Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents - Most Commented

14-Year-Old Dies in Stolen Car Accident

Eddie Farah — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:07:00 GMT

The driver of an allegedly stolen car that crashed into a house Saturday was just a 14-year-old middle schooler.

It happened across from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in the St. Nicholas area of Jacksonville.

It was chaos at the scene. The car could not be easily backed out because part of the house collapsed. And family of the teen killed rushed across police tape to get to the scene.

Now comes word on the identity of the driver. Patrick Holmes was driving the car that lost control around a curb from San Diego Road onto Redmond Avenue before striking a tree then sliding under the home.

Witnesses say three people scattered after the crash and may have been inside the car. Police are interviewing those suspects about a possible robbery earlier in the day.

No one inside the home was injured.

"Lots of lots of pain. It's a lot of pain. It hurts so bad because he's only 14. At 14 years old, you're still playing kickball and hopscotch and stuff like that. Now, he's in the morgue," said Holmes' cousin, Melissa Henderson tells Channel 4.

"He was just a sweet young man. It's just a tragedy that this happened to him in this kind of way, and right now we don't understand."

The family wants what law enforcement is seeking, someone to come forward to say they witnessed the incident. Call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS. Closing the case is what will help them with the answers they need the family says.

Our condolences to the family of the teen who might have turned a joy ride into his final ride. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Tougher Seat Belt Laws In Florida

Eddie Farah — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:50:39 GMT

Ever since Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti died in separate auto accidents more than a decade ago, their parents felt their deaths had a higher purpose.

Neither young woman was wearing a seat belt when they were killed.

For 13 years, Irv Slosberg tried to get through the Florida legislature a bill that would allow police officers to pull over anyone who is not wearing a seat belt. That would be considered a primary offense.

Until now, Florida only allowed a ticket to be written if an officer noticed that, in addition to the reason the person was pulled over, they were also not wearing a seat belt. That is a secondary offense.

Former legislator Slosberg was all thumbs up Wednesday after the Florida House passed a bill (SB344) that makes a seat belt violation a primary offense. Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to sign it into law. It would go into effect in June.

"Every time I hear my daughter's name, it's emotional," said Slosberg, 61. "It's a great day for Floridians. We have a better, safer place to live," he tells First Coast News.

The law carries a fine of $30, not exactly a stern punishment, and no points are added to a driver’s record, unless you child is not in a car seat. It is expected to bring in another $35 million in federal highway money.

For years, Florida lawmakers had objected to the bill because they thought it would make it easier for police to randomly pull over someone they had profiled based on race, and then use the seatbelt as an excuse.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, making a seat belt offense a primary offense is predicted to save about 124 lives in Florida every year and prevent more than 1,700 serious injuries.

It’s hard to believe people do not wear their seat belts, and statistics show about 82 percent of us do. This primary enforcement law will increase the number of people buckled in and besides tangible highway money, we should have a few more people surviving the devastating injuries from an auto accident. And that means something to these parents who have lost so much.

"It's in her honor," Laura Marchetti said. "There's nothing greater than the love of your children. Even where she is now we're still being her parents and honoring her. We always will."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

I-95 Auto Accident Kills Teen Best Friends

Eddie Farah — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:35:37 GMT

Amanda Alzate was just 19 years old. One of seven children. She was often asked if she was a model.

Amanda lost her life around 3pm Wednesday when she was ejected from the truck that was being driven by her best friend, Sandra Monzon.

The truck tried to access a highway ramp and instead rolled.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Sandra Monzon, also 19, tried to cut through the grass to make the ramp from Interstate 295 southbound to Interstate 95 northbound just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. Monzon and 19-year-old Amanda Alzate were ejected from the pickup despite wearing seat belts.

Alzate died at the scene but Monzon clung to life for another six hours. She died in the trauma center.

Her family says their daughter was the valedectorian of her high school class and planned to be a christian school teacher. She loved music, was part of a quartet and her mantra was "seize the day."

The girls were on their way to work. Alzate's family appeared on Jacksonville's Channel 4 to do an interview, obviously in a state of shock.

"One step at a time -- we get up, we shower, we eat if we can," Fabian Alzate said. "We're going to miss her very much."

Our hearts go out to the Alzate and Monson families.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Floridians Get Three Moving Violations Then Lose License

Eddie Farah — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:51:18 GMT

A new law in Florida should send reckless drivers back to driving school. Beginning January 1, any driver who is convicted of three moving violations that led to a crash during a three-year-period will lose their license.

It could happen for offenses such as reading a newspaper while driving 65 mph to work, or texting while driving, anything that takes your attention off of the road and leads to a crash.

Once that happens, the motorist will be able to get their license back after they pass a $500 education course and pay another $48 to take and pass the driver’s test.

And the clock doesn’t start ticking on January 1. Moving violations from 2008 and 2009 will also be considered, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

How many times have you wished there was a refresher course for some drivers, especially the ones who follow too closely behind, text and talk on the phone and pass on the right in your blind spot?

3,277 motorists have been identified as being involved in at least three accidents since 2006 and are already in line for the course. 372 of those drivers are from Jacksonville, about the same number as from Miami-Dade which has three times the licensed drivers.

Why our numbers are so high in North Florida is a mystery.

According to the state, highway fatalities have dropped to an eight-year low with traffic-related fatalities on roadways decreasing 7.4 percent to 2,983 last year. This is the first time there have been fewer than 3,000 traffic deaths in Florida since 2000.

But the Jacksonville crash numbers are still troubling. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Texting While Driving Still Allowed In Florida

Eddie Farah — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:25:00 GMT

Los Angeles area officials have banned the use of all mobile drvices by anyone at the controls of a moving train after it was discovered this week that a Metrolink engineer had been texting around the time he drove his commuter train into a freight train.

25 people were killed, many more injured. The ban was a common sense response. And Florida earlier this year had a common sense response to the growing problem when a bill was introduced into the legislature that would ban cell phone use by anyone under the age of 18.

Not exactly the teeth one would want to see in a bill since research shows that at least two-thirds of 18 to 24 year olds text while driving.

The Wireless Association says there were 75 billion text messages sent in June, up from 7.2 billion in June 2005 and an estimated 20 percent of drivers are texting while behind the wheel, according to a Nationwide Insurance study.

In the spring of 2007, a crash in suburban Rochester, New York, killed five teenage female friends when they collided with a tractor trailer. The five had just graduated from high school. All of the girls died. Police discovered the driver had been texting just before the crash.

A British study finds that texting while driving impairs driving skills more than being drunk or on drugs. In the study, 48 percent of the young drivers, up to the age of 24, admit they text while driving. And drivers tend to drive out of their lanes and drift into another more often while texting.

So we don’t need much more evidence that this is not a good thing to do. In April, Florida lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban texting while driving.

The Florida bills, one in the senate, one in the house, were tied to a bill that banned all cell phone use for drivers under the age of 18. The fine was $60.

Violators get one point against their license. It was supposed to go into effect October first but it died in committees in May. The Florida Telecommunications Industry Association finally had its way.

The industry says cell phones shouldn’t be singled out because it’s distracting to change a radio station or eat a sandwich. Does this make sense?

Sounds like parents need to get to work on a couple of fronts- at home and with their children who are behind the wheel so Florida can follow in the steps of Washington state, that banned the practice in May of last year and New Jersey which followed suit in November.

Posted in Auto Accident, Personal Injury | Edit |

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Gov. Crist Supports Texting Ban This Legislative Session

Eddie Farah — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:04:32 GMT

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has come out with a Legislative wish list for 2010.

He clearly stated he is in favor of a ban on texting while driving this year, adding new momentum for the state Legislature to finally adopt some legislation when they meet in the spring.

At a Cabinet meeting the governor even prodded the head of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to also support a ban. But she stopped short of giving her full support. “We support limiting texting and driving” Julie Jones said.

For too long the cell phone industry has had its way with Floridians, but that is beginning to change. Jones told reporters that she senses there is a shifting intolerance in public opinion for texting, largely because of the number of fatal accidents.

While Florida has no officially tally on those who have died from texting while driving, the best estimate is that 15 were killed and 1,400 injured by distracted drivers in 2008. Those estimates are probably low since the Florida Highway Patrol is just beginning to note on accident reports when distractions contribute to an accident.

More than a dozen bills have been filed for consideration this March. Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis has filed two of them. “I think this year, something’s going to pass” he said.

Florida this year has a chance to join 14 states and the District of Columbia that already ban texting while driving. It's time for Floridians to move into this next year with a recognition and a resolve to make the roads safer for all of us.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Separate Incidents Kill Two Elderly Drivers

Eddie Farah — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:44:00 GMT

A question we often get in Florida is - how old is too old to drive?

This generally comes from the adult children of elderly drivers who are concerned that they may be liable if they don't take their elderly parents car keys away. No, they cannot be held liable unless they own the car. But there is the nagging knowledge that they should help their parent make this important transition in life.

Not to discriminate against our elders, certainly there are young people who don’t drive safety, but a couple of cases this week bring the question into sharp focus.

Grace H. Ross, 90, was driving south on Eulace Rd in Jacksonville around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she turned left onto Timuquana in front of a semi driven by 33-year-old Patrick P. Mowry. Ross was taken to Shands Hospital and pronounced dead. Her 94-year-old passenger, Dennis M. Ross suffered serious injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Everyone was wearing their seat belts and the driver of the truck was not hurt.

In another accident, everyone was wearing their seat belts too. Margaret M. Wolosin, 88, of St. Augustine tried to turn onto U.S. 1 when the driver’s side of her car was hit by an oncoming pickup truck. Wolosin died after being taken to Flagler Hospital. The truck driver and his passenger were both treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

We are so sorry for the loss of these two women. This sort of accident can happen to anyone at any age of course. In fact, the Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports the 2008 crash statistics show that the crash rates for people over the age of 65 are lower than for people under the age of 40.

What can adult children do? Someone with an unsafe parent driver can confidentially report them to the department. In 2008 there were 7,677 referrals in all. The state can ask someone to take an eye exam or a medical exam. Or the person could be asked to retake the driver test. Younger people can be reported too, but generally seniors are the ones reported.

Oftentimes, the elder driver will realize they need to give up their license, even though we live in a car culture and it puts them at a distinct disadvantage. Loneliness, isolation and depression can accompany the decision to give up a license. Our communities are not set up to accommodate someone without a car, and Americans have a different approach to caring for elders than the Europeans do.

If someone you know needs a ride, give them one. It’s as simple as that. After all, if you are lucky, one day you'll be there too.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Bicyclist Critical After Hit By Five Time DUI Offender

Eddie Farah — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:57:03 GMT

This is a tragic story.

A 77-year-old man, riding his bicycle 10 a.m. Saturday morning on Seminole Road in Atlantic Beach, was hit by the driver of an SUV.

Charges have now been filed against the driver, 41-year-old William Adams.

He was driving his SUV, towing a trailer when the right fender well of the trailer hit the man. The unidentified man was taken by helicopter to Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville and is listed in critical condition.

Our prayers go out to this bicycle rider for a full recovery. Riding a bicycle should never been hazardous if you are following the rules and riding on a road through a residential area with a slow speed limit.

Adams has been charged with driving under the influence and driving without a license. Police report he had four prior DUI convictions.

All states have DUI laws that deem anyone intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent. No additional proof of driving impairment is necessary.

In Florida, for a first, second, or third offense, suspension or revocation of a license is an option. Repeat DUI offenders incur a harsher fine and generally receive a number of days in jail. And Florida law requires the ignition interlock be put on a vehicle for second and third DUI convictions.

As of October 1, 2008, it was required for all offenders with a BAC at .15 or higher.

Why this man’s vehicle was not confiscated before this time or an ignition interlock breath-testing device, that measures the BAC, installed on his vehicle, I don’t know. He may have already been forced to enroll in a mandatory alcohol education program, but a DUI at 10 a.m., obviously that program didn't work.

The definition of a hardcore drunk driver is three offenses within 10 years or a fourth offense in a lifetime.

In 2007, nearly 13,000 people in the U.S. died in crashes where the driver or motorcycle rider was legally impaired, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

There are approximately 14 million licensed drivers in Florida. In 2008, the state reports there were more than 22,200 alcohol related crashes and more than 1,100 alcohol related fatalities in the state.

Injuring someone, while DUI and driving without a license will finally bring this driver some much deserved jail time. Obviously nothing else has worked. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Cash For Clunkers - Good Riddance Rollovers

Eddie Farah — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:44:25 GMT

First Coast car dealers in Jacksonville seem to be moving ahead with the “Cash for Clunkers” program despite the questions about depleted funds. The government has approved more money to keep the program rolling for the time being.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be administering the program and the official website you can check to see if your car qualifies - http://www.cars.gov.

New car buyers are receiving anywhere from $3,500 to $4,500 credit on their old gas guzzlers, presumably to trade the vehicle in for a more gas efficient vehicle. In Jacksonville, Duval Ford employees received about 25 clunkers last weekend alone, all rated at 18 miles per gallon or worse.

One of the top cars for trade-in is the Ford Explorer. In fact, the top four spots on the list of trade-ins are taken by the Ford Explorer - 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999. 1995 and 1994 help round out the Top Ten list of trade-ins.

Not only is this a good idea because of the gas guzzling engines, but up until 2005, the Ford Explorer was an unstable car with a tendency to roll. After many unnecessary deaths, in late 2005, the Explorer SUVs came equipped with Roll Stability Control, featuring roll-rate sensing and correcting capability to allow drivers to more easily maintain vehicle control during extreme maneuvers such as correcting the steering wheel when the car was drifting off the road.

Stability control debuted on the 2003 Volvo XC 90 and Lincoln SUV in 2004.

It was a Ford Explorer that rolled and threw nine high school students out of the windows early this summer and rolled several times. Three teens died.

Class-action lawsuits have forced the company to incorporate more safety features and today it’s estimated the much-improved Explorer is among the five million on the road.

But turning in the pre-2005 models is a good thing, and not just for saving gasoline, it could save lives. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Are Red-Light Cameras At Intersections A Good Idea?

Eddie Farah — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:17:00 GMT

Red-light runners be warned. The city council of Orange Park near Jacksonville will soon have a candid camera to watch your every move into those intersections that aren’t quite green.

We’ve all seen drivers who run a yellow or red-light - sometimes speeding up to make it even more dangerous. Not only do they risk being T-boned, but they put pedestrians in danger as well.

Now cameras at busy intersections will be triggered when the car enters the intersection after the signal changes and record the time of day, the vehicle speed, and license plate. Each ticket, which the offender will receive in the mail, costs $125. The state would like to take this across Florida.

A revenue generator for the city? Perhaps. But cameras have been shown to substantially reduce red-light running, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. When they were installed in Fairfax, Virginia and Oxnard, California, cameras reduced red-light running by about 40 percent, and reduced intersection crashes by up to 30 percent.

In 2007, the Institute reported that nearly 900 people were killed and 153,000 were injured in collisions at intersections nationally, about half killed by vehicles running red-lights.

Florida law states you should stop at a yellow light before an intersection, if you can. If the light has just turned yellow and it is safe to proceed and the intersection is clear, you are probably okay. But these things are often left to the discretion of the traffic officer, as many have found.

Just make sure you don't stop suddenly when you remember there is a camera recording your every move. The guy following closely behind you might not have received the memo. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah