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According to Bankrate Insurance, the risk factors that can contribute to car collisions and traffic-related injuries are:

1) Speed. According to Bankrate Insurance, one third of all fatal car accidents in 2010 involved speeding. In all cities, including Miami, car accidents involving speed are more likely to cause serious injury, including head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and fatalities, simply due to the increased force of any crash involving high speeds.

2) Age. 16-year old drivers have higher car accident rates than drivers of any other age. Traffic collisions continue to be the leading cause of death for teenagers. In South Florida cities such as Miami, traffic accidents involving teen drivers are a serious problem, and experts agree that parents can help protect their younger drivers by setting rules and by insisting that new drivers get plenty of training and in-car experience.

3) Gender. In 2010, 70 percent of all people killed in car accidents were men.

4) Impairment. One fifth of all traffic deaths in 2010 were related to DUIs. That year, 10,228 Americans died due to drunk driving. Drunk driving accidents in Miami and across South Florida continue to be a serious tragedy and an entirely preventable type of accident.

5) Motorcycle accidents. In 2010, over 13% of all traffic fatalities involved motorcycles. That year, 4,309 Americans died in motorcycle accidents. This is double the number of motorcycle accident fatalities in 1997. In South Florida cities such as Miami, motorcycle accidents cause not only fatalities but also many spinal cord injuries and head injuries each year. Florida does not mandate helmets for motorcyclists, but experts agree that correct use of helmets is essential for preventing serious injury in an accident.

6) Seat belt use. In 2010, more than half of all young passengers killed in car accidents were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision that claimed their lives. With so many car manufacturers releasing advanced new safety systems, it is sometimes easy to forget that one of the most basic safety features of a car – the seatbelt – is also one of the most powerful. If you are in a car accident in Miami or any other community, a seat belt will keep you in place during the collision, reducing your risk of serious injuries such as head injuries.

7) Licensing. Close to 3% of drivers in the US are not licensed. These drivers are 3 times more likely to cause a fatal car accident when compared with licensed drivers. Since these drivers are also uninsured, if you are injured in a car collision with one of these motorists, it can be harder to collect compensation for your injuries. Some experts further believe that a number of hit and run accidents in Miami and South Florida are caused by unlicensed drivers who do not want to be found by police.

Distraction. Distracted driving causes 15 fatalities daily, on average. In 2011, 3,331 Americans were killed due to distracted driving.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

If you sustain injuries in a car accident in Davie or another community, you may assume that car insurance will cover the costs of your injuries. After all, that is what you pay premiums for. Unfortunately, many people who sustain serious injuries – such as head injuries – in Davie and South Florida after being in a car accident find that they have issues after being in a traffic accident. You may face some of these same issues when you try to file a claim:

1) The insurance company may dispute your claim. The insurance company may accuse you of insurance fraud or may dispute some medical charges or other claims that you have made – even if they are valid.

2) The insurance company may not consider longer-term costs or all costs. In many cases, insurance companies look at immediate medical costs and related costs. However, if you have sustained a serious injury you may face months or even years of recovery time. You may need home care, accessibility features for your home and car, rehabilitation, medication, and other assistance on the road to recovery – and insurance companies often do not take these total long-term costs into account.

3) The insurance company will want to settle claims quickly and inexpensively. In many cases, an insurance carrier will want to settle a claim quickly – before the full extent of your injuries and possible long-term expenses are even known. This can make it harder for you to get the fair compensation you may need to recover fully and to get the medical care you need.

4) Thanks to new legislation, if you are visiting Florida at the time of your accident, your insurance carrier may not honor your claims. Since January 1, a new law has required all international drivers in Florida to have an international driver’s permit (IDP). The idea behind the law was to make sure that all drivers in Florida had a driver’s license translated into English. However, many visitors to Florida are not aware of the law and when they find themselves in a traffic collision in Davie or another South Florida city they find they have a hard time getting an insurance claim honored because they did not realize they needed an IDP.

5) Some required expenses may be considered “extras” by your insurance company. For example, burn patients in Davie and other communities often need skin grafts or other skin treatments to recover from their injuries. However, some insurance companies may deem such procedures “cosmetic” and not pay.

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New research from the Mayo Clinic has found that 11% of medical interns surveyed admitted to being involved in a car accident while being involved in training. Another 43% of medical interns reported a near-miss. While training to become doctors, medical interns often get inadequate sleep and face extreme stress due to the pressure of their studies. The combined pressure and lack of sleep may mean that interns are getting into accidents caused by fatigued driving and distraction.

What Can be Done to Prevent Car Accidents Caused by Fatigued Driving?

In many cases, medical interns experience fatigue because of a culture of high-pressure and long-hour education. While technically the number of hours that medical interns work could be reduced, since the medical training system has always taken place in this manner there is not much pressure to change. This is despite the fact that fatigue may also contribute to medical mistakes and potentially medical malpractice claims in Miami Lakes and across South Florida. After all, if doctors and medical interns are too tired to drive, they may also be responsible for misdiagnosis and other preventable mistakes because they are too fatigued to place their full focus on their job. Changing the culture would go a long way towards preventing personal injuries caused by medical mistakes and by traffic accidents, some experts agree.

Who is Liable in These Types of Car Accidents in Miami Lakes?

If you have been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident in Miami Lakes or another community caused by a fatigued driver, who is responsible? In most cases, the other driver will be the at-fault driver, but proving fatigued driving can be difficult. It often requires a personal injury attorney working with a private investigator to find answers. In some cases, if a medical intern caused an accident, the place of work may be held partly liable. If the vehicle of the at-fault had a mechanical defect, the manufacturer of the vehicle may also be held partly liable.

Finding multiple liable parties improves the chances that you will be able to pursue fair compensation after an accident. This in turn can help you pay for medical bills, car repair costs, lost income, and other costs associated with the accident. A good personal injury attorney in Miami Lakes or your community will carefully investigate your accident and will aggressively fight for your rights so that you do not have to pay the often-catastrophic costs of your injuries out of pocket.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

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

A new study out of Canada has found that opioids – even in low doses – can increase the risk of traffic accidents. According to the study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, motorists who took doses as low as 20 milligrams of opioids a day had a 21% increased risk of car-accident-related injury. Motorists with higher doses of the drugs had an even greater chance of being involved in a car accident. For example, patients prescribed 100 to 199 mg a day had a 42% greater chance of being in a car accident.

Opioids are a class of drugs commonly used to treat pain. Codeine, morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and the fentanyl patch are all examples of opioids. One concern for the study’s authors is that opioids are being prescribed increasingly often to help patients manage chronic and acute pain. Unfortunately, these medications have side effects that can affect alertness, which can lead to traffic accidents. What does this mean in terms of car accidents in Coral Gables and other Florida cities? It means that if you are taking any prescription medication, you should take some precautionary measures to help prevent a traffic accident in Coral Gables or your Florida community:

1) Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about medication you are prescribed. The medication may have side effects that can affect your ability to drive. Discuss side effects and when it is safe for you to return to driving.

2) Visit the same pharmacy for all your medication needs and get to know your pharmacist. Look for a pharmacy that keeps track of your medication and can alert you when your medications may interact and produce more side effects. Also, speak with your pharmacist. Often, a pharmacist can give you important information about medicine safety and possible side effects to look out for.

3) Limit driving or hang up the keys until your body has adjusted to a new medication and your doses are stable. When you first start a new medication, you may notice more side effects and your doctor may be adjusting the dose to ensure that you are getting the right medication. According to Dr. David Juurlink, this can be one of the riskier times for being involved in an accident, because your body is still getting used to the substance. You can help avoid a car accident or pedestrian accident in Coral Gables or your community by only returning to driving when it is safe to do so.

4) Let your pharmacist and doctor know about any over-the-counter or natural medication you are taking. Some all-natural vitamins and supplements and over-the-counter medications can also have serious side effects that can increase your risk of a car accident or truck accident in Coral Gables or your community. Natural and over-the-counter medications can also interact with your prescription medication, so discuss everything you are taking with your doctor and pharmacist.

5) Keep an eye on your symptoms – they can lead to injury, too. In some cases, the symptoms of the condition you are treating with medication can put you at risk of an accident. For example, if you are in chronic pain, your mobility may be limited and this can affect your driving. In some cases, symptoms can develop if you are allergic to your medication, and these reactions can affect your ability to drive. Discuss symptoms with your doctor and pharmacist when evaluating your ability to drive safely.

6) Make sure you are getting adequate rest. Some researchers have speculated that patients who are in chronic pain may be at increased risk of car accidents because they are not sleeping well due to their condition. There have been many studies showing that fatigued driving can lead to car accidents and truck accidents in Coral Gables and communities across the country.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog