Most of the time, a motorcycle is a safe and fun mode of transportation, but they do carry an increased risk of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that there were 5,172 motorcycle accidents in the United States during the year 2017. Additionally, the agency reported that fatalities occurred 28 times more frequently…
Woman Facing Multiple Heavy Charges After Stealing a Vehicle With People Inside
If you are involved in a car accident in Florida, there are certain steps that you should immediately take to preserve evidence. The first step may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people miss it. Call the police. Having an officer determine who was at fault can go a long way with insurance…
Man Thrown From Vehicle in Crash
Partial or complete ejection from a vehicle is a major risk in rollover crashes. Seatbelt use can nearly completely eliminate this risk. According to the IIHS, rollover crashes mostly occur when a driver loses control of a vehicle and it begins to slide sideways. Something then hits the vehicle and causes it to begin rolling….
Man Killed After Running Stop Sign
Accidents involving the failure to stop at a stop sign are fairly common in Florida. Many times, these kinds of accidents are rear-end collisions. However, there are also instances of cars being T-boned, where one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle. They often occur with distracted driving or drivers in a hurry and…
19 Year Old Facing DUI Manslaughter Charges After Vehicle Rolls Over and Kills Passenger
Fatal car accidents are one of the top causes of deaths for teenagers in the United States. The CDC released records that indicate 6 teens die in automobile crashes every day. Inexperience is one of the major factors leading to these crashes, as young teens with fewer than two years of driving experience are not…
OSHA Finds 6 Violations After Explosion Kills Mother
With the passage of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970, Congress created the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). OSHA is part of the United States Department of Labor and its purpose is to assure a safe and healthy working environment for men and women. The organization does this by setting and enforcing…
16 Year Old Could See Felony Charges After Causing Deadly Accident
In Florida, the law differentiates between negligent driving, which subjects a person to civil liability, while criminal driving conduct can subject a person to criminal sanctions such as incarceration. Vehicular homicide is an example of an instance where a person causes the death of another person by operating a motor vehicle in a manner that…
Pedestrian Killed After Being Struck By Car
Contrary to popular belief, “jaywalking” is not a legal term. There are no statutes against jaywalking in Florida. Many actions can be referred to as jaywalking; some of them being illegal. Crossing the street against a red light is illegal and may result in a ticket. However, crossing mid-block or outside a crosswalk is not…
Florida May Get Rid of “No-Fault” Driver Policy
Many states have a law requiring drivers to carry auto insurance. These states are typically divided into at-fault and no-fault states. In at-fault states, drivers may rely on the auto insurance of the driver who was at fault in the accident to pay for medical expenses and property damage. In no-fault states, each driver is…
Teens Race Camaros, Ends in Injury
While distracted driving has become a major cause of most accidents involving teenagers, there is another common factor to consider. In 2015, speeding was determined to be a cause in crashes killing 9,557 people. In 2011, speeding was a major factor in 52% of fatal crashes with a teen behind the wheel. Male teen drivers…
Boy Killed After Falling Out of Truck Bed
In Florida, it is against the law for a minor to ride in the back of a pickup truck unless there are seatbelts. However, as long as those in the back of the pickup truck are over 18, there are no restrictions on how many people can ride in the bed of a pickup. The…
Deadly Crash Involves 5 Vehicles, 3 of Them Motorcycles
Several states, including Florida, require a separate driver’s license for the operation of motorcycles that can travel over a certain speed. Those wishing to drive a motorcycle must apply for and obtain this specific kind of license. First, they must pass an examination which tests their knowledge of motorcycles and motorcycle traffic laws. They must…
Police Officer Crashes into Bystander During Police Chase, Killing Her
There are times when police must pursue criminals in high-speed chases as a matter of law. Many jurisdictions have policies regarding just how and when police are allowed to engage in such a pursuit. Florida is no exception, though the policies vary between jurisdictions within the state. Miami Beach police can engage in a pursuit like…
Man Loses Control of Car on Beach and Runs Down Children
Driving on the Florida beaches in designated areas is a fun past time that dates back to the first automobiles. Vehicles can only be driven in certain areas during certain times of the day and only when the tide conditions permit. Some beaches, especially those known for nesting sea turtles, may prohibit driving during their…
Famous Tight-Rope Walking Family Facing Possible Litigations
Tightrope walkers, also known as funambulists, have been practicing their craft since the times of Ancient Greece. One of the most famous of the funambulists was François Gravelet, who was the first to traverse a tight rope suspended above Niagara Falls. He even paused mid-journey to pull up a beer on a rope from the…
Man Crashes Into Utility Poles, Damages Other Vehicle
Under Florida law, a driver has responsibilities when they are involved in an accident. Those responsibilities can vary depending on whether there was just property damage, injuries, or fatalities involved. In either case, the driver has a responsibility to stop his vehicle immediately following the collision. If the property is unattended, the driver must locate…
Sailor on Motorcycle Killed By Driver Under the Influence
Motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation, but they are inherently more dangerous than passenger vehicles. In 2017, nearly 5,000 people were killed on motorcycles, which has decreased from 2016. However, motorcycle fatalities occur 28 times more often than other passenger vehicles per mile traveled. They have the highest percentage of any other vehicle type…
23 Year Old Falls Out of Moving Car Window, Hit By Another Car
New drivers typically make mistakes that veteran drivers would not make. Driving experience only comes with practice and let’s be honest, we’ve all taken risks as new drivers. Some of the most common driving mistakes include those made, not necessarily limited to inexperienced drivers, by younger drivers who commit them more often. Speeding, following too closely,…
Chili’s Restaurant Fined After Employee Fell into a Vat of Scalding Water
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established that employers needed to provide a safe and healthful workplace, free of all known dangers, for employees. This act also established the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, which oversees workplace safety and accidents. In addition to requiring a safe workplace, the act also provides access for…
Tramatic Crash Leaves 19 Year Old With Severe Brain Injury
Florida has laws in place governing what a person should do after an accident. A person should always make sure that everyone is okay and call for emergency services if needed. In most cases where there is just property damage, leaving the scene of an accident without at least exchanging information is a misdemeanor. If…