by Spencer Aronfeld | Mar 28, 2019 | Car Accidents
A bill that would let law enforcement pull over Florida drivers they see texting and driving is moving closer to becoming law. This week, House Bill 107, filed by state Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, was passed unanimously by the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. The bill will now go to the House Appropriations Committee. The new proposed bill would shift texting while driving from a “secondary” offense to a “primary” offense. Under current law, a police officer cannot pull someone over simply because that person is texting and driving. The driver must commit another infraction first- for example, speeding or reckless driving. Out of the fifty states, Florida is one of the most lenient ones in terms of penalizing drivers who have caused an accident due to taking their eyes off the road to finish a text. According to a study done by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, after examining 3 million crashes, the study showed that accidents occurring because of texting have increased by 11 percent from 2013 to 2016. The problem is now considered to be an epidemic. The Senate proposal would begin with a public-awareness campaign, with warnings being handed out to violators from Oct. 1 through the end of the year, at which time citations would start to be issued. Drivers’ billing records for wireless devices would be admissible as evidence when the drivers are involved in crashes involving death or serious bodily injury. What to Do if Involved in a Distracted Driving Accident It is easy to see that distracted drivers are frequently at fault for car accidents on Florida’s roads. This means other drivers...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Feb 12, 2019 | Car Accidents
Every year, Americans over the age of 65 move to the Sunshine State for rest and relaxation and to live out their retirement years. Others choose to visit several months out of the year, and are commonly referred to as ‘snow birds.’ Florida has a sizeable senior population and according to a recent study, Florida leads the nation in the number of deadly car crashes involving individuals over the age of 65. Car accidents involving the elderly can happen for many reasons. Depending on the health of the driver, it could be due to failing eyesight or hearing, as well as loss of flexibility and muscle control. Many senior drivers simply do not have the quick reflexes they used to have and are not able to react quickly in dangerous driving situations. Whatever the reason, the Department of Transportation reports that Florida leads the nation in the number of deadly accidents involving senior citizens, with Alachua County leading the urban areas reporting deadly car accidents. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the senior citizen community in Florida comprises 19 percent of the state’s population, and it is growing by the day. The state currently requires every driver over the age of 80 years old to have their license renewed every six years, although this has been a point of contention amongst many senior drivers. Others question whether six years is frequent enough to ensure that older drivers can safely navigate the roads. The decision to tell your aging loved one that it is time for them to give up the car keys can be a tough one. By...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Dec 29, 2018 | Car Accidents
Happy 2019 from Aronfeld Trial Lawyers! We have a very important safety warning for you: keep your kids and any of your loved ones off the roads on New Year’s Eve after midnight and until the following morning. Here’s why: compared to an average Saturday night, the 12-hour window between 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 6 a.m. on Jan. 1 has 71% more crashes where alcohol or drugs are listed as a contributing factor. New Year’s Eve is the most dangerous time to be on the road for anyone driving or even walking because nearly half of all fatal New Year’s Day car crashes involve drunk drivers, according to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control. Florida Statute §319.193 defines “Driving Under the Influence (DUI)” as anyone who is driving under the influence of alcohol, chemical, controlled substances or who has a blood or breath alcohol level of .08 or above. The combination of drinking and driving and late-night celebrations make New Year’s Eve the worst day of the year for deadly crashes involving drunk drivers. And it is not much safer for pedestrians; as New Year’s Eve is also the deadliest day to simply cross the street. In the United States, traffic crashes are still the leading cause of death for ages 1 through 34 years. At Aronfeld Trial Lawyers we want you to ring in the New Year safely! Your trusted Miami auto accident lawyers have some important tips to keep you and your loved ones safe this New Year’s Eve. 1. Wear Your Seatbelt. One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Dec 26, 2018 | Car Accidents
Federal Judge Federico Moreno of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida recently approved a $299M Settlement involving the defective airbags manufactured by the Japan-based Takata Corporation. The class action settlement worth hundreds of millions of dollars is one of the largest auto recalls in history. The defective airbags were manufactured by Takata Corp., a Japanese company that provided the devices to Ford as well as Toyota, Honda and several major car companies. The Order compensates consumers for any losses and incurred expenses tied to Ford’s recall of vehicles containing Takata air bags, which have been documented as causing severe injuries and death. The Takata airbag recall accounted for more than 37 million recalls after the defective airbags caused 23 deaths worldwide over recent years. Thousands of individuals were injured due to these defective devices, as well. As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched a website called Airbag Recall to keep drivers updated on recall notices. According to the NHTSA, 1-in-5 cars that are on the road are under some type of auto recall. The NHTSA has an additional website that allows drivers to look up whether their cars are facing any recalls by entering the car’s VIN. The NHTSA website goes back 15 calendar years and includes information for motorcycle recalls. The U.S. Department of Transportation also hosts a site that includes auto recalls, including recalls for child safety car seats, tires and school buses. FREE CONSULTATION WITH A MIAMI AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Florida, it is very important to consult...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Dec 11, 2018 | Car Accidents
‘Tis the season for holiday parties- whether in people’s homes, at local business establishments or in the office, the month of December is filled with celebration. At Aronfeld Trial Lawyers we want you to celebrate safely this holiday season and year around. Whether you plan on hosting or attending a holiday party, it is important to have a plan in place prior to the party- not only for yourself but for your guests. Assign a designated driver, have your party use a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft to get home safely. Buzzed driving is drunk driving. Probably okay, isn’t okay. You are not only putting yourself in danger, but other passengers and motorists as well. Florida Statute §319.193 defines “Driving Under the Influence (DUI)” as anyone who is driving under the influence of alcohol, chemical, controlled substances or who has a blood or breath alcohol level of .08 or above. The penalties are provided for in §316.193(2) and range from $500 to imprisonment or residential alcohol or drug treatment facilities. Even first offense DUI accidents involving property damage, serious bodily injury or death can result in prison time. The holidays are notoriously unsafe times for traveling because of the increased numbers of impaired drivers on the roads. Intoxicated drivers remain the biggest cause of traffic fatalities both in Florida and the U.S. Nearly 11,000 people, approximately one-third of the nation’s 37,000-plus traffic fatalities, died in 2016 and 2017 due to drivers impaired by alcohol. By comparison, deaths caused by distracted drivers in 2016 totaled 3,450. Drunk driving accidents often involve the intoxicated driver crossing lanes and hitting another...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Dec 2, 2018 | Car Accidents
As parents, helping our teens become safe drivers starts long before they get behind the wheel. It starts by setting an example when they are still in the back seat. Showing them the importance of always wearing a seat belt, never texting and driving, keeping within a safe speed limit, never tailgating or cutting other cars off in traffic, and never drinking and driving. New teenage drivers were eight times more likely to have a car crash or close call within the first three months of driving, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. They were also more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, like sudden braking, rapid acceleration and hard turns. We did a recent blog on teen passengers posing the biggest threat to teen drivers, which oftentimes encourages these types of dangerous driving behaviors. Graduated driver licensing policies, now nationwide for new drivers under 18, can help to reduce crash rates by requiring a specific number of hours of adult-supervised driving, restrictions on driving at night and with peers in the car, and phasing in exposure to more demanding driving conditions. As parents and guardians, it is our job to ensure that our young drivers are trained in how to react in various traffic safety situations. There are ways to prevent teen motor vehicle accidents and injuries. As the teen driver begins to become more comfortable in lower-risk driving situations, it is helpful to slowly move him or her up into more complex situations, such as driving on interstates, driving in adverse weather conditions, or driving at night. These practice drives...
