by Spencer Aronfeld | Oct 17, 2017 | Car Accidents
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests were down 10% in 2016 from 2015 according to Florida’s Uniform Traffic Citation Statistic. In 2016, there were 3,156 arrests for Driving Under the Influence in Miami-Dade County, alone. Of those arrests only 13 were found to be not guilty, 725 were found to be guilty, and over 1000 more were dismissed for various reasons. Most of the people were arrested by City police officers (2,754) versus Florida Highway Patrol (389). This represents a considerable decrease from 2015 where there were 3558 DUI arrests with 21 found to be not guilty. Given both the criminal and civil ramifications it is still hard to believe that anyone would get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle today- but sadly it still happens. Florida’s Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department has a very aggressive campaign called “Think Before You Drink” to educate drivers and passengers of drivers how to avoid drunk driving and drunk driving accidents in Miami, especially since there are many reasons that people celebrate and drink throughout the year. With Halloween parties and the holidays just around the corner, our personal injury lawyers believe that having a strategy as to how you will get home is important before one begins drinking (even just one alcoholic drink). Here are 6 ways to avoid getting arrested for driving under the influence or causing a DUI accident: Always Plan How You Are Getting Home-Before the party begins. Our personal injury lawyers recommend that you take UBER, LYFT or a taxi or bus to or from any event that you may drink at. Always Buckle Up-...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Oct 12, 2017 | Car Accidents, Child Injuries
My son recently received his Learner’s Permit to drive- and was bittersweet for a number of reasons- as a father seeing his son taking the next major step towards adulthood and independence- knowing that soon he won’t need me to drive him to the park, or pick him up from the bus stop after school. As a Miami personal injury lawyer- who has represented both teen drivers and their families who have been seriously hurt by others and the families of those who have been hurt and even killed by teen drivers- I worry. One reason is the statistics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for teens in our country. In fact, in 2015, over 2000 16–19-year-old teens were killed and another 221,313 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes. This means that every day in our country six teenagers between the ages 16–19 die every day from car crashes. Since 1991 our Miami personal injury car accident lawyers have investigated thousands of motor vehicle crashes across the country and I believe that the great majority of them are preventable- especially those involving teen drivers. Number One: Seat Belts More than half of the teens (aged 16-19) who died in car crashes were not wearing seatbelts. It is hard to believe that in today’s age people would still knowingly get behind the wheel of a car without first buckling up. But some teens have a sense of immortality- I guess we all did at that age- and may be so excited...
by Aronfeld Trial Lawyers | Aug 24, 2017 | Car Accidents, Child Injuries
What Are Your Child’s Legal Rights Following a Child Pedestrian Accident? Across the United States, nearly 11,000 children suffer injuries as pedestrians each year. Of these 11,000, roughly 350 children die from on-foot collisions with cars annually. These numbers are alarming for parents, and child pedestrian accidents are a particular problem throughout Florida. The state recorded 36 child pedestrian deaths in 2015, placing it second highest in the country behind California. In 2016, Florida’s record for child pedestrian accidents was equally serious. The high number of incidents involving child pedestrians can be partly attributed to Florida’s temperate climate. The weather encourages children and others to walk year-round. In Florida’s metropolitan areas in particular, many children walk to and from school every day. As the school year begins this week and next, no parent wants to consider the possibility that a son or daughter would be involved in a pedestrian accident, but if an incident does befall your family, you will want to know your child’s rights following a child pedestrian accident. Filing a Child’s Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit If your child is involved in a pedestrian accident, there is a good chance your son or daughter is entitled to compensation for expenses and damages, as an adult would be. However, minor children in Florida are precluded from bringing personal injury lawsuits. A parent or other guardian must file the claim on the child’s behalf. This claim can be for damages directly resulting from the child pedestrian accident, such as cost of medical treatment, expense of emergency services or follow-up care, and pain and suffering. The guardian acting on the child’s...
by Aronfeld Trial Lawyers | Aug 21, 2017 | Car Accidents
Florida Named the Number-Two State with the Most Distracted Driving Accidents Florida drivers seem to have a dangerous addiction to their cell phones. While it is illegal across the State of Florida to text and drive, a recent study by online insurance company EverQuote found that nearly 92% of people who owned cell phones used them while driving a car. The company found that drivers in the Southern States were most likely to use their cell phone, with drivers operating vehicles and using cell phones on 41% of their trips. EverQuote revealed specific information about Florida’s distracted driving tendencies. Based on EverQuote’s results, Florida ranked just behind Louisiana for the highest number of distracted driving incidents. These results reflect the number of accidents that occur because of distracted driving. How Many Florida Accidents Does Distracted Driving Cause? It can be difficult to determine the number of car accidents caused by distracted drivers. Sometimes drivers don’t admit to using phones or indulging in other distractions; in other instances, drivers are unable to provide the information to responding officers. Nevertheless, statistics show that 2016 was one of the worst years in Florida for distracted driving accidents. In that 12-month period, nearly 50,000 distracted driving motor vehicle accidents occurred in Florida alone. That number grows exponentially when you add accidents across the United States. This high number of accidents continues a trend in Florida. Moreover, far more motor vehicle accidents could be attributed to distracted drivers, if accurate information were provided to police officers and insurance companies. These accidents can result in serious injuries and property damage, with 214 people dying in...
by Aronfeld Trial Lawyers | Aug 4, 2017 | Car Accidents
In 2015 (the most recent reporting year), the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recorded 374,342 total traffic crashes in the State of Florida. Of these traffic accidents, 159,795 resulted in injuries to a driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Both the number of total accidents and accidents with injuries increased from the previous years, with the number of accidents with injuries increasing almost 7% over 2014. In fact, over 243,000 individuals were reported as suffering injuries from traffic accidents in 2015. Across the United States, approximately three million people are injured in car accidents each year. These statistics show that traffic accidents in Florida are far too common, and when these accidents happen, there is a 43% chance that someone involved will sustain an injury. While no two traffic accidents are exactly the same, similar specific injuries result time and again from car accidents. A Miami car accident lawyer represents hundreds of people injured in a traffic accident during the course of a career. We also see the same injuries on a regular basis. Vehicle manufacturers try to address the most frequent accident injuries, but choosing not to wear a seatbelt, speeding, or otherwise ignoring safety precautions are major causes of traffic accidents and injuries. Moreover, certain risks in vehicular injury are difficult to mitigate, such as whiplash. So, what are the most common injuries from car accidents in Florida? Walking Away with Scrapes, Bruises, or Lacerations Even minor vehicle accidents can result in injuries. Scrapes, cuts, bruises, and lacerations are among the most common injuries in Florida car accidents. Even the impact of an airbag or...
by Aronfeld Trial Lawyers | Jul 21, 2017 | Car Accidents
Back in May 2017, Frontiers of Psychology released a study on the risks of a driving practice we all engage in from time to time. Probably, we never even think of this behavior as risky. It isn’t texting while driving or even eating in the car; instead, it is simply following a friend’s car in your own. On a regular basis, you and a friend find yourselves both heading to the same destination. If one person knows the fastest route or the location of your destination, that person is likely to lead, and the other person follows. It even seems like logical behavior, but statistics show that following a friend causes accidents and leads to poor decision-making out on the road. Regulating Risky Behavior Behind the Wheel A Miami car accident injury lawyer handles cases caused by all manner of reckless, distracted, and risky driving. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has put into place traffic rules to prevent much of this dangerous driving behavior. Actions such as tailgating, turning in front of another vehicle, and running a stop sign all result in a ticket. The Florida legislature has even criminalized some of the underlying behavior that leads to this risky driving. These laws focus on such actions as drunk driving and texting while you drive. However, road safety depends on individual drivers. Even when controlled substances and cell phones aren’t involved, drivers can be prone to poor decision-making. Actions the Government Can’t Regulate Drivers speed when running late, make a hasty turn when frustrated by a tough left, and slam on the brakes to grab...
