Traffic fatalities in Palm Beach County up, distracted driving may be to blame

Traffic fatalities are on the rise in Palm Beach County, leading some to call for legislation prohibiting distracted driving.

2013-02-13

February 13, 2013 (Press-News.org) While much of the country has acknowledged the dangers of distracted driving, Florida has yet to implement any laws banning certain behaviors common among distracted drivers. Florida as a whole -- and Palm Beach County in particular -- recently saw a spike in traffic fatalities, leading many to question whether it is time for Florida legislators to take action to prevent distracted driving fatalities.

In 2012, the number of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents increased by 17 percent in Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. In 2011, there were 116 traffic fatalities in the county -- in 2012, that number jumped to 136. This was the first time the number of traffic fatalities caused by auto accidents had increased in Palm Beach County since 2005 and 2006.

Consequently, many have speculated about the reasons for this sudden rise in traffic deaths in south Florida. Governor Scott, legislators and some law enforcement officials have pointed to the lack of legislation governing distracted driving in Florida. Many states have implemented laws banning certain risky behaviors; however, no distracted driving laws are currently in place in Florida.

FL lawmakers calling for legislation banning distracted driving

In response to the rise in traffic fatalities, Governor Scott ordered a study to determine whether texting while driving is contributing to the problem. Texting while behind the wheel is a particularly dangerous type of distracted driving, as it distracts the driver in a variety of ways. When a driver texts, he or she is distracted:
- Manually
- Visually
- Cognitively

A Virginia Tech study revealed that drivers who text are 23 times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accidents than non-distracted drivers.

In addition, state representative Slosberg, from Boca Raton, has also called for legislation in Florida to prevent distracted driving. He intends to focus on implementing a law that would prohibit novice drivers from using cellphones while behind the wheel. Similar laws have been enacted in other states around the country, as young drivers are the demographic most likely to be involved in a distracted driver accident.

Distracted driving is a safety risk that has led to fatal accidents across the country. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,331 people died in distracted driver accidents and another 387,000 suffered personal injuries in 2011.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driving accident, consulting with a skilled, Palm Beach County personal injury attorney will ensure your rights are protected.

Article provided by Young and Stein
Visit us at www.youngstein.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

California Tour Bus Accident Brings Sorrow, Questions

2013-02-13

On February 3, 2013, a tour bus travelling from Tijuana, Mexico to the San Bernadino Mountains careened out of control down state Route 38 near Yucaipa, California. The bus driver, unable to brake, yelled for passengers to call 911. Shortly thereafter, the bus hit a car, rolled over, ran into a pick-up truck and slid nearly one mile before coming to a stop. At least seven people were killed, dozens more were injured. Now, families are mourning the loss of their loved ones, injured passengers are learning what their lives will be like once they are out of the hospital, ...

Gov. Cuomo Proposes Plea Limits, $80 Surcharge for Speeding Tickets

2013-02-13

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has introduced a budget proposal that has both defense attorneys and local governments talking. His proposal would increase the fines for common nonmoving violations, or "parking on the pavement" violations, by $80. That surcharge would go to the state. He also wants to make it more difficult for defendants to bargain their speeding charges down to nonmoving violations if they were going 20 mph or more over the speed limit. "What we're trying to do is stop the wholesale plea bargaining for dangerous offenses," the governor's ...

Unum Loses Big to Quadriplegic Insured

2013-02-13

A court opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit came down hard on Unum, the nation's largest disability insurer, after it tried to underpay benefits owed to its insured, who was paralyzed in a severe bicycling accident. Stephan v. Unum Life Insurance Company of America, 697 F.3d 917 (9th Cir. 2012), is already being widely cited for its landmark legal rulings in the area of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) governed insurance plans. Evidence of Unum's Well-Established Bias Is Admissible First, the decision makes clear that in determining ...

New Jersey Personal Injury Law Firm Prevails for Client

2013-02-13

The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. proudly announces the settlement of a slip and fall case in the amount of $100,000.00. The plaintiff, a sixty two year old man, tripped on a defective sidewalk and sustained a right wrist fracture. New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. represents injured clients in a wide range of legal matters involving personal injury including fall down accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and many more. To learn more about our injury practice, please visit our website ...

Last Year's Chicago-Area Home Foreclosure Numbers Don't Look Pretty

2013-02-13

Behind every home foreclosure is a person. You never thought you'd lose your job. Or that you'd get sick or injured and find yourself unable to work. You never thought you'd have to scrape for the money to make a mortgage payment. You never thought you'd get so behind you'd go into default, and have to deal with a mortgage lender, who may or may not be all that interested in helping you solve the problem so you can save your home. But when these things happen, it's all you worry about. This is your "legal problem," as if such a problem could be described ...

Ignition Interlock: A Simple Step Toward Preventing PA Drunk Driving Fatalities

2013-02-13

An ignition interlock device prevents drivers from operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The driver must blow into the device; if no alcohol is detected or an alcohol content below the programmed acceptable rate, the driver will then be able to start his or her vehicle. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently recommended that all states require ignition interlock devices for first time drunk driving offenders. AAA threw the great weight of its support behind the NTSB recommendation. Both the NTSB and AAA believe that the change, ...

Johnston County Defense Lawyer Patrick Roberts Earns Dismissal in Drug Trafficking Case

2013-02-13

Raleigh criminal defense lawyer Patrick Roberts of Roberts Law Group, PLLC, in Raleigh, successfully argued for dismissal of drug charges after a routine traffic stop resulted in an illegal search of the defendant's home. The client was facing up to 84 months in prison on cocaine charges. An important fact in this case is that the investigation started after a routine traffic stop, but the client eventually facing drug trafficking charges was not in the car at the time of the stop. Law enforcement officers in Johnston County stopped a driver, citing a traffic violation, ...

Diet Pill Specialists, Healthe Trim, Use Pedometers to Help with Their Fitness Plans

2013-02-13

A study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine reported that the regular use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and weight loss. These small, inexpensive devices track every step that you take. They have also been shown to improve blood pressure simply by motivating people to be more active. In a similar study by the University of Michigan, it was reported that wearing a pedometer can help you lose extra pounds even if you don't diet. The effects are greatly increased with proper diet and exercise, but researchers ...

Atlanta Shredding Professionals, A Shred Ahead, Offer Free Shredding Guide On Website

2013-02-13

Recycling Your Paper is Easy The Atlanta shredding firm, A Shred Ahead, wants to announce that it offers a step-by-step guide on its website for how their service works. In regards to shredding services, Atlanta business owners are advised to visit the site if they have any questions at all. The firm provides a detailed and user-friendly diagram that their customers can review. How Does the Recycling Process Work? The Atlanta shredding company provides specialized bins that customers use. To obtain one, you will need to call or email the firm to start your service. ...

Cobb County Has Seen Growth in Business, Atlanta Plumbing Pros Plumb Xpress Proud to Be in Kennesaw

2013-02-13

Metro Atlanta was hit hard by our economic recession. Cobb County in particular struggled through limited business opportunity. Since December 2007, the county lost 36,000 jobs - 8% of the region's workforce. Now, Cobb is enjoying a welcome economic resurgence including a noticeable growth in business. In the Metro Atlanta region, 30,000 new jobs were created in 2011, with about a third of these located within Cobb County. According to the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, this positive trend continued through 2012. Many local small to mid-sized businesses in the area like ...

Traffic fatalities in Palm Beach County up, distracted driving may be to blame

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: