Driverless Vehicles Are Already On Our Roads

Driverless Vehicles Are Already On Our Roads

Driverless Vehicles Are Already On Our Roads

Texting while driving. Falling asleep at the wheel. Driving after a few too many beers.

 

What do all of these mistakes have in common? They are all common causes of fatal car accidents, and they are all caused by humans.

 

“To err is human,” as the saying goes. That’s why car accidents frequently occur despite the best efforts of our society and government to prevent them. Nobody’s perfect, so you can’t expect our roads to be—right?

 

The innovators and engineers at Google and other major car manufacturers are out to change this. Throughout recent years, these manufacturers have been developing and testing fully autonomous vehicles—robotic cars that can navigate without a human driver. These self-driving vehicles use tools such as radar, GPS, and computer vision to navigate and sense their surroundings, identifying roads, obstacles, and traffic signals.

 

While you can’t go out and buy an autonomous vehicle today, it looks as though it will be a short matter of time before these smart cars appear on the market. The commercial use of these vehicles has already kicked off, with several companies testing out the use of driverless military trucks and mining machines. Many states—including Florida, California, and Nevada—have passed legislation for driverless cars, granting auto manufacturers permission to test autonomous vehicles on their roads.

 

The Potential Benefits of Driverless Cars

 

The Potential Benefits of Driverless Cars

According to the Rand Corporation in their report, Autonomous Vehicle Technologies, Liability of Drivers, and Insurance, putting autonomous vehicles on the road in the place of human drivers can reduce the number of auto accidents. “Human error causes the vast majority of crashes today, and, by reducing the risk of human error, AV technologies can reduce the incidence of crashes,” the report maintains. After all, computers do not get sleepy or sidetracked, and will be far more aware of their surroundings than most humans.

 

And reduced potential for human error is only one of the potential benefits of driverless cars. Autonomous cars may help to prevent traffic jams and congestion, resulting in fewer fuel emissions. No more will drivers have to lose hours to commutes, instead using the time to work or relax. In addition, autonomous cars can provide a means for disabled and blind people to travel safely.

 

Concerns and Liability Issues

 

Sounds great, right? However, there are still some concerns surrounding the use of driverless vehicles.

 

Road planning. Integrating autonomous cars into our transportation system will require extensive planning. For cars to operate without a driver, road safety and driving laws that have been in place for generations will have to be revised. Road and traffic signals must be perfectly planned to the last detail for systems to be able to navigate them without confusion.

 

Incapacity for human interaction. Simple hand signals from construction workers and police officers will be difficult for cars to interpret. Additionally, the negligent and aggressive habits of the cars’ fellow human drivers might confuse the vehicles’ navigation systems. As executive director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University Sven A. Beiker suggested to reporters in a New York Times article, an autonomous car may be “so polite it might be sitting at a four-way intersection forever, because no one else is coming to a stop.”

 

Boca Raton & West Palm Beach Auto Accident Lawyer

Technology problems. There’s also potential for technological disasters. Since vehicles will rely on satellite data, they are susceptible to attacks from hackers. Malicious hacking can cause extensive harm to computers and phones, and the potential for harm only increases when large, fast-moving vehicles are hacked. Additionally, autonomous cars filled with explosives could be used as weapons and bombs by terrorists.

 

Elimination of transportation-related jobs. If autonomous cars become widespread, automobile technicians, public transportation officials, and insurance agents may find themselves without an industry.

 

Liability and regulation issues. Regulation and liability questions abound. If there’s no driver behind the wheel, who will be held accountable if there is a problem—the person using the car or the manufacturer? What happens if a police officer wants to pull the car over? Will a self-driving car require a special kind of insurance?

 

Even though these autonomous vehicles can promote efficiency and eliminate human error, they can’t prevent accidents completely. And when an accident occurs, it will be difficult to prove fault if you are injured. When dealing with the complex issue of proving liability after a car accident—whether between two human drivers, a human driver and a robot driver, or two robot drivers—it’s best to contact an experienced auto accident attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer can help you navigate complicated liability laws, protect your rights, and obtain fair compensation after an accident.

 

 

Boca Raton Car Accident Lawyer

Frustrated Drivers Cause More Accidents

Boca Raton Car Accident Lawyer

You hopefully already realize that you should not drive when you’re intoxicated, distracted, or overly tired. But one thing you might not realize is that your mood can also impair your driving ability and make you more likely to be in an accident. In fact, if you frequently find yourself frustrated behind the wheel, you may be taking unnecessary risks and failing to fully focus on the road.

 

Unfortunately, frustration seems to be a common state of mind for many drivers in Florida (and around the country) today. Some of the most frequently-cited causes of on-the-road frustration include:

 

Slow drivers. One of the biggest frustrations for many drivers is being held up by people who are traveling well under the speed limit; in fact, 60% of respondents in a survey reported in The Telegraph said that they experience increased stress and irritability when confronted with a car that isn’t keeping up with traffic (the respondents were British, but it’s safe to say that many American drivers feel the same way). Drivers who feel that the car in front of them is moving too slowly are more likely to tailgate and attempt dangerous overtaking maneuvers.

 

Long commutes. The average commute time in the US is 25.4 minutes, but in many major metropolitan areas, this time jumps to closer to an hour. It’s not too surprising that drivers who spend that much time in their car may find themselves getting more easily frustrated.

 

West Palm Beach Car Accident Attorney

Crowded areas. Metropolitan areas with lots of cars, trucks, motorcycles, bikes, and pedestrians often become congested, especially during rush hour. Drivers in these areas may also be frustrated due to less available parking and more frequent stops (in traffic and at intersections).

 

Texting and driving. A 2012 “drivers’ gripes” survey from Consumer Reports found that texting while driving was the behavior that most annoyed respondents, receiving an 8.9 on a 1-10 nuisance level. Texting while driving is now illegal in Florida, but unfortunately, some drivers still engage in this incredibly dangerous and frustrating behavior.

 

Drivers who fail to be courteous. It’s understandably annoying when other drivers tailgate, don’t wait their turn at a 4-way stop, cut you off while merging onto the highway, or engage in other uncourteous behaviors. Unfortunately, two cities in Florida—Orlando and Miami—rank in the top 10 for least courteous cities in the country.

 

Why Frustration Is Dangerous—and What You Can Do About It

 

Driving while in a negative emotional state can cause you to become distracted without you even realizing it. Some of the risks associated with frustrated driving include:

 

  • Impaired observation and slower reaction times
  • Becoming detached from other vehicles and drivers (i.e. starting to think of other drivers as obstacles and annoyances rather than real people), which may cause drivers to take risks that they wouldn’t have otherwise
  • Making risky maneuvers to get ahead in traffic, such as cutting over several lanes at a time, not leaving enough space when changing lanes, or even driving on the shoulder
  • Losing the ability to perform driving skills that require precise timing, such as merging onto the freeway or adjusting speed when the traffic ahead is slowing

 

While you might think that it’s impossible to just leave a bad mood at home, “I was frustrated” isn’t a valid excuse for getting into an accident. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your likelihood of becoming frustrated on your drive.

 

Boca Raton Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Leave extra time for your commute. Sometimes the simplest solutions are also the best. If you often find yourself getting frustrated because you feel like you’re rushing to get to work or other commitments on time, factor in some extra time to the usual length of your commute as “cushioning” so that if something comes up and you are held up in traffic, you won’t be as anxious.

 

Find something that calms you down (but doesn’t take your attention off the road). Take deep breaths, count slowly to 10, or listen to calming music—do whatever will best help you relax without distracting you. If you get to the point where you’re so frustrated that you can’t concentrate on the task of driving, find somewhere safe to pull over until you calm down. It’s not worth taking the risk of being in a car accident just to get to your destination a few minutes faster.

 

Find a less stressful route. If one particular route always stresses you out and it’s feasible to take another route, do so. Even if one route is slightly longer, it may end up being faster because there is less traffic (or it may at least be more scenic and relaxing).

 

Don’t engage with an aggressive driver. If a driver honks, yells at you, or flips you off, don’t take the bait and retaliate. When you retaliate, you are more likely to cause the situation to escalate and make both you and the other driver more frustrated.

 

Be aware when you start to become frustrated while driving and do your best to change your mood. Remember, you can’t control traffic, but you can control your reaction to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

bright picture doctor and patient

Get Medical Attention Even If Your Car Accident Seems Minor

bright picture doctor and patient

A car rear ends you at a red light, causing a minor fender bender. A distracted driver does not see you pulling into their row in the parking lot and accidentally backs into your passenger side as you go by. If you are involved in this type of minor car accident, you might not think that you have suffered an injury. In fact, many people just feel annoyed or embarrassed to be involved in this type of accident and want to minimize it by refusing to see a doctor or go to the hospital.

 

However, there are several good reasons why you should seek medical attention after a car accident even if you don’t think you were injured. First and foremost, some injuries are not immediately apparent after an accident but become more serious if they go untreated. And, unfortunately, the longer you wait to seek medical attention, the harder it will be to prove that your injuries were caused by the car accident and for you to get compensation.

 

Even a Minor Impact Can Cause Serious Injuries

 

Even a Minor Impact in Car Accident Can Cause Serious Injuries

Although low-speed collisions are typically not as damaging as higher-speed collisions, the impact can still cause drivers and passengers to be jolted in their seats, most commonly leading to head, neck, or back injuries. These might include concussions, neck strain, back sprain or strain, spinal disc injuries, thoracic spine injuries, or lumbar spine injuries. These types of injuries don’t always show immediate signs of physical trauma, so it’s important to be on the lookout for other signs, such as:

 

  • Headaches
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Nausea
  • Confusion or slowed reaction
  • Drowsiness
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Numbness or tingling in limbs
  • Muscle stiffness or soreness

 

An injury that seems minor at first can worsen if not treated, and many times, prompt medical attention can minimize the likelihood of this type of injury becoming more serious.

 

If your child was in the car with you, it’s especially important to seek medical attention, as a young child may not be able to fully articulate any symptoms or pain that he or she is experiencing. Sadly, car accidents are the leading cause of acquired disability for children under the age of 18 because people are still growing and developing at this age, and even a seemingly minor injury can lead to serious long-term health problems.

 

Pregnant women should always see their doctor after an auto accident, no matter how insignificant the accident seems. Even if you feel fine at first, miscarriage, placental abruption, and pre-term labor are all legitimate concerns, and only a doctor can evaluate you and tell you your best course of action.

 

Legal Reasons to Seek Medical Attention

 

Taking care of yourself and anyone else in the vehicle with you should be your first concern after an accident, but there are also legitimate legal reasons to seek medical attention as soon as possible. For one thing, if you wait too long, your insurance may not cover your medical expenses. Florida has a particularly tight deadline because of our personal injury protection (PIP) laws; anyone injured in a motor vehicle accident has only 14 days after the date of the accident to get medical treatment under their insurance policy.

 

It’s also much more difficult to take legal action and seek compensation for your injuries if you wait too long to see a doctor. If you wait even a few days to get medical attention, the other party will most likely question the validity of your claim or argue that your injuries were actually caused by something that occurred after the car accident. It may still be possible to recover compensation with the help of an experienced car accident attorney, but it will be much more challenging than if you had received medical attention the same day as the accident.

 

What Else To Do Immediately After an Auto Accident

 

What To Do Immediately After an Auto Accident

The best steps to take after being in a car accident, no matter how minor, are to call the police in order to file a report, exchange contact information with the other driver, collect contact information from any witnesses who saw the accident, and go to your doctor or the nearest hospital. Following these steps will give you concrete evidence to support your case if it turns out that you are injured, and getting medical help as soon as possible can reduce the likelihood of suffering long-term effects. Remember: it is always in your best interest to see a doctor, even if it at first appears there is only vehicle damage.

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.

New Seat Belt Tech Could Curb Drowsy Driving Accidents

New Seat Belt Tech Could Curb Drowsy Driving Accidents

New Seat Belt Tech Could Curb Drowsy Driving Accidents

From automatic braking systems to electronic stability control, automobile technology continues to evolve to better protect drivers and vehicle occupants. Now, one new innovation may help prevent people from driving while drowsy—something that is a well-documented risk factor in serious and sometimes fatal crashes.

 

Harken, a publicly and privately funded European consortium, recently announced in a press release that they have developed a seat belt sensor designed to help wake drivers up if they begin falling asleep at the wheel. The sensor system was made by weaving fibers and yarns with electrical properties into the shoulder belt and seat pad of a car. When a driver is sitting in the seat and wearing their seat belt, the sensors will measure their heart rate and breathing rate. Because both respiration and heart rate slow down when a person is asleep or about to fall asleep, the sensors will be able to identify when a driver is at risk for falling asleep and needs to pull over.

Boca Raton Car Accident Attorney

Steering Clear of Dangerous Drivers: How to Protect Yourself on the Road

Boca Raton Car Accident Attorney

If you’ve spent any time on the road, even if it’s just a short commute to work every day, chances are you’ve encountered dangerous drivers. You’ve probably shaken your head at drivers weaving through slower traffic, or gotten annoyed by someone following you a little too closely. But what can you do about these reckless drivers other than complain to family and friends later on?

 

Dangerous drivers are a huge problem, because they can cause you to get into a car accident – even if you’re driving safely and following all the rules of the road. The best way to avoid this type of accident is to be vigilant, recognize dangerous driving, and put some distance between yourself and anyone driving recklessly or erratically.

 

What Are the Signs of Dangerous Driving?

 

In order to avoid reckless drivers, you first need to recognize dangerous driving behavior. Sometimes this behavior is obvious—if you notice someone texting and weaving in and out of their lane, it’s easy to tell you should keep your distance. In some situations, however, the red flags are less glaring. A few signs of dangerous driving you should look out for are:

 

• Not going with the flow of traffic (traveling either significantly faster or slower than most other cars on the road)
• Tailgating (following other cars too closely)
• Quickly weaving in and out of lanes
• Failing to use turn signals
• Overusing brakes
• Not leaving a safe distance when cutting into a lane in front of another vehicle
• Driving in other vehicles’ blind spots

 

6 Tips to Avoid Car Accidents with Reckless Drivers

 

 Tips to Avoid Car Accidents with Reckless Drivers

Now that you know what to watch out for, here are some defensive driving tactics to avoid an accident:

 

1 Avoid driving at peak traffic hours when possible. According to a survey from Autoblog Canada, heavy traffic is one of the leading causes of road rage, causing 24% of the Canadians surveyed to get worked up (it’s reasonable to assume that Americans experience similar ill will towards rush hour). Since road rage causes reckless and aggressive driving, it’s best to avoid tinderbox situations whenever possible.

2 Leave a safe following distance. There’s no way to know if the driver in front of you is suddenly going to slam on the brakes, so you should always leave enough room so that you’ll have time to stop if the behavior of that driver suddenly changes. The Florida DMV recommends using the 2-second following rule: look at a fixed landmark and notice when the car in front of you drives by it, and then count “one-thousand one, one-thousand two.” If you pass the same landmark before you get to the end of “one thousand-two,” you’re following too closely.

3 Tap brakes lightly if another driver is tailgating. If the problem is that another driver is following you too closely, lightly tap your brakes to warn the driver behind you. If you’re already going with the flow of traffic, don’t feel pressured to go up to an unsafe speed just because an impatient driver is breathing down your neck. The driver will most likely leave a little more room when they see your brake lights and pass you when they can.

4 Don’t linger in other drivers’ blind spots. Even if you always check your mirrors and look over your shoulder before changing lanes, you can’t guarantee that everyone else will. Reckless drivers may fail to check their blind spot or use their turn signals, so avoid lingering in someone else’s blind spot. And remember, commercial trucks have a much larger blind spot than passenger vehicles, so give semis and tractor trailers an even wider berth.

 

Don’t Take Others’ Aggressive Driving Behavior Personally
5 Don’t take others’ aggressive driving behavior personally. It’s easy to get angry when another driver does something stupid, especially if you’ve had a long day and just want to get home. However, remember that a driver merging in front of you at the last second or swerving around you in traffic isn’t a personal slight. By staying calm, you can help minimize your chances of being in an accident.

6 Don’t engage with an aggressive driver. Don’t let tension escalate by making eye contact or flipping off an inconsiderate driver. Engaging with someone who is already driving dangerously might cause that person to behave even more recklessly in an attempt to “get back” at you, and that’s the last thing you want.

When you notice someone driving dangerously or unpredictably, the best thing you can do is to give them as much space as possible. Of course, sometimes that’s not possible, and in some cases, a dangerous driver might cause an accident despite your best efforts to avoid a crash. When this happens, you should hold that driver accountable by working with an experienced car accident attorney.

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.

Highway Auto Accidents

How to Avoid a Highway Accident

Highway Auto Accidents

Getting into a car accident in a parking lot or residential area is bad enough, but getting into a crash on the highway is far worse. When vehicles are traveling at highway speeds (typically between 60 and 75 mph), any kind of accident has the potential to result in driver and passenger fatalities.

 

The most obvious way to avoid getting into a highway accident is to stay off the highway, but that’s just not feasible for most Floridians. With four primary interstate highways, eight auxiliary highways, and approximately 1,500 interstate miles, it’s tough to be a driver in our state without spending some time on these fast-paced roadways. Whether you’re commuting to work or driving across the state to visit relatives, chances are you’re going to get there by traveling on one of these high-speed roads.

 

Of course, for all the reports about highway accidents and the crashes you’ve likely driven by, millions of drivers travel on highways every day without getting into accidents. By focusing on the road, practicing defensive driving, and following traffic laws, you can help prevent most types of highway accidents. Let’s take a look at some of the most common kinds of highway accidents and then go over some tips to keep yourself and your loved ones out of these crashes.

 

Common Types of Highway Crashes

 

Highway Car Crashes

Speeding, distractions (such as phones), drowsy driving, and drunk driving are all leading causes of various types of highway crashes, including:

 

• Lane change accidents: Drivers who fail to check their mirrors and blind spot or forget to signal before changing lanes may swerve into the side of another vehicle traveling at high speeds, or cut a faster car off so suddenly that the car slams into their rear bumper. Drivers may also rear-end another vehicle if they switch lanes with another slower-moving car too close in front of them.

• Rear-end accidents: Although you hear more about rear-end accidents happening on city streets, this type of accident can occur on highways when traffic begins slowing and one or more drivers fail to notice a change in speed. Since these rear-end accidents typically occur at higher speeds, they can cause serious harm, including spinal cord injuries and brain trauma.

• Rollovers: Top-heavy vehicles such as trucks and SUVs are particularly at risk for rollover accidents on tight turns or in bad weather. When large vehicles lose control and roll over, they often cause vehicles behind them to get into an accident, as well.

• Head-on collisions: One of the worst types of highway accidents possible, head-on collisions may occur when a drunk, drowsy, or simply inattentive driver enters the highway the wrong way via an exit ramp, or when a driver falls asleep at the wheel and drifts across the median.

 

4 Tips to Stay Out of Highway Accidents

 

4 Tips to Stay Out of Highway Accidents

Based on the descriptions of the accidents above, some ways to reduce your risk of being in a highway accident should, hopefully, be obvious. You should never drive when you’ve been drinking, even if you don’t think you’re that intoxicated. You should also put your phone away to avoid distractions, and if you start feeling tired on a long drive, take the next exit and pull over somewhere safe to rest.

 

Here are 4 more tips to help you avoid highway accidents:

 

1. Leave plenty of room when changing lanes in front of a truck. The average tractor-trailer loaded with cargo and traveling 55 mph on a clear road takes at least 290 feet to come to a complete stop—and that’s the best case scenario. Trucks traveling in bad weather, with overloaded cargo, or with worn-out tires or brakes will take even longer to stop, and cars that pass trucks and then cut back in front of them too closely can easily cause accidents. Never pull in front of a tractor-trailer unless you can see the entire front of the truck in your rearview mirror.

2. Stay out of blind spots. Although drivers should be checking their blind spot by looking over their shoulder before changing lanes, you can’t guarantee that everyone will be that responsible. Either speed up or slow down to avoid traveling in another car’s or truck’s blind spot for a long period.

3. Go with the flow of traffic. Weaving in and out of lanes to go faster than the rest of traffic is incredibly dangerous, but going so slowly that you’re forcing everyone else on the road to go around you is also an issue. Do your best to keep up with the flow of traffic and never, under any circumstances, come to a complete stop in a lane with traffic flowing around you.

4. Use your turn signals. You can’t expect other drivers to read your mind—even if you think you have plenty of room to make a lane change or get onto an exit ramp, you should always signal your intentions so that you don’t take drivers around you by surprise.

 

Keep in mind that you’re in a powerful, fast-moving vehicle when you’re driving on the highway, so don’t take unnecessary risks that will endanger yourself and others. And if another driver endangers or injures you through their recklessness, seek proper medical attention and then contact an auto accident attorney as soon as possible.

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.

Wrongful Death Car Accidents

What You Need to Know about Wrongful Death in Car Accidents

Wrongful Death Car Accidents

Last November, “The Fast and the Furious” actor Paul Walker and former race car driver Roger Rodas lost their lives after crashing a high-performance Porsche in Santa Clarita, California. Although the report from the crash investigation says that the accident was caused by speeding (93 mph), Kristine Rodas is still looking for answers to explain her husband’s death.

 

Ms. Rodas recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche Cars North America, claiming that her husband’s 2005 Porsche Carrera GT—which is capable of going from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 205 miles per hour—was not equipped with a proper crash cage and safety features in the gas tank that could have saved its occupants’ lives.  The suit also alleges that a mechanical malfunction forced Rodas off the road.

 

It’s less common to hear about this kind of solo-vehicle wrongful death lawsuit than it is to hear about multi-vehicle accidents in which one driver was clearly reckless or negligent. However, there are legitimate reasons for filing a wrongful death suit in solo-vehicle accident cases: if unsafe road conditions or a manufacturer defect resulted in a fatal accident, then the surviving family of the accident victim has a right to hold the negligent party responsible.

 

As a Boca Raton wrongful death attorney, I want everyone in my community to understand when they can file a wrongful death suit in a car accident case and what steps they need to take.

 

Cases in Which a Car Accident Results in Wrongful Death

 

If you’re considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit after the loss of a loved one in a car accident, the first thing you need to do is determine who was responsible for the accident. Some examples of a negligent party include:

 

Another driver who was intoxicated, distracted, sleep-deprived, inexperienced, or driving recklessly for another reason
The city or state, if they failed to maintain safe road conditions (e.g. if the city knew about but did not fill in the large pothole that caused your loved one to lose control of their vehicle)
The vehicle manufacturer, if their vehicle contained a defective part such as faulty brakes or failing suspension, and that defective part caused a fatal accident

 

Cases in Which a Car Accident Results in Wrongful Death
Although there is always an official investigation into fatal car accidents, as there was in the Paul Walker/Roger Rodas case, you may need to hire your own investigative team to determine the cause of the accident.

 

Initial Steps to Strengthening Your Case

 

File a wrongful death lawsuit within the statute of limitations. If you suspect that your loved one died as a result of a third party’s negligence, you should contact an experienced attorney and file a lawsuit as soon as possible, in part because it will be easier to reconstruct the accident the sooner you file, and also because you are legally required to make your case within a certain time frame. The statute of limitations for wrongful death cases varies from state to state; in Florida it is two years.

 

Gather concrete evidence. In some cases, your attorney may hire an investigative team to return to the scene of the evidence to look for things such as skid marks and road flaws. The specialists will likely look closely at the car(s) involved in the accident as well. Meanwhile, your attorney may subpoena footage from traffic cameras, surveillance cameras, or even someone who filmed the accident on their phone, if that sort of evidence is available.
Boca Raton Wrongful Death Lawyer
Interview witnesses. If anyone witnessed the accident, your attorney should meet with them as soon as possible, since memories become faultier with the pass of time.

 

Present your case in court. You should always have a well-qualified wrongful death attorney represent you in this type of case since so much is at stake, but more so if you are going up against a car manufacturer or insurance company. These organizations will do everything they can to prove your loved one’s actions contributed to the accident, and you’ll need a lawyer who has handled this type of case to counter their arguments and give you the best chance of recovering compensation.

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.

Don't Text and Drive

“Happy” Text Has Grim Outcome for North Carolina Woman

Don't Text and Drive

Despite the overwhelming evidence that texting while driving is dangerous, all too many drivers are still deciding that using their smartphones can’t wait until they get to their destination. One of the latest tragic tales of a texting accident comes from North Carolina, where a young woman died seconds after posting a Facebook status about Pharrell Williams’ popular song “Happy.”

 

Police believe that 32-year-old Courtney Ann Sanford was driving in High Point, NC, when she posted the Facebook comment “The happy song makes me so HAPPY” at 8:33 pm on April 24th. Less than a minute after that comment went live, the High Point Police Department received a call about a car accident. The collision occurred when Sanford crossed the center median and drove headlong into an oncoming truck. The truck driver, 73-year-old John Wallace Thompson, was thankfully not injured, but Sanford’s Toyota Corolla caught on fire, and Sanford died at the scene.

 

Investigators found that Sanford was wearing a seat belt, but that it wasn’t secured properly. Police have also determined that she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and that the most likely cause of the accident was Sanford’s use of her cell phone. High Point Lieutenant Chris Weisner said of this preventable tragedy, “In a matter of seconds, a life was over just so she could notify some friends that she was happy. As sad as it is, it is a grim reminder for everyone… you just have to pay attention while you are in the car.”

 

Despite Texting Bans, Distracted Driving is Still a Problem

 

Distracted Driving

In January 2014, Pew Research reported that 90% of American adults own a cell phone, and 58% of American adults have a smartphone. We’re living in a constantly connected culture, where people have become used to being able to reach their friends and family or access the internet wherever they go—even if they’re behind the wheel.

 

With anywhere from 387,000 to 421,000 Americans being injured in distracted driving-related accidents each year, state laws are finally beginning to catch up and discourage risky driving behavior. 43 states, as well as DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, currently ban all texting while driving (Florida enacted a texting ban just this last October). 12 states also prohibit the use of all handheld phones while driving, although hands-free devices like those that use Bluetooth are still acceptable.

 

Unfortunately, the penalties for texting and driving vary from state to state and are often not severe enough to deter drivers who are truly determined to use their phone while they’re on the go. In Florida, for example, texting while driving is only a secondary offense (meaning a police officer has to have a primary reason for pulling a driver over before ticketing them for texting), and a first-time offense results in a fine of $30—little more than a slap on the wrist. In North Carolina, where Sanford’s accident occurred, texting while driving is a primary offense, and violators face a $100 fine, as well as court costs. Although North Carolina’s law is stricter than Florida’s, it still was not a strong enough deterrent to keep Sanford from using Facebook while driving.

 

Technology distractions are still a huge problem for drivers, with the CDC estimating that 1 in 5 crashes resulting in injuries were caused by distracted driving. In spite of texting bans and statistics that prove how hazardous distracted driving is, drivers who want to use their phone continue to get into the mindset that they’re capable of multitasking behind the wheel.

 

We Think We Can Multitask (But We Can’t)

 

Talking on a Cellphone While Driving

Perhaps one of the most common rationales behind texting and driving is that the driver thinks they are “good at multitasking.” They may think that they’ve got glancing back and forth between their screen and the road down to a science, and that their acute perception makes them better at texting while driving than other people on the road.

 

In reality, the human brain doesn’t multitask in the way many of us think it does. David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah, has been working to bust the myth that people can successfully juggle multiple tasks at once. He told Psychology Today, “Our brains don’t do two things at once; instead, we rapidly switch between tasks, putting heavy burdens on attention, memory, and focus.” He added, “Talking on a cellphone while driving (perhaps the most ubiquitous type of multi-tasking) leaves people as cognitively impaired as if they’d had two or three drinks.”

 

Note that Mr. Strayer is discussing talking on the phone, an activity that doesn’t even take a driver’s eyes off the road. Texting or posting social media updates, which take a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds, obviously creates an even bigger impairment.

