Archive for December, 2011

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28
Dec

Two teens killed in vehicle crash Christmas night

December 28, 2011

Two Myakka City 18-year-olds were traveling in a Ford F250 truck west on state Road 64 around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday when a car coming south on Rye Road failed to yield at a stop sign and collided with their vehicle, according to the Herald Tribune.

The driver of the Ford truck died from injuries at Manatee Memorial Hospital that night. His 18-year-old passenger was taken to Blake Medical Center, where he died Tuesday afternoon.

The impact threw both teenagers from the truck. Neither was a wearing seatbelt, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).

“They were friends for years,” said the 18-year-old driver’s aunt. “They did everything good together, they did everything bad together, and now they died together.”

Another passenger in the Ford truck, a 24-year-old cousin to the driver, sustained minor injuries.

The 18-year-old driver of the truck had taken a special trip from Myakka City to Palmetto to deliver two forgotten Christmas presents to his brother’s family.

His 3-year-old nephew was ecstatic over the unexpected visit from his uncle.

The other vehicle involved in the wreck was a 2010 Nissan driven by a 73-year-old Lakewood resident. He had minor injuries. His 73-year-old female passenger was seriously injured.

Alcohol was not a factor in the wreck, reported FHP.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in an auto accident?

The Florida truck accident lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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27
Dec

Cameras record vehicle crashes

December 26, 2011

“What these videos don’t show are the victims. Each year hundreds are killed and more than 100,000 are injured nationwide in red-light running related collisions,” said Charles Territo of American Traffic Solutions, Inc.

Territo is referring to the red light cameras videos, which catch cars crashing through Florida intersections, particularly in Gulfport and St. Petersburg.

American Traffic Solutions, Inc., provides a YouTube video of these crashes at red lights in Florida. Not for the feint of heart, the video includes a pair of Gulfport fender benders and ends with a high-impact crash in St. Petersburg.

The cameras are not just catching violators, but they are also providing stark visuals of car accidents caused by motorists who blow through red lights, according to Old Northeast Downtown St. Pete Patch.

In 2009, 62 Floridians were killed in red-light running related accidents.

Saving Lives

Red-light safety cameras change driver behavior and help save lives.

Each month, the state of Florida collects more than $3 million from red-light runners. This revenue is distributed to the general fund, the trauma center fund, and the brain and spinal cord research trust fund.

“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that over time, cities using cameras see a 24 percent reduction in red-light running related fatalities,” Territo said.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida auto accident?

The Florida auto accident lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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21
Dec

2 vehicle accident seriously injures 4 people in St. Johns County

December 21, 2011

Four people were severely injured Monday night in a two vehicle wreck on Florida 16 at Whisper Ridge Drive in St. Johns County, according to The Florida Times- Union.

A Toyota sports utility vehicle driven by a 38-year-old St. Augustine woman was headed west in the left turn lane of the state road at 9:30 p.m.  A 38-year-old passenger was also in the car.

As they began to turn left onto Whisper Ridge, a Ford sedan heading east and driven by a 23-year-old Middleburg man turned in front of the Toyota. In his car was a 21-year-old Middleburg female passenger. The two vehicles collided, reports the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).

The two women were taken to Flagler Hospital, where the driver is listed in critical condition and the passenger is in serious condition, according to the FHP.

The two people in the Ford sedan were in serious condition at Shands Jacksonville.

Neither of the drivers nor the passengers was wearing a seat belt, the FHP said.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida auto accident?

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19
Dec

4 dead this weekend in 3 separate accidents in Putnam County

December 19, 2011

Four people died in three separate vehicle accidents this past weekend in Putnam County, Florida, reports First Coast News.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, a vehicle traveling east on Sisco Road failed to make a turn and drove off the south shoulder. The driver over-corrected, spun, and flipped the vehicle four or five times.

The driver and passenger were both ejected through the windows. The passenger, a 42-year-old woman, died, and the driver sustained severe injuries.

A second fatal crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 17 and Troupe Road. A 55-year-old man had put his motorcycle down with his girlfriend trapped underneath. He was trying to divert traffic away from the motorcycle when a car hit and killed him. The girlfriend was not hurt.

In a third deadly accident on County Road 308 near the Georgetown Shortcut,  a Honda Civic hit a tree and a power pole and then two pine trees. Both men in the car died at the scene.

County Road 308 was closed, and the power was out in the area for several hours.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida accident?

The Florida auto accident lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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16
Dec

Nationwide cell phone ban for drivers urged by NTSB

December 16, 2011

Based on a decade of investigations into distraction-related accidents, on Tuesday the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called for a nationwide ban on all cell phone use by drivers. This recommendation is the most far-reaching one to date, according to the New York Times.

The NTSB is urging states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices such as wireless headsets.

Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the NTSB, said the safety concerns were not just about keeping hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, but also about making sure people focus on the act of driving.

“It’s about cognitive distraction. It’s about not being engaged at the task at hand,” she said.

“It’s going to be very unpopular with some people,” she said. “We’re not here to win a popularity contest. We’re here to do the right thing. This is a difficult recommendation, but it’s the right recommendation and it’s time.”

Six states, including Florida, ban local officials from enacting laws which would ban cell phone use..

Florida state Sen. Jack Latvala told the St. Petersburg Times that there is “absolutely no chance” the state will ban cell phones while driving.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida accident?