South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
The Miami Herald recounted a horrific accident that took the life of a Miami father, killed by a suspected drunk driver. One witness saw the victim being struck and thrown into the air, but still had the wherewithal to call the police AND follow the alleged offender’s car (despite attempts to throw the witness off). The victim’s family will never be the same as they grapple with the shock, horror, and grief from this tragic death.
Sudden loss of a loved one or witnessing a terrible death has an unimaginable impact on one’s life. No subsequent actions, including verdicts in the justice system, can ever replace a person or erase the event from history. Sometimes though, in the midst of a crisis, you need help to guide you through the bureaucratic and financial consequences of such a mired circumstance. Friedman, Rodman & Frank have aided others in their time of need, whether it was applying for social security benefit or making the other party take responsibility for the actions through a civil action.
4280 pedestrians were killed in 2010, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In Florida, between 2006-2010, 5,737 people died from an alcohol-related crash, and 15,635 were injured. The consistent number between 2006-2008 caused government officials to create the Florida Impaired Driving Coalition to examine what could be done to lower the number of injured and killed Floridians. They plan to reduce the 5-year average by 5% each year by improving DUI enforcement and prosecution, increasing DUI prevention training, and enhancing DUI impairment legislation.
With the rising accessibility of mobile devices, distracted driving has also become a concern for Florida’s Department of Transportation. The 2012 Strategic Highway Safety Plan chose to focus on distracted driving because 5,474 people were killed and 448,000 were injured as a result of distracted driving. A Georgia man was recently killed in Florida after he hit a distracted driver’s vehicle left in the middle of the highway. The distracted driver dropped her cell phone and attempted to pick it up, while driving. She flipped her car and exited the vehicle to call 911. The man hit her car, left his vehicle, and then was hit by an on-coming semi-truck.
While mobile phone use has been headline driving news, there are many other ways a driver can become distracted and cause an accident injury or death. Fatigue has been shown to be as large of an impairment as alcohol intoxication. Florida instituted the “Ronshay Dugans Act“, which dedicates the first week of September to educating law enforcement and the public about the hazards of driving while tired. Other educational programs and initiatives like “Put it Down” work to educate the public to change hazardous habits like texting while driving.
Hopefully these implemented programs will reduce the number of injuries and eliminate fatalities as a result of a car accident – whether it stemmed from drunken driving or cell phone use. The injuries can range from mere scratches to paralysis that can cost thousands in medical bills and years spent in physical therapy. If you or someone you know are in a nightmare post-car accident situation, call the attorneys at Friedman, Rodman & Frank to get the caring help you need in your time of crisis.
More Blog Posts:
Costa Concordia Wreck Leads to New Safety Policies, South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog, January 24, 2013
FDA Sends Warning Letter to St. Jude’s Medical to Fix Faulty Defibrillators Leads, Riata and Durata, South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog, January 11, 2013
Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation Looking for Beneficiaries of Multi-Million Dollar, Multi-Agency Life Insurance Settlement Agreements, South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog, January 15, 2013