According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2013 a total of 10,076 Americans lost their lives in car accidents where a driver was above the legal blood alcohol limit. In fact, drivers who are legally drunk, meaning their blood alcohol level is 0.08 g/dL or higher, caused one-third of all highway deaths, the CDC said. Florida was no exception to the high rates of alcohol-impaired car crashes, with 676 DUI fatalities.
Despite the risk of serious injuries or death, many Americans report that they have taken the wheel while impaired. According to CDC, 4.2 million adult drivers reported that they had driven while impaired at least once during the past month.
While death is the most serious result of drunk driving, serious injuries are also common. The latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that there were 326,000 non-fatal injuries caused by crashes where alcohol was involved. These injuries may include fractures, burns and traumatic brain injuries.
If you were injured or a loved one lost their life in a car accident that was the fault of the other driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Chalik & Chalik for a free consultation to learn more about your rights.
Two separate crashes in Fort Worth in less than a week have taken the lives of a 16-year-old and other adults. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the teen driver was killed on Thursday, October 8th, when he crashed his vehicle into a wall. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the teen as...
A charge of DUI manslaughter in Florida is made when a person drives under the influence of alcohol, prescription medication, and/or illicit drugs and caused an accident that killed another person. DUI manslaughter is a second-degree felony that is accompanied with a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years in state prison. There is a...
Unfamiliarity with an area can be a major cause for auto accidents, particularly wrong way crashes. Merging onto an interstate using the off-ramp instead of the on-ramp and going the wrong way on unfamiliar wrong way streets can often be attributed with being unfamiliar with the roads in an area. Other conditions can also contribute...
In 2018, the NHTSA reported that there were 36,750 fatal motor vehicle crashes across the United States. This is a decrease of 1.0% from the number of fatal accidents in 2017, marking a two consecutive year decrease for drivers, passengers, and motorcyclists. However, the number of crashes involving large trucks, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers 65...

Posted on Dec 02, 2010 Two people were killed this weekend in a fiery two-vehicle crash in West Kendall, in Miami-Dade County, FL. The accident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Friday, November 19th. According to police, 18-year-old Andy Oquendo was driving a white Scion east on Sunset Drive at SW 148th Avenue when, due...

Failure to wear a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other traffic safety-related behavior. A study done in 2010 showed that 63% of people killed in car accidents were not wearing seat belts. The National Highway Safety Administration estimates that seat belts save 15,000 lives each year. No amount of safe driving practices,...

Nobody likes a long drive to work or back home, especially in traffic on congested freeways. Commuting can affect a drivers’ physical, mental, and emotional state. Unfortunately, many Florida car accidents occur during commute time, as there are more drivers on the road and more aggressive, angry drivers present during this time. When drivers who...

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ranks cars according to safety features and publishes its findings in a list, “Top Safety Picks,” a ranking that automakers covet. This year, it has toughened its standards in an attempt to get more auto manufacturers to begin using new safety technologies that will prevent crashes....

While there is no data on the average settlement value for rear-end collisions, there are a few key factors that can provide insight into the potential value of a case. These include the certainty with which another driver was at fault for the accident as well as the extent of your costs and losses. With...

The main causes of car accidents in the United States include distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, poor weather conditions, manufacturing defects, poor road conditions, animal crossings, and construction sites. Distracted Driving Although many people think of texting and driving when asked what are the main causes of car...

Yes, you can file a lawsuit against the company if you get into a car accident while in a taxi in Florida. In most cases, the company’s insurance company will pay for medical bills and other damages following an accident. However, sometimes insurance companies try to deny claims or say they are not liable for...

Being involved in an accident where the other driver flees the scene is an unsettling experience with many questions about the next steps. One important consideration for victims is understanding the statute of limitations for filing a legal claim after a hit and run. The statute of limitations is the timeframe within which a person...