Item: Flaxman Law Group
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Author: Clara Barman

Preventing Motorcycle Accidents in Hollywood and Florida This Summer

Published on: June 19, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many motorcyclists are attracted by summertime in South Florida. Hollywood and surrounding areas offer plenty of wonderful places to enjoy the freedom of the road. Unfortunately, while motorcycles are a great way to experience South Florida, they are not without risks. Each year, about 5000 people across the country are killed in motorcycle accidents and Florida has the unfortunate distinction of being third in the nation for the number of fatal motorcycle crashes.

Both passenger car drivers and motorcyclists need to act in order to prevent motorcycle crashes in Hollywood and across the region. This can be especially important in the summer months, when more people are on the roads and the area sees an influx of visitors.

According to safety experts, there are a number of things that we can all do to help prevent motor vehicle accidents in Hollywood and Florida this summer:

1) Do not speed. Excessive speed is a factor in car, motorcycle, and truck collisions in Hollywood and other communities. Traveling at a safe speed is important, especially for motorcyclists who want to prevent losing control on turns in Hollywood or their communities. Motorcycles can be especially vulnerable in collisions involving speed, so traveling the posted speed limit is crucial.

2) Be wary of blind spots. Passenger cars and large commercial trucks have blind spots in which motorcycles can easily hide. It is vital that drivers of larger vehicles check their blind spots, especially when merging, passing, changing lanes, and turning. However, motorcyclists also need to be aware of the blind spots on larger vehicles and make an effort to stay out of these areas to avoid being involved in broadside collisions in Hollywood or their communities.

3) Consider the conditions when driving or riding. Heavy rain and other weather can affect a motorcyclist’s ability to stop as quickly. Gravel and other road conditions can also affect motorcycles more than they affect passenger car drivers, so it is important to be aware of surroundings at all times.

4) Be prepared when using the road. Fatigued driving, distraction, and drunk driving is equally dangerous, whether you drive a car, truck, or ride a motorcycle. Only use the road when you are physically prepared to do so and have the skill you need to operate your vehicle safely. This means that if you have always driven a car and decide to get a motorcycle, you may wish to get a motorcycle education course.

5) Use good communication on the road. It is important that motorcyclists stay visible and maintain eye contact with drivers around them. It is also vital that all vehicles on the roads, including trucks and cars, use signals and check for the presence of other drivers when driving and turning. No driver can assume that other motorists can see them.

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Teen Drivers At Risk of Summer Car Collisions in Homestead and Florida

Published on: June 17, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to Auto Club Group, teen drivers are most at risk for fatal collisions during the summer, especially the 100 days following Memorial Day. During this part of the year, the group reports, fatalities caused by motor vehicle crashes rise by about a third for teen drivers, when compared with other times of the year. During the summer, about 261 teen drivers lose their lives in car accidents, although steps can be taken now to prevent your teen from being involved in a car crash in Homestead or your community.

One part of the problem, of course, is that teen drivers are learning to drive during the summer and spending more time on the road without classes to take up their time. According to safety experts, though, there are a few things families can do to prevent teen drivers from being injured in traffic accidents in Homestead or their communities this year:

1) Encourage your teen to drive within their skill level. Teen drivers may be very confident in their driving, but that does not necessarily mean that they are ready for night driving, road trips, and other more demanding driving activities. While your teen is still learning and new to driving, encourage your teen to drive during the day and to avoid longer trips in unknown areas.

2) Give teens plenty of time to practice driving in a controlled environment. New drivers may not have much experience on the road, and lack of experience can be deadly. If possible, get your teen additional driving classes or driving instruction. If that is not feasible, at least have your teen practice driving with you or with another adult. Keep practice to quiet residential areas at first, where new drivers can hone their skills without much risk of a broadside collision or other crash.

