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.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Hillsborough sheriff’s deputies hit an allegedly already-dead pedestrian in an incident that is now being investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. While en route to a call about a pedestrian being struck by a car, two Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies struck a man, but according to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad...
In most accident cases, fault is clearly established because one of the drivers failed to obey a traffic law or rear-ended the other vehicle. However, when the driver has suffered a medical emergency, liability is not so simple. Most states recognize the “sudden medical emergency” defense in a car accident. The thought is that the...
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...
Fox Channel 13 News Tampa Bay reported recently that two local motorists drove off the side of an elevated highway entrance ramp along Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale on the afternoon of Sunday, May 16, 2021, almost exactly 24 hours after another car tumbled off the ramp at the exact same spot. According to a...
In 2009, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) launched an initiative to bring sophisticated computer technologies into vehicles. The program, called IntelliDrive, is now in its pilot phase, and we may soon begin to see more IntelliDrive-equipped vehicles on the road. What is IntelliDrive? IntelliDrive is a suite of computer technologies and software applications that...
Car accidents occur every day in South Florida. Some are fender benders and lead to nothing more than scratches, while others result in devastating injuries that completely change the lives of the victims. While many accidents involve two or more cars, some involve only one or a variety of other vehicles present on the road....
Being in a car accident is traumatic enough. But when the person who caused the accident is uninsured, it can add another level of devastation to a life-altering event. In many cases, the victim is left paying for another’s mistake, both physically and financially, even though he or she played by the rules. Forty-nine states...
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...
There are many reasons to hire a lawyer to represent you in a Florida car accident case. Some car accident victims will face challenges with their insurance company who refuses to cover damages. Others may struggle to collect a timely payout. Additionally, if your damages exceed the maximum amount allowed under your policy, it is...
If you were involved in a car accident, you may be wondering what happens in a side-impact collision. In these types of collisions, also known as T-bone accidents, a vehicle strikes another vehicle’s side. Side-impact collisions can happen when a vehicle is backing up or driving forward. Many of these accidents happen at intersections when...
A car accident can leave you or a loved one with serious injuries and significant medical bills. When you seek compensation after your accident, your medical bills are typically part of your compensation packet. In short, the at-fault party and their insurance company pay your medical bills. Whether or not insurance companies pay those medical...
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the most common cause of rear-end collisions is distracted driving. The second most common cause is following another vehicle too closely. If you were involved in a rear-end collision, you may wonder who is at fault. In most rear-end crashes, the driver in the rear vehicle...