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11 Deaths on Sunday's I-75 Tragedy
Feb 01, 2012Three days after one of the state’s worst traffic accidents in history, the number of people killed has reached 11. In the meantime, some of the victims’ identities have yet to be discovered because the charred remains from the accident are beyond recognition.
The accident occurred early Sunday morning on both the northbound and southbound sides of I-75 south of Gainesville across from Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The Florida Forest Service on Monday continued to investigate the cause of the 62-acre brush fire sparked on Paynes Prairie on Saturday afternoon, giving off smoke that impaired visibility on nearby highways and caused the string of collisions. Investigators have ruled out lightning and believe that burning is a possible starting point for the fire, meaning it was more than likely caused by a human act, either accidentally or intentionally.
Both I-75 and U.S. 441 had been closed before the crashes occurred because of visibility concerns and later reopened, though authorities did not immediately have a timeline. The accidents began to occur approximately one hour after the roadways were reopened at 3:00 a.m. due to improved visibility. But smoke and fog quickly descended over the southern half of the prairie again. Florida Highway Patrol troopers reported that they were tending to crashes while new ones were occurring.
The primary accidents began at 4:00 a.m. Crashes in the southbound lanes of I-75 involved six vehicles including two semis. Due to the poor visibility, one semi came to a stop in the right lane and the other semi in the middle lane. A car then hit the back of the semi in the right lane and a SUV hit the back of that car immediately after. Immediately following these two crashes, a Dodge truck slammed into the back of the semi in the middle lane and a car ran into the back of the Dodge. A massive post-crash fire destroyed all of the vehicles except for the semi cabs, which had been unhooked from the trailers. A total of three people died as a result of the southbound crashes. It appears that all three deceased were riding in the Dodge.
Accident details about the northbound crashes are still being investigated, though it is known that 10 vehicles were involved, including two semis. Although reports are incomplete, it would appear that eight people died as a result of the northbound crashes.
A total of 21 patients were transported to local hospitals for treatment, including 18 to Shands at the University of Florida and three to North Florida Regional Medical Center. A Gainesville Regional Transit System bus was brought to the scene to provide comfort for survivors who were stranded at the scene. “It was 36 degrees, and you had people traveling in shorts and T-shirts. They got an RTS bus out to give them a place to keep warm,” said sheriff's Lt. Steve Maynard. “This is the worst (string of crashes) I've seen in 16 years on the job.”
For more information:
Nightmare on I-75 - what can we learn from it? Gainesville and Ocala accident attorney gives his advice to motorists and the State of Florida
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Two ATV Fatalities In One Weekend in Levy County
Jan 18, 2012
Two separate ATV-related accidents occurred in Levy County recently leaving both drivers dead. The accidents, though unrelated, occurred within hours of each other.
In the first accident, two children were involved. On Saturday, Jan. 8 at 10:15 p.m at the Gulf Hammock Hunt Club, a 12 year-old girl was driving a Yamaha Rhino with her five year-old brother as a passenger. The sixth grader lost control of the ATV while she was driving on a limerock road. She was thrown from the ATV as it spun around. Eventually, the ATV flipped over and landed on her. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Her brother was taken to Shands with minor injuries. Neither one was wearing a seat belt or helmet.
The second accident involved a single 22 year old driver. A man from Bronson was driving a Yamaha ATV north on Northeast 115th Avenue in Levy County. At approximately 2:00 a.m. The ATV overturned and threw the driver when the left-front tire struck an embankment. The driver’s body was found later that morning near the intersection of Northeast 115th Avenue and Northeast 74th Lane with the ATV nearby.
For more information on this important topic, please see:
Recent ATV Fatalities Serve As a Tragic Reminder – ATV’s are recreational vehicles that should not be taken recreationally. Gainesville accident attorney explains. -
Driver Faces Charges For Hitting Horse and Rider
Jan 13, 2012A man was arrested on Sunday (13 November 2011) in Marion County for hit and run. This hit and run was anything but typical, as the man crashed his car into a horse and rider and then drove away. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the hit and run occurred on NW 35th St. near NW 130th Ave. in Fellowship.
After being arrested, the driver explained that he had been driving westbound on NW 35th when he began having trouble changing gears. Consequently, he swerved and hit the horse, knocking the rider off. The driver failed a field sobriety test and later registered a blood alcohol level of nearly three times the legal amount permitted in Florida.
The rider of the horse and another witness told FHP that the car and driver were coming eastbound on the road when the car hit the horse. The horse did not get back up from the impact and the rider fell onto the car’s hood and rolled off.
The man suffered injuries that were treated at a hospital. The horse had to be euthanized. The horse was valued at $8,500. The driver has been charged with DUI with bodily injury, DUI with property damage, and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.
For more information, please see:
Ocala accident attorney discusses interesting insurance questions when driver hits horse and rider.
Ocala Accident Attorney Explains Equistrian Laws and Rules for Riding on Roadways and Public Lands, and Laws for Motorists. -
National Teen Driver Week Urges Parental Involvement - Every Week of the Year
Nov 21, 2011This past October marked the fifth time in United States history that our country celebrated National Teen Driver Safety Week. Held every year throughout the third week of October (October 16-22, 2011), National Teen Driver Safety Week seeks to bring to the forefront of people's minds the dangers that can be associated with driving, especially when a teen is behind the wheel this week and every week of the year!
This past October, National Teen Driver Safety week focused on supporting parents in teaching their teens to drive. Research has shown that adolescents are less likely to engage in potentially dangerous behavior while behind a wheel if their parents had previously set rules and monitored their driving in a helpful and supportive way.
This year especially, National Teen Driver Safety Week is heavily relaying the importance of NOT using one's cell-phone while driving. In today's electronically run world, adolescent drivers need to remember that there is only one thing that should be on their mind while driving: Getting from one place to another in a SAFE manner!
In an effort to keep teens safe, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration developed a multi-faceted strategy. The steps include: increasing seat-belt use, implemented graduated driver licensing, reducing access to alcohol, and like previously mentioned, increasing parental responsibility.
For more information on this important topic, please see:Vehicle crashes and young drivers - Ocala accident attorney gives information
Parents of Teen Drivers - Do You Know The Mistakes Young Drivers Commonly Make?
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Newly Proposed Florida PIP Legislative Bill (Senate Bill 1930) Summary
Nov 19, 2011Over the past few months, there has been a push to reform the PIP auto insurance laws here in the state of Florida. On the surface, these provisions are meant to crack down on scam artists and offer tools to help law enforcement officers fight motor PIP fraud when they arrive at the scene of a scammed automobile accident.
Supporters of this legislative bill claim that Floridians should not have to pay even higher premiums simply because some scam artists try to take advantage of no-fault auto insurance coverage. They claim that this bill will revise Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law to help eliminate fraudulent claims.
The bill requires responding law enforcement officers to list the names and addresses of all passengers involved in a crash using Florida's "Long Form" for all accidents in which a passenger complains of pain or discomfort. It also establishes a direct-support organization called the Fight Auto Fraud Fund. This organization will assist with the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of motor vehicle insurance fraud.
The bill also requires an insurance fraud notice for any medical care providers who knowingly submit fraudulent applications for clinics that treat auto crash victims. Disclosure of the patient log in readable language must be provided within 30 days of receiving a written request from the insurer.
The bill provides that any person who knowingly submits a false or misleading claim cannot receive any PIP payments. Finally, the bill provides more time for insurers to investigate suspicious claims and authorizes them to conduct on-site physical examination of the patient's treatment facility.
For more information, please see:
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Upcoming Time Shift Should Raise Concerns About Safe Driving During Twilight Hours
Nov 02, 2011As the year marches forward, the signs of fall have begun to show in north central Florida. Unlike in other regions of the United States, in Florida the new season does not signify the imminent arrival of the cold and frost of winter weather. However, on November 6th there will be a seasonal event that is experienced everywhere in the United States-with the small exceptions of Hawaii and Arizona, of course. This event is Daylight Savings time.
This November 6th clocks will be set back a hour. This, combined with the natural arrival of the winter season, will mean shorter days and darker evenings. While most people may only worry about forgetting to set their clock back and arriving at work an hour too soon, this November 7th you should also be concerned about school bus safety.
Although this suggestion may seem out of place or surprising, in a recent article on school bus safety the Department of Motor Vehicles reminded motorists that once Eastern Daylight Time begins many students will be exiting their school buses after dark. Most drivers are already accustomed to the decreased visibility and heightened awareness needed when driving during night and twilight hours. However, with Eastern Daylight Time it can be easy to forget that you should also be on the lookout for school bus crossings and young pedestrians. Even if it is dark out, it is important to remember that it may only seem like a late hour, and that many children are still on their way home from school.
In addition to showing more caution and care while driving, parents should also make their children aware of the added risk in coming home during twilight or dark. Parents can remind children that when they are entering or exiting the bus, they should always wait for the bus to extend the Stop arm, look both ways before entering the street, and avoid running erratically to and from the bus.
For more information, please see:
The Basics of School Bus Safety for Both Drivers and Students
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ATV Lawsuits Continue Against Yamaha - Gainesville Attorney Explains
Oct 31, 2011
As of April 2011, Yamaha has quietly settled more than 100 lawsuits out of court regarding its popular ATV, the Rhino. There are still, however, several hundred existing lawsuits filed in state and federal court against Yamaha. Although the circumstances of each accident are different, the lawsuits all involve similar claims that due to a design defect, the Yamaha ATV is prone to tip or roll over, even when operated in a safe manner on flat surfaces. Plaintiffs further claim that the Rhino is an unstable, unreasonably dangerous vehicle and that Yamaha failed to take steps that could have made it safer.
Yamaha introduced the Rhino ATV in 2003. Shortly thereafter, a large number of rollover accidents involving the Rhino began to be reported. Yamaha warned Rhino owners in September 2006 about the potential risk of rollover accidents and provided information about what consumers should do if the ATV begins to tip over. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) into the Rhino in 2009 after 50 deaths were linked to that particular ATV. The CPSC then pressured Yamaha to suspend sales of the Yamaha Rhino 450, 660, and 700 models to make safety improvements.
The Rhino is technically an utility terrain vehicle (UTV) that has many of the same features of a smaller recreational ATV, such as a powerful engine small turning radius. The design features of the Rhino, however, more closely resemble a traditional UTV, such as the passenger and driver seated side by side, a steering wheel, and seat belts.
If you are suffering from injuries caused by an ATV accident and are uncertain how to proceed with taking care of your damages and injuries, consider contacting the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon at 800 373 8000. Mr. Meldon has in depth familiarity and experience with handling ATV accidents and can help advise you so that you receive proper medical treatment as well as compensation for your injuries.
For more information:
The Yamaha Rhino - It Really IS a Quite Surprising Vehicle Indeed -
Florida Pedestrians at Greatest Risk in Nation.
Oct 28, 2011In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. Nationwide, pedestrians account for nearly 12 percent of total traffic deaths.
Four Florida metropolitan areas ranked as the most dangerous places to walk in the country. This according to a recent study "Dangerous by Design," conducted by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and Transportation by America. Nationwide, of the ten most dangerous metropolitan areas, Florida cities rank in the top four: Orlando-Kissimmee, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, and Jacksonville, respectively.Researchers used 10 years of pedestrian fatality data and census figures to make their calculations relative to the percentage of residents walking to work, a ranking scale termed the "Pedestrian Danger Index" or PDI.
The Orlando-Kissimmee region was first out of 52 in the rankings of most dangerous pedestrian regions, with an annual fatality rate of 3 per 100,000 people. In ranking 20 metro areas in Florida, Punta Gorda registered the highest PDI, and Gainesville the lowest, with 55.5.
Children, older adults, and racial and ethnic minorities suffered the highest pedestrian fatality rates, according to the report. The majority of pedestrian fatalities occurred along "arterial" roadways, streets engineered for speeding traffic with little or no provision for pedestrians.
For more information:Transportation for America - Dangerous by Design 2011
Ocala Accident Attorney urges Florida roadways be constructed with pedestrian safety in mind. -
Recent ATV Accidents with Serious Injuries - Educate Yourself and be Safe!
Oct 05, 2011Florida's weather lends itself to All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) riding, especially this time of year. Here is a brief news summary on three recent ATV accidents. Educate yourself and learn from the mistakes of others.
On September 11, 2011, a nine year old Gainesville girl driving an ATV was seriously injured when she collided with a Chevy Malibu on County Road 18.
The young girl was driving the ATV four-wheeler by herself on the shoulder of County Road 18 in the evening hours. According to the report prepared by the Florida Highway Patrol, she then drove the ATV off from the shoulder onto CR 18 heading east and into the path of the Malibu. The driver unsuccessfully attempted to avoid colliding with the ATV. The nine-year-old was thrown from the ATV upon impact, while the ATV itself was dragged by the Malibu another 100 feet. It is not known whether the young girl was wearing a helmet while driving the ATV at the time the accident occurred.
On September 17, 2011 a Sanibel woman was hospitalized in serious condition after she was pinned beneath the ATV she was driving in Dixie County.
According to reports from the Florida High Patrol, the woman was riding her ATV westbound on County Road 358 and had pulled over onto the north shoulder to allow westbound traffic to pass. The ATV turned on its right side when the woman attempted to make a sharp left turn onto Southwest 820th Street. When the ATV came to a stop on its roof, the woman was pinned underneath it. The woman was cited for careless driving and operating an ATV on a paved roadway.
On July 4, 2011, a traumatic South Beach ATV accident sent two victims struck by the ATV to the hospital with serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury, perforated heart, swollen spleen, and numerous broken bones.
According to reports, after drinking, an on-duty police officer allowed a woman passenger on the back of his police issued ATV and sped down the beach with no lights on just before dawn.
The police officer has since been fired and is facing two counts of reckless driving resulting in bodily injury and two counts of driving under the influence.
As a Gainesville accident attorney, I urge you to educate yourself - ATVs are inherently dangerous vehicles that can cause severe injury and death. Please see the following for information regarding ATV laws and safety:
Do you know the 3 basic laws pertaining to ATVs? Gainesville accident attorney explains. -
Study Shows Improper Use of Car Seats a Common and Risky Problem
Oct 03, 2011When driving with small children, safety is a priority. However, a recent scholarly study has shed light on a common problem that may be putting small children at risk.
The study, which was headed by Lilia Reyes MD, a clinical fellow in the pediatric emergency room at Yale, shows that children as young as 12 months may start to unbuckle and get out of their car seats. This is often done while the vehicle is in motion, and is a cause for concern because it increases their risk of being injured in an accident by 3.5 times.
Reyes was inspired to do the study after meeting two different mothers at the ER who were involved in car accidents when they were distracted by their children's escape from their car seat. The study showed that children between the ages of 1-3 were most likely to unbuckle, possibly because they were old enough to do so but too young to understand the danger.
In commenting on the study, Lorrie Walker of the advocacy group Safe Kids USA said that it was likely that the parents in the study were not properly using the car seats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as many as three out of four parents are using their car seats incorrectly.
Walker pointed out that if properly buckled and restrained, a child should not find it easy to unbuckle a harness or wiggle out of a restraint. In fact, Walker points out that federal regulation requires car seat buckles to need 9 to 14 pounds of pressure to release and oftentimes even adult have difficulty unbuckling the harness.
For more information, please see:
Child Passenger Safety Week: It's never too late to Educate! Gainesville Accident attorney explains.
Where can I get my child's car seat checked? Gainesville accident attorney helps answer.
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