3) Explain the dangers of distracted driving. Studies have shown that many teen drivers feel that they can text and drive without risk, but TextingThumbBands.com and other groups have found that the risk of a collision can increase up to 23 times when texting. If you have a teen driver at home, it is important to review the dangers of texting and driving.

4) Give your teen good options to avoid drinking and driving. Make sure your teen knows that they can always call you for a ride home, no questions asked. Drunk driving in Homestead and other Florida cities claims far too many lives and a frank discussion now could encourage your child to make a safe decision after drinking.

5) Limit the number of passengers in your teen’s car. According to the Auto Club Group, accident rates for teen drivers increase with every passenger a teen allows in their car. With two or more passengers, teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 have a five-fold increase in accident risk when compared with drivers who drive without passengers.

6) Make sure your teen has a safe car to drive. Teens often have older, used cars due to budget constraints and while these can be safe it is important that teens don’t scrimp on maintenance or safety in order to save money.

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Drugged Driving in Homestead and Florida is Claiming Lives

Published on: June 12, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Statistics show that drunk driving in Homestead and across the country already claims far too many lives. Many organizations and educational campaigns are dedicated to helping people make better decisions after drinking to help slash the rates of these accidents. However, researchers and police say that more needs to be done to alert the public of the dangers of drugged driving as well.

A new study from West Virginia University has found that between 1999 and 2010, prescription painkillers became an increasing cause of traffic collisions. The same time frame saw a drop in the number of fatal accidents caused by illegal drugs, possibly in response to anti-drug policies and educational campaigns.

Researchers in the West Virginia University study looked at fatal U.S. traffic accidents reported in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The study looked at drivers who tested positive for drugs — including hydrocodone, barbiturates, methadone, oxycodone, benzodiazepines and cocaine – as part of the accident investigation.

The study’s authors concluded that between 1999 and 2010, the rate of fatal collisions where a driver tested positive for drugs increased by 49% overall. The biggest increases involved drivers who tested positive for painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. These prescribed medications can cause confusion and drowsiness.

In contrast, cocaine use among drivers involved in fatal collisions grew until 2005 and then dropped. Researchers concluded that prescription drugs, rather than illegal drugs, are becoming an increasingly common cause of car crashes and suggest that authorities need to address the issue.

Since prescription drugs are legal, however, legislation to prevent DUI/DWI accidents in Homestead and other communities involving these medications will be a challenge. Rather than simply turning to legislation, it’s possible that a better solution might be to focus on education. An education campaign should focus on teaching drivers:

•That there are risks associated with both illegal drugs and prescription medication
•That they need to check with their pharmacist and doctor before taking a new over-the-counter or prescribed medication to see whether the medication will affect driving ability
•That they need to find alternative forms of transportation if they feel dizzy or disoriented after taking medication
•That they may need to give their bodies time to adapt to a new medication and during this time they should be prepared to take alternative forms of transportation if they notice serious side effects
Doctors and pharmacists, too, need to be part of the solution to help prevent more motor vehicle crashes in Homestead and other Florida cities. Doctors and pharmacists can help by:

•Alerting patients when a medication or group of medications used together could affect driving ability
•Warning patients about side effects or allergic reactions and make it clear when patients should seek help or stop driving after a reaction
•Encouraging patients to report any symptoms that could affect their driving
•Helping patients change medications if a drug causes serious side effects
•Telling patients when they need to hang up their keys (permanently or temporarily)

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Pregnant Passengers At Risk in Car Crashes in Hollywood and Other Cities

Published on: June 10, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Pregnant drivers and passengers face additional risks in a car or truck collision in Hollywood or their communities. There is of course the risk to the unborn child. In addition, the very safety systems designed to protect passengers can pose a risk. Airbags, for example, can place additional pressure over the abdomen while seat belts can cut into the stomach area, causing additional injury to a pregnant passenger. A new study, however, suggests that the risk of collisions itself may be higher for pregnant drivers.

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, reported that women in their second trimester of pregnancy had a higher rate of car accidents. According to researchers from the University of Toronto, female drivers who were in their second trimester of pregnancy were 42 percent more likely to need emergency room treatment for car accident-related injuries when compared with the same women before pregnancy.

Before pregnancy, the women had an average collision rate of 4.55 accidents per 1,000 individuals per year. According to researchers this is almost double the average crash rate of the population as a whole, although this may be due to the younger age of the women. By the second trimester of pregnancy, however, researchers found that the women had a car accident rate of 6.47 collisions per 1,000 individuals per year. Young men in the same age range had an even higher rate of accidents.

The study’s authors suggested that part of the reason for the increase in accident risk may be because about half of pregnant women report absentmindedness while pregnant, and this may contribute to distracted driving as well as accidents. Researchers also noted that women who are pregnant may be affected by stress, morning sickness, and fatigue, which can also affect driving.

Critics of the study noted that the study’s authors did not consider how often women were driving during the second trimester. If women were driving more often as they took care of doctor’s appointments and various errands in preparation for the birth, this could help explain the seeming increase in numbers. Researchers did note that following birth, car crash rates dropped for these women again. Since new mothers may be more fatigued due to taking care of an infant, it seems unlikely that these drivers would somehow be safer drivers than women who are in their second trimester.

Some critics of the study also noted that women who are pregnant are more likely to visit the ER after even a fender bender to check that the baby is fine, and this could explain the seeming jump in ER trips. Women who are not pregnant, in other words, may not see a need for a visit to an emergency room unless they were seriously injured.
Despite these criticisms, the fact is that all drivers should use extra caution on the road. Women who are expecting a baby may be especially vulnerable in a traffic collision in Hollywood or their community as a car accident could affect the health of their unborn child. Doctors recommend that avoiding a car crash in Hollywood and other communities begins with some basics, such as:

•Avoiding speeding
•Obeying traffic laws
•Driving only when well-rested and alert
•Avoiding multitasking when driving
•Wearing a seatbelt

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Getting Serious About DUI Accidents in Our Communities

Published on: June 5, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Even though the dangers of inebriated driving have been known for a long time, far too many DWI/DUI crashes continue to happen in Homestead and other Florida cities. Experts recommend many things that can be done to help prevent these types of crashes from occurring. For example, many drunk driving accidents in Homestead and other cities involve repeat offenders and some experts recommend making laws tougher in order to prevent these drivers from continuing to drive inebriated.

Of course, a major problem is that even with a suspended license some people will continue to drive anyway. In these cases, technology can be useful in deterring drunk driving. For example, some states already require repeat DUI offenders to use devices which prevent them from starting their vehicles unless they can pass a breath alcohol test. While not perfect – drivers can avoid the technology by using a different car – it can help cut down on instances of drunk driving.

It is also clear that more needs to be done to clarify the message about “drunk driving” overall. While all motorists are told that drunk driving is dangerous, less is said about the dangers of driving when using certain prescription or over-the-counter medications. More could be done to send home the message that any substance that affects mobility or judgment – even something as seemingly benign as flu medication – can lead to a broadside or head-on collision. Already, there is more information out there about the dangers of “buzzed driving,” or driving after having only a few drinks. This is a move in the right direction and could help prevent more injuries and fatalities.

A big factor that continues to cause car collisions in Homestead and other communities comes down to attitudes. Some motorists make the wrong choices after drinking or taking medication because they think they aren’t drunk or because they assume that they can drive safely. Unfortunately, the poor judgment that causes car accidents also causes drivers to make the wrong choices when drinking and driving. In other words, some drivers under the influence misjudge their own ability to drive safely. In other cases, motorists simply excuse their own decision to drink and drive – often with terrible consequences.

The reality is that someone who has been drinking has many options to get home safely. They can:

•Call a taxi or use public transportation to get home
•Call a friend or family member to get home safely
•Designate a driver before drinking
•Surrender their keys before drinking
•Get a hotel room for the night
•Avoid drinking if they know that they will be driving
Now that it is summer and more people are taking advantage of their vacation time to take part in barbecues and other events where alcohol will be served, it’s a great time to get serious about DUI driving. If you are a motorist, please take some time to come up with a strategy to get home safely after events this summer. If you have new or teen drivers in your household, this is a good time to review options and ideas for getting home safely after a party or event. A frank talk now could help your teen make the right decision later in the summer.

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Are You Unsafe on the Roads? Signs You Need Help to Avoid a Car Crash in Hollywood or Your Community

Published on: June 3, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many motorists feel confident behind the wheel and assume that they are safe from a car or truck accident in Hollywood or their community. While confidence is important when driving, overconfidence can be dangerous, according to safety experts. There are certain red flag signs that you should take steps to make yourself a safer driver by taking additional driving courses or taking other steps to keep yourself and others safe.

For example, you may want to consider additional courses or driving instruction if:

1) You have recently had a serious health concern or condition diagnosed. Any time that you are given a diagnosis for a serious condition or are prescribed a new medication, it is important to ask your doctor and pharmacist how your medication or condition could affect your driving. If your medical situation affects mobility, response times, or any other skill you need for driving you may need rehabilitation or other services to ensure that you get the driving support you need.

2) You have recently made a major move. Have you recently moved from a large city to a rural area? Have you recently moved to a large city? Have you made a move from a warm climate to a place with winter driving? Changes in your climate can mean big changes for you as a driver. For example, if you are not used to driving in winter and suddenly find yourself in a city with harsh snows, you will want to take additional classes or instruction to cope with these changes. Even moving from a rural area to a big city may mean that you need to brush up on parallel parking and other skills to be safe.

3) You have recently had a number of minor fender-benders or near misses. Near misses and minor accidents are a serious sign that you need additional assistance with your driving. Ignoring this sign can mean that you end up in a more serious car accident in Hollywood or your community. Get a checkup from your doctor to see whether there is a medical reason for the issue and get an evaluation from a driving instructor or driving professional to see whether there are specific skills you can work on to reduce your chances of a collision.

4) You are a new driver with less than one year of experience. Teen drivers and new drivers have a higher risk of traffic crashes in Hollywood and other communities because they have less experience and have had less time to practice their driving. In many cases, driver’s education classes feature only a limited time of in-car training and it can be a big benefit for new drivers to get additional one-on-one training with a driving instructor and to get defensive driving training.

5) Your confidence in driving has slipped or is low. If you have been in a serious broadside collision or another type of accident, you may need some training, counseling, or simply some time to get your confidence back. Being proactive in this situation is important, though. You do not want to make mistakes because you are too timid on the roads.

6) It has been more than 15 years since you have had any driving instruction. Most drivers only get driving instruction when they get their license, but this can be a mistake. Driving conditions and even driving laws change. Occasional refresher courses can help drivers deal with faster roads, new distractions, and new driving laws.

7) Friends and family tease you about your bad driving or refuse to drive with you. Sometimes, those closest to us see dangers that we cannot see. This is one area where we want to take the input seriously.

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Head-on Collisions in Homestead and Florida – Why Are They So Deadly?

Published on: May 22, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Head-on car crashes in Homestead and other cities have a high rate of injury and fatalities. There are a number of reasons for this:

1) The front of the car is where passengers most often are. Passengers in the front of the vehicle are likely to sustain serious or fatal injuries if the force of impact is high enough. If a truck crashes into the front of a passenger car, for example, it can push right through the crumple zone provided by the hood of the car and can crush passengers sitting in the front.

2) The force of impact in these accidents tends to be considerable. In broadside collisions in Homestead and other cities, the impact can be minimized somewhat if two vehicles glance off each other. In a head-on crash, though, two cars tend to hit each other bumper to bumper, meaning that the force of impact is intense enough to cause serious injury. The impact can be even greater if one of the vehicles is a big rig or commercial truck or if speeding is a factor in the collision.

3) These types of accidents tend to happen in higher-risk areas. Head-on car and motorcycle accidents in Homestead and other communities tend to occur on highways when passing, where speed is often a factor. They also tend to happen when a driver falls asleep or otherwise loses control of their vehicle, which means the driver has little or no chance to lessen the impact of the crash or slow down before the collision. All these issues can mean that the force of impact can be greater and the collision may be riskier for passengers.

4) There are many dangers in the front of a car. The front of a vehicle usually has many safety devices, such as side impact airbags, front impact airbags, and seat belts. All of these can protect passengers in a crash, but the front seat also has a number of dangers. The dashboard, for example, is a very hard and unforgiving surface. If airbags fail to work correctly in a car or truck accident in Homestead or your community, serious or even fatal head injuries are a very real risk. In addition, the windshield can break upon impact, sending glass or even other objects inside the vehicle and towards passengers. In both regards, the front seats tend to shield any passengers in the back of the car, which is one reason why the backseat is considered the safest place for child passengers.

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What Driving Instructors Know Could Help You Prevent a Car Collision in Hollywood or Your Community

Published on: May 20, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Driving instructors not only drive for long hours, but they meet many types of drivers and of course must know enough about safe driving to be able to actually teach it. It’s no wonder that these professionals have some insights when it comes to prevent car crashes, including head-on collisions, in Hollywood and other cities. Some of their best insights can be narrowed down to three tips:

1) There’s more than one type of driving instruction. Many driving instructors teach more than one type of course – from refresher courses to commercial driving courses to basic driver’s ed and even racing instruction. Unfortunately, most motorists take just one basic driver’s education class before getting their license and never get instruction after that. The reality is that more instruction can make a big difference in driving ability. Taking extra defensive driving classes if you’ve had a few near-misses or getting extra one-on-one help from a qualified instructor if you’ve had a major health event that could impact your driving could make you safer on the roads and can help you prevent a car or pedestrian crash in Hollywood or your community.

2) What you do before you ever get inside the car can make a big difference. Most people see driving as something you do inside the vehicle, but driving instructors tell students that what they do before they turn the key in the ignition goes a long way towards preventing traffic crashes in Hollywood and other communities. Before you driver, make sure that you are well rested and in good health. Take your car in for regular maintenance so that it functions correctly. Make sure the car is in good condition before you hop in and be sure to turn off all your mobile devices before you slide into the driver’s seat. Do a quick check-in before you start the car – are you focused on driving, sober, rested, and ready to drive safely? If the answer is no, you could be putting yourself and others at risk.

3) Panic and emotions are two huge problems on the road. Driving instructors face frightened and nervous new drivers at work each day and know how dangerous anxiety and other strong emotions are on the roads. Being in an emotional state can make drivers reckless and can create mistakes that cost lives. Whether you are angry, anxious, upset, or worried, don’t drive when your emotions are in upheaval. A common problem is that people who have had a medical event or have survived a broadside crash in Hollywood or another accident sometimes feel a lot of anxiety about returning to driving. If this is true for you, look for ways to overcome this obstacle. Talk to a counselor or doctor or get some driving instruction, but make sure you feel confident and calm before you return to driving.

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Best Ways to Reduce Your Risk of a Homestead Car Accident

Published on: May 15, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

It’s pretty clear that good drivers have a lower risk of car crashes in Homestead and other communities – and are safer for other motorists on the road. Which brings up a very interesting question: what exactly is a good driver?

According to the results of an Allstate Insurance survey conducted in 2011, most of us think that we are good drivers. That survey found that 64 percent of people polled self-identified as “very good” or “excellent” drivers. When those same survey participants were asked about friends, only 29 percent of responders thought their friends were very good drivers and only 22 percent thought peer groups were very good drivers.

Over-confidence doesn’t just make for amusing survey results, though. Driving instructors point out that too much confidence behind the wheel can also mean a risk of collisions. To be safe, drivers need to be realistic about their driving ability and to seek help if they need it. Someone who has been injured or who has suffered a health situation such as a stroke, for example, may need help learning to drive safely again with a slightly different physical ability. Similarly, new drivers may need additional instruction and practice to truly become comfortable on the roads. Even someone who moves from Florida to a cold climate or from a smaller community to a larger city with busier streets may benefit from some refresher courses to ensure that driving skills are as strong as possible. In order to request more help and training, though, drivers need to be willing to admit that they could use a little extra advice and classes.

In addition to a realistic assessment of driving ability, driving instructors and safety experts say that drivers can be a good driver by:

•Driving defensively
•Making good decisions before and during driving
•Obeying driving laws
•Driving only when well-rested and sober
•Committing to getting an alternative mode of transportation when drunk or otherwise unable to drive safely
•Making a conscious decision to drive safely
•Yielding right of way
•Leaving adequate space for the car in front
•Obeying posted speed limits
•Exercising patience and courtesy on the roads
•Keeping focus on the road and on driving
Essentially, being a considerate and law-obeying driving not only makes you a better driver, but also a safer one. When you exercise a little patience and obey driving rules, you are less likely to be involved in a traffic collision in Homestead or your community.

Of course, even if you do everything right you could still end up being injured by a reckless driver. The more people drive safely, the safer everyone sharing roadways may be, but it only takes one bad driver to cause a serious broadside crash or head-on collision. If you have been injured in a car or motorcycle collision in Homestead or your Florida community and believe that the crash was caused by negligence, you may wish to consult with a lawyer about seeking a civil claim. Pursing justice in your case can help you seek compensation for your financial losses, but it can also send a message that negligent driving will not be tolerated.

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Could the Time of Day You Wake up Affect Your Risk of Being in a Car Crash?

Published on: May 13, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to some experts, waking up early could impact your risk of being injured in a car accident. Anecdotally, you probably already know that waking up early can lead to fatigued driving in Hollywood or your community. A very early wake-up time can mean grogginess, which can impact your ability to drive. Studies of truck accidents have also shown that truck collisions are more common late at night and early in the morning, in part due to fatigued driving.

Sleep researchers believe that waking early could especially have a big impact on teen drivers. In teenagers, biological and hormonal changes can mean that changes happen to circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. This can mean that teens are more tired and may be biologically inclined to fall asleep and wake up later. When teens are forced to wake up early (for school, for example), they may feel especially fatigued. If they have to drive themselves to school, this fatigue could be a real problem. School boards in some parts of the country are responding to the sleep research by considering later school start times to keep students safer (and more focused on school work).

Currently, in order to get to school on time, some students need to start getting for school well before six in the morning, which can lead to sleep loss and fatigue. Researchers say that severe sleep loss can increase a student’s chances of sport injuries, traffic crashes, and poor school performance. In the long term, not enough sleep can cause metabolic problems, heart issues, and can contribute to conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Preventing fatigued driving can lower your risk of car and truck accidents in Hollywood or your Florida community. You can prevent fatigued driving by:

•Getting up later or going to sleep earlier if you must wake early for work or school
•Waking early enough in the morning that you have time to wake up fully before you need to drive
•Getting medical advice if you often find yourself tired during the day
•Relying on public transportation or carpooling if you tend to be tired in the mornings
•Practicing better time management so that you can enjoy more time resting and sleeping
•Eliminating unnecessary tasks from your day so that you have a chance to rest
Fatigued driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving in Hollywood and other communities, according to safety experts. Fatigue can affect response times, cognitive function, and ability to drive just as readily as alcohol can. A motorist who is tired may make mistakes that lead to a crash or may even fall asleep at the wheel, losing control of their car.

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