Tampa Bay Injury Law Blog » Clearwater personal injury lawyer

Florida Ranks Number Two in Pedestrian Fatalities

James Dodson — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:17:16 +0000

In its comprehensive report of pedestrian accidents released in June of 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ranked Florida #2 for pedestrian fatalities. The study compiled and reviewed the reported statistics since 1997. The study found that Florida had a total of 5,125 fatalities which accounted for 10.4 % of all pedestrian fatalities nationwide during the reporting period.

Pedestrian accidents present a variety of issues for personal injury attorneys, as questions regularly arise regarding liability, such as comparative fault, and insurance coverage. Those affected by pedestrian injury accidents should seek legal advice for a determination of their legal rights before speaking with any insurance representative or signing any type of paperwork, to include a release.

State launches “Ride Proud, Ride Loud” Campaign

James Dodson — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:09:25 +0000

On July 14, 2008, The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles launched a new educational campaign called “Ride Proud, Ride Loud.” This campaign is aimed at motorcyclists and is an attempt to educate and encourage bike riders to take appropriate steps in order to make themselves more visible to other drivers on the road, especially wear brighter clothing, paint their bikes brighter, more visible colors, and add additional lights to their bikes..

The campaign was launched partly because of the continual increase in motorcycle fatality crashes, and partly because of the increased number of motorcycles on Florida’s roadways. With the gas crisis of 2008, one can only predict the number of new, less experienced riders on Florida’s highways will continue to increase. Although many times, motorcyclists involved in serious accidents are not at fault, they suffer a disproportionate number of injuries due to the nature of the vehicle. Anything riders can voluntarily do to be more visible and possibly save lives can only be a good thing.

The Bright Side of the Gas Crisis

James Dodson — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:29:45 +0000

Look at the bright side of the fuel crisis. Since the price of gasoline has surged, many Americans have curbed their travel plans. Less vehicles on the highways, means less opportunity for automobile accidents. At least that’s one of the theories being explored to account for the decline in highway traffic crash deaths as reported in a USA Today news article. Although the specific reasons are inconclusive, fewer deaths can only be considered a good thing, regardless of the reason. Unfortunately, with the number of vehicles on the road, automobile accidents will remain a daily part of our lives.