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The start of the school year means a return of the school-year routine for many families. If you have a child, your morning routine will likely mean a commute to school. If you drive your child to school, you will need to plan ahead to reduce the risk of a Florida car accident on the way to school. Unfortunately, traffic accidents frequently occur on the morning school commute, as dozens of parents are dropping off children and trying to scramble through a hectic morning. You can reduce your risk if you:

1) Encourage your school to create a drop-off zone. A drop-off zone at school usually is apart from school buses and is designed to handle high-flow levels of traffic. This is far more convenient and safer than trying to drop off a child near school bus lanes or near a busy school parking lot.

2) Consider car pooling. Arranging for car pooling for your child reduces stress and saves you time. Arranging car pooling at your child’s school also reduces the number of cars pulling up by the school, which can reduce the risk of collisions.

3) Get your car checked out. A well-maintained car will respond better, making it easier for you to stop suddenly if you need to.

4) Do a test run. If you are new to a school, especially, consider visiting the school some morning before classes start. Test out different routes to the school and time how long the drive takes (but make sure to factor in morning traffic during the school year). Consider where you can park and where you can drop your child off. Take note of the school bus zones as well so that you are prepared for the morning commute.

5) Create a time schedule to keep mornings less hectic. A chaotic morning can increase your risk of an accident because it is distracting to be rushing and thinking about the time. Set up a system by the door and have each child place their shoes, coats, and full backpacks by the door. Set out clothing the night before. Consider pre-packed lunches or wake early to pack them. Shaving off time in the morning also ensures you don’t have to get up too early, which reduces the risk of driving fatigued.

6) Consider alternative forms of transport. If your school offers a bus ride, consider this as a viable alternative. While Florida bus accidents do occur, they are statistically far rarer than car accidents.

7) Consider parking a block from school and walking. If your child’s school is large and has no drop-off zone, you may find the traffic near the school too chaotic and unsafe. Parking a short distance away and walking up can be safer, especially if the entrance to the school is a distance away from car traffic.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Most insurance companies charge young drivers higher insurance premiums because statistics show that young drivers do have higher rates of accidents. Over the past two decades, a number of initiatives have been launched to help prevent Florida car accidents involving young drivers. For example, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have created education campaigns to alert young drivers about the dangers of Florida drunk driving accidents. As well, legislators have passed laws requiring more training and placing additional restrictions on new drivers. Graduated licensing ensures that teens cannot

However, most experts agree that the way to prevent car accidents among young drivers is to include more training. There are many suggestions about adding more training for young drivers:

1) Defensive driver training. Defensive driving courses go one step further than basic driver education, by helping new drivers learn how to anticipate and avoid car collisions. Many parents already send their teens to defensive driving courses or even to racing school – which also teaches additional defensive driving skills. Insurance companies often encourage parents to pay for this type of additional training by offering insurance discounts to teen drivers with additional defensive driver training.

2) Decision training. Some experts believe that teens may be more likely to make poor decisions – such as the decision to drive while talking on a cell phone or the decision to overload a car with passengers – which older and more experienced drivers can resist. Teaching teens to make good decisions behind the wheel can help prevent Florida pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents, according to some experts.

3) Night driving training. Most driver education classes and all driver tests for licensing take place during the day, which means that most teens learn night driving through practice. Taking private night driving lessons with a trained driving instructor can help close the gap, but currently this additional training is not required.

4) Additional restrictions for new drivers. Young drivers are not allowed to have any alcohol in their system and may face additional restrictions. Some legislators have suggested additional restrictions for young drivers – such as banning young drivers only from using mobile devices while driving.

5) Increasing the age for new drivers. Some Florida residents in years past have suggested that 16 years old is too young to be behind a wheel. In fact, across the country there have been campaigns to increase the driving age to 18. However, this is considered a very controversial suggestion.

6) Winter driving training. Most Florida residents do not need to worry about whiteout conditions, black ice, and other dangers of winter driving. However, some argue that winter driving skills should also be taught in Florida, since eventually Florida drivers may move or travel to other states where winter driving is a very different experience.

7) Longer in-car training hours. Most basic driver education courses require only a limited amount of in-car training. Some argue that these hours are not adequate to really teach teens to drive safely. Some Florida parents pay for additional private lessons for their children, to ensure one-on-one attention from a driving instructor and more supervised driving.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Florida pedestrian accidents and other traffic accidents are all too common at this time of year. Many more people are traveling in cars, increasing the risks of Florida car accidents. At the same time, many holiday parties mean that more people are making the poor choice to drink and drive. While you cannot control what other people do this holiday season, there are ways you can ensure that you stay safe:

1) Review the rules. The rules of the road, especially if you have new drivers in your family. Car accidents are still a leading cause of injuries to children and minors in Florida during the holiday season, so make sure that your young drivers know the rules – and make sure that they know they can count on a drive from you if they run into trouble.

2) Have several plans for getting home alive. If you have any plans to socialize this holiday season, consider how you will get home. Keep taxi numbers in your wallet as well as bus route information and a cell phone in your pocket. Find out about local shuttle and ride services for the holidays. Know a few places to call when you get stuck and it will be easy to make a smart decision.

3) Create a support group. Call friends and family and have them pledge with you not to drive drunk or distracted this holiday season. Exchange phone numbers and promise to give each other support as well as a safe ride home where possible this holiday season.

4) Consider taking public transportation. Taking a taxi or a train or bus to an event removes the temptation to drive yourself home. Even if you are just shopping, taking public transit or a taxi is often safer and can reduce overall congestion on the roads.

5) Keep your car tuned up. Check the tires, brakes, shocks, and other vital systems of your car. Make sure your car will respond quickly in case you need to act fast to avoid a car collision.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog