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Archive for the ‘Car Accident’ Category

As Weather Improves and Kids Come Out, Motorists Need to Slow Down

Monday, April 30th, 2012

The video above is a public service announcement put out by the village of Romeoville, Illinois, in regards to “Keep Kids Alive Drive 25,” a nationwide campaign “put an end to deaths and injuries caused by speeding and distracted driving on our nation’s roads.” We are posting this video today because tomorrow is the sixth annual “Keep Kids Alive Drive 25” (KKAD25) Day. Here in Florida, the campaign has affiliates in Ormond Beach, Sarasota, South Daytona and Tampa.

The KKAD25 website notes that 75 percent of motor vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of home, and 60 percent of crashes occur on roads with posted speed limits of 40 miles per hour or less. Furthermore, the death rate per million miles driven on residential streets is almost twice the death rate on highways, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA).

KKAD25 is a Nebraska-based nonprofit organization that seeks to change the way we drive on neighborhood streets and also supports families who experience the death of a loved one because of a auto accident. Tomorrow’s awareness day is a fine opportunity to remind all motorists young and old of the dangers of speeding through residential neighborhoods.

While school is not yet out for the summer, drivers all over Florida should use tomorrow as an opportunity to get a head start on improving their driving habits in local neighborhoods. According to KKAD25, one study found that nearly a third of motorists violated stop signs when only child pedestrians were crossing.

On April 22, 2012, WTEV-TV reported that a 9-year-old boy was in fair condition after being struck by a car in Macclenny, Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol said the child ran out from between cars on the side of the road. While the 42-year-old driver is not facing any charges in the accident, the incident should serve as a reminder to all of us how we must maintain vigilant awareness at all times when driving through residential neighborhoods.

Wooten, Kimbrough & Normand, P.A. – Orlando personal injury lawyers

Five Safety Tips for Florida Motorists During Construction Season

Friday, April 27th, 2012

On Monday, we began to discuss the 2012 National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs from April 23-27 this year. The national program now involves virtually every state in country, and the video above is one from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The video features construction workers each offering what they think is the most important thing for motorists to keep in mind when traveling through a work zone.

Of course, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) also has its own suggestions that it offers motorists to help avoid being involved a work zone auto accident:

  • Be alert: Expect the unexpected, as anything can occur when entering a work zone.
  • Do not tailgate: The most common crashes in highway work zones are rear-end collisions.
  • Do not speed: Adhere to the suggested speed limits in and around the work zones. It should also be noted that fines can be doubled for motorists speeding in a construction area.
  • Do not change lanes in the work zone: Avoid driving aggressively and always merge as soon as possible.
  • Minimize distractions: Maintain focus on the road and avoid talking or texting on a cell phone while driving in a work zone.

While we noted on Monday that the number of work zone fatalities has been declining every year for the past decade, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows traffic crashes still caused 576 work zone fatalities in 2010. Construction projects can often lead to lane reductions and traffic back-ups, but it is important for all motorists to remain patient when they encounter such work zones. Try to think of the worker in the video above who talks about the family he has or the worker at the end who says he has already been hit once and does not want to get hit again. Speeding or driving aggressively in a construction zone not only places such workers at risk, it increases your own chances of being injured as well.

Wooten, Kimbrough & Normand, P.A. – Orlando personal injury attorneys

Florida Work Zone Safety is ‘Everyone’s Job’

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

This video is for a Maintenance of Traffic course required by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). A few years ago, FDOT released a series of public service announcements to call attention to safe driving in work zones throughout the Sunshine State. We’re posting this now because today marks the start of the 2012 National Work Zone Awareness Week. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been working with the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in coordinating and sponsoring the event every April since 1999. This year, the awareness week is from April 23-27.

According to FDOT, 2008 marked the first time since 2003 that the number of deaths in Florida construction zones dropped below 100. However, the 93 deaths that year are still too many—especially since many of the accidents that resulted in fatalities could have been prevented.

FHWA said that about 6 million people heard or saw the PSAs released by FDOT. Furthermore, Florida developed its own theme, “Work Zone Safety. It’s Everyone’s Job.” According to FHWA, Florida’s campaign included a new website (www.itseveryonesjob.com) that generated about 30,000 hits and included about 20,000 brochures that were handed out as well.

While work zone fatalities have been declining over the past decade, we must all remain committed to driving responsibly in construction zones to help the numbers decrease even more. On Friday, we will offer some tips for drivers to help avoid being involved in a work zone auto accident.

Wooten, Kimbrough & Normand, P.A. – Orlando personal injury lawyers