Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Trucking company owners are pushing their drivers to exhaustion. In the United States, driver fatigue causes up to 40% of all truck crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To help reduce the estimated 56,000 sleep-related crashes in the USA, the federal government limits the time a trucker may drive to 10 consecutive hours. A minimum 8 hours rest is required after driving for 10 hours. The rules permit truckers to spend 16 hours driving during any 24-hour period.

Trying to circumvent the rules, however, some owners have falsified company logbooks to conceal that their drivers exceeded the maximum allowable number of daily driving hours. The crash risk doubles from the eighth to the tenth hour of driving, and doubles again from the tenth to the eleventh hour. According to one judge who sentenced a trucking company owner to a year in prison, by falsifying records he “created a conscious risk of death or serious bodily injury.” After any crash involving a truck that injures a client, Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers will examine the driver’s records to determine whether fatigue played a factor.

Whether a truck or a car, if you’re behind the wheel for long periods, combat fatigue as follows:

• 
  • Plan for breaks and layovers

  • Take frequent rest stops, at least every 2 hours.

  • Limit driving between 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., an especially dangerous time.

  • Avoid driving when you’d normally be asleep.

  • Beware of medicines causing drowsiness.
  

If you’ve been injured in an accident, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers at 1 (800) Dial.BLS or log on to www.dialbls.com Fighting for justice since 1971; you pay us nothing unless we win.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office opened June with a crackdown on unsafe commercial trucks in the Naples area in an effort to prevent serious and deadly trucking accidents.

Florida trucking accident lawyers and personal injury and wrongful death attorneys know getting unsafe trucks and truck drivers off our road will reduce serious trucking accidents in Southwest Florida.

We urge motorists to use extra caution around all commercial trucks. A semi or dump truck can weight 70,000 to 80,000 pounds - 20 times the weight of a passenger vehicle. At 70 mph, you don't stand a chance.

Collier County deputies will be stopping commercial vehicles around the clock this week to inspect tires, brakes and other safety equipment in an aggressive enforcement effort of state and federal laws governing commercial vehicles.

"The road check gives law enforcement the opportunity to make sure these vehicles are safe to be out on the roads," said Cpl. Tom Mullen, of the traffic enforcement bureau. "It also forces the owners of these trucks to keep up with the safety standards."

Advocacy groups content 20 to 30 percent of trucks on Florida roads are running overweight at any give time -- and fines in the range of $100 offer little deterrent compared to the profit to be made when large trucks run purposefully overweight.

One in every 10 fatalities is the result of a trucker-related crash -- about 1,000 a year, according to federal statistics. And Florida is one of the most deadly -- second only to Texas in the number of fatal trucking crashes.

Continue reading "Southwest Florida trucking accident lawyers hope law enforcement crackdown leads to fewer trucking accidents" »

In the wake of last week's series on www.injury-lawyer-florida.com about the hazards of aggressive driving, speeding and distracted and drowsy driving, Florida Injury Lawyers has found a comprehensive Internet resource to provide drivers with a refresher course of safe driving tips.

For most of us, driving has become a commonplace activity. Yet it is the only potentially deadly activity most of us engage in on a daily basis. Having written about what not to do, here is a look at 70 safe driving tips we could all benefit from reviewing.

As RoadTrip America put it in debuting its 70 Rules of Defensive Driving: "It's not something we ... like to dwell upon but about 50,000 people die each year in collisions on the roadways of the United States."

Please click here to visit the entire list, courtesy of RoadTrip America, which provides additional information on each safety tip.
1) Pay Attention
2) Don't Trust Nobody!
3) Yield Anyway
4) Don't Speed
5) Don't Drive Impaired
6) Wear Your Seat Belt
7) Buy and Use Other Safety Devices
8) Motorcyclist Protect Thyself!
9) Don't Run Red
10) Drive Precisely
11) Chill Out
12) Look Down the Road
13) Create Space & Use the two-seconds-plus rule
14) Drive to Communicate
15) Drive Predictably
16) Always Signal Your Intentions
17) Know Your Blind Spots
18) Avoid Distractions
19) Avoid Backing Up
20) Beware of Intersections
21) Be a Freeway Pro
22) Know How to Stop
23) Know When to Use Headlights
24) Slow Down in Rain or Snow
25) Maintain Your Vehicle's Tires

Click here for all 70 rules from RoadTrip America, complete with descriptions and other advice for each rule.

Continue reading "Florida injury lawyers urge frequent review of safe-driving habits to help prevent car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents in Southwest Florida" »

Speeding and traveling at speeds unsafe for road, traffic and weather conditions is the focus of Part 2 of Florida Injury Lawyer's three-part series on the high number of traffic accidents caused by aggressive drivers, unsafe speed and distracted and sleepy drivers.

Florida injury lawyers handle hundreds of car accidents, motorcycle accidents and trucking accidents each year caused by unsafe speed throughout Southwest Florida, including Naples, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Venice, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Sebring.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration estimated 15 years ago that speeding cost society $44,193 a minute: That's $63 million a day!

In 2006, more than 50 people lost their life to traffic crashes in each of Florida's 67 counties and speed was often a contributing factor.

Federal statistics show speed is a contributing factor in 1 out of every 3 fatal car crashes.

Speed reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway and it extends the distance required to stop a vehicle in an emergency.

Crash severity also increases with speed. Inversely, the effectiveness of restraint devices like safety bags and seat belts, and vehicle construction features like crumple zones, decline as impact speed increases.

The probability of death, disfigurement or debilitating injury doubles for every 10 mph over 50 mph, according to government statistics.

Many drivers don't consider these dangers. They slow their speed in neighborhoods or when the weather turns bad. To them, a few miles an hour over the speed limit is an acceptable risk. They believe that the worst that can happen to them is they'll get a speeding ticket.

But the facts are clear: Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the speed limit can kill you.

Speed facts:
* Rural roads account for over 60 percent of all speed-related fatal crashes.
* 2 of every three speed-related crashes involve a single vehicle.
* 60 percent of all speed-related fatal crashes occur at night (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
* Drivers involved in speed-related fatal crashes are more likely to have a history of traffic violations.
* On average, 1,000 Americans are killed every month in speed-related crashes.

Youth and Speeding:
* Of all drivers under 24 involved in fatal crashes, 32 percent were speeding.
* Of all drivers under 21 involved in fatal crashes, 38 percent of the male and 24 percent of the female drivers were speeding.

Save gas -- slow down:
* Fuel consumption increases steadily above 45 mph. Cars and light trucks use 50 percent more gas traveling at 75 mph than they do at 55 mph.

Continue reading "Florida Injury Lawyers urge motorists to obey speed limit, reduce car accidents, serious injury, wrongful death" »

This week Florida Injury Lawyers is publishing a trio of articles on www.injury-lawyer-florida.com focusing on behavior that frequently leads to personal injury and wrongful death in preventable car accidents: Aggressive driving, speeding and distracted and sleepy driving.

Florida accident lawyers handle hundreds of cases each year involving car accidents, trucking accidents and motorcycle accidents caused by the negligence of aggressive drivers.

This is not an abstract threat -- you are either at risk or putting people at risk of a car accident or other traffic crash. Consider this: In 2006 alone, an average of more than 700 crashes occurred every day in the State of Florida -- claiming 3,365 lives, or more than 50 people killed in a Florida car accident in each and every county in the state.

Aggressive drivers are some of the highest-risk drivers on the road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They climb into the anonymity of an automobile and take out their frustrations on anybody at anytime. Their concern for fellow motorists is low.

They run stop signs and red lights, speed, tailgate, weave in an out of traffic, pass on the right, make improper and unsafe lane changes, make hand and facial gestures, scream, honk and flash their lights.

Signs you are an aggressive driver:
* You express frustration behind the wheel: Taking out frustrations on other drivers can lead to violence or a crash.
* You fail to pay attention when driving: Talking on the phone, reading, eating, drinking, applying makeup and other distractions are a major cause of traffic crashes.
* You tailgate: This is a major cause of crashes, which too often leads to serious injury or death.
* You run red lights: Do not enter an intersection on a yellow light. The several minutes you might save could cost you your life. Remember that flashing red lights should be treated as a stop sign.
*You speed: Going faster than the posted speed limit, or than road conditions or traffic will safely allow, is a frequent cause of serious car crashes.

Strategies for Safer Driving

*Concentrate: Don't allow yourself to become distracted by anything but the task of driving.
* Relax: Tune the radio (while stopped) to your favorite station and relax. Music can calm your nerves and help you enjoy your time in the car.
* Don't speed: Fewer crashes happen when vehicles are traveling at or about the same speed.
* Identify alternative routes: Even if it looks longer on paper, you may find it less congested.
* Use public transportation: It can give you a much-needed break from life behind the wheel.
* Just be late: If all else fails, be late. You will still arrive at your destination sooner than if you cause a serious car accident that injures you or someone else.

When confronted with aggressive drivers:
* Get out of the way.
* Put your pride aside: Do not challenge them by speeding up, becoming aggressive yourself, or trying to hold your own in your lane.
* Avoid eye contact: It sometimes enrages an aggressive driver.
* Report serious aggressive driving: You or a passenger may call police. But if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location.

Continue reading "Florida Injury Lawyers caution motorists to avoid aggressive driving, prevent car accidents, serious injury, wrongful death" »

South Florida support for preventing serious injury and wrongful death in car accidents caused by distracted drivers could result in a new law banning cell phone use by drivers.

Florida car accident lawyers and personal injury and wrongful death attorneys in Southwest Florida represent hundreds of motorists who are injured or killed each year as a result of distracted driving.

"Stay Alive ... Just Drive!" has announced a joint agreement with "Safety as Floridians Expect," (SAFE), supporting a state and federal ban on text messaging while driving.

The partnership moves all of South Florida to the forefront in the fight against distracted driving. "Stay Alive ... Just Drive," is a driver-safety and awareness organization founded by retired Fort Myers-area paramedic Jay Anderson in Southwest Florida. SAFE is a fast-growing Southeast Florida based education and advocacy group.

Both the Florida House and the Florida Senate are debating measures that would ban text messaging and/or cell phone use by drivers.

There's a multitude of bills in the House and the Senate," Anderson said. "Based on what's happened across the country, there is an increased awareness of the dangers, especially the text messaging. I think we have an opportunity to join other states and it's long overdue."

If adopted, Anderson said Florida would join five other states that ban cell phone use by drivers, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, California and Washington, D.C.

Anderson said the time has come to get real about cell phone use by drivers.

"Realistically, we all have to think about the times it's just not proper to use your cell phone," Anderson said. "Operating a motor vehicle is one of those times. A cell phone and texting ban will help protect all those who use our roads."

SAFE Chairman Jim Smith said it is time for lawmakers to act.

"Text messaging is responsible for many unnecessary deaths on our streets and highways," Smith said. "The only way it can be stopped is by adopting a law banning driver text messaging. It's time for legislators to put people's safety ahead of cell phone lobbyists' interests."

Continue reading "South Florida groups seek to reduce car accidents, serious injury, wrongful death by banning text messaging, distracted driving" »

A tougher seat belt law that would allow law enforcement to stop and ticket violators is moving through Florida's lawmaking process this month and has a better chance of becoming law than in recent years when lawmakers returned to their districts without voting for passage.

Florida auto accident and wrongful death lawyers handle hundreds of cases each year in which drivers and passengers are seriously injured or killed in car accidents, trucking accidents and other highway collisions. Florida injury lawyers urge a comprehensive approach to safe driving as the best protection -- even those wearing seat belts are often seriously injured or killed as the result of a traffic collision.

House Bill 1 and its companion, Senate Bill 344, would permit officers to stop and ticket offenders. Current law allows for seat belt violations to be issued only when a driver has been stopped for another offense.

While only a small percentage of introduced bills become laws each year, the proposal has the support of the American Automobile Associate (AAA) and other advocates for road safety.

"We do feel like we have some momentum this year," Amy Stracke, AAA's managing director of member and business advocacy, told injury-lawyer-florida.com.

Stracke said the issue has passed through the House in each of the last several years but died without being heard in Senate Committee. This year's bill is moving through the process in the Senate. To become law, both the House and the Senate must approve the measure. Any bill that does not pass before lawmakers adjourn in the spring must start the process over again the following year.

Florida would join 26 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in making seat belt violations a primary traffic offense.

Nationally, AAA reports traffic-related injuries are the leading cause of death for people ages 4 to 34.

*29 percent of unrestrained vehicle occupants (or about one in three) are ejected from a vehicle or killed during an accident.

* Three out of four people ejected from a vehicle are killed.

* Only 1 percent of occupants wearing a seat belt are ejected.

* Safety belt usage is an average of 10 percent higher in states with primary enforcement.

In Florida, AAA reported 1,203 people who were not wearing seat belts were killed in traffic accidents in 2007.