 

What Will Get Drivers to Stop Texting?

 

Although it was a horrible event, Sanford’s fatal accident – which received wide coverage due to its tragic irony—will hopefully serve as a wake-up call to other drivers who have thus far paid little attention to state texting bans. Sanford’s accident shows just how quickly someone can go from using their phone while driving to losing their life, all because they couldn’t wait until they parked to update their Facebook status.

 

We can only hope that these personal, emotional stories hit home more than distracted driving statistics and texting laws have so far. Anyone who has ever texted or updated their Facebook status while driving should reflect on Sanford’s accident. Maybe doing this will help them to recognize that they put themselves and other drivers in a potentially dangerous situation by allowing technology to distract them. While many of us consider it a modern necessity to constantly be available to our online contacts, we need to remember that no matter what message we need to share, it can always wait until we get to our destination or find a spot to safely pull over.

 

 

Transportation Workers: Most Exposed to Injury and Death

A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that auto accidents kill more than 40,000 people every year in the United States. Among them, people who drive for a living – truckers, school bus drivers, and cab drivers – are the most exposed to injury and death. Here we take a look at some alarming statistics regarding fatal work injuries caused by transportation incidents.

 

Texting While Driving

New Technology Promises to Prevent Texting and Driving

Texting While Driving

Because cell phones and other mobile devices have become so well-integrated into our daily routines, we’ve grown accustomed to using them every chance we get—even behind the wheel. Whether out of reflex or a feeling of need to continue a conversation occurring via text, we do it all too often.

 

But the risk of texting or checking a phone while driving is too high. In fact, the time it takes for someone to glance down at their phone or text a reply is approximately 4.6 seconds, which is commonly compared to driving the length of a football field. That’s like putting a blindfold on when you’re behind the wheel for almost five seconds. Most people wouldn’t dream of doing that, but for some reason using a phone while driving is seen as perfectly okay by many.

 

According to studies conducted by experts, you are 23 times more likely to be in an accident if you are texting while driving compared to driving while not distracted. Today, 39 states in the U.S. have banned sending texts while driving. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 1,600,000 accidents per year are caused by texting while driving, in addition to 330,000 injuries per year and about 11 teen deaths every day. In fact, 25% of all car accidents that occur are texting-while-driving related.

 

Technology Companies Step In… To Block Technology

 

That is why big cellphone companies such as Verizon and AT&T have created numerous awareness campaigns and educational programs in order to get people, especially teens, to pledge never to text while driving. Some companies have also invented apps that claim to prevent distracted driving accidents from occurring.

 

Verizon’s new app, for example, called Safely Go, automatically receives and responds to calls and texts so that the driver can remain focused and responsible while on the road. AT&T’s Drive Mode limits the extra features on your phone and automatically sends pre-set replies to incoming texts,letting people know that you are driving. Additionally, the app blocks you from reading or typing anything and further silences all calls, texts, and emails. But these innovations go beyond cellphone companies trying to fix a problem they had a hand in creating – lots of other companies are getting involved as well:

 

DriveSafe.ly actually reads your texts, calls, or emails aloud and responds to them either by voice or with pre-set responses.

 

Textecution uses a GPS to determine speed and will automatically disable texting if you are traveling more than 10 mph.

 

Text-STARalso senses motion and disables texting when going above 10 mph, but goes above and beyond this by allowing you to schedule auto-reply texts in advance if you plan to be driving at a later time.

 

tXtBlocker allows users to go a different route by customizing the locations and times of day (such as typical commuting or driving times) when they don’t want texts and phone calls to be accepted.

 

Technology Can Help, but People Are Still Responsible

 

Car Accident Attorney

The Verizon website states, “Experience teaches us that technology innovation will provide more opportunities to address public safety issues like texting and driving.” However, it’s important to remember that the effectiveness of these apps rely mostly on the drivers’ willing and effective use of them as tools to keep themselves focused on the road. Nevertheless, there will always be distracted people on the road, and if one of them hits you, it’s vital that you get the expert legal help you need as soon as possible to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

 

About the Author:
Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.