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Studies have concluded that if you are in a motorcycle accident you are thirty times more likely to suffer fatal injuries when compared with someone in a car collision. The reason is because you have fewer layers of protection. In a motorcycle crash, you are likely to be flung from your vehicle and come into contact with other cars, your bike, or the pavement with very few layers of protection. As a result, each year many people are rushed to emergency rooms with injuries (such as head injuries) in Miami Gardens and other communities.

The Government Accountability Office reports around 82,000 people are injured in motorcycle accidents and more than 4500 suffer fatal injuries annually. The average cost of a fatal accident costs .2 million while injuries in motorcycle accidents cost 00 to .4 million. The total cost of motorcycle accidents across the country is billion or more per year. This cost does not take into consideration the devastation and personal grief and suffering these types of traffic accidents in Miami Gardens and other American cities cause. According to the Government Accountability Office and other experts, there are a number of ways to decrease your risk:

1) Wear a helmet. The Government Accountability Office has stated that the best way to reduce the costs and risks of motorcycle accidents is to make helmet use mandatory. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets saved 1550 lives in 2010 alone and the CDC reports that the helmets saved billion dollars in collision costs. Experts say that helmets reduce the death rate in motorcycle accidents by 39%. Although not all states require helmet use for all riders and while Florida does not have universal helmet laws, wearing a helmet each time you hop on your bike can greatly increase your chances of surviving a motorcycle accident in Miami Gardens or your community.

2) Learn to ride a motorcycle responsibly. If you want to learn how to avoid a motorcycle-car accident, Miami Gardens and most South Florida communities have qualified instructors and classes that can help you learn the basics of safe riding. In some cases, taking classes can even help you save money on your insurance costs.

3) Take safety seriously. Be cautious when riding your motorcycle. Stay completely focused on the road – distracted driving causes many motorcycle and car accidents in Miami Gardens and across South Florida each year. Ride only when sober, well-rested, and prepared to ride safely. Always follow all traffic rules. While motorcycles are more flexible and allow you to take certain risks on the road, taking those risks can cost you your life.

4) Stay visible. Wear reflective clothing and use lights, especially when riding at night. Opt for lighter clothes that are easy to see. Many motorcycle accidents happen because motorists simply do not notice a motorcycle in time.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Each day, car accidents in Davie and across the state result in serious spinal cord injuries, fractures, head injuries, fatalities, and other injuries. Could the type of car determine how badly you are hurt in a traffic accident in Davie or your community? According to research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the answer is yes. IIHS representative Russ Rader said that some cars, especially sub-compact cars fare well on safety tests but in real life are more likely to result in insurance injury claims in the event of a car accident.

Rader noted that today’s smaller, lighter cars have more safety features and are safer than similar models of years past. Nevertheless, he says, in a collision, physics and weight matter more. In a collision between a smaller car and a larger car, the passengers in the larger car are more likely to enjoy more protection – including larger crumple zones – which protect them in the event of a crash.

According to Rader, in a head-on car accident, the larger car will push the smaller car back. This will reduce crash forces for occupants of the larger, heavier vehicle while increasing the crash forces for those in the smaller car. This is seen all the time in truck accidents in Davie and across the nation – smaller cars simply have no chance against much larger vehicles. Even in cases where the size and weight difference is not as extreme, the difference counts.

Research by Insure.com supports these findings. Insure.com recently compiled a list of safest cars based on rates of for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay). Cars with higher rates had the higher costs because more people were making injury claims with these cars in the event of an accident. Even in cases where a car had good safety ratings, it could still end up with higher real-life injury rates. According to Insure.com, the top five cars that fared best when it came to protecting passengers from injuries were generally larger models:

1. GMC Sierra 1500 (SLE, SLT and Work Truck)
2. Porsche Cayenne
3. GMC Yukon (Denali and SLT)
4. GMC Sierra 2500 SLE
5. GMC Terrain SLE1

The five cars that fared worst, according to Insure.com, tended to be smaller:

1. Fiat 500 (Lounge, CLounge, Sport, Pop and CPop)
2. Kia Rio 5 (LX and SX)
3. Toyota Corolla L
4. Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
5. Mercedes-Benz CL600

No matter what kind of car you drive, safety experts agree that there is much that you can do to make your vehicle safer for you. For example, start by choosing a car that has good safety ratings and feels comfortable for you. Secondly, get required maintenance on the vehicle so that it responds as you expect it to. Make sure that you outfit your car with any extra safety devices you need. These may be an issue if you have health problems or mobility issues that prevent you from operating a car safely. And don’t forget the most important safety feature of all: your seat belt. You should always wear your seatbelt, even if you are going for a very short drive or just parking the car. Accidents can happen at any time.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

On July 8, 2011, we participated in the “Advanced Probation Officer DUI Seminar, Probation Strategies With The Hardcore Drunk Driver,” conducted by the Institute for Legal, Legislative and Policy Studies (ILLAPS), University of Illinois, Springfield, IL.  Hardcore drunk drivers can be defined as those who drive with a high BAC of 0.15 or above, who do so repeatedly as demonstrated by having more than one drunk driving arrest, and who are highly resistant to changing their behavior despite previous sanctions, treatment or education.

The seminar included a presentation using material from the HCDD Community Supervision Guide: A Resource Outlining Supervision Challenges, Effective Strategies, and Model Programs developed by the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and funded by The Century Council. The data is clear; high BAC drivers and repeat offenders make up a disproportionate share of drunk drivers. In 2009, seven out of ten drivers involved in an alcohol-impaired fatal crash had a BAC of .15 or above and these drivers were nine times more likely than a non-drinking driver to have a prior conviction for DWI.

An orientation and hands-on training session on the Hardcore Drinking Driver Checklist (HCDD Checklist) which consists of 38 characteristics of hardcore drunk drivers categorized into six dimensions was also part of this seminar.  The HCDD Checklist is based on the research Recognizing, Managing and Containing the “Hard Core Drinking Driver”, and is an instrument that supplements other intake and assessment tools in order to help determine whether an offender’s profile is consistent with that of a hardcore drunk driver. 

These tools can prove helpful in identifying offenders at high risk for recidivism and future alcohol related problems, linking offenders to the best treatment resources, providing post-treatment recovery check-ups and effectively re-intervening in cases of relapse.  Visit APPA’s website to access the free online training course Enhancing Community Supervision Strategies for HCDD.

Century Council Blog

Heading toward the Fourth of July, North Carolina law enforcement agencies continue to set up checkpoints across the state. Greenville DWI defense attorneys know local agencies often set up checkpoints to check drivers in the state for impairment. Saturday, agents from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission sought to enforce laws along the Intercoastal near Wrightsville Beach.

At the same time, several law enforcement agencies set up a DWI checkpoint operation to stop drivers crossing the drawbridge leading to the island. Previously, the Wrightsville Beach Mayor and the Board of Alderman voted against setting up the DWI checkpoint on the island side of the bridge. Now some people in the coastal North Carolina community are upset over the DWI checkpoint operation that was conducted Saturday.

The checkpoint was set up on Saturday, when traffic levels at the oceanfront community are high. Wrightsville Beach Mayor David Cignotti says the island “is not the place for a roadblock of this type in the middle of summer on a Saturday.”

The Mayor says he hopes law enforcement does not hold a similar operation again. However, Corporal Jerry Brewer with New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says the office will definitely look at Saturday’s operation “and see how we can learn from it and do better in the future.” The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department led the DWI checkpoint effort.

The Mayor says the damage caused by the massive traffic jam that resulted Saturday outweighs the good. The operation was called off early. Cars lined up for the checkpoint causing a major traffic jam. Authorities say no arrests were made during the two hour period the operation remained up and running. However, Cpl. Brewer says roughly two North Carolina drug charges resulted from the operation.

Source: WECT “Checkpoint problems in Wrightsville Beach,” Craig Reck 28 Jun 2011

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