resulted in no serious injuries for either driver, NorthEscambia.com reports.

But a dumped load of heavy logs that spread across the highway and into a homeowner's yard -- and a rolled and twisted trailer frame -- illustrate just how dangerous and potentially deadly a South Florida trucking accident can be.

With 20 years of experience representing hundreds of South Florida accident cases, trucking accident attorneys with the Hollander Law Firm know how to fight for the rights of their clients against large national trucking operations, insurance companies and corporations.

A 2008 NHTSA report indicates that 11 percent of all reported traffic fatalities in the U.S. involved large trucks, claiming 4,229 lives and causing injury to 90,000 passengers, drivers and pedestrians. More than 70 percent of those killed or injured in collisions involving large trucks are occupants of other vehicles.

Nationwide, one out of nine traffic fatalities involved a large truck, and they are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash than a passenger car.

Florida, with 269 deaths, ranks only behind Texas and California for fatal large truck accidents. Florida trucking accidents are often complex cases because commercial drivers are required to follow strict state and federal safety and operational guidelines specific to the trucking industry.

Also, given the travel-based nature of their work, it is common for commercial drivers to hold licenses, work for and be insured by out-of-state companies, which can further complicate filing a claim to seek damages for injury or loss in the wake of a serious accident.

Continue reading " Log truck spill illustrates dangers of Florida semi accidents" »

Road Safe America, an organization dedicated to reducing the number of motorists involved in accidents with semis and large commercial trucks, is urging Gov. Charlie Crist to veto a measure that would allow heavier trucks on Florida roads.

Florida semi accidents continue to pose a serious threat to motorists. In Florida, 269 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents in 2008. Only Texas (421) and California (304) had more deadly trucking accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nationwide, 380,000 trucking accidents killed 4,229 people and injured more than 90,000.

Road Safe America rightly questions why, in the face of those sobering statistics, the state would have passed a measure permitting trucks to add 8,000 pounds of weight --equal to the weight of two passenger cars -- to the 80,000 pounds already permitted by law. A semi can weight as much as 20 times more than a passenger car and motorists don't stand a chance in the event of an accident.

"Floridians must ask themselves 'Who benefits from Governor Crist's raising the weight limit?'" Road Safe Executive Director Tom Hodgson said. The organization said trucks already take up to three-times longer to stop and increasing the weight, without requiring additional axles or braking capabilities, will only increase the risk of Florida trucking accidents.

The Florida Coalition for Safe Highways is also pushing the governor to veto the measure, as is the Florida Safety Council.

"The dangers of increasing tractor-trailer truck weights are well known - they are harder to stop, steer and more vulnerable to roll over during a crash," said Tom Guilmet, the Executive Director of the Florida Safety Council. "But, by far, the most compelling objection to heavier trucks is the fact that they will cause more deaths and injuries on our highways."

The Florida Sheriff's Association is also against the measure.

"What it all boils down to is safety," said Steve Casey, Executive Director at the Florida Sheriffs Association. "The well-being of the hundreds of thousands of motorists who travel on Florida's roadways is being put at risk for the sake of special interests. The heavier the truck, the more difficult it is to control. There's a danger factor that all Floridians should be aware of as far as this legislation is concerned - the fact that they are being ignored is beyond distressing."

The Florida Department of Transportation has determined raising the weight limit will also cost millions of dollar in additional highway maintenance.

"Beyond the safety ramifications, Florida just doesn't have the transportation maintenance funds to make this legislation work," said Fraser Howe, chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers. "We've seen countless state and federal studies that show increased damage occurs to our roads and bridges as a result of higher volumes of heavy big rigs."

The organizations also point out that Florida already permits semis and large commercial trucks to travel at the same speed as passenger cars. States with slower speed limits for large trucks have better safety records.

Continue reading "More South Florida trucking accidents likely to result from increased weight limits" »

Police are investigating a trio of South Florida traffic accidents, including a fatal car accident on Tamiami Trail and a fatal Miami pedestrian accident.

Just before 4 p.m. Monday, rescue workers from Collier County and Miami-Dade responded to a head-on collision involving three vehicles along Tamiami Trail at mile marker 45, Channel 7 News reported.

The driver of a Toyota Sequoia crashed head-on into a Dodge minivan. A third minivan, containing three adults and three children, wrecked trying to avoid the crash. One person was killed in the crash while five others were flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

The Naples Daily News reported that Tamiami Trail was closed from the Miccosukee Casino in Miami-Dade to S.R. 29 in Collier County.

Earlier Monday, Broward County Sheriff Fire Rescue responded to a South Florida semi accident. The truck was engulfed in flames and carrying 200 gallons of fuel and 42,000 pounds of plastic milk cartons. Interstate 75 eastbound was closed for more than 5 hours as authorities worked to clean up the wreckage.

Meanwhile, authorities in Miami continue to search for two people who may have information regarding a fatal hit-and-run accident that left one man dead. The Miami pedestrian accident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday in the 400 block of NW West Park Drive.

Anyone with information about the accident or the owners of a 2009 white Honda with Florida tag 151 WDY can call the Miami-Dade police traffic homicide unit at (305) 471-2425.

Several recent high-profile semi accidents in South Florida offer a stark reminder of the dangers large commercial trucks pose to motorists on the road.

In Florida, semis can legally weight 80,000 pounds -- a primary reason why South Florida trucking accidents are most often fatal for other motorists involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer or other large commercial truck.

Last week, a 14-year-veteran of the Collier County Sheriff's Office was killed in a fiery crash in Lehigh Acres, after his pickup truck was struck by an 18-wheeler, according to The News-Press of Fort Myers.

The driver of the semi was not injured.

Meanwhile, WINK News reports the Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate a deadly trucking accident at mile marker 62 on Alligator Alley. One of the truck drivers was killed in the crash, which involved a Coca-Cola trailer and a flatbed hauling lumber.

Last month, at least two semis crashed near Jupiter, spilling about 200 gallons of diesel fuel in the roadway and trapping one motorist for more than an hour, the Palm Beach Post reported.

The accident closed the southbound lanes of I-95 for several hours.

Continue reading "Rash of South Florida semi accidents a reminder of the dangers large trucks pose to motorists" »