Florida Personal Injury Claims

Sharing the road with teens in Florida can be a worrisome experience. Because they are new to the roadway and do not have the honed skills to be as safe as someone who has driven for a longer period of time, they are prone to having auto accidents. Although there might be preconceived notions as to why this is the case, a new study indicates that teens could have a greater likelihood of being in a car crash because of a lack of development in their "working memory."

According to the University of Pennsylvania, there is slower growth in teens' working memory. That absence of development could be a key part of teens' propensity to have accidents. The working memory develops from the time a person is an adolescent and into their twenties. This is important for safe driving. For teens found with a slower development in this area, there was a greater chance of a car accident. Since driving safely requires keeping track of the environment and understanding various aspects of driving the vehicle, young people could face obstacles in being as safe as drivers with fully developed working memories.

Auto accidents are a concern in every city and state across the nation. For many, the condition of the roads is a major factor in the number of crashes with catastrophic injuries and fatalities. In Florida, the roads and bridges are well-maintained. Still, there are a troublesome number of accidents in the state. This is indicative of the myriad ways in which accidents happen.

A report from the Reason Foundation lauds the condition of Florida roads. However, these same roads are also expensive, crowded and have a significant rate of fatal accidents. Florida came in 40th in the report - the 24th such report that the Reason Foundation has created. It uses data from the individual states from 2016, the latest year in which there is information available. The dichotomy between the condition and maintenance of the roads and the number of risks on them was notable.

Distracted driving is a concern in Florida and throughout the United States. Given the number of people who operate vehicles as distracted drivers and the frequency of auto accidents because of this behavior, researchers examine the problem and seek solutions for it. While this is usually linked to texting and driving and using a cellphone for other purposes, there are many ways in which a driver can be distracted. That includes the technology installed in new vehicles.

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic researched this issue and found that there is a certain segment of the population that is negatively impacted by in-vehicle technology. According to the study, younger drivers are adapting to the new technology more easily than older drivers. People between the ages of 55 and 75 are taking their eyes off of the road for more than eight seconds longer than drivers who are 21 to 36 as they use devices to change the radio, for navigation and for other reasons.

When Floridians are in a passenger vehicle and are sharing the road with a large truck, there is an understandable fear. Not only are these vehicles massive, but they travel at significant speeds and drivers can be distracted, negligent, reckless or under the influence. One issue that had receded into the background was the amount of time truckers spent on the road and whether truck driver fatigue was a factor. The vigilance drivers are required to have with their trucking log and oversight on the part of the Department of Transportation was meant to enhance safety.

Now, however, the DOT is preparing to relax the regulations and this is causing concern that there will be an uptick in truck accidents. With the problems that can accompany a truck crash - injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, fatalities - it is a legitimate issue. Currently, truckers are required to limit their driving to 11 hours during 14 hours on-duty. After that, they must refrain from driving for 10 hours before the clock resets. If drivers are on the road for more than eight hours, they must take a 30-minute break prior to reaching the eighth hour.