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.
Florida is like many other states when it comes to having an implied consent law. This law basically states that by having a state of Florida driver’s license, you agree, should you be suspected of DUI, to take a chemical test to determine your blood-alcohol level. While you legally have the right to refuse the...
The Suncoast News Tampa Bay reported recently that a motor vehicle accident on Friday, April 2, 2021 in Palm Harbor, FL led to serious injuries for a Clearwater motorist after he lost control of his vehicle and careened into the oncoming traffic lanes. According to information provided by officials with the Florida Highway Patrol, the...
The Suncoast News reported recently that a Zephyrhills woman was killed in a motor vehicle accident in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 28. According to officials with the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident took place on Thursday, January 28, 2021 between 6:50 a.m. and 6:55 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) along Florida State...
Head-on crashes account for only a small percentage of all overall accidents, but those accidents tend to be severe enough to cause 10% of all fatalities. Head-on crashes had a 58% fatality rate in 2017 according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A large percentage of head-on collisions occur when a driver crosses the...
A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that mistakes on the part of drivers are the cause of 94 percent of all car accidents, and about 87 percent of drivers engage in unsafe behaviors. Meanwhile, the number of deaths from car accidents has risen sharply. In 2015, there were 38,300 fatalities and...
With many people out of work or working from home, and many businesses remain remaining closed as a method to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the roadways are less congested than ever before. This presents an opportunity that some drivers cannot resist, driving dangerously faster than posted speed limits. Unfortunately, this means that while overall...
Although car crashes in Florida occur every day, the fatality rate due to traffic accidents in Florida has dropped. In fact, the new traffic crash statistics for 2010 released by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recently revealed data showing that the traffic death rate in Florida continues to drop. For 2010, the number...
The Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization released a list of the top intersections for accidents in Brevard County. The top intersections, along with the vehicle crash frequencies, are: Babcock Street and Palm Bay Road: 77 .6 U.S. 1 and Eau Gallie Boulevard: 54.2 Minton Road and Emerson Drive: 52.6 Wickham Road and Sarno Road: 51.8...
After an accident, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) car insurance policy will cover up 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages up to $10,000. According to Florida’s No-Fault auto insurance laws, all drivers are required to have a minimum of $10,000 of PIP coverage to register and operate their vehicle on...
If you get into an accident with an uninsured driver, don’t assume you have no options. In fact, you have several possible paths to compensation—insurance claims, lawsuits against the driver, or even cases against additional liable parties. Our Fort Lauderdale uninsured motorist accident lawyer can help you decide which path is right for you. Call Your...
Fort Lauderdale is Broward County’s largest city and part of one of Florida’s largest metropolitan areas, along with Miami and West Palm Beach. Per the United States Census Bureau, more than 180,000 people make up the city’s population. With thousands of people visiting and living there, the risk of having a car accident is always...
Florida law requires responding officers to file a crash report after any car accident that involves fatality, personal injury, or property damage over $500. If another party was at fault for your car accident, the police report can offer critical details to support an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. Understanding how to get a...