Broward Injury Lawyer Blog

January 22, 2014

Critical Mass Leader Severely Injury in Lauderdale Bike Accident

A recent accident along Oakland Park Boulevard really hit home with a lot of cyclists in the area. The man injured in the accident was a the leader a local chapter for Critical Mass, a worldwide group of riders/ cyclists that choose to ride with each other, according to New Times BPB. This advocacy group gets together once a month and rider in celebration and in protest of car culture. The group’s leader was transported to the emergency room where he was treated for a number of deep cuts on his head, as well as a fracture of the T9 vertebrae in his back.

According to accident reports, the man was heading west on the bridge when he was hit from behind by a careless driver. Bike advocacy group the Green Mobility Network has called South Florida “one of the most dangerous places in the country for bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Our bicycle accident lawyers in Fort Lauderdale understand that our cities remain statistically dangerous. In most of these accidents, an irresponsible driver was not aware of the bicyclist and a serious, oftentimes fatal, accident occurs. When a car hits a bicyclist, the injuries that result are often debilitating. Given the nature of a bike, cyclists do not have any protection from the force of impact once hit by a motorist.
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January 10, 2014

Broward B-Cycle Rider Safety in Focus

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Bicycling is all the rage in South Florida, and Broward B-cycle is helping to fuel the fire. It’s a convenient and economical way to use bicycles and make short trips across town, through your neighborhood or to the beach. When residents and visitors use B-cycle for their errands or exercise, most of them don’t recognize that they’re increasing their risks for an accident.

B-cycles fit riders of all shapes and sizes. The rental bikes also come equipped with a front basket for storage. They’ve also got automatic lights to help keep you safe when it gets dark.

Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident lawyers know residents and visitors to the area are turning to B-Cycle for a healthier and more convenient way to get around. With these bike stations located throughout the area, bike sharing is easy. Thankfully, our program is the most affordable in the country. In just its first year in business, B-cycle helped to burn close to 3.5 million calories and kept more than 87,000 lbs of carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere. Currently in Broward County, there are close to 300 bicycles at more than 25 stations in 6 cities, and it’s only getting bigger. So far, there have been more than 25,000 people to pedal throughout the city on a B-cycle.
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January 3, 2014

Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety a Worthy New Year’s Goal in Broward

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

A Broward bicyclist was left in critical condition after a recent accident with a hit-and-run driver who not only slammed right into him, but kept driving for two miles with the bicyclist caught in the vehicle’s smashed rear window.

According to the Miami-Herald, the man drove all the way to his townhouse in Pompano Beach where he then removed the 53-year-old bicyclist from the vehicle’s roof and discarded his body in a wooded area nearby. The spinal injuries could leave the bicyclist paralyzed, police report.

Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident lawyers understand that pedestrian and bicyclist traffic in the South Florida area is at high risk of serious danger out there on our roadways. There are drivers, like the one in this recent accident, who have virtually no regard for the safety of these more vulnerable travelers. With the New Year, we’re asking drivers to make a resolution to watch for these travelers to help to make our roadway safer for everyone. Not only will you be helping to protect these travelers, but you will also be helping yourself.
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December 23, 2013

Broward Parking Lot Accidents a Risk through Holiday Season

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Throughout the holidays, the city of Fort Lauderdale asks you to be extra safe. Whether driving, walking, or biking, you are reminded to take it slow and watch out for others. Keep in mind that people of all ages and abilities are pedestrians. Together, we can all make this a safe and happy holiday season.

Our pedestrian accident lawyers are also reminding pedestrians to follow the rules including looking both ways while crossing the street, obeying traffic signs, and walking only in areas designated for pedestrians such as crosswalks and sidewalks. On average, in this country a pedestrian is injured in a traffic collision every eight minutes. Most pedestrian injuries happen because of a combined fault of motorist inattentiveness as well as the failure of pedestrians to use crosswalks, according to the City of Fort Lauderdale.

During the holiday season, we especially need to be cautious of pedestrians in parking lots. Parking lots are designed for vehicles and not pedestrians. Therefore, hazards are everywhere. The National Safety Council’s Journal of Safety Research reported 2,057 work-related deaths on company parking lots between 1993 and 2003.
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December 20, 2013

Christmas Expected to Bring Out Florida’s Aggressive Drivers

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Unless you’ve got thousands of dollars to blow and a lot of spare time, you might want to turn off the radio, throw your cell phone in the back seat and pay attention to the road. The Washington Post is reporting that December and the holiday season is a popular time for aggressive driving and we see a serious spike in related traffic accidents.

About a third of surveyed drivers say that they tend to get a little more aggressive behind the wheel during the holiday season. It’s especially those last few days before Christmas that bring out the most dangerous driving habits.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers understand that aggressive driving habits aren’t JUST a holiday symptom. According to a Washington Post poll, about 12 percent of drivers said that they felt road rage behind the wheel fairly often. Another 20 percent said that they feel is occasionally. About 70 percent reported that they often observe other motorists driving too aggressively.

But it’s clear that December brings out the worse in driver across the state.
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December 12, 2013

Bicycle Accidents in South Florida on the Rise

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Bicycle accidents on the streets of South Florida have been steadily increasing in recent years. According to the Sun-Sentinel, advocates in Broward and Palm Beach counties have been pleading for improved riding conditions and more education efforts for motorists and cyclists to help improve rider safety.

“We should do more to reduce crashes for all cyclists,” said Robert Sabin, with the Boca Raton Bicycle Club. “The best way to do that is with infrastructure.”

Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident lawyers understand that the number of bicyclist injuries has increase by more than 40 percent in Broward County from 2010 to 2012. In Palm Beach County, we’ve seen an increase of more than 20 percent during the same time, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). The number of fatalities has also been on the rise, increasing from 5 in 2010 to 14 in 2010 in Broward County and from 4 in 2020 to 8 in 2012 in Palm Beach County.
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December 5, 2013

Broward Traffic Safety: Elderly Drivers in Focus

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Florida has more elderly drivers than any other state in the country. With more than 17 percent of population 65-years-old or older, experts are expecting that number to grow substantially. As a matter of fact, predictions calculate that about 25 percent of drivers will be 65-years-old or older in the state of Florida by 2030.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), the Sunshine State observes Older Driver Safety Week to help raise awareness about the problems that elderly drivers face. As we age, it’s normal for our driving abilities to change. By reducing risk factors and incorporating safe driving practices, many of us can continue driving long into our senior years. But we do have to pay attention to warning signs that age is interfering with our driving safety and make appropriate adjustments
Our injury attorneys in Fortlauderdale understand everyone ages differently, so there is no textbook answer for when to give up your car keys. But there are some key factors that can help you determine when it’s time. If you’re feeling pain or stiffness in your body, you may have a tough time looking over your shoulder to change lanes or looking around before passing through an intersection. When elderly drivers have leg pain, they can have a tough time moving their foot from the gas to the brake. With age, reaction time increases as well. Vision and hearing are also significantly impacted by advancing age. It’s critical to get these senses checked regularly to make sure that you’re not missing out on anything on the road.
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November 23, 2013

Staying Safe through Thanksgiving Travel

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

According to The Washington Times, more Americans are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend than in recent years. Officials are expecting Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward to be the heaviest traveled. Typically, families get more time off during this holiday and are more likely to visit friends and family members. And the Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Fort Lauderdale is among one of the most popular destinations for Thanksgiving travel.

“For the last few years, travel has been making a comeback at Thanksgiving, yet it’s still not fully recovered to what is used to be,” said AAA spokesman John Townsend.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers understand that car trips account for roughly 90 percent of all travel during the holiday in 2012. In that, close to 40 million people drove an average of 588 miles away from home to their holiday destination. Those numbers are expected to increase this year as we recover from the recession and as car travel continues to be the most affordable way to get around for most families.
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November 15, 2013

Bicyclist Death Blamed on Speeding, Drunk, Hit-And-Run Driver

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

A 24-year-old doctoral student reported a blood-alcohol level three times higher (.210) than the state’s legal limit (.08) when he allegedly swerved into a bike lane and killed a rider in a Boca Raton bicycle accident. It happened just before 3:00 a.m. According to accident reports, the man was traveling somewhere between 56 and 71 miles per hour in a section of roadway where the speed limit was just 45 miles per hour. He reportedly slammed into the back of the bicyclists at the intersection.

The bicyclist was thrown over the roof of the vehicle. He lost part of his arm and his entire foot in the accident. He was killed as a result of blunt force neck injuries.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, it happened along Federal Highway. Unfortunately, the young driver left his vehicle, and the injured bicyclist, at an intersection and stumbled his way to the gas station. Thankfully, officers were able to locate and apprehend the intoxicated driver. The FAU student is now facing charges of hit and run and negligent DUI homicide.
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November 7, 2013

Pedestrian Left Hanging Over New River Drawbridge

By Ansara Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Fort Lauderdale firefighters saved the day when they rescued a woman over the New River. She was up on the river’s railroad drawbridge, which crosses between Las Olas Riverfront and a historic district. Firefighters had to use a 24-foot ladder to reach the 55-year-old woman.

According to the Sun Sentinel, witnesses say that the woman was crossing the railroad bridge when it started to raise. That’s when people are not supposed to be on it, as there are warning signs to keep pedestrians away.

Our Fort Lauderdale pedestrian accident lawyers understand that this isn’t the first time this has happened on the bridge. Back in December of 2010, two soccer players from Lynn University were crossing the bridge when it opened and caused them to fall to the water below. Only one soccer play made it out alive. It’s because of incidents like this that we have the Andrews Avenue Bridge nearby. That’s a pedestrian-friendly walkway. But does more need to be done at the railroad drawbridge to keep pedestrian traffic away?
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