Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

We often hear about the importance of car seats to help prevent injuries to children and to keep them safe while traveling in automobiles. However, we don't often hear about the importance of booster seats. When children reach the age of 4 in the state of Florida, parents are no longer required to use car seats, and have the option of using a seat belt, a separate carrier, or a booster seat as a means to keep their children safe. Why are booster seats merely an option when studies show that booster seats are safer than just using seat belts? Earlier this year, a bill that would require the use of booster seats stalled in the Florida Legislature. Opponents of the bill favored education and awareness on booster seats over making it a law. Currently, 47 states in the country require the use of booster seats. The only states without this requirement are South Dakota, Arizona, and Florida.

When children are between the ages of 4 and 8, they are in that gray area where they have outgrown their car seats, but are too small to use a seatbelt. Because seatbelts were designed for larger frames, they do not fit a child properly and can cause injuries known as "seatbelt syndrome" if an auto accident occurs. For example, the lap belt is made to sit on the pelvis of an adult, but on a child, it sits on the abdomen, increasing the risk of abdominal and spinal cord injuries. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, children in this age group who use booster seats are 59 percent less likely to sustain injuries than children who only use seatbelts. Studies from other publications also point to the dangers in only using seat belts for children, as the likelihood of head injuries increases by 4 to 5 times, and abdominal injuries increase by 3 times. It is recommended that children start using seatbelts when they are between 8 and 12 years old and are at least 4'9".

Auto accidents are the number one cause of death for children between 2 and 14 years old, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, the likelihood of death in an auto accident decreases by 28 percent for children who are properly restrained. A report by Channel 4 in Jacksonville earlier this year revealed that an alarming 83% of children ages 4 to 8 are restrained using seat belts, not booster seats. It is important for parents and caretakers to learn about the use of booster seats as a way to help prevent injuries to children while riding in motor vehicles. Safe Kids USA, a non-profit organization that provides information on preventing childhood injuries, offers tips on booster seat and seat belt usage.

Continue reading "Booster Seats Can Help Save Lives...So Why Doesn't Florida Require Them? " »

Distracted drivers. Traffic congestion. Speeding. This happens on Florida's I-95 every day, and it may come as no surprise to Florida drivers that this highway is the deadliest road in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At 1.73 fatal car accidents per mile from 2004 to 2008, Florida's 382-mile highway tops the list of the most dangerous roads, which also ranks Florida's I-4 at number 3, according to further analysis by The Daily Beast.

Distractions such as cell phones and vehicle navigation systems, combined with the high volume of traffic on I-95, are a dangerous combination and increase the likelihood of getting into an accident, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Florida auto accidents involving distracted drivers resulted in 1,436 injuries and 15 deaths in 2008, according to a Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles report. Distractions such as texting while driving reduce a driver's reaction time and can cause serious, sometimes fatal, auto accidents. Congested roadways are also an issue, but adding more lanes to I-95 is no longer an option, according to The Florida Department of Transportation.

Summer is often the time when families take road trips, which leads to busier roadways. The summer months have been called the most dangerous months for drivers, the "100 deadliest days," according to Road Safe America, an organization that promotes highway safety and also offers safety tips for drivers. According to the NHTSA, 50,765 deadly car accidents occurred in the U.S. from June through August of 2004 to 2008.

Continue reading "Attention Florida Drivers: I-95 Named Deadliest Highway in the U.S. " »

A Florida woman has died after a blown tire caused her vehicle to roll over on I-95. Katherine Parker was driving her 2000 Ford SUV on I-95 near Malabar, Florida, on June 21st when, according to a witness, one of her back tires blew out causing her vehicle to flip three times and catch on fire. The 19-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from her SUV before the vehicle caught on fire. Parker died two days later from the injuries she sustained during this rollover accident.

Another Florida auto accident linked to a tire blowout involved a Florida police officer a few years ago. Unfortunately the trooper died after his rear tire blew out during a police chase. Tire blowouts are one of the major causes of car accidents. According to tire manufacturer statistics, tire blowouts account for nearly 535 deaths and 23,000 auto accidents each year.

A tire blowout occurs when a tire becomes suddenly deflated while driving. The Florida Highway Patrol recommends checking tire pressure prior to driving, as tires that are under-inflated and exposed to heat are susceptible to tire separation. When a tire separates, it becomes a challenge to control a vehicle, especially while driving at a higher speed. Drivers often lose control of their vehicles during a tire blowout. It is important for drivers to learn how to prevent a tire blowout from happening in the first place. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers some useful tips for tire blowout prevention.

Continue reading "Fatal Florida Auto Accident Linked to Tire Blowout" »

If you like reclining your seat back when riding in a car, you should be aware of the danger in doing so. Last month a federal jury in Texas awarded $1.8 million to the family of a young woman who lost her life in a car accident while riding as a passenger with her seat fully reclined. It is recommended that automobile seats should not be reclined past a 45 degree angle while traveling because the seat belt system becomes less effective and places the passenger at a greater risk of injury or death.

In July 2007, 19-year-old Sarah Goodner was napping in the front seat of a Hyundai Tucson driven by her sister when the SUV rolled over. Goodner was ejected from the vehicle even though she was wearing her seatbelt. According to trial evidence, Goodner slid out from under the lap belt. The jury blamed Hyundai for "using a defective reclining seat system." Goodner's attorney said Hyundai did not use safety technology that would keep seats from being reclined further than a 45 degree angle or use a system that would bring a tilted seat back to its upright position if an automobile accident occurs. Hyundai attorneys argued that the vehicle driven by Goodner's sister met vehicle standards and had a 5-star safety rating. They also argued that people should read the fine print in the owner's manual.

Reclining one's seat to extreme angles while traveling in a vehicle is extremely unsafe. At greater than a 45 degree angle, the seatbelt straps ride higher up on the body than they are supposed to, causing the upper strap to sit near or on the neck and the lower strap to sit closer to the stomach. This can be dangerous during a car accident because the force against the seat belt could cause injuries such as internal bleeding . In addition to risking injuries from the seatbelts, the positioning of the body at these angles makes it more susceptible to serious spinal cord injury or even death, as in Sarah Goodner's case.

In the late 1980's, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration research the risk of seat reclining, but the NHTSA dismissed the request, in part because the owner's manuals offered warnings to consumers about the potential risk. Despite the concern from the NTSB, warning labels on automobile seats have yet to become a requirement for auto makers.

Concerned consumers should check their vehicle's owner's manual and ensure they are properly using all safety equipment before operating the automobile. It is also important for people to understand the dangers of reclining one's car seat and to keep that in mind while riding in a vehicle.

Continue reading "Warning: Driving With Automobile Seats Reclined Can Cause Death" »

Florida residents and consumers across the country have been advised not to purchase the Lexus GX 460 SUV until issues with the vehicle's electronic stability control are resolved. This latest warning comes from Consumer Reports after labeling the car a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" as a result of on-track safety testing. According to ConsumerReports.org, the Lexus SUV is a rollover risk because the electronic stability control fails to engage quickly enough to prevent the back wheels from sliding and causes the vehicle to go sideways.

The test conducted by Consumer Reports simulated a driver taking a curve at high-speed and then attempting to slow down by releasing the accelerator through the turn. Although most cars with electronic stability control compensate for such a situation by cutting engine power and braking individual wheels, the Lexus stability control took too long to engage and correct such driving pattern and allowed the wheels to slide out from under the vehicle. Consumer Reports conceded that neither of the two Lexus SUVs tested actually rolled over during testing, but the poor performance of the vehicle makes the back wheels more likely to come into contact with a curb or leave the roadway causing the vehicle to overturn.

Vehicles that fail to properly prevent rollover accidents because of defective safety equipment should be of great concern to Florida drivers since this state sees more than its fair share of rollover accidents every year. According to the 2008 Traffic Crash Statistic Report from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 348 fatal crashes, 8,748 injury crashes, and 1,729 vehicle/property damage crashes involved an overturned vehicle during the reporting year.

Toyota responded to the concerns over its luxury brand's SUV by agreeing to conduct similar testing to identify the problem. Toyota said that similar testing was conducted on the Lexus GX 460 during development and that the vehicle had met all federal testing requirements. This latest safety concern adds to the growing list of Toyota complaints that began with defective pedals and uncontrollable acceleration of many of their models.

Consumer Reports is advising people not to purchase the Lexus GX 460 until a solution is made available potentially through a software update. Owners of the Lexus SUV were instructed to exercise caution when on highway exit ramps and winding roads, to be alert for road hazards, and to always obey the speed limit.

Continue reading "Toyota's Lexus SUV a Potential Rollover Risk" »

If you're a Florida driver, you should think twice before texting and driving now more than ever. A bill to stop texting while driving has been unanimously approved by a House committee in the state's capital, Tallahassee. If the texting ban law is passed, Florida will join 19 other states that have already banned texting and driving.

According to The Miami Herald, if the law is passed, drivers in Florida would not be able to read information on their phones or send texts when driving. Unfortunately, texting would only be chargeable as a secondary offense; meaning if you're texting and driving, you would also have to be speeding or committing some other offense in order for the police to cite you. Initially, some lawmakers such as Rep. Doug Holder pushed to make texting while driving a primary offense, but realized they would face too much resistance and agreed to the current version of the bill. Other lawmakers, however, still want to see tougher enforcement.

It is common knowledge that using a cell phone while driving is distracting and could cause a car accident. But seeing the statistics will hopefully keep drivers' eyes on the roads. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), distractions contribute to 80 percent of crashes, and people who use mobile devices increase their chances by four times of getting into an accident where they could get injured.

Earlier this year the Department of Transportation banned truck drivers across the country from texting while driving. Studies have shown that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving because it takes longer for a driver who is texting to react and hit the brakes than a driver who has been drinking.

Continue reading "Florida Gets Closer to Banning Texting and Driving" »

When Toyota recalled over 2 million cars last month, it was too late for one Houston family. Michael Harris is suing Toyota for an accident that caused his wife's death just a week before Christmas 2009.

Trina Harris was killed instantly when her car ran a stop sign and hit a cement wall on December 18th. She was driving a 2009 Corolla, one of the vehicles that Toyota recalled in January. Mr. Harris says his wife had mentioned that her car sometimes sped up on its own. He wants Toyota to be held accountable for its alleged negligence.

Mr. Harris claims Toyota was aware of the vehicle defect in the 2009 Corolla his wife was driving but did nothing to fix the problem. He is also suing the vehicle's gas pedal manufacturer and the company that leased the car to his wife. Mr. Harris, who serves in the Navy, is now left to take care of his two daughters.

Toyota recalled over 4 million cars in November to fix accelerator issues. Unfortunately, the recall did not involve the 2009 Toyota Camry that Trina Harris was driving. In January, it recalled 2.3 million vehicles because of accelerator problems and soon after that stopped sales in the U.S. on several of its models.

In recent news, Toyota has recalled over 400,000 hybrids, including Prius, around the world because of brake issues.

Continue reading "Houston Man Sues Toyota over Accident that Killed his Wife" »

After a recent recall that affected 2.3 million vehicles, Toyota has put the brakes on sales of eight of its models in the U.S. because of accelerator problems. In the latest reports, the recall has just been extended to Europe and China, and possibly Britain as well.

Toyota Motor Corp. has announced its decision to stop sales and North American production so that the gas pedal issue on the affected models can be fixed. It is not yet known how many vehicles in Europe or Britain could be recalled. According to the UK's Guardian, plans for Toyota to stop production at its British plants have not yet been announced, however the company warned that 750 jobs could be cut in the UK. Toyota also plans to recall over 75,000 RAV4 vehicles made in China between March 2009 and January 2010.

Toyota has also announced plans to inspect 1.1 million vehicles in the U.S. in addition to the 2.3 million it most recently recalled.

The recalls have been prompted by reports of involuntary acceleration resulting from gas pedal defects. Toyota previously recalled over 4 million vehicles in the U.S. in November 2009 due to gas pedal issues. Several car accidents, and some fatalities, were reported from sudden speed caused by defective gas pedals. U.S. Congress has just announced it will launch an investigation on Toyota's manufacturing problems that may have led to the death of 19 people in the last decade.

The affected models in the U.S. recall include the popular Camry, Corolla and RAV4. For a complete list, visit the Toyota website.

Toyota's cost-cutting methods have been scrutinized in the past few years as the company has aggressively pursued leadership in global sales. Many have blamed Toyota's vigorous growth for the problems in vehicle quality. Toyota's former president, Katsuaki Watanabe, admitted to this after a 2006 criminal investigation was conducted by the Japanese government. Nobody was charged in this investigation, which associated vehicle problems to some car accidents in Japan.

If you have been injured as a result of defective vehicle manufacturing, call us today for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys are experienced in handling car accident and dangerous product cases, and will fight to get you the compensation you may be entitled to.

Dan Irving Cytryn is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer handling injury and accident cases for more than 29 years. He has received a 10.0 rating on AVVO, a lawyer rating service, which is the highest rating given for a lawyer. He is also rated the highest ability and ethics rating, "AV", by Martindale Hubbell, a company rating lawyers for more than 100 years.

Ford recently settled for a confidential amount with a woman who was paralyzed in a 2005 collision involving a 2002 Ford Explorer. This decision came after a jury considered punitive damages and had already ordered Ford to pay over $16 million to compensate for negligently designed rear seats and seat belt structure on the Ford Explorer.

Lynn Wheeler was a passenger in the Explorer when it was struck head on by another driver. She was riding in the back seat between the booster seats her grandchildren were sitting in. The only thing restraining Wheeler was a lap belt. Upon impact, the rear seat latch broke, causing the back seat to collapse on her. Her head and neck were pushed forward into the center console, resulting in devastating spinal cord injuries. She is now in a wheelchair and on a ventilator.

Wheeler's lawsuit challenged Ford's decision to install a lap belt instead of a three-point shoulder belt and accused Ford of negligently designing the rear seat latch. Now, thanks to a law that went into effect in 2007, automobile manufacturers are forbidden from installing lap-only seat belts for rear middle seats.

Ford argued that it met government safety standards and defended its decision to install lap belts in the Explorer's rear bench seat.

The jury sided with Wheeler - Ford was ordered to pay over $16 million in damages. The driver who collided into the Explorer was ordered to pay $1.2 million.

Ford has been in the press several times in relation to rollover accidents. A California woman's rollover accident involving her 1997 Ford Explorer is an example of one major case where Ford was under fire for being prone to rollovers. The woman sued Ford when the roof on her Explorer collapsed on her during her rollover accident. She became paralyzed as a result of the spinal injuries she suffered in the accident. The jury found Ford was aware the roof on the Explorer would collapse during a rollover accident, and awarded her over $82 million.

Each year, thousands of people are injured or killed in SUV accidents. Vehicle manufacturers have a responsibility to make safe vehicles for consumers. At the same time, consumers should be armed with as much knowledge as possible before buying a vehicle. The following websites contain important vehicle information:

Safercar.gov is a government website that has information on crash test ratings, recalls, safer driving tips, etc.

Consumerreports.org is a nonprofit established to protect consumers and offer objective product reviews.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides vehicle ratings, statistics, news and more.

Dan Irving Cytryn is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer handling injury and accident cases for more than 29 years. He has received a 10.0 rating on AVVO, a lawyer rating service, which is the highest rating given for a lawyer. He is also rated the highest ability and ethics rating, "AV", by Martindale Hubbell, a company rating lawyers for more than 100 years.

A circuit court jury in Missouri recently awarded the family, fiancee, and daughter of a man killed by a drunk driver $89 million dollars in damages.  The man was killed, and his 13-week-pregnant fiancee seriously injured, when the drunk driver crashed head-on with his vehicle.  After police responded and tested the drunk driver's blood alcohol level, they found that the driver was nearly 2.5 times over the legal limit with a blood alcohol content of 0.20.  Making a horrific incident even worse, the drunk driver was driving on a hardship license at the time of the accident issued because of a previous drunk driving arrest.  According to reports, the jury was sending a message with the verdict of their distaste for such blatant disregard for the law and human life.  The drunk driver was sentenced to 10 years in prison in his criminal case for his past drunk driving arrests.

In Florida, juries tend to punish drunk drivers more than drivers who simply cause an accident with no evidence of intoxication or impairment.  Insurance companies tend to offer more money, generally, in drunk driving cases, as well.  If the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable settlement in an intoxication case, a lawsuit will often bring about the desired result of a larger settlement or large jury verdict.  Florida law allows punitive damages to be sought against drunk drivers in civil cases under certain circumstances.  Even if punitive damages are not awarded, or the defendant driver is "judgment proof", there is a punitive element in most of these verdicts.  Drunk driver accident cases are more persuasive to most jurors and tend to entice insurance adjusters to offer more reasonable settlements.

Continue reading "Drunk Drivers Pay More in Florida, Too" »

Toyota has recently announced a recall of several models of both Toyota and Lexus vehicles that is estimated to affect some 4.26 million vehicles throughout the United States and Canada. The recall comes because of complaints that the gas pedal in these vehicles can become stuck in the depressed position causing uncontrolled acceleration.  According to reports, this "pedal entrapment" has been blamed for the deaths of 19 people since the 2002 model year.  The problem was initially thought to be caused by mispositioned floor mats, but the recall goes beyond floor mats and addresses design issues of the gas pedals, floor board, and computer system.

The initial recall of potentially defective Toyota and Lexus vehicles began in September when Toyota warned that owners of specific models should immediately remove the floor mats to help prevent unanticipated acceleration from pedal entrapment.  This most recent recall includes Toyota technicians physically modifying the gas pedal to reduce the length by three-quarters of an inch, replacing genuine Toyota or Lexus all-weather floor mats, and installing a brake override system that will cut engine power when both the accelerator and the brake are pressed at the same time.  Some vehicles will also have the padding beneath the gas pedal replaced with a thinner pad to increase clearance between the pedal and the floorboard.

The latest rounds of repairs are scheduled to begin January 2010 and are estimated to exceed $250 million in parts and labor.  The potentially defective pedals that are modified during this time are anticipated to be replaced by properly manufactured parts when they become available.  The brake override system, which is often referred to as "smart pedal" technology and utilized by other auto manufacturers, is scheduled to be implemented as standard equipment on all Toyota and Lexus vehicles manufactured after January 2010.

Although Toyota seems to deny that an actual defect exists in the affected vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a statement to correct what it described as "inaccurate and misleading information" being propagated by Toyota.  The NHTSA stated that removing the floor mats in these potentially dangerous vehicles was only an interim measure and did not correct the underlying defect in the vehicle which causes pedal entrapment.  The NHTSA assured consumers that it would continue to investigate the issue until the defect is corrected with a vehicle-based solution.

Continue reading "Florida Vehicle Alert: Toyota Issues Massive Defect Recall" »

A multiple vehicle accident in Hollywood, Florida, last night closed the southbound lanes of I-95 during the evening rush hour until approximately 10:30 p.m.  According to reports, the driver of an SUV sideswiped two vehicles and attempted to flee from the scene.  In this attempt, the fleeing driver struck another car and finally crashed into another SUV that was stopped in the emergency lane.  Both SUVs burst into flames, trapping and killing the driver of the stopped SUV.  The alleged at-fault driver of the SUV and the occupants of the other vehicles were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their car accident injuries.

This deadly car accident, while tragic, also serves as a reminder of the importance for South Florida drivers to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.  Uninsured/underinsured motorist policies provide coverage from your insurance carrier when you are involved in an accident and the negligent driver either has no insurance coverage or not enough insurance coverage.  Uninsured/underinsured insurance policies also usually cover accidents that involve a hit-and-run, or phantom, driver that cannot be identified after the accident.

Although the identity of the at-fault driver is likely known in the Hollywood, Florida, car accident, often times negligent drivers flee the scene of an accident and are never identified.  Many times, negligent or reckless drivers flee the scene of an accident because they do not have insurance.  Regardless of whether the driver flees or remains at the scene, if he or she is underinsured or uninsured, your UM/UIM policy will contribute to your compensation for the accident if you have elected such coverage.

Continue reading "Hollywood, Florida Car Accident Ends in Fiery Tragedy" »

Miami and the surrounding metropolitan area has been ranked the third most dangerous location for pedestrians in a recent study conducted by Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership.  The third most dangerous location for pedestrians includes the areas of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and their suburbs.  The Miami metropolitan area ranked just behind two other Florida locations -- Orlando-Kissimmee and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- which ranked first and second, respectively, as the most dangerous areas for pedestrians to walk.  Major Florida cities took four of the top five spots on the list with Jacksonville, Florida, ranking as the fourth most dangerous area for pedestrian traffic.

The study entitled Dangerous by Design looked not only at the number of pedestrian deaths in a given year, but rather focused on the ratio of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people to the percentage of pedestrians walking to work.  The study found that even though relatively few people choose to walk in these Florida cities compared to other cities, the people that do are at a much greater risk of being killed or injured after being hit by a car. 

The report focuses on the design of modern roadways and communities as the cause of the dangerous conditions faced by South Florida walkers.  With sprawling suburban areas and arterial roads built to move the greatest amount of vehicular traffic at the quickest possible pace, often times sidewalks, crosswalks, and crossing signals are designed out either because of space or budget restrictions.  These reductions coupled with the increased speed at which vehicles are allowed to travel create serious dangers for pedestrians on Florida roadways.  As the report points out, the survival rate for pedestrians struck by a vehicle traveling at 20 mph is 95% but drops drastically to 55% when the vehicle is traveling 30 mph and even lower to 15% when a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle traveling 40 mph.  When you combine these considerations with the ever-growing distractions facing drivers, you have a serious recipe for disaster.

Dangerous roads and sprawling communities also have an effect on the desire of South Florida residents to walk.  No one wants to walk in areas that do not provide proper sidewalks and crossing assistance or in areas where they face such a high risk of being injured or killed by a vehicle.  This not only creates more road congestion by forcing more people to drive upon our roadways to locations accessible by foot, but also forces people to walk less and get less exercise which is a serious health concern.

Continue reading "Miami, Florida Pedestrians Face Serious Danger on Roads" »

A Miramar, Florida, driver has been charged with killing a Davie, Florida, resident while driving drunk.  According to reports, the intoxicated driver was taking his 9-year-old daughter to school when he struck the Davie motorcyclist and dragged him 180 feet before coming to a stop.  When the drunk driver was apprehended after fleeing the scene of the accident, breathalyzer results showed his blood alcohol content to be .236 -- nearly three times the legal limit.   This was not the first time the driver has been charged with drunk driving according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  According to their report, the intoxicated driver was wanted in Maryland for failing to appear for a court proceeding after violating his probation for driving under the influence with another charge of DUI.

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents have been on the rise for the past nine years according to Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.  In 2008 alone, there were 9618 motorcycle crashes in Florida which caused the death of 502 motorcyclists and 30 passengers and contributed to over 9000 injured riders.  These numbers include 37 motorcycle accident deaths in Broward County, 44 in Miami-Dade County, and 34 in Palm Beach County.  Drug and alcohol related fatalities in Florida sadly exceeded 1,400 people in 2008.

Continue reading "Repeat Drunk Driver Charged with Killing Florida Motorcyclist" »

Although it may seem like common sense to many South Florida residents, a new study confirms that texting (or text messaging) while driving is the most dangerous cell phone task. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study showed that heavy truck drivers were 23 times more likely to crash than non-distracted drivers. The reason for the increase in the likelihood of automobile accidents is that texting drivers take their eyes off the road for nearly five seconds at a time which according to reports is enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour. Other cell phone tasks also increase the risk of car accidents including a 2.8 times higher risk of crashing while dialing the phone and a 1.3 times higher risk while talking on the phone.

An experiment conducted by Car and Driver Magazine showed that the reaction time of a driver attempting to brake is worse while sending and reading text messages than that of an impaired or drunk driver.  According to the article, one driver's reaction time decreased an average of 0.68 seconds while texting at 70 miles per hour compared to when braking without distraction.  At that speed, it took the driver an average of 70 additional feet to stop his vehicle while texting and driving.  The same driver's reaction time decreased by 0.04 seconds while attempting the same experiment while impaired.

Florida has yet to ban texting while driving and does not require the use of hands-free devices. There have been pushes in the Florida legislator to takes steps against these obviously dangerous driving activities including a bill re-introduced this year by Representative Doug Holder. Florida has also recently started the "Stay Alive ... Just Drive!" campaign which is aimed at preventing injury and death caused by automobile accidents through education and awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.

Even though Florida has not yet banned cell phone activities while driving, Florida drivers are still responsible for maintaining control of their vehicles at all times. There are far too many stories of distracted Florida drivers causing accidents that result in injuries to others including one driver that was so distracted she crashed into a police car. Although cell phone distraction stats are not specifically kept in Florida, they fall under the "distracted driver" category of accident causes which accounted for 15 fatalities and 1,436 injuries in Florida in 2008 according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Continue reading "Texting While Driving Can Lead to Serious Automobile Accidents" »