Car Accidents

August 8, 2016

Man Killed in Multi-Vehicle Crash Thursday Night In Manatee County

A man died and several others were injured in Manatee County after being involved in a multi-car collision just after 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The crash occurred at 14th Street West and 53rd Avenue West.

Reports indicate that a 22-year-old woman driving a Dodge Charger made a left turn into the path of a 17-year-old driving a 2005 Chevy Silverado.

In the bed of the truck was a tire, which troopers believe launched into the air, smashing into the front of a Nissan Titan.

According to reports, the woman had a male passenger in her car who did not survive the accident. The passenger side of her Charger took the brunt of the impact. A 17-year-old passenger in her vehicle was also seriously injured. Her third passenger only suffered minor injuries.

Everyone else involved in the crash suffered minor injuries.

When a multi-vehicle crash occurs, there could be multiple parties to blame. It is important to determine fault in order to determine who is to blame for any injuries or tragic deaths. This must be done by conducting an investigation into the crash site to figure out exactly what happened.

August 4, 2016

Speed May Have Been Factor in St. Petersburg Motorcycle Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was injured in a collision with a vehicle and transported to the hospital early Wednesday morning in St. Pete Beach.

The crash occurred at about 7:30 A.M. near the intersection of Gulf Boulevard and 55th Avenue in St. Pete Beach.

According to investigators, the 20-year-old biker was driving his Honda motorcycle southbound in the median lane of Gulf Boulevard approaching the intersection of 55th Avenue.

The driver of a 2005 Chrysler 300, 39, was making a left westbound turn into the entrance of the TradeWinds Island Resort located at 5500 Gulf Boulevard.

Investigators believe the man’s motorcycle hit the Chrysler 300, ejecting the motorcyclist from the bike and onto the roadway. He was transported to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators do think that speed may have been a factor in the crash. There were no signs of alcohol involved, according to reports.

Speed is one of the main factors when it comes to motorcycle collisions. It is so important to always obey the posted speed limits as speeding can result in serious collisions leading to debilitating injuries, especially for bikers. Motorcyclists lack the protection of a vehicle, like other motorists, which means motorcyclists can easily suffer catastrophic injuries and the driver of the car, truck or SUV involved can walk away unscathed. A helmet can reduce your chances of a head and neck injury, but riders should also take extra precautions including wearing a face shield, closed-toe shoes, gloves, jackets and pants to protect against the abrasion of the road should you crash.

July 20, 2016

July Is Wrong Way Driving Awareness Month: Stay Right At Night

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

There were more than 1,400 wrong way crashes in FL in 2015, resulting in 1,454 injuries & 96 fatalities, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Wrong way driving collisions occur when a vehicle has failed to observe a posted traffic sign or pavement marking and proceeds in a lane travelling in the wrong direction.

Motorists are encouraged to stay in the right lane to avoid a crash with a wrong way driver, especially at night and during transitional light times such as dawn and dusk. In most wrong way wrecks, vehicles are hit head-on, resulting in 81 percent of all wrong way fatalities. Head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous crashes, and sadly, result in the most fatalities.

The FLHSMV offers the following safety tips for drivers to avoid a wrong way driving crash:

Stay Right at Night to avoid crashes with wrong way drivers.
Call 911 right away to report wrong way drivers. If you see a wrong way driver approaching, you should reduce your speed right away and pull off the roadway.
Stay alert. Do not drive distracted and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Learn and obey all traffic signs. If you drive past a wrong way sign, turn around immediately. When you see a posted red sign, think about what red traffic sign colors are for: “Stop.” “Do Not Enter.” “Wrong Way.” Orange is used for construction and maintenance warnings. Yellow is for a general warning and advisory of unexpected roadways conditions. Fluorescent Yellow Green is for added emphasis warnings of school, pedestrian and bicycling activities. White/Black are regulatory signs, such as “Left Lane Must Turn Left.” Green signs are for guide or directional information. Blue signs are for motorist services guidance and to identify parking spaces or disabled drivers. Brown signs are reserved for areas of public recreation, cultural and historical significance.

June 30, 2016

HBD America! Party Safely This Fourth Of July Weekend

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The Fourth of July is the perfect time to enjoy food, fun, and maybe a few drinks with family and friends. Whether you’re attending a fireworks show or hitting the bars, Tampa is the perfect place to celebrate America’s Birthday.

The sad truth is that Independance Day is one of the most dangerous holidays of the year. Fireworks, hot grills, traffic, and other hazards can cause serious injuries or even death. Drunk driving rates spike over the July Fourth weekend.

The best way to prevent injuries and deaths this holiday weekend is to follow the below safety tips:

Do Not Drink And Drive

The best way to avoid a DUI collision is to stay sober if you will be getting behind the wheel of a car. Too many people believe they can operate a vehicle safely after a few drinks, but the truth is that driving under the influence puts your life, your passengers’ lives, and the lives of others sharing the road at risk, so do not chance it.

Look Out For Possible Drunk Drivers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, police use more than 100 visual cues to identify drunk drivers. Knowing the signs can help you to avoid a DUI crash. Some of the cues include:

Swerving
Almost hitting an object in the road
Stopping well before or after a stop line
Not using headlights at night
Using the wrong turn signal
Parking too far from a curb
Abnormal accelerating and braking patterns

Use Lyft Or Uber

Both Uber and Lyft operate in the Tampa Bay area. If you intend to drink or if your DD gets drunk, use a taxi or rideshare service to get to your destination. You can even split the fare with your friends. Even if you are riding alone, the cost of a ride home safe is much cheaper than a DUI.

June 28, 2016

Leaving Children in Hot Cars Is Dangerous

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Each year, numerous accidental deaths occur when children are left inside hot vehicles. Since 1998, an average of 37 US children have died every year from being left inside hot cars. A good amount of these were caused by lack of attention and could have been prevented. In these cases, vehicular heatstroke can be a wrongful death case.

According to statistics from 1998 to present, children left inside cars are the result of three primary circumstances:

In 54 percent of cases the child was ‘forgotten’ to be in the car.
In 29 percent of cases, kids were playing unattended inside a car without the knowledge of the caregiver.
In 11 percent of cases, the child was intentionally left inside the car generally while the adult ran an errand.

Within minutes of being left inside a hot vehicle, a child is in serious danger. The following tips can help you prevent making a lethal mistake:

Never Leave A Child Alone In A Car. Sadly, 53 percent of all the children who died from vehicular heatstroke were under the age of 2. Some of this is because caregivers/guardians did not want to disturb sleeping infants or deal with unbuckling car seats for a “quick stop.” The truth is that even a few minutes can be fatal. The inside of a car can heat up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit in less than ten minutes on an average summer day.
Heatstroke Can Happen In Minutes. Heatstroke can happen in a child when their core body temperature reaches around 104 degrees and becomes lethal at 107 degrees. A child’s core temperature can spike three to five times faster than adults, so heatstroke can happen in temperatures as low as 57 degrees and in shaded areas. Symptoms that a child is reaching dangerous heat levels include disorientation, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Give Yourself A Reminder. Most cases of child deaths in cars involve forgetting the child was even in the car. You can prevent this by setting reminders and insisting that caregivers set reminders that there is a child in the back. Place something you need in the backseat so that you are trained to look in the back seat every time you exit the car, even if you don’t have a child with you.

June 21, 2016

Man Arrested in Collision That Killed Scooter Driver

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A man on a scooter was killed early Tuesday by a car that had run a red light in Clearwater.

According to Clearwater Police, the crash occurred at 1:45 a.m. at the intersection of Belcher Road and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.

Police believe the 55-year-old Palm Harbor man was on a scooter traveling northbound on Belcher Road when he was struck by a westbound 2006 Chrysler Sebring that ran the red light on Gulf-to-Bay.

The impact of the collision pushed the scooter into the side of a 1995 Lincoln Town Car that was also heading north on Belcher.

The scooter driver died at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

Police have identified the driver of the car that ran the red light and believe the driver showed signs of impairment.

The driver was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license in an accident involving death or serious bodily injury.

The driver of the Town Car suffered minor injuries.

Due to the increased use of mopeds and scooters, we have seen many more accidents, crashes, injuries and even fatalities. Lots of Floridians opt to travel by moped or scooter because of the pretty much warm year-round climate, which makes sense as these vehicles have much better gas mileage compared to cars, truck and SUVs.

A recent Florida study found the following to be common factors in scooter accidents resulting in serious injuries and wrongful death: lack of a helmet, the speed of the moped or scooter, the speed limit in the area of the accident, and the amount of traffic in the area.

June 16, 2016

Deputy Arrested in Wrong-Way I-75 Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 29-year-old Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy was arrested and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a crash after deputies say he caused an accident driving the wrong way.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the man was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 at 3:30 a.m. Friday when his Ford Explorer struck a semi-truck.

The crash happened near the Hillsborough-Manatee county line. There were no injuries in the crash.

Troopers believe the man drove off in his heavily damaged SUV, but abandoned the vehicle on the inside shoulder of I-75 at Mile Marker 232. A short time after discovering the damaged vehicle, troopers apparently found the man on the west side of the roadway attempting to hide, authorities said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed the man is a District IV deputy, employed with HCSO since October 2011.

He has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.

When you are driving, there are few things more terrifying than seeing the headlights of another vehicle coming towards you head-on. A car driving towards you the wrong way can cause you to panic, whether you are on a road or interstate. Crashes frequently occur from wrong way driving and usually result in fatalities. Sadly, in the Tampa Bay area and the rest of Florida, these types of accidents seem to be on the rise.

June 13, 2016

Teen Critically Injured in St. Pete Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 19-year-old man suffered critical injuries in a St. Petersburg crash Saturday night.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash took place on 28th Street North and 47th Avenue North just before 11 p.m.

Troopers believe a 1999 Toyota Corolla traveling northbound on 28th Street was slowing to make a left turn onto 47th Avenue when a GMC pickup truck crashed into the back of it.

The Corolla was knocked into the parking lot of the adjacent B&N Food Mart at 4700 28th Street North and struck an unoccupied Ford Explorer.

The GMC continued northbound after the second collision and came to rest in the intersection of 28th Street and 50th Avenue North.

The 19-year-old passenger in the Corolla suffered critical injuries and remains at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

The driver of the Corolla, a 20-year-old Largo man, suffered serious injuries.

The driver of the GMC truck, a 40-year-old man, suffered minor injuries.

Troopers said charges are pending.

After an auto accident, taking care of your injuries should be your top priority. Most people injured in car crashes assume that because they have insurance that all of their injuries from the accident will be covered. However, the truth is that insurance companies are in business to make money, and even though your medical care is of the utmost importance, it is entirely possible that your insurance company won’t cover the full extent of your injuries.

June 8, 2016

Tampa Bay Woman Faces DUI After Causing Wrong Way Crash With Toddler In Car

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Ruskin woman has been charged with driving under the influence after deputies believe she caused a crash going the wrong-way with a toddler in her vehicle.

On Monday night, two Hillsborough County deputies were traveling northbound in the inside lane of 50th Street South in the area of Habersham Lane when they say they saw a small sedan driving southbound in the northbound lane.

According to reports, they conducted an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision with the small sedan but ended up hitting a small blue pickup as a result. After checking on that driver, they made a U-turn and caught up to the small sedan as it was approaching the intersection of 50th Street South and Causeway Boulevard.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the 31-year-old woman, during which they observed several signs of impairment. Deputies also noted that there was a toddler inside the vehicle.

Child Protection investigators responded and took custody of the child.

The woman was arrested for DUI. She has multiple suspensions to her Florida driver’s license for prior DUI offenses, as well as several non-extraditable warrants from other jurisdictions.

Additional charges are pending.

While not all wrong-way accidents are caused by intoxicated drivers, many of them are. It is easy for an intoxicated driver to not see signs or to not realize the consequences of entering a one-way street in the wrong direction.

June 1, 2016

1 Motorcyclist Killed, 1 Injured in Crash With Van in Tampa Bay

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

One motorcyclist died and another was critically injured Saturday in an accident in Tampa involving both riders colliding with a van.

According to Florida Highway Patrol troopers, the accident happened just after 4 p.m. at North Florida Avenue and Palm Drive. Two bikers, one 19 and the other 20, were riding southbound on North Florida Avenue when a van driven by by a 69-year-old man pulled into the road from Palm Drive into the motorcycle’s path.

The man reportedly failed to see the bikers as he pulled into the roadway to make a left turn onto North Florida Avenue. The bikers were both traveling in the left lane at high rates of speed, and both struck the van, according to reports.

The 19-year-old suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The 20-year-old suffered serious injuries and was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Both riders were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.

The driver of the van was transported to Florida Hospital Fletcher and treated for minor injuries.

Charges in the case are pending the results of the investigation.

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident with a passenger vehicle, you stand little chance of escaping the accident without any injuries. Bikers that are clipped by larger vehicles are much more susceptible to bodily injuries and even death due to their direct exposure to contact and lack of protection.

The most common injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries
Broken Bones & Fractures
Road Rash
Catastrophic Spine & Neck Injuries
Wrongful Death