Automobile Accidents

• Obesity Raises Car Crash Death Risk

  Joe Saunders | March 05, 2006 9:24 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  If there weren't enough health risks associated with being overweight, along comes another one-maybe one you wouldn't have thought about. If you're male and obese, you're at a significantly greater risk to die as a result of a car crash according to a Milwaukee based investigation. The study cites various factors leading to this increased risk: obesity reduces the body's ability to recover...

• Safety Tips for Driving an SUV

  Joe Saunders | February 24, 2006 6:25 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  Some good advice printed in the San Jose Mercury News:There is some encouraging news. New SUVs are being built lower to the ground, decreasing their chances of rolling over and improving safety when SUVs collide with cars. It's not the weight of the SUV that poses a risk to people inside cars; it's the height difference.Driving an SUV is much more dangerous than driving a car, and safety...

• Early Morning Fog a Hazard to Florida Drivers

  Joe Saunders | February 20, 2006 9:04 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  The late winter/early spring in central Florida brings snowbirds and visitors alike to Florida for vacations and spring break. It also brings a rash of early morning car crashes. The combination of early morning fog, slick roads, and drivers new to Florida roads can lead to a spike in auto accidents. The Florida fog can linger into the mid-morning hours reducing visibility and increasing the...

• Will New Brake Lights Lead to Fewer Car Accidents?

  Joe Saunders | February 19, 2006 10:54 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  In January, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the U.S. subsidiary of the German luxury car company a temporary exemption from U.S. automobile safety standards, allowing it to sell as many as 5,000 vehicles over the next two years that include brake lights that flash during emergency stops.The NHTSA had originally refused to make a permanent change to its auto safety rule,...

• Florida Legislature Considering Raising Driver Age Limit

  Joe Saunders | February 16, 2006 9:14 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  The Florida Legislature is considering raising the minimum driving age from 16 to 17 years old. Citing the high incidence of crashes for 16 year olds, HB 975 would raise the age one year. Florida became one of the first states to begin placing tougher restrictions on novice drivers when legislators in 1996 passed the "Cinderella bill," establishing phased in licenses that put nighttime...

• New Seat Belt Law in Florida

  Joe Saunders | February 12, 2006 3:21 PM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  It's been a little less than two months since a new, but little publicized seat belt law went into effect in Florida. The new law allows police officers to stop drivers and occupants of vehicles who are not using seat belts. The catch is that they have to be under 18 years old in order to be stopped. This law is aimed at preventing teenagers and children from dying in accidents because...

• The Effects of Aging on Your Ability to Drive

  Joe Saunders | February 10, 2006 6:12 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  I've lived in Florida now for more than 25 years. One thing you notice quickly here besides the weather is the number of elderly drivers. According to 2002-03 statistics, there were almost 15 million drivers in the state of Florida. Out of that 15 million, over 2.2 million were between the ages of 65 and 74. Approximately 250,000 drivers were over the age of 85. At least 20% of this 250,000...

• 16 Year Old With Learner's Permit Dies in Fiery Crash

  Joe Saunders | February 10, 2006 5:57 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  By the time Ocoee Florida police Sgt. William Wagner had looked in his rearview mirror after calling off a high speed pursuit, all he could see was a fiery explosion.16 year old Darrell O. Culver of Apopka died as a result of his injuries. At the time of the crash he had a Class E learner's permit. The incident began about 3 a.m. when Wagner clocked the blue sedan heading northbound at 57 mph...

• SUV's Safer? Think Again!

  Joe Saunders | February 08, 2006 5:55 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  Sponsored by Partners for Child Passenger Safety, a new study led by Dr. Dennis Durbin determined that SUVs are no more safe than cars in the protection they afford children, due to their increased rollover rate.A study finds that children riding in sport utility vehicles are no safer than those in passenger cars, due to the doubled risk of rollovers in SUVs canceling out the safety advantages...

• You've Been in an Auto Accident, Now What?

  Joe Saunders | February 06, 2006 1:16 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  You've just been in a car crash. You're climbing out of your car and no one appears seriously injured in either vehicle. What should you do now? Call for emergency help. If possible, take notes of the exact location and position of the vehicles involved in the crash. Exchange insurance contact information with the other driver. Give the investigating officer(s) as much detail as possible...