Burglary Suspects Face Additional Charges After Accident on Florida Turnpike
Two men that were charged with a variety of crimes in connection with a string of auto burglaries will now face additional charges stemming from a high-speed chase and accidents they caused on the Florida Turnpike. Law enforcement officials who have been working on the car burglaries say that the two men belong to a burglary ring they have been calling “Felony Lane.” The driver of the car that led police on the chase and caused three accidents is 23-year-old male. He faces charges of resisting arrest, aggravated fleeing and eluding and three counts of leaving the scene of an accident with bodily injuries in addition to grand theft and auto burglary charges.
More Information On Florida DOT Program to Make Roads Safer for Bicyclists and Pedestrians
Last month, we wrote about the Florida Department of Transportation’s "Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow…Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident" safety awareness campaign for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. As you know, several urban areas in our state are among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians and bicyclists, and the DOT is working with safety advocates to make the new campaign reach as many people as possible. Elements of the program include increased public awareness of the scope of the problems, safer street design, additional bike paths and stepped-up police enforcement. However, organizers say that in order for the campaign to be successful, it will require everyone who uses Florida roadways to rethink how they use and share the road.
Man Critically Injured in Florida Motorcycle Accident
A motorcyclist is listed in critical condition with life-threatening injuries after a recent motorcycle accident in Lakeland. Police say that the motorcyclist was injured when he tried to avoid striking a car that had pulled out in front of him on Lakeland Hills Boulevard. According to the Lakeland Police report, the 52-year-old victim was northbound in the inside lane of Lakeland Hills Boulevard when a car driven by a 24-year-old woman pulled directly into his path while she tried to make a left turn onto the boulevard.
Florida Distracted Driving Report Reveals Disturbing Statistics
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV) has issued a distracted driving report from data they collected in 2008, and the statistics are equal parts surprising and disturbing. Despite public awareness campaigns and numerous studies linking distracted driving and sharply elevated accident rates, many drivers continue to engage in a variety of risky distracted driving behaviors while behind the wheel.
Orlando Auto Accident Lawyer Urges Everyone to Buckle Up
Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham recently came across a study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration illustrating how seat belts save lives in auto accidents. According to the study, in more than 50 percent of the fatal auto accidents in this country each year, the victims are not wearing safety belts. The study shows that a properly worn seat belt reduces a front passenger’s risk of being fatally injured by 45 percent and their risk of sustaining a serious injury by 50 percent. People who buckle up in the rear seats of SUVs fare even better in accidents – 73 percent of them reduce their risk of serious injury simply by buckling up.
Rider in Critical Condition After Florida Motorcycle Accident
A 52-year-old Tampa man is in critical condition after a recent motorcycle accident in Brooksville. Florida Highway Patrol troopers say that the man was riding his 2002 Triumph motorcycle westbound on Powell Road near the intersection with Emerson Road when a Mercedes sedan turned directly in front of him. Troopers say that the Mercedes, driven by a 58-year-old Brooksville man, was making a left turn onto Powell from Emerson and turned directly into the victim’s path. The rider had no time to take evasive action, and his motorcycle collided with the front right side of the Mercedes.
Three Injured When Florida Teen Driver Loses Control On I-75
A recent multi-car accident on Interstate 75 shut down all northbound lanes for several hours and sent three people to the hospital with serious and critical injuries. Florida Highway Patrol troopers say the accident began when a 17-year-old girl lost control of her 2008 Honda Civic, which crossed the median and entered oncoming traffic. They report that when the girl’s Honda jumped over the median, it began to spin and crashed into a 2012 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by a 25-year-old woman. When the Honda struck the pickup truck, the collision pushed the Chevrolet into the path of a 200 Ford Ranger pickup driven by another woman, age unknown.
Impaired Florida Driver Faces Up to 26 Years In Connection With Fatal Auto Accident
A man convicted of causing a fatal auto accident while driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is expected to receive a harsh sentence in an upcoming hearing in his case. He caused an Orange County accident in 2009 that killed a two-year-old girl whose family was on their way to Walt Disney World when the man, who was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, collided with their car. Prosecutors recently asked the judge hearing the case to sentence the man to the maximum 26 years in prison for causing the accident, but the defendant’s legal team requested a presentence investigation to postpone the judge’s decision.
Two Florida Trucking Accidents Close Nearly All Lanes of Interstate 95
Two separate accidents involving tractor-trailers closed nearly all northbound and all southbound lanes of Interstate 95 near Palm Beach recently and sent three people to area hospitals with undisclosed injuries. The first accident occurred around 9:31 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-95 near 45th Street when a sudden downpour caused a chain reaction accident in very heavy traffic. Florida Highway Patrol troopers are still conducting their investigation, but they say that this accident involved at least five passenger vehicles and a tractor-trailer. Two people were injured in this chain reaction trucking accident.
Florida DOT Launches New Safety Campaign to Lower Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
The Florida Department of Transportation and law enforcement officials recently launched their “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow…Safety Doesn’t Happen By Accident” public awareness campaign to reduce the number of bicycle and pedestrian accidents in our state. State officials have targeted Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties for a four-week trial period of the campaign with plans to include all Florida counties in the weeks and months ahead. Florida is the most dangerous state in the country for pedestrian and bicycle accidents, and Orlando personal injury lawyers such as James O. Cunningham applaud and support any measures that make roadways safer for non-motorized traffic.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle accident, call toll-free at 1-888-FLA-Auto (1-888-352-2886).
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