Broward Injury Lawyer Blog
Officers are flooding our roadways in search of unsafe drivers. It began with the Operation Safe Driver campaign, which ran from October 14th through the 20th.
It’s a part of a nationwide campaign too, and targets unsafe drivers of all kinds, but with particular focus on unsafe drivers of commercial vehicles. During this week-long campaign, officials with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) worked to help to educate the public about the dangers of irresponsible driving habits while officers aggressively targeted those in need of a lecture … and a ticket.
Our Broward County personal injury attorneys understand the risks that accompany dangerous driving habits, especially when they’re displayed by commercial truckers. When driving along our state’s roadways, especially on our interstates, drivers are asked to drive cautiously, to stay one step ahead of the traffic around them and to make sure that they steer clear of commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers. Accidents with these kinds big rigs or semis often result in serious or fatal injuries.
To help to target unsafe commercial trucks and drivers, officials with the FHP will be conducting random roadside safety inspections. Officers completed more than 110,000 of these inspections in 2011. Through this effort, there were close to 20,000 drivers and their trucks who were put out of service because of the safety violations that were discovered.
“The campaign aims to educate all motorists on the risks involved with aggressive and distracted driving around large trucks,” said the director of the FHP, Col. David Brierton.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were close to 3,700 people who were killed in traffic accidents involving a large truck in the United States in 2010. In addition to these fatalities, there were another 275,000 people who were injured in these same kinds of accidents. What’s even more alarming is that these accidents show no sign of relief. From 2009 to 2010, there was a near 10 percent increase in the number of fatalities resulting from these crashes.
In the state of Florida, there were close to 200 large trucks involved in fatal accidents during 2010. We were the third most dangerous state in the country for these kinds of accidents, behind Texas and California.
Drivers are asked to be cautious and alert while driving near large trucks. As the snowbirds start heading south and traffic increases, drivers of all kinds are asked to be safe out there. Pay attention to your surroundings and keep an eye out for commercial vehicles. Be on your best behavior, put away the distractions, always wear your seat belt, follow road laws and never linger near a commercial vehicle. Your safe driving habits can help to keep you and your passengers safe and out of a potentially fatal accident.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a traffic accident, contact Richard Ansara at 954 761-3641 or toll-free at 877-277-3780 for a free initial consultation.
More Blog Entries:
Prescriptions Drugs and Car Accidents in Broward, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, September 24, 2012
Traffic Accident Fatalities Up in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, September 4, 2012
