West Palm Beach Injury Lawyer Blog

The National Transportation Safety Board, an agency of the federal government, announced its plan to push states across the country to adopt a complete ban on using cell phones while driving. While many states already have at least some restrictions in place, Florida has continued to resist the ever-building pressure to outlaw the use of cell phones while driving.

According to an article in the Palm Beach Post, our Palm Beach car accident lawyers know that the resistance to federal pressure is nothing new for the state of Florida. Years ago, state lawmakers struggled to push through a law requiring motorists and their passengers to wear safety belts. It was not until the federal government threatened to withhold additional funding for state roads that the Florida legislature was finally able to come to an agreement on the seat belt law.

Legislators who oppose the ban on talking and texting while driving cite the fact that government involvement in the private lives of individuals continues to increase year after year, with more and more laws being passed with the overall goal of making life safer. While everyone can agree that safety is a good thing to promote, some legislators are resistant to forcing people to give up their freedom to choose their own risk levels in exchange for safety. The seat belt law is a prime example of this. The legislators who opposed it did so because they wanted to protect the freedom of citizens to decide whether or not to utilize a safety belt. The fewer aspects of individuals' lives that the government can control, the less freedom the citizenry retains.

However, some legislators argue that the talking and texting ban is different. Unlike with the seat belt law, which in most cases affects only those who are actually making the decision, a ban on talking and texting while driving often has devastating consequences for other people on the road, not just the person using the phone. In that sense, it is more akin to drinking and driving than to using a seat belt because talking or texting while behind the wheel puts everyone on the road in danger. In fact, although legislators have been resistant to implementing a ban, studies have shown that 87 percent of drivers would support a ban on talking and texting.

Our West Palm Beach injury lawyer knows that talking on the phone or texting while driving can be a big contributing factor in Florida car crashes. While it is often tempting to reach for that cell phone and try to use your time in the car productively, it is also very dangerous. We know that Palm Beach car accident injuries can be severe even in low-speed crashes, and sometimes a fraction of a second of reaction time can be the difference between a minor impact and a major impact. When you are distracted by your cell phone, you simply cannot react as quickly, especially if you have taken your eyes off the road for a second or two. Regardless of whether the state of Florida decides to implement a cell phone ban or not, we encourage drivers to use their cell phones only when necessary and to pull over before sending or reading text messages. It will help keep everyone on the road safer.

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Most Palm Beach car accidents involve collisions between two or more vehicles, usually caused by the negligence of one of the drivers. Far too many area residents are harmed in these crashes each day. However, beyond these frequent incidents, cars often pose hidden dangers for many drivers. Those risks are particularly strong when one purchases a used car.

For example, WPTV reported yesterday on a college student who parked his 2009 Grand Prix in his school's parking lot shortly before the vehicle unexpectedly burst into flames. The fire department rushed to put out the blaze, which engulfed the entire car. Fortunately the driver was not injured in that case.

Shockingly, the bizarre incident is not unique, as many other 2009 Grand Prix drivers have faced similar problems. One driver reports that his car fire almost destroyed his house.

He explained the situation: "There was steam coming out the front of the car. And I thought I must have blown a radiator hose. So I opened the hood to try and let the steam out. Thinking I was going to get steamed, I backed off and when I did flames came rushing out."

Unknown to that driver or the college student, the cars that they had just bought at a used car dealership had actually been recalled a few months before because of the risk of engine leaks landing on the car's manifold. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration explains how new car dealerships are forbidden from selling openly recalled vehicles, but the same rule does not apply to used car sellers. As a result, millions of cars with open recalls are on the road each day and many more are being sold in used lots throughout the country.

Continue reading "Palm Beach Car Accident Attorney Explains Potential Dangers with Used Car Recalls" »

An experienced West Palm Beach car accident lawyer knows how important it is for thorough, accurate, and complete car accident investigations to be conducted following all traffic crashes. Every day thousands of community members, including many in our area, find themselves victims of car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. The causes of these incidents are often complex--various factors may be involved that are not apparent at first glance. Even when the cause of a West Palm Beach car accident seems clear, a proper investigation may reveal that distractions, malfunctions, or other types of negligence contributed to the accident.

For example, this morning WPBF News reported on a fatal Cooper City car accident that struck yesterday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m. the victim was driving his car on a local road in Broward County, when, according to witnesses, his vehicle abruptly drove into a yard. The car then crashed through a fence and hit a tree before flipping over and sliding nearly two hundred feet along a gully. The driver was ejected from the vehicle during the accident and did not survive his injuries.

Even with witnesses able to report on the car accident, local officials are still unsure what led to the deadly event. A variety of possibilities exist. The man could have fallen asleep at the wheel. He may have suffered a sudden medical condition. Perhaps his car malfunctioned in some way. Each possibility has different ramifications when it comes to the law.

It is for those reasons that all accident victims should seek out the help of a Florida car crash attorney to help investigate the events that led to an accident. The attorney can then explain how you may be able to seek recovery for your losses in that accident.

Continue reading "Florida Car Accident Attorney Explains Importance of Proper Investigations" »