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The holiday season means plenty of errands as well as fun activities. During the bustle of the season, though, Pembroke Pines car accidents are a risk. The extra rush of the holidays as well as extra traffic on the roads can lead to collisions and road rage, as well as other hazards. To have a pleasant and safe holiday, be sure to follow these tips:

1) Be more cautious in parking areas. These can be the site of many slow-speed accidents as busy shoppers rush to get to sales and back home again. Drive defensively in parking areas and keep an eye out for distracted pedestrians and drivers. Park in well-lit areas to stay safe when walking to and from retail areas.

2) Lock your car when shopping and store purchased items in the trunk. Unfortunately, thieves do target shoppers. Keeps valuables stowed out of sight so that they will not be a temptation.

3) Prepare for road trips and shopping trips to unfamiliar areas. Print out a map or use GPS to get to your destination safely. If you are going on a longer trip, get details about detour routes, road conditions, and weather conditions as well.

4) Do not drink and drive. Pembroke Pines drunk driving accidents claim too many lives each year and these are accidents that are easily preventable.

5) Inform someone when you will be heading out for a trip or running holiday errands. When someone is expecting you, they can check in if you get into trouble and cannot return.

6) Carry your mobile device with you, but keep it switched off in the car. Mobile devices are a handy way to call for help if you get stranded. However, they can also lead to Pembroke Pines motorcycle accidents and car accidents because they are a major distraction.

7) Keep at least half a tank of gas in the car when you head out and keep your car in good repair. Having enough fuel to get home (or at least to the next gas station) can ensure that you get home safely. A car that is in good repair is also less likely to break down in the middle of a roadway, potentially causing a collision.

8 ) Consider driving with a friend or family member, especially if you are heading out to run errands or are headed out for a longer trip. Two drivers can share driving duty, which makes it easier to avoid fatigued driving. A second driver can also check maps and keep an eye out for exit ramps, leaving the main driver less distracted.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Coming to your state soon…

B.C. Senior Snared by Draconian Drunk Driving Law

Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Jan. 12 —  To bully and berate an innocent senior then punish her without a trial for a crime she clearly didn’t commit.

This, apparently, is what Alberta has to look forward to under draconian drunk-driving laws inspired by our neighbouring province, where suspected motorists are guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

Fortunately for 82-year-old Margaret MacDonald, tears brought on by allegedly obnoxious B.C. RCMP officers didn’t blind her to protecting herself.

"I came into the house and burst into tears — then I stood here at three o’clock in the morning and thought ‘my word means nothing’," said MacDonald.  "Three officers don’t believe me, so I phoned the hospital and took a taxi over to have a blood test.  I’m not going to let the Mounties get away with saying I was drunk."

At the Cranbrook, B.C., hospital, she obtained a laboratory document proving what she’d desperately been trying to tell police a few minutes before.  There was no alcohol in her system — not a drop — and yet MacDonald’s failure to provide a proper breath sample meant her car was taken away for a month and her licence suspended for 90 days.

Now, ,000 out-of-pocket and in fear of losing her home, the Cranbrook senior will wait another six months for a ruling on her case…

It was May 21 when MacDonald was approached by an off-duty RCMP officer, just outside her home.  MacDonald, a near-teetotaler, was returning from an engagement party at a friend’s house when she mistakenly turned into the wrong lane. She assumed that’s why the police officer was there.

Even when the off-duty cop told MacDonald a breathalyzer was coming to test her for drinking and driving, she didn’t worry — her last serious drink was 60 years ago. "I really don’t drink," she said.  What she didn’t count on was the lung power needed to properly blow into a police breathalyzer. Having suffered from serious pneumonia a few years ago, she couldn’t manage.

That didn’t stop RCMP from making her try — over the next two hours, MacDonald says she was forced to stand in the chill and told to blow 15 times by increasingly snotty RCMP officers.

"He pounded on the hood of his car and shouted at me to blow. He shoved this thing in my mouth and it fell on the ground, and he picked it up and put in back in again," said MacDonald.

"I said, ‘I don’t drink, I haven’t been drinking,’ and he said, ‘you’re sticking your tongue in there because you don’t want do this — you’re slurring, you’re drunk and you stink of alcohol.’"

RCMP officials are now reviewing the conduct of officers that night, but try as they might, the Mounties couldn’t get a sample from the shivering, teary-eyed senior, who was wearing only sandals and a thin dress.  

Thus, MacDonald was cited for failing to provide a breath sample, given a Notice of Driving Prohibition for three months, fined 0 and told her car was to be towed.

MacDonald wept, but she was sharp enough to obtain proof of her innocence, because in Canada that used to be enough to make those in power see sense.

Not anymore. Under a system about to be adopted in Alberta, drivers suspected of driving drunk, even under .05%, can lose their licences and cars without a trial.

Even after MacDonald took her blood test to the RCMP station, she was told nothing could be done…

Despite proof of alcohol-free blood, B.C.’s superintendent of motor vehicles adjudicator still found her guilty…

The ordeal took a massive toll on MacDonald — a few days later, she suffered what doctors in Calgary told her was a mild, stress-related heart attack, leaving her bed-ridden in hospital.

Back in Cranbrook, all she can do is wait.

"I’m nearly 83 and you have to cope with life, but through my years I’ve never been this traumatized over anything," she said.  

"Especially when I’m totally innocent."
 

The War on Drunk Driving continues…. 
 

DUI BLOG

I’ve mentioned in the past that police agencies across the country use DUI arrest quotas — and almost uniformly deny the practice.  See, for example, DUI Quotas,  "Yes, We Have No DUI Quotas" and "Inside Edition" Documents DUI Quotas Across U.S..

The latest example of this supposedly non-existent practice:

Drunk-Driving Quota Case May Lead to Similar Efforts Elsewhere


Baltimore, MD.  Jan. 6 – Even as prosecutors weigh an appeal of a Howard County judge’s decision to throw out drunken-driving charges and rule that they were tied to illegal citation quotas, defense lawyers are considering whether the same defense might apply to past or current cases.

District Court Judge Sue-Ellen Hantman’s ruling in a case against an Ellicott City woman has raised questions on both sides — as well as eyebrows around the legal community…

Hantman said the charges against Katie Majorie Quackenbush, 22, were linked to an illegal quota — a ruling based on a memorandum that police have said was intended to describe the requirements of a federal grant that paid overtime for officers to target drunken and aggressive drivers through "saturation patrols."

"I find any evidence in this case to be inadmissible," she said, according to a recording of her Thursday ruling, and that ended the prosecution. Nevertheless, the judge indicated that "I don’t think saturation patrols are in and of themselves illegal, merely the quotas."…

The police chief said a memo to officers that called for two to four citations per hour contained, “in retrospect, not the best wording,” and conceded that he “could see how it could be misinterpreted.” He said the department does not use quotas and had revised the memo.

The memo also told the officers on the drunken-driving and aggressive-driving saturation patrols that they usually produce “at or above these amounts.”

The federal funds come from the National Traffic Safety Administration to the state, according to Buel Young, a spokesman for the state Motor Vehicle Administration. Jurisdictions can apply for them.

 
So the police chief insists that "the department does not use quotas"…and that the memo was just "perhaps not the best wording"?  Hmmmm…..it’s hard to see how "it could be misinterpreted": the departmental order that cops have to produce "two to four citations per hour" sounds pretty clear to me.

Interesting that the federal grant appears to have required police agencies to use quotas….
 
 

DUI BLOG

Miami car accidents occur in the city every day, and unfortunately some of these collisions have a long-term or even life-long impact on victims. In some cases, Miami traffic accidents can cause permanent injuries or severe financial distress for those who sustain serious burn injuries, brain injuries, and other serious injuries in the crash. According to experts, there are several things you can do after a Miami accident to protect yourself:

1) Do the right thing immediately after the accident. Stay at the scene of the accident, call for emergency help for anyone who needs it, and get the contact information for every driver involved and for any witnesses at the scene. If you have a phone camera, take photos of the scene and the damage as well. Call authorities if the accident is significant or if anyone is hurt.

2) Know that you have a choice about towing and mechanics. If police arrive at the scene, they may recommend a tow service if your car is too damaged to drive. To reduce costs, however, you do have the right to choose your own service. As well, while your insurance company may recommend a mechanic, you also have the right to take your car in to any qualified mechanic you wish.

3) Get medical care – just in case. If you have whiplash or any injuries that do not manifest themselves right away, it is best to start documenting and to start getting medical treatment right away.

4) Call a qualified Miami personal injury attorney first. This should be one of the first calls you make. Many victims call their insurance carrier first, but calling an attorney ensures that your attorney can start gathering evidence in your case right away. Calling a good attorney first also ensures that you have someone to work on your behalf, negotiating with your insurance carrier and reading over documents before you sign them. As well, keep in mind that there is a statute of limitations if you do decide to pursue a legal claim following a Miami drunk driving accident or car accident. The sooner you speak with an attorney, the sooner you can file your claim and the more chance your attorney has of gathering important information to support your case.

5) Keep as many records as possible. The more information you have on paper, the better. Taking photos of your injuries, keeping a journal of your injuries, and costs and keeping careful records of anything is invaluable in case you decide to file a claim. Even if you decide not to pursue legal action, proof of your injuries and your case may be required by your insurance company, so keep records – and don’t toss them out when you get better. You may need them years after the fact.

6) Assemble a team you trust and follow their directions to the letter. If you have been injured, find a terrific Miami car accident attorney and an excellent doctor. Follow their instructions carefully and follow up with these professionals regularly. Both these professionals can help you heal from your injuries and can help you face a brighter future – but only if you cooperate.

7) Be very, very honest. Exaggerating injuries or being dishonest about existing conditions can be very harmful. Due to the risk of insurance fraud, insurance carriers frequently hire private detectives to investigate claims. Since Florida and Miami lead the nation in fraudulent car insurance claims, claims from the state may be met with special scrutiny.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog