To make Florida roadways safer this holiday season, the governor, the DHSMV, law enforcement agencies and safety advocates are joining forces to educate drivers and enforce impaired driving laws. To illustrate the importance of the issue, Governor Scott recently issued a proclamation to recognize 3D Prevention Month in Florida.

“This is the season to celebrate with friends and family,” he said. “My administration and all of our safety partners across the state of Florida are dedicated to making sure this season is celebrated safely. We plan to lead by example by practicing safe driving habits that include buckling up, driving sober and avoiding distractions while behind the wheel.”

“We encourage everyone to plan ahead this holiday season to avoid drinking or drugged driving,” said Florida Highway Patrol Director, Colonel David Brierton. “The Florida Highway Patrol will participate in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national crackdown this month. We are encouraging all drivers to make good decisions.”

Mr. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury attorneys fully endorse these efforts and any others that will make our roadways safer this holiday season as law enforcement officials usually see a spike in accidents caused by impaired drivers during this time. The grim statistics for the 2010 holiday season include the following:

• During the New Year’s holiday travel period, 32 people died on Florida’s roadways. Of those, 12 deaths were alcohol-related.
• During the four-day Christmas holiday travel period, 24 people died on Florida’s roadways. Of those, eight deaths were alcohol-related.

Mr. Cunningham wishes all Floridians and visitors a very safe and happy holiday season. Anyone who wishes to schedule a free consultation at one of his many law offices throughout Central Florida can call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Happy Holidays!

Officers on board the helicopter alerted officers on the ground, who deployed spiked sticks to flatten the man’s tires so that his vehicle could be disabled and he could be apprehended. The man faces multiple charges including reckless driving, fleeing and eluding officers at high speeds, disobeying multiple traffic signals and others. He is being held in the Seminole County Jail in Sanford with bail set at $2,050. Officers placed the spiked sticks at Country Club Road and Airport Boulevard and were finally able to apprehend the subject at County Club and Southwest roads.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham was quite relieved to hear that no one was injured or killed by this man’s recklessness. Given the exceptionally high rates of speed and the number of red lights the man ran, it is somewhat miraculous that no one was in the wrong place at the wrong time and struck by this man’s vehicle.

As you know, many Floridians are not so lucky. Reckless drivers kill and severely injure many people in our state every day. Through no fault of their own, their lives are changed forever, and their physical injuries are compounded by the psychological turmoil of skyrocketing medical bills and the inability to provide for their families.

That is why many people in Central Florida rely on Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham for experienced legal counsel and help through this difficult period of their lives. Mr. Cunningham has a proven record of helping injured people receive the fair and just compensation they deserve since 1977. He gives each client and case the individual attention they deserve and answers all questions in plain, easy-to-understand language. To schedule a consultation at one of his many Central Florida law offices, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind his readers that any activities that distract a driver from the safe operation of a vehicle, even for an instant, can result in tragedy. Today, most distracted driving accidents are caused by people who talk, text and search the internet on their cell phones despite the well-publicized risks of doing so. Distracted driving can also include eating while driving, reaching for an object on the floor, applying makeup and many other activities.

These and other examples of distracted driving are negligent and place everyone else on the road at significantly elevated risk for being involved in an accident. Negligent drivers are often held responsible for the damages they cause their victims, and rightly so, as victims often suffer life-changing injuries and catastrophic medical bills through no fault of their own. If a distracted driver has injured you or someone in your immediate family and you would like to speak with an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Mr. Cunningham offers free consultations, listens intently to potential clients’ concerns, answers their questions and explains the law and legal options in plain, easy-to-understand language so that they can make informed decisions. Call today to get his skills and experience on your side!

One daily commuter is Sam Venzekri, who claims that frequent changes in lane closures and configurations during construction are a recipe for tragedy.

He said, “It’s very confusing you don’t know where you’re going. You’re trying to watch out for the other car and may hit the other car and you don’t know where you’re going.”

A spokesperson for the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority says that commuters’ concerns about safety are unfounded. He reports that state inspectors travel the route at least twice each day looking for problems in the construction zone. However, FHP officials say otherwise. One recent afternoon, one of their troopers was involved in an accident while trying to avoid striking a construction barrel used to route traffic.

Diane Cummings often travels through the zone at night. She reports that confusing lane painting is another contributing factor to the accidents.

“It’s hard to distinguish which lanes are which and where they’re going and people seem to have trouble driving straight,” she says.

The construction is underway to convert a four-lane section of S.R. 417 to six lanes. While more lanes should make this heavily congested roadway safer in the long-term, Mr. Venzekri believes that the contractor, Hubbard Construction, could and should make this construction zone safer while work is underway.

“Normally most construction is very organized,” he said. “I don’t know why this one is disorganized. Just make it clear to drivers, these days drivers are texting, talking on the phone or busy with a lot of stuff and a little thing like that can cause a huge accident.”

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind area residents to exercise extra care while driving through this construction zone and the many others throughout the area. He also cautions drivers not to talk on their phones or text while driving as no conversation or message is worth risking their lives or the lives of those around them. If you or a close family member has been injured in an accident caused by a poorly designed construction zone or a distracted driver and you would like experienced legal counsel, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation.

“We actually take them out to the expressway. We don’t cut them loose until they’ve driven in traffic on I-4 and the 408 expressway,” said Glenn Victor, Florida Safety Council spokesperson.

“A lot of the things we teach students are different than when you and I learned to drive. For example, when you put your hands on the steering wheel, most of us were taught the 10 and 2 o’clock position. But now, because of air bags in vehicles [in the steering wheel], we’re told the 9 and 3 o’clock position because at 10 and 2, a lot of times people will have jewelry, such as a wristwatch. That bag’s coming out at 150 mph in one second, and when you have your hands at the 10 and 2, that wristwatch could hit me in the face, scratch my face up. At 9 and 3, my hands are more likely to go to the sides,” Victor said.

In order to take advantage of the free training, a student will need to speak with their high school academic advisor. When they enroll for the classroom part of the training, they will receive a $260 voucher for the driving lessons paid for by the Dori Slosberg Driver Education Safety Act, which allows Florida counties to add $5 in extra fines to traffic tickets to pay for driver’s education.

“Representative Slosberg lost his daughter in a tragic car accident. He then committed his life to traffic safety,” Victor said.

Every high school student in Orange County is eligible to participate in the program. Each student will receive high school credit for participating and completing the driver’s safety course.

“When someone learns a new sport, they don’t pick up basketball on the first day. We are thrilled to see this program in place so, hopefully, we [do not have to] go to another crash where a new driver caused a new driver mistake,” said Sgt. Kim Montes, Florida Highway Patrol.

Orlando auto accident attorney James O. Cunningham fully supports this young driver safety-training program. He has represented the families of countless young people hurt or killed in auto accidents. Call James. O. Cunningham today if you need to speak with an experienced Orlando auto accident lawyer.

The pickup’s driver was killed in the accident, as was the motorcycle’s passenger-a woman whose identity and age was not released by the FHP when the article was published. The 55-year-old motorcycle rider suffered critical injuries in the accident and was flown to Tampa General Hospital in a helicopter. The 51-year old driver of a Ford pickup truck behind the motorcycle also died in the accident. FHP officials say that he swerved to avoid the initial accident, but crashed into the left front of the oncoming Chevy pickup. The force of the collision caused the Ford pickup to land on its roof.

The 27-year-old passenger in the Ford pickup suffered serious injuries and was taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment. His condition was unavailable when the article was published. Accident investigators do not yet know what caused the Chevy pickup to veer into the oncoming lane of traffic. The drivers of the other two vehicles involved in the Florida car accident sustained no injuries in the crash and investigators said that all of the people in the vehicles were wearing safety belts at the time of the accident. The accident closed U.S. 98 in both directions for several hours while emergency response personnel investigated the accident scene and cleared debris.

Auto accident victims and their families face physical and financial hardship while they recover from their injuries. In addition to the steep costs of medical care and rehabilitation, they also must contend with loss of function and income, life-changing injuries and terrible loss. Orlando car accident lawyer James O. Cunningham has been helping accident victims for well over thirty years. When people are injured and least able to deal with big insurance companies, he looks out for their interests and protects their rights. If you received injuries in a Central Florida car accident or lost a loved one as a result of an accident, call the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham today to schedule a free consultation.

There were four people in the car, including the infant. Law enforcement officials investigating the accident had not released the names of those involved in the car accident pending the notification of family members. The pregnant woman and the baby were both ejected from the car when it was struck, and a man inside the car died in the car from his injuries. Deputies said the pregnant woman’s body was found in the ditch on the east side of U.S. 27 and the car’s driver was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with injuries described as traumatic.

Officials investigating the accident were not able to determine whether the auto accident victims were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The man, woman and baby in the van that struck the car were taken to Heart of Florida Hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening. The car accident caused the northbound lanes of U.S. 27 to be shut down for several hours while emergency response personnel investigated the accident and cleared the road of debris.

The article does not say who was determined to be at fault for causing the accident but in any case, the victims probably face a lengthy and expensive recovery. Car accident victims must contend with their discomfort, loss of income, long and expensive rehabilitation regimens, haggling with insurance companies and many other unpleasant and often expensive situations through no cause of their own.

If you or a family member have been injured by a negligent driver and are dealing with their insurance company along with other difficulties caused by the accident, Orlando auto accident lawyer James O. Cunningham may be able to help. He has been helping Central Florida car accident victims rebuild their lives since 1977 and has earned the reputation as an Orlando auto accident attorney who proactively and aggressively protects the rights of his clients. To schedule a free consultation with Orlando auto accident lawyer James O. Cunningham, call him today.

"I hate to say it’s the worst I’ve seen in 30 years as a police officer, but it is," Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said. "It looks like an IED (improvised explosive device) in Iraq went off. The car was completely split in half—the front end landed 30 feet from the back end of the car."

Emergency response personnel said that the bodies were so badly mangled that EMTs had to conduct a thorough examination to determine their gender. Accident investigators thought that the car involved in the accident was a Camaro Z28. They believed that the car was racing on Nova Road from Flomich Avenue south with another dark-colored car that didn’t stop when the Camaro driver lost control and hit a concrete barrier wall along the sidewalk in front of Classi Auto Body, 1820 N. Nova Road.

The speed of the wrecked car had not yet been determined by the police but they said that the car’s speedometer was stuck on 100 mph. The three victims were all ejected from the car in the crash.

A police spokesperson said, "One victim is still mangled in the wreckage. Young people who are involved with street racing should see what I’m looking at, and they’d think twice before (racing) again."

Racing on city streets is precisely the type of negligent, reckless behavior that results in tragedy for anyone unlucky enough to be nearby. It’s clear that the drivers of the racing vehicles were putting the lives of their passengers and anyone nearby at risk. Innocent people are injured and killed by irresponsible drivers every year and if you are injured in a Central Florida car accident caused by a reckless driver, Orlando car accident lawyer James Cunningham may be able to help.

James Cunningham has been assisting accident victims since 1977 collect the financial compensation they deserve to help with the medical and rehabilitative expenses of recovery. He protects the rights of people when they are least able to protect themselves from insurance companies and holds those responsible for causing the accident accountable for their actions. Call Orlando auto accident attorney James Cunningham for a free consultation if you or someone you care for has been injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver.