St. Augustine, Florida, Auto Accident Injury Compensation Blog

What are some common causes of commercial vehicle accidents?

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Truck & Bus Accidents on Thursday, April 19, 2018.

No one can deny that semi-trucks are an integral part of the economy in the United States. Businesses rely on truckers to ship goods for sale across the nation. Semi-trucks are a common sight on Florida highways, but, due to their sheer size, any accident involving a semi-truck has the potential to be catastrophic. The following are some common causes of truck accidents.

First, it takes special training and a special license to operate a semi-truck. An inexperienced trucker could pose a danger to other drivers on the road, particularly if they are driving recklessly. Also, if a truck company routinely hires truckers who have been in accidents in the past and have a poor driving record, that truck company could be held responsible if the trucker causes a crash.

Victims of hit-and-run crashes in Florida should not lose hope

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Hit & Run Accidents on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Accidents unfortunately happen all too often. A person might be safely driving, following all traffic rules, when another driver sideswipes them, T-bones them or rear-ends them. Most people in St. Augustine know that if they are in a car accident, they should stay at the scene of the crash to determine if anyone needs medical help, to exchange insurance information and to wait for police to come, if necessary. Unfortunately, some drivers will not carry out these duties. They will cause a car crash, and then simply flee the scene of the accident, leaving the victims in a devastating situation.

It may seem like victims of hit-and-run accidents do not have many options. They do not know the name of the person who caused the crash and they'll have no information about that driver's auto insurance. If they're lucky, they may remember the make and model of the vehicle that hit them, and perhaps even a license plate number or there may be witness accounts, but not much more.

Distracted driving accidents occur despite known danger

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Drunk / Distracted Driving Accidents on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Technology is improving at an amazingly rapid rate. Take cellphones, for instance. Over the past 30 years, they have evolved from large, clunky objects that could only make phone calls, to machines that can text, email, take photos, access social media accounts, make purchases and so much more. They are wonderful, but they are distracting. And, while this distraction may not seem like such a big deal if you are safe inside your home, it can be a serious danger if you are trying to drive.

Residents of Florida may be concerned to hear that the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety performed a study that showed a disturbing trend in distracted driving. Although approximately 88 percent of respondents reported that distracted driving poses a greater danger on the road than drunk driving, almost 50 percent of respondents reported talking on a cellphone while behind the wheel and 35 percent of respondents admitted to texting or emailing while driving.

These common defects in your vehicle could cause serious injury

On behalf of Canan Law posted in blog on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

When you bought your vehicle, you expected all of its components and parts to work properly. After all, there are safety standards that the automotive industry must meet before a vehicle can leave the lot.

Unfortunately, manufacturers do not always meet those standards, and the resulting defects could put you and those who ride with you in your vehicle at risk for serious injury or even death. Even the most seemingly innocuous defects could result in that harm.

Florida police warn against drunk driving during spring break

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Drunk / Distracted Driving Accidents on Friday, March 30, 2018.

Spring break has arrived in Florida, and many young adults are flocking to the state's beaches and resorts to enjoy a glimpse of warm, sunny weather and to enjoy the time away from their studies. However, a big part of spring break party culture is alcohol, and some spring breakers will engage in drunk driving.

To combat this, the Florida Highway Patrol will take part in the national "Arrive Alive, Don't Drink and Drive," campaign. The FHP will be putting forth a greater effort to identify and apprehend those who are driving under the influence of alcohol. The FHP estimates that over 15 accidents involving drunk drivers will occur daily in March. It only takes a one-time decision to drive under the influence to cause a serious car crash that could injure or kill other people.

Drunk driving crash in 'Alligator Alley' kills one, injures 14

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Drunk / Distracted Driving Accidents on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

While most people in Florida know that driving under the influence is dangerous and illegal, there will always be those who flaunt the law and drive after having consumed too much alcohol. Unfortunately, doing so endangers not just the drunk driver, but every other motorist on the road.

The area of Interstate 75 in Broward County, colloquially called "Alligator Alley," was recently the scene of a fatal drunk driving accident. According to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, a motorist operating a pickup truck struck a van after driving recklessly and almost causing a few other accidents. The motorist was traveling in the right-hand lane of traffic when he swerved into the left-hand lane of traffic, striking the van.

Floridians may find 2016 statistics on truck crashes interesting

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Truck & Bus Accidents on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Large trucks may be an important part of commerce in Florida and nationwide, but, unfortunately, crashes between large trucks and standard automobiles are more catastrophic than crashes between smaller vehicles. A large truck can weigh anywhere from 20 to 30 times more than a standard automobile. They are taller than automobiles, meaning an automobile could be forced under the truck in a collision.

A fully loaded semi-truck requires far more distance than a standard automobile to come to a stop, a distance which is only amplified in poor road or weather conditions. Driver fatigue on the part of truckers is also an issue. Not only do federal regulations permit truck drivers to drive for as many as 11 hours in a row, but research shows that many truck drivers do not follow these regulations and drive for even longer periods of time.

Florida children may be at risk for pedestrian accidents

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

Many children in Florida love playing outside. They may play at parks, in their neighborhoods or at schools. Unfortunately, this means that the potential is there for a motorist to strike a child, causing injuries or even fatalities. In fact, one source reports that children ages five through nine are most likely to be struck by an automobile. Therefore, motorists have a heightened duty of care when driving where children are present.

Due to their smaller size, it can be difficult to see a child playing in the street or on the sidewalk. Also, children -- especially young children --- might dart out into traffic or act in other unanticipated ways. Therefore, motorists are obligated to exercise a heightened duty of care when driving in areas where they are aware or should be aware that children may be present. Some of these areas may include neighborhoods, parks and school zones.

Florida is not a safe state for pedestrians, statistics show

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

Sometimes, there's nothing better than a good walk. It's good exercise, gets one out in the fresh air and it doesn't leave a carbon footprint. Unfortunately, many cities in Florida were not planned with pedestrians in mind, making it dangerous for people to travel by foot. In fact, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, Florida was the number two state when came to fatal pedestrian accidents in the first six months of 2017.

According to the GHSA figures, just under 300 individuals in Florida were hit by motor vehicles during that time frame. The state with the highest total fatal pedestrian accidents saw 352 deaths. Keep in mind, however, that the state with 352 deaths has double the population of Florida. The GHSA also reports that 43 percent of all fatal pedestrian accidents during that time frame took place in five states, one of which is Florida.

2016 DUI statistics in Florida shows problems persist

On behalf of Canan Law posted in Drunk / Distracted Driving Accidents on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

Most people in St. Augustine are aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, the problem continues to persist, causing many injuries and fatalities each year. The following statistics demonstrate that as of 2016, too many people have been injured or killed in drunk driving accidents and drugged driving accidents.

Drunk driving is a major issue in Florida. In 2016, the state saw 5,223 alcohol confirmed crashes, 417 of which were fatal. An alcohol confirmed crash is one where either the motorist or a non-motorist had a blood alcohol content over 0.00 percent. In addition, there were 1,971 crashes, which caused 3,160 injuries.

Life's Not Perfect — We're Here To Help