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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2011 alone 3331 Americans were killed in accidents and another 387, 000 sustained injuries due to driver distraction. Driver distraction causes many serious accidents leading to spinal cord injuries, fractures, amputations, fatalities, and head injuries in Deerfield Beach and other communities each year. What is most frustrating for victims is that in many cases these accidents and injuries are preventable.

There is more awareness than ever before about the dangers of distracted driving. April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, for example, and many agencies and organizations are joining forces to inform drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. The message is clear: driving while distracted causes preventable car accidents in in Deerfield Beach and other communities. Everyone has a role to play in preventing these types of accidents:

1) Lawmakers

Florida is still one of the few states not to ban texting and driving. While all commercial drivers and federal employees using company cars cannot text and drive and while some companies are passing texting bans for drivers using company vehicles, in Florida it is still legal to drive while keeping your eyes on a mobile device. The state has had problems passing a ban, despite much evidence that distraction causes many car and truck accidents in Deerfield Beach and across Florida each year.

Some legislators are concerned that a texting ban would place too many restrictions on drivers, while many point out that a texting ban would not prevent drivers from being distracted by cell phones, passengers, and the myriad other distractions available to motorists. Some lawmakers have expressed doubts about whether a texting ban or even a ban on hand-held devices for drivers would reduce the number of traffic accidents in Deerfield Beach and other communities. Despite this, efforts are still being made to pass new laws to curb distracted driving.

2) Law Enforcement

Law enforcement officials and the justice system have a role to play, too. Law enforcement officials cannot ticket a driver for texting or talking on a phone in Florida, but they can pull over drivers who are driving erratically or recklessly before those motorists cause a traffic accident or pedestrian accident. Many law enforcement agencies have also launched awareness campaigns to alert drivers to the dangers of any distractions – whether those distractions come in the form of a mobile device, food, passengers, daydreaming, or anything else.

3) Drivers

Drivers, of course, have one of the biggest responsibilities when it comes to putting a halt to preventable car crashes. Motorists need to be aware of the risks of distracted driving and need to make sure that every time they step into a car they put their mobile devices (and any other distractions) away. When every driver makes a conscious decision to drive more safely, everyone benefits from safer roads.

Drivers who have been injured by a distracted driver can speak with a personal injury attorney in Deerfield Beach or their community about making a legal claim. When motorists are held accountable for their recklessness, they may important changes to their driving habits.

4) The General Public

The general public – even those who don’t drive – do have a voice. The general public can write to lawmakers about distracted driving laws and can support advocacy groups raising awareness about dangerous driving.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

According to a new study by researchers from the Safe Transportation Education and Research Center at the University of California, obese passengers are more likely to sustain fatal injuries in a car accident when compared with passengers who are a healthy weight. The study, published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, expressed concerns about the ability of passenger vehicles to safely accommodate obese passengers and drivers.

Study Suggests Obese Passengers May be More at Risk

Researchers examined data of fatal accidents between 1996 and 2008, which were recorded through the US Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Between 1996 and 2008, the data showed that there were 57,491 car accidents. For about 3,403 people information about weight and seat belt use was available. Of these 3,403 people, 18% were obese, a third were overweight, and almost half were a healthy weight (based on BMI). Looking at the data, researchers found that those with a BMI (body mass index) of 30-34.9 had a 21% higher chance of dying in a car crash when compared with passengers and drivers of a healthy weight. Drivers and passengers with a BMI of 35-39.9 had a 51% higher risk of fatal injuries. Those who were severely obese with a BMI of at least 40 had an 80% higher chance of dying in a car accident when compared with those of a normal weight.

Researchers concluded that at least once possible explanation may be related to seat belt use. The study found that one third of those who died in the car accidents were not properly wearing a seat belt. The study’s authors concluded that some people who are severely obese may not be able to wear a seat belt properly or may choose not to wear a seat belt because it is not comfortable.

