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WINK News is among the media outlets reporting that the grace period for Florida’s texting-while driving law has ended and motorists can expect to be stopped and ticketed for texting behind the wheel as the new year gets underway.

The new law applies to drivers texting on a phone while the car is in motion. Motorists texting while stopped at a red light will not be at fault under the new law. It’s also still permissible to use a phone’s GPS while the vehicle is in motion, though it’s recommended to type in your destination before you start driving.phonedriver-300x225

There was a six-month warning period after the law went into effect in July. After Jan.1, police will begin to issue tickets to law breakers.

The National Safety Council estimates 1.6 million crashes each year are caused by texting drivers. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving, which is now believed to be responsible for 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States.

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A crash that seriously injured four teenagers in Estero is a sobering reminder of the risks young drivers and passengers face on the roads of Southwest Florida, particularly as we approach spring break and the height of tourist season.car accident lawyer

NBC-2 reports the four teens were seriously injured in a collision at the intersection of Three Oaks Parkway and Estero Parkway. The kids, ages 15, 16, 17, and 18, were in a Honda Civic that collided with a minivan, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Two of the teens were taken to Lee Memorial while the others were taken to Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers have posted a number of articles about the dangers teens face on the roads, as well as a number of parental resources, including this guide on buying a vehicle and insuring your young driver.

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How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions?

Regardless of whether you are finding challenge or success in your personal goals for 2020, quietly resolving to be a better driver is a commitment that could save your life and will pay dividends for you and your family for years to come.streetsigns-300x200

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers have been representing injury victims throughout Southwest Florida since 1971 and we remain active in promoting traffic safety throughout the community and in supporting a number of causes to prevent senseless accidents, including combating drunk driving and raising motorcycle safety awareness.

The News-Press reports 95 people were killed in traffic collisions on Lee County roads in 2019.

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A recent report published by City Lab highlights the role media plays in downplaying the fault of drivers for causing auto “accidents.”

Safety advocates have long complained that media outlets tend to blame pedestrians and cyclists who are hit by cars. Research suggests they’re right. But our Fort Myers injury lawyers know the issue also includes motorcycle accidents and a significant number of vehicle-on-vehicle collisions. intersection1-300x225

The term “accident” is almost always a misnomer; the vast majority of serious and fatal traffic collisions in Southwest Florida are caused by avoidable driver error. Media coverage, and official crash investigations may tell part of the story. But an immediate and thorough review of the evidence by an experienced personal injury law firm can serve to uncover additional factors of causation, and may even uncover error or bias on the part of the investigative agency or one or more involved parties.

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Lee County first responders are banding together in a joint effort to reduce holiday travel risks.

FOX4 News reported local safety crews joined together for a  4D press conference. In addition to focusing on  drinking, drugs and distracted driving, the effort will also highlight the risks of drowsy driving.

There have been 89 deadly accidents on Lee County roads as of late November.

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The deaths of two Fort Myers sisters in a traffic accident is a sobering reminder of the risks of driving in Southwest Florida as we head into the height of the holiday travel season.chrsitmassafety-300x225

The sisters, ages 56 and 52, were killed when their car struck an oncoming vehicle while making a turn at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and International Drive, according to NBC-2.The Florida Highway Patrol reports the driver of the other vehicle was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. The sisters were beloved in the community and were involved in numerous charitable organizations and fundraising efforts.

Drivers will face increased risk through the remainder of the holiday season. As our injury lawyers in Fort Myers reported, the shortened holiday season will likely lead to frayed nerves as it coincides with the beginning of the long winter tourism season.

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chrsitmassafety-300x225Black Friday signals the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This year’s season is the shortest possible — 6 days fewer than last year and the fewest number of holiday shopping days since 2013.

Combine that with an early start to frigid northern temperatures that descended upon the midwest before Thanksgiving dinner was on the table, and the forecast in Southwest Florida calls for packed roads and burgeoning malls and shopping centers from now until Christmas Eve Day.

Our injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral wish each of you a safe and blessed holiday season. Staying safe is a proactive activity that approaches the level of a competitive sport as shoppers and arriving winter residents and tourists compete for space.

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A recent tragedy in Southwest Florida highlights the risk of backover and driveway accidents.

The Fort Myers News-Press reported the death of a 5-year-old girl, who was struck and killed in a driveway on Cypress Lake Drive. The Florida Highway Patrol reports the girl was struck by a Jeep Wranger pulling into the driveway around another parked vehicle that was obstructing the driver’s view. kidsplaying-300x214

Injuries to children in driveways most commonly result from backover accidents. Large holiday gatherings are the unfortunate scene of most of these tragedies. The prevalence of large gatherings of family and friends, the start of colder weather up north, and the popularity of today’s large pickup trucks and SUVs all play a role.

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The end of the year is a time of self-reflection and self-renewal. A time for family and for resolutions.

It is also a time when we deal with much of the paperwork that runs our lives. As part of your annual review, our experienced injury lawyers in Cape Coral and Fort Myers urge you to take a careful look at your auto insurance policy to make sure it will be there for you in the event of a serious accident.driver at a glance

For many victims, it will be their own insurance policy that will be the best source of financial relief in the aftermath of a serious or fatal motor vehicle injury. And, for too many, their own auto insurance policy may even turn out to be the only source of compensation.

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The National Safety Council is urging motorists to consider all forms of impairment this holiday travel season.

For more than 20 years, drivers with alcohol concentrations at or above 0.08 have remained involved in about one-third of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. That’s about 10,000 lives lost every year. Our car accident lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral have made fighting for the rights of drunk-driving collision victims a primary focus since 1971.buyabeer-200x300

We remain active this holiday season in supporting the Lee County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and have long supported DUI checkpoints and increased patrols conducted by local law enforcement agencies, including the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cape Coral Police Department.

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