Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
You better be careful out there. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), officials with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are on the hunt for dangerous drivers as part of Operation Safe Driver.
We’ve got the beginning of season, which coincides with the busy holiday travel period. Football and the trio of year-end holidays increase the risk of drunk driving accidents. Motorcycles are hitting the road for the winter riding season. And our teenagers are behind the wheel and always benefit from proper guidance in the fight to stay safe.
During the month of October, FHP officers will be pushing the national awareness and enforcement campaign that’s used to target the unsafe driving habits of both commercial and non-commercial drivers. During this time, they’ll be conducting a number of commercial-vehicle driver-safety inspections across the state.
Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers know with the increase in traffic, we can all get a little irritated behind the wheel. t’s important that we take a step back and focus on safe and responsible driving during this time of the year. This is especially important on busy, fast-traveling roadways, like Interstate 75, where there are large commercial vehicles. Accidents involving these tractor-trailers typically result in very serious or fatal injuries to the occupants of passenger cars. Our passenger vehicles stand little to no chance against the weight, size and power of these trucks.
“The campaign aims to educate all motorists on the risks involved with aggressive and distracted driving around large trucks,” says Col. David Brierton, Director of the FHP.
Safe Driving Tips for Traveling with Trucks:
-Stay calm. These vehicles travel a lot differently than the vehicles we drive. Allow them extra time and space on our roadways.
-Make sure you never cut in front of a truck and you never follow too closely behind one. They take longer to accelerate and brake.
-Never engage in distractions behind the wheel. The road needs your full attention!
-Adjust your driving habits to accommodate the weather and traffic conditions.
-Make sure you obey all road laws, including posted speed limit signs and other traffic devices.
-Make your maneuvers in traffic as predictable as possible. Always use a blinker. You should always drive with your headlights on, too. This will help to make you more visible. Stay one step ahead of the traffic around you.
-Always wear your seat belt. These devices can mean the difference between life and death in an accident with a commercial truck.
-Never travel in a truck’s blind spots. These are the spots to the side, in the back and directly in front of a truck. In these areas, truckers cannot see you. Remember, if you can’t see the driver then they cannot see you.
FHP officials will be conducting a number of safety inspections to help to further your safety. Last year, officers conducted more than 100,000 inspections on commercial vehicles. Close to 20,000 of these trucks and these drivers were put out of service because of the safety violations that were discovered.
If you or someone you love has been injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. 1-800-283-2900.
More Blog Entries:
Teen Drivers and Texting: National Campaign Stops in Fort Myers, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 18, 2012
Parents Shaping Teen Driver Habits through Example, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 9, 2012
