Tampa Personal Injury Blog

It is widely believed that police officers are meant to keep the public safe and out of harm's way. Officers are supposed to help maintain safer highways, support traffic safety and accident prevention. However, a recent investigation has brought to light a dangerous and alarming hazard on our roadways. Namely, there may be times that police officers are driving recklessly on Florida roads, and causing car accidents and injuries to other drivers sharing the roadways.

In fact, a new investigation has revealed that motor vehicle accidents caused by speeding police officers have occurred hundreds of times in Florida over the last eight years. In one year, a South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper investigation found nearly 800 officers from 12 Florida law enforcement agencies drove between 90 and 130 miles per hour (mph) on state highways. In one instance, a man was even left paralyzed after being injured by police high-speed driving.

Florida has been one of 10 holdout states in the nation to retain mandated personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. With a current controversial bill expected to be signed into law by Governor Rick Scott, it seems Florida will continue to stand with the few.

The auto insurance bill is expected to preserve more than $2 billion in government-mandated health care coverage. Defended by hospital and insurances lobbyists, the controversial bill has plenty of opponents who believe it simply adds to the bottom lines of big insurance companies while lessening benefits and choices of consumers, including:

• Requiring treatment within 14 days
• Eliminating massage therapy or acupuncture benefits
• Reducing treatment benefits to $2,500 instead of the current $10,000

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 23-year-old Venice man was found dead after he apparently lost control of his vehicle on Monday, March 26, after hitting uneven pavement in a construction zone on I-75 near mile marker 197.

During the dramatic I-75 car accident, the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse struck the uneven road bed in the construction area, hit a berm, flew into the northbound median where it hit a guardrail, turned in a circle and ended up in the outside northbound lane.

Puzzlingly, according to law enforcement, the young driver was apparently able to exit the car because he was found dead in a nearby wooded area. The fatality and accident are under further investigation.

As we enter the month of March, thousands of college students will soon flock to Florida for the annual sun-drenched respite that spring break provides.

Unfortunately, spring break is rife with accidents and injuries for tourists and visitors to Florida. Many injuries happening at the hotels housing the spring break revelers. Slip-and-falls on balconies caused by students attempting to climb between balconies or by leaning too far over the balcony railing are common occurrences.

Florida Law Regarding Balcony Safety

Florida law attempts to minimize the dangers of balconies by implementing minimum design and safety specifications. To minimize the risk of falling over the railing, all hotel and condominium balconies have to be at least 42 inches high. State law also requires spaces between railing bars to be no more than four inches apart, to lessen the chance a person squeezing through the railing.

Lives are lost due to serious trucking accidents in the United States each year. In an effort to provide a resource for determining causes of truck crashes and contributing factors, a study was conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) brought together information from approximately 1,000 crashes that involved semi-trucks that resulted in injuries or deaths. The data included information about the big rigs, drivers, weather, road conditions and trucking companies involved in the crashes. The database provides a valuable tool for agencies looking to update or change rules and regulations to improve truck safety and help reduce the number of accidents.

Federal regulations to enhance vehicle safety and highway safety are a critical strategy for reducing car accidents, motorcycle accidents and truck wrecks. One agency that has a vital role in this process is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which was created by Congress to reduce the number and severity of crashes between commercial trucks and the many other smaller vehicles with which they share the road.

The long bureaucratic struggle to revise the federal Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations finally came to an end with the FMCSA's release of a final rule in late December. Key aspects of the rule will go into effect nationwide at the end of February 2012.

Riding a motorcycle down the open highway on a beautiful Florida day is an exhilarating experience. Unfortunately, it can also be quite dangerous.

The rate of motorcycle accidents causing injury or death rose steadily over the last decade. In 2008, over 8,500 bikers were injured and more than 500 were killed in Florida motorcycle accidents. However, thanks to the state's increased focus on motorcycle safety, Tampa motorcycle accident attorneys and others are noting sharp declines in the number of bikers killed or injured on Florida roads.

One year after the state implemented its safety campaign, fatal motorcycle crashes dropped by 24 percent and accidents causing injury fell by 12.7 percent.

Improving roadway safety is everyone's responsibility. There are some simple steps both drivers and bikers can take to prevent accidents and reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

Distracted driving by Florida car drivers has received intense scrutiny in the press in recent years. Less discussed, but just as important, is distracted driving by Florida truck drivers.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that truck drivers be banned from using cell phones while they are driving. This includes both handheld and hands-free devices, and it covers both talking and texting.

NTSB is highly critical of commercial truck drivers who use cell phones while they are driving. While NTSB has advised the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that commercial driver-license holders not be allowed to use cell phones while they are working, it does not make the laws; rather, it provides recommendations on what the rules should be.