* In 2007, more than 850 Floridians were saved by seat belts.

* Supporters estimated the improved law would save 124 lives and prevent more than 1,700 serious injuries each year in Florida.

* Supporters contend that 92 percent of the general public in Florida favors standard
enforcement for all vehicle occupants over the age of 18.

AAA and other groups pushing for the law also argue it is the fiscally responsible thing to do.

* A primary enforcement law would save Florida over $140 million in insurance, Medicaid and other related health care costs during the first year.

* Florida is eligible to receive more than $35 million from the federal government if the law passes.

* Unbuckled crash victims' medical costs are 50 percent higher.

* A decade-long study at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis concluded that comapred to those who were not restrained, patients who used seat belts and airbags together were 50 percent less likely to die in the hospital and treatment costs at the hospital would have been reduced by $60 million over the course of the study.

Continue reading "Tougher seat belt law could save lives, prevent injuries in Florida car accidents, supporters contend" »

Riders and Other Advocates for Road Safety (ROARS) is mounting a community action campaign aimed at reducing road accidents in Southwest Florida.

"We stand behind any cause that seeks to reduce accidents on our roads," said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, which has been dedicated to fighting for the rights of accident victims in South Florida since 1971. "Groups like ROARS can make a real difference, particularly in a tough economy when local and state governments often reduce public-safety spending for education and other awareness programs."

The group will seek to educate the public in an effort to reduce the number of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents and bicycle and pedestrian accidents throughout Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Bonita Springs.

"Though there are many reasons for fatalities on our highways, it is truly the belief of this advocate that an alarming amount of these crashes can be avoided," said Frankie Kennedy, founder and chairman of ROARS.

When it comes to motorcycle fatalities, Kennedy said 85 percent are the result of a vehicle's failure to yield the right of way.

"Most people do no see the motorcycle and, because of its size, they nearly always misjudge its speed," Kennedy said. "Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, has supported the motorcycling community for many years and with their help, we are working very diligently to get our message out."

Kennedy said the group will focus on all forms of road safety as it seeks to educate the public and maintain safety awareness.

ROARS also is active in educating young drivers.

"We will bring our program anywhere we can get a gathering of interested drivers," Kennedy said. "We currently bring a motorcycle safety and driver-awareness seminar to all the local high schools in Lee County and we have touched thousands of student drivers since we started the program. It is of the utmost importance to reach as many people as possible."

Citizens are encouraged to join with ROARS and engage in programs and activities designed to raise public awareness in their communities. The coalition strongly advocates grass roots efforts in the areas of voter registration and the development of proactive relationships with the state's legislators to promote innovative ways to make streets, roads and highways safer for Florida residents and visitors.

ROARS recognizes the inherent dangers associated with every mode of transportation and understands the need for a purposeful and united effort by all drivers, riders and pedestrians to reduce loss due to injuries and death.

For more information about ROARS, please contact Chair and Founder Frankie Kennedy at 239-849-9065 or e-mail swchief2000@yahoo.com.

Continue reading "Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, supports prevention of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents in Southwest Florida" »

The Florida injury lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, begin 2009 with a new toll-free phone number, 1-800-Dial-BLS.

Whether you are injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, truck accident or are the victim of a drunk driving crash or other personal-injury or wrongful-death situation, representatives are available 24 hours a day at 1-800-Dial-BLS to review your case.

The firm has four decades of experience handling car accidents and other personal injury cases throughout Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Arcadia, Port Charlotte, Venice and Sebring.

Started in 1971 by Bruce L. Scheiner, the family-run firm is dedicated to representing Florida residents who have been injured by the negligent or careless acts of other individuals, businesses or insurance companies.

The firm has never worked for big businesses or insurance companies and practices exclusively in the area of personal injury law. Unlike many other firms, which split their attention between personal injury cases and other types of law, like divorce, real estate and criminal cases, Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, is a team of almost 100 professionals dedicated to fighting for justice for those how have been injured or killed in Florida.

Bruce L. Scheiner still hand selects each case the firm represents. Together with his wife Cheryl, who runs the office, and son, Preston J. Scheiner, who is an associate attorney, the Scheiner team is dedicated to getting you and your loved ones the compensation you deserve.

After four decades of service in Southwest Florida, there promise to you is simple: at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, you'll pay nothing unless we win.

Look for the new toll-free hotline throughout Southwest Florida, on billboards, on television, in the yellow pages and online.

Continue reading "Florida injury lawyers debut 1-800-Dial-BLS, for car accident, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents and other personal injury questions in Southwest Florida" »

A new education program aimed at increasing awareness of the dangers of distracted driving is now available in Southwest Florida.

Florida injury lawyers and personal injury attorneys routinely handles crashes caused by distracted drivers and urge motorists to pay attention to the road for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Distracted driving often contributes to car accidents, motorcycle accident, trucking accidents, and accidents involving bicycles and pedestrians throughout Southwest Florida.

The program -- offered by "Stay Alive... Just Drive!" and its founder, retired Fort Myers-area paramedic Jay Anderson -- is available for purchase or for presentation to non-profit and other groups as an educational resource.

"It's a very comprehensive presentation aimed at raising the awareness of distracted driving in all forms," said Anderson, who likens distracted driving to driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs.

Anderson is supporting Heather's Law -- Florida Senate Bill 172, which will be debated in the upcoming spring session of the Florida legislature -- which would make it illegal to talk on the phone or text message while driving.

"Results of various studies have proven the dangers of distracted driving and obviously people are not going to make an attempt by themselves," said Anderson of the law. If passed, Florida would join half-a-dozen states with similar restrictions.

The law is named for a Florida teenager who was killed in a crash with a truck driver, who was allegedly text messaging at the time.

The distracted driving presentation "LOL I"M NT BSY I'M ONLY DRIVING," takes about 60 minutes.

Anderson said the typical driving distraction lasts three seconds -- enough time for a car going 45 mph to travel more than half the length of a football field.

A 2006 study of 100 drivers by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found driver distractions are the cause of 80 percent of vehicle crashes and 65 percent of near misses.

Those wanting more information can call "Stay Alive ... Just Drive!" at (239) 340-8693.

Continue reading "Distracted driving prevention program aimed at reducing car accidents in Southwest Florida" »

Southwest Florida motorists should pay close attention at Lee County's most dangerous intersections, where serious car accidents are often a weekly occurrence.

Florida injury lawyers and personal injury attorneys often deal with serious personal injury cases resulting from car accidents, motorcycle accidents and trucking accidents at dangerous intersections in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, North Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres.

According to the Lee County Department of Transportation, 103,550 vehicles a day passed through the intersection of U.S. 41 and Cypress Lake/Daniels Parkway in the most recent year for which statistics are available. The 106 accidents, or almost two a week, make the Fort Myers intersection home to the most accidents in Southwest Florida.

However, Gunnery Road/Daniels Parkway and State Road 82 had the highest accident rate when figured by traffic volume -- 53 crashes, or more than one a week, despite serving just 32,950 cars a day, or less than one-third the number of cars at U.S. 41 and Daniels.

Below is a listing of some of the area's most dangerous intersections. Note that an intersection could have a smaller number of total accidents but rank higher in overall accident rate (accidents per vehicle) because of the amount of overall traffic at that intersection.

Dangerous intersections in Fort Myers led to a high number of car accidents at the following locations:
- Cypress Lake/Daniels Parkway and U.S. 41: 106 annual crashes is the most overall. Ranks 9th highest of 117 rated intersections according to the rate of accident per vehicle.
- Gladiolus Dr/Six Mile Cypress and U.S. 41: 94 annual crashes is second-highest overall. Ranks 11th of 117 rated intersections according to the rate of accidents per vehicle.
- College Parkway/Woodland Boulevard and U.S. 41: 79 crashes is third-highest overall. Ranks 13th of 117 rated intersections according to the rate of accidents per vehicle.
- Colonial Boulevard and Ortiz/Six Mile Cypress: 77 annual crashes is fourth highest overall. Ranks 16th highest of 117 rated intersections when adjusted for overall traffic figures.

Dangerous intersections in Lehigh Acres led to a high number of car accidents and other crashes:
- Gunnery Road/Daniels Parkway and SR 82: 53 accidents gives it the highest rate of accidents per vehicle of the 117 rated intersections in Lee County.
-Gunnery Road N and Lee Boulevard: 45 accidents gives it the 6th highest accident rate of 117 rated intersections in Lee County.

Dangerous accidents in Bonita Springs, Estero, San Carlos Park areas contribute to a large number of car accidents and other crashes:
- Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway: 43 accidents gives it the 7th highest accident rate of 117 rated intersections.
- Corkscrew Road and I-75 Exit 123 Northbound Ramp: 23 accidents is the 9th highest accident rate of 117 rated intersections.
- Alico Road and U.S. 41: 54 accidents is 17th overall.
- Bonita Beach Road and U.S. 41: 52 accidents is 24th highest accident rate of the 117 rated intersections.

North Fort Myers and Cape Coral intersections that have a high rate of car accidents and other crashes:
-Pondella Road and U.S. 41: 62 accidents is the 4th highest rate of the 117 rated intersections.
- Del Prado Boulevard S. and Veteran's Parkway: 64 accidents is 12th highest rate of accidents of the 117th rated intersections.
- Pine Island Road and U.S. 41: 55 accidents is 15th highest rate of 117 rated intersections.

Click here for a complete list of intersections.

Continue reading "Southwest Florida car accidents likely to occur at Lee County's most dangerous intersections" »

Some 148,000 people suffer a car accident each year without ever getting behind the wheel: They are injured by a closing car door in what the federal government has announced is the most common non-moving injury inflicted by automobiles.

For the first time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has collected data for non-traffic related death and injuries and non-crash related death and injuries to the ways in which people are seriously injured or killed in or around automobiles.

"It shows you don't have to be in a moving vehicle to be seriously injured," said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers.

Florida Injury Lawyers point out such cases can involve legal questions surrounding car accidents, bicycle and pedestrian injuries, property and premise liability law, slip and fall issues, injuries to children, vehicle defect, defective product law and other legal issues.

"The bottom line is, if you are seriously injured you should contact a lawyer to examine whether you have a case," Scheiner said.

Such dangers are now being tabulated by the federal government, including: falls from vehicle, battery acid and antifreeze burns, jack accidents, tire explosions, window strangulation, and those injured or killed by being locked in the trunk.

"I don't think anyone until now had an accurate sense of the extent of vehicle-related injuries and fatalities that did not occur on a public highway," NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson told Forbes Magazine. "It certainly underscores the risks that exist in a vehicle whether it's on the road or off, and I hope it will call some attention to some of those issues."

The new statistics also shed light on what the government terms Nontraffic crash fatalities and injuries, including single-vehicle crashes on private roads, collisions with pedestrians on driveways and two-vehicle crashes in parking facilities.

Bicyclists and pedestrians account for about half (614 of 1,159) of non-traffic crash fatalities and about a third (34,000 of 98,000) of non-traffic injuries.

Backovers, where drivers injure or kill a non-occupant by reversing over them, account for another 19 percent of fatalities and 14 percent of injuries.

Annual average of non-crash fatalities by type:
Struck by falling vehicle: 168
Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from exhaust: 147
Fall from vehicle: 88
Vehicle fire: 57
Struck by Object: 44
Hyperthermia (excessive heat): 37
Hypothermia (excessive cold): 14
Poisoning: 9
Exploding Tire: 7
Vehicle window asphyxia: 5
Electrocution: 4
Drowning: 3
Closed in trunk: 3
Radiator fluid burns: 2

The government reported that 22 percent of injuries (164,000 of 743,000) occur as people enter or exit a vehicle: falls (84,000), striking a door or door frame (36,000) and in other situations such as sprains or strains while exiting (44,000).

Continue reading "Florida motorists warned of car accidents waiting to happen" »

Nearly 1 in every 4 drivers on Florida roads is driving without insurance, a number likely to increase with a souring economy. The trend is prompting Florida injury lawyers to encourage motorists to make sure their uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is adequate in the event of a serious accident.

The attorneys and staff at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, encourage Florida drivers to make sure they have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. It can be purchased as stacked or unstacked.

Florida Personal Injury Lawyer Preston J. Scheiner, said motorists with more than one vehicle are encourage to purchase stacked coverage because it affords the potential for better benefits in the event of an accident with an uninsured driver.

Scheiner said motorists should purchase as much coverage as they can afford. "It is relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of being hit by an uninsured driver," he said.

The recent report released by the Insurance Research Council ranked Florida as fifth-highest in the nation, with 23 percent of drivers without insurance, compared to a national average of 13 percent.

Florida joined New Mexico (29 percent), Mississippi (28 percent), Alabama (26 percent), and Oklahoma (24 percent) as the states with the highest number of uninsured motorists on the road.

While nationally the rate has decreased from 14.9 percent in 2003 to 13.8 percent in 2007, the Insurance Research Council reports the recent economic downturn is expected to trigger a sharp rise in the number of uninsured motorists on our roads.

"An increase in the number of uninsured motorists is an unfortunate consequence of the economic downturn and illustrates how virtually everyone is affected by recent economic developments," said Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC.

Continue reading "Florida accident attorneys warn of possible spike in uninsured motorists" »

The News-Press of Fort Myers reported Tuesday that a dump truck ran a red light and crashed into a Lee County school bus, sending both drivers and two students to the hospital with unspecified injuries as a result of the Fort Myers dump truck accident.

The Florida car wreck attorneys and trucking accident attorneys at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, want to remind motorists to pay extra attention to large trucks on the road and use extra caution when near commercial trucks.

A dump truck can weigh 70,000 pounds when fully loaded -- more than 20 times the weight of a passenger car. A loaded semi can weight even more.

The dump truck, pictured here in a photograph by The News-Press, was heading westbound on Palm Beach Boulevard when authorities report that it failed to stop at the red light at Davis Boulevard, striking the southbound bus on the driver's side.

Continue reading "Dump truck runs red light, hits school bus in Fort Myers truck accident" »

The dangerous and deadly business of running red lights at Southwest Florida intersections is increasingly caught on camera – a costly, if not fatal error for the driver and evidence increasingly used in court by criminal and accident lawyers.

Lee County is testing a camera at Colonial Boulevard and Summerlin Road, The News-Press reports, and cameras at other intersections could be on the way.

Orlando and Collier County, including the City of Naples, already use the cameras and have written local laws to get around a state prohibition against ticketing offenders based on video evidence (current state law only allows such ticketing for toll cheaters).

The accident attorneys and staff at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers urge motorists to use caution at intersections. The firm has handled hundreds of cases where motorists are seriously injured or killed in an intersection accident because an offender was in a hurry and failed to stop at a red light or stop sign.

Lee County will use the camera to determine how many tickets it could issue and how many extra staff members it would take to process violators. State lawmakers are likely to take up the cause of allowing tickets to be issued this year, even without a special ordinance.

Detractors point out that vehicle owners would get the ticket in the mail, regardless of who was caught on camera driving. And there is some data to suggest that rear-end collisions have increased at intersections where cameras have been installed.

But the deadly issue is getting increased attention. Several years ago, the state doubled the cost of red-light tickets and passed a substantial portion of the proceeds on to trauma centers, including Lee Memorial Hospital, which deal with the carnage left in the wake of someone in too big of a hurry to pay attention to one of driving’s most basic safety requirements.

More than 13,000 crashes were reported at Lee County intersections during the last three years.

A recent nationwide study of deadly crashes at traffic signals found nearly 1 in 4 failed to obey the light, injuring more than 144,000 people nationwide in 2006. Nearly half the fatalities caused by red-light runners are pedestrians and vehicle passengers, according to information gathered by Jay Anderson, a retired Fort Myers-area paramedic and founder of "Stay Alive ... Just Drive," a campaign that urges motorists to concentrate on driving and avoid distractions like cell phones.

A 2007 California study found red-light runners were three times more likely to have multiple speeding convictions, were less likely to use seatbelts and drove smaller and older vehicles, further increasing their chance of serious injury or death.

Continue reading "Southwest Florida points cameras at red light violators, aims to reduce accidents" »

Florida drivers could be banned from using cell phones or text messaging while driving if retired Fort Myers-area paramedic Jay Anderson succeeds in pushing a new law aimed at reducing serious and fatal traffic crashes on our roads.

"Stay Alive ... Just Drive!", an organization Anderson founded, was named the Outreach Effort of the Year by the Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition on the same day he learned a Fort Myers driver caused a five-car pile up because she was text messaging.

Anderson, whose organization is vocal in warning of the dangers of using cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, said the accident is yet another payment toward the growing cost of a serious problem.

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, which was named sponsor of the year by the injury prevention coalition but is not involved in the effort to push for the new law, urges motorists to pay attention to the road and put safety first.

"Heather's Law", named for 26-year-old Heather Hurd who died in January on U.S. 27 in a 10-car crash caused by a semi driver who was allegedly text messaging, began the lawmaking process this month when it was introduced by two state senators.

"It's very, very sad and totally preventable," said Anderson, of the crash, which claimed several lives and critically injured several others. He said Hurd was on her way to the wedding planner with her fiancé. Her parents were waiting at the wedding planner when authorities arrived to inform them of the tragedy. "People need to accept it -- these things are preventable. They are not accidents. Ninety percent of all crashes are the direct result of driver error."

Anderson said the fact that this was a semi driver accused of text messaging shows distracted driving is not limited to any one segment of society.

"It's becoming so obvious that I think it is making more people aware that it is a problem -- you can sit at any intersection and look left or right and you are going to encounter someone on a cell phone," Anderson said. "It encompasses all ages, from new drivers to people in their 80s."

While only a small percentage of bills introduced into the lawmaking process each year actually become law, Anderson is optimistic that Florida will join five other states that he said currently ban cell phone use by drivers, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, California and Washington, D.C.

"We are off to a good start and I think we have some great legislative support," he said.

Continue reading "Florida could outlaw cell phone use by distracted drivers in wake of fatal semi accident" »

Increased patrol will be aimed at reducing car accidents and drunk driving crashes this Thanksgiving holiday as authorities seek to reduce serious injury and wrongful death on Florida highways.

“The Thanksgiving Holidays are typically a time of heavy traffic as people travel to spend time with their families so we urge everyone driving on our highways during the holiday period to drive carefully,” said Colonel John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination safely, drive sober and buckle up on each and every trip. The holidays are a time for celebration, but we cannot forget safety behind the wheel.”

The patrol cites failure to drive carefully and wear safety belts, along with drunk drivers, as primary causes of accidents through the holiday.

“Since Thanksgiving always produces a high volume of traffic, the Florida Highway Patrol will increase its presence on Florida roadways during the upcoming five-day holiday period,” Czernis announced.

The patrol said it will use troopers normally assigned to administrative duties as well as auxiliary and reserve troopers to patrol high-volume roadways.

Continue reading "Preventing holiday traffic accidents goal in Southwest Florida" »

Targeting drivers contributing to Florida semi crashes and large truck and bus accidents will be a priority heading into the holidays, authorities announced this week.

“During this operation, FHP troopers and Motor Carrier Compliance officers will be watching for unsafe drivers, especially those who contribute to collisions between passenger vehicles and large trucks or school buses,” said Colonel John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, noting the agency believes most commercial drivers act responsibly. “However, because of vehicle size, weight and the type of cargo hauled by commercial vehicles, the potential for causing significant damage to other vehicles or property is very real. Therefore, it is imperative that commercial truck drivers obey state and federal laws and regulations meant to protect their safe passage and that of the motoring public.”

Trucking companies have an obligation to put safe trucks and safe drivers on the road. When they don’t, innocent people can be seriously injured or killed. Dump trucks and semis can weight 70,000 to 80,000 pounds – 20 times the weight of a 4,000 pound passenger car.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in an accident with a commercial truck, there are certain things you can do to help protect your rights. Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, offers free appointments with an attorney to discuss your rights.

State traffic statistics show commercial vehicles were involved in more than 18,000 crashes that resulted in 365 deaths in 2007.

“Drivers of smaller vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all at a considerable disadvantage when involved in collisions with large trucks,” the patrol reported in announcing this week’s initiative.

The patrol said the operation will include all available patrol personnel using laser, radar, video cameras, motorcycles and unmarked patrol cars as well as pilots in the air directing troopers on the ground to violators.

Continue reading "Florida semi accidents, bus, large truck crashes targeted to reduce risk of serious injury and death" »

The recent deadly semi truck accident that spilled $182,000 worth of nickels across a Florida highway serves as a stark reminder of the enormous weight packed into semis and the devastation such accidents cause.

Semi and large truck accidents can lead to serious injury or death, in part because a fully loaded truck can weigh 20,000 pounds, more than five times the weight of a passenger car.

Anyone who has been in an accident with a semi should consider consulting a qualified attorney like those at Florida-Injury-Lawyers and Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner Personal Injury Lawyers, for a free consultation to discuss their rights.

The 3.5 million nickels would have made 82,500 rolls of coins weighing about 7,700 pounds – or about one-third of a semi’s maximum load.

Continue reading "Fatal I-95 semi accident a reminder: Heavy trucks can pose danger to Southwest Florida motorists" »