The study authors also suggested that in a car collision the lower body of an obese passenger is pushed forward more before the seatbelt engages. This is due to the extra tissue and body mass which keeps the belt from fitting snugly. The upper body is held back more while the pelvis moves forward, which the researchers believe may lead to more serious injuries.

The study’s authors also suggested that obese drivers and passengers may have more underlying health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac problems, and other conditions which can affect their recovery if they sustain serious injury.

What does this mean for obese drivers and passengers in South Florida?

The study suggests that drivers and passengers who are obese are more at risk of serious injuries in the event of a car accident in Fort Lauderdale and other communities. The study’s authors suggested that seatbelts sometimes do not fit obese passengers as well as they could. Hopefully, car and truck manufacturers will consider creating seatbelts for obese passengers and drivers so that these motorists can stay safer in the event of a truck accident in For Lauderdale and other communities. Traffic accidents in Fort Lauderdale and Florida already claim too many lives. Creating safety devices that work correctly for passengers of all sizes and shapes would certainly be a step in the right direction.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Two studies published recently in the Archives of Ophthalmology suggest that physicians and eye doctors may do more to prevent car crashes. As the population ages, experts predict that by 2020, 40 million drivers will be over the age of the age of 65. According to researchers, many of those drivers will eventually develop chronic conditions such as dementia, arthritis, eye problems, and other health concerns that could affect driving ability.

According to the study’s authors, eye doctors may underreport vision problems among elderly patients. The study asked eye doctors to respond to a series of questions. 87% of participating doctors stated that they would often ask about driving ability if the question was raised or if a patient fared poorly on an eye exam. Two thirds of polled doctors stated that they asked all elderly patients about driving. Over half of eye doctors stated that they were reluctant to report patients to agencies regulating driving. They were often worried about liability issues and about compromising the doctor-patient relationship. Only 36% of eye doctors reported unsafe drivers to physicians and only 28% reported unsafe drivers to rehabilitation.

According to the study’s authors, eye doctors need to take a greater role in reporting and helping unsafe drivers. The authors suggested that eye specialists always ask elderly patients about driving ability and refer patients to primary care physicians or driver rehabilitation when needed. Not only can this potentially prevent car accidents, but it can also help drivers stay behind the wheel longer. Driver rehabilitation, for example, can help qualified drivers adjust to mobility issues and vision problems.

Many Miami Gardens car accidents are caused by drivers with medical issues. Each year, people are killed because motorists cause Miami Gardens traffic accidents due to vision problems, strokes, heart attacks, and other medical situations. Having doctors reporting at-risk drivers can help prevent these accidents and can help drivers get help through driver rehabilitation to help prevent Miami Gardens truck accidents and car accidents. Some drivers may be resistant to this idea since it could get drivers banned for health conditions that have not yet caused an accident. With many drivers seeing cars as a form of freedom and independence, the decision to hang up the car keys for medical reasons is a difficult one. Support systems and more transportation options for non-drivers would potentially help with this problem.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Every holiday season, we like to remind folks that while holiday parties can be fun, they can sometimes be a little dangerous.

A total of 3,476 people died in motor vehicle crashes during the winter holidays in 2009, including 559 (or 16%) involving persons under 21. Alarmingly, 1,079 people were killed in drunk driving fatal crashes during the winter holidays in 2009, including 135 people (or 13%) under 21. During the winter holidays high BAC drivers, those with a BAC of .15 or higher, were involved in 66% of the drunk driving fatal crashes.

For this reason, we created The Snowman Stumble, an interactive game to encourage the party-going public to get home safely this year. The Snowman Stumble puts you in charge of getting a snowman safely home along an icy sidewalk – with increasing difficulty depending on how much the snowman has had to drink.

Play the game and see if you can snag the top score – and please, be safe this holiday season. If you’re going to be consuming alcohol, please plan your trip home in advance – safely – and never drive drunk.

Century Council Blog