In Florida, automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents are unfortunately something that just about every community has in common on a daily basis. Many of these accidents or crashes cause serious personal injuries and disrupt both the short term and long term lives of the personal injury victims and their families. While some automobile accidents or crashes are unforeseeable and frankly unavoidable, most could have been avoided with safer driving, slower speeds, and better attention to the primary act at the moment — namely the driving and operation of a motor vehicle in the State of Florida.
Here are 9 common causes of automobile accidents that take place in the State of Florida.
Distracted Driving
Many people these days associate distracted driving with mobile phone use, texting, and reading / browsing on a mobile device. However, the term “distracted driving” can also refer to eating while driving, looking for a drop object while driving, talking to and looking at a passenger in the vehicle while driving, and a whole host of other circumstances in which attention is essentially diverted away or compromised from the act and responsibility of safe driving.
Weather and Road Conditions
Weather, which mainly consist of rain and gusts in the State of Florida, can affect driving and be a cause of a motor vehicle crash. If drivers slow down and otherwise driving carefully during bad weather, many accidents can be avoided. Rainy or bad Weather plus unsafe driving can be a terrible recipe leading to a crash which, in turn, can cause serious injuries and even the deaths of drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
It is well known and documented that the use of drugs and / or alcohol prior to and during driving can dull the senses, affect decision making, and affect motor skills which are all necessary components to safely operate a motor vehicle. Certainly, a driver under the influence of drugs and alcohol – whether the impairment is slight or severe – is a risk on the road for causing an accident or a crash.
Speeding
(Over the Speed Limit OR Too Fast for Road Conditions) Speeding accounts for many accidents or that take place in the State of Florida. For instance, with higher speeds, it is more difficult to brake, slow down, and stop for traffic. Many rear end crashes take place due to speeding over the speed limit or just driving too fast for road and traffic conditions.
Running a Stop Sign
City and county planners put stop signs in place at locations and intersections that need such signage. When a stop sign is in place, it is important for a driver to stop the vehicle completely, look for all other traffic, and then to proceed only when it is safe to do so. Running a stop sign accounts for far too many crashes that otherwise could have been avoided.
Failure to Obey Traffic Lights and Devices
Traffic lights, devices, and signals serve a very important function in every community. Because of distracted driving or people just being in a hurry, drivers often ignore traffic signals or just to just race through them. By obeying these traffic signals and other rules of the road, many Florida accidents and crashes can be avoided.
Reckless and Careless Driving
The terms “reckless” and “careless” can include many forms of negligent driving including speeding, improper lane changes, distracted driving, and failure to yield. Whether a driver is on a short trip or long trip, measures should be taken to operate the motor vehicle in a reasonable and safe manner. Otherwise, people are hurt and lives are changed forever.
Teen Drivers and Inexperienced Drivers
There are all kinds of drivers on the road. Some drivers are more experienced and frankly better than others. Teen drivers account for a percentage of crashes in Florida because of their inexperience, hesitation, and unsafe driving. Teen drivers, who think that they is in a race or competition to go fast and look cool, are among the most dangerous drivers out on the road.
Elderly and Visually Impaired Drivers
Another group of drivers, who unfortunately, cause a number of car accidents include those drivers who are elderly and / or visually impaired. While there are some excellent and careful elderly drivers out there, there are also a number of elderly drivers who frankly should not be driving any longer.
Automobile Accident Lawyers in Jacksonville
When a person is injured as a result of the fault or negligence of another driver (whatever the particular cause), the personal injury victim should seek out legal representation from an experienced and qualified Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney. Wood, Atter & Wolf is a law first that has been serving residents of and visitors to the State of Florida since 1957. Each partner has over 25 years of experience and is ready to serve your needs in the aftermath of a Florida automobile accident or crash. Contact Wood, Atter & Wolf right now. At Wood, Atter & Wolf – we are On Your Side – At Your Side.