The findings draw on original research and past studies, and cause us great consternation when we consider that we live in a world where people are always on-the-go and rarely get the proper amount of rest. About 35 percent of people get less than the seven hours of sleep they need every night, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approximately 12 percent of Americans report receiving five hours of sleep or less every night.

Previous studies by the foundation indicated 1 in 5 fatal crashes involved a driver who was sleep-deprived. This new research looks at how much driving ability is affected by varying levels of sleep deprivation. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the less sleep people got, the more at risk they were of being involved in a collision. The startling thing was just by how much their crash risk increased.

The executive director of the foundation explained to the Washington Post that people cannot expect to skip sleep and still get behind the wheel of a vehicle and function safely.

The hope is this report will grab the attention of those who actually take pride on their ability to function on less than seven hours of sleep every night. The sample examined some 4,600 crashes in which police investigators concluded lack of sleep was a factor in the crash. The findings suggest that these individuals are wrong – they can’t function on so little sleep.

People who slept for less than 4 hours in the previous 24 hours increased their crash rate by 11.5-fold. Those who only slept between 3 and 5 hours had a crash risk that was nearly 4.5 times that of someone who slept the full seven hours. Someone who sleeps between 5 and 7 hours still had double the rate of crash risk as someone who slept the full seven hours.

Meanwhile, the AAA Foundation conducted a survey not that long ago that revealed 97 percent of motorists said drowsy driving is totally unacceptable and is a major threat to their safety. Yet one in three admitted they had at least once in the last month driven when they were so sleepy they had difficulty making sure their eyes stayed open.

There are many symptoms of drowsy driving, which include:

• Difficulty keeping one’s eyes open;
• Drifting from lanes;
• Not remembering the last several miles driven.

However, more than 50 percent of motorists involved in fatigue-related crashes said they had no symptoms prior to the car accident. This is why we can’t always rely solely on our bodies to tell us when we’re too tired to drive. Instead, we need to prioritize getting enough sleep before driving.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

Driving drowsy doubles risk of accidents on U.S. roadways, Staff Report, Florida Weekly

More Blog Entries:

Report: MD Bus Driver in Fatal Crash Took Seizure Medication, Nov. 19, 2016, Miami Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Authorities reported to WSVN 7 News that the golf cart reportedly ran a stop sign and was struck by a Dodge Caliber and then overturned. Victims were between the ages of 3 and 16. The toddler was reportedly injured, but continued to say over and over, “I’m Ok, I’m Ok,” according to a witness.

Two of the other passengers, ages 12 and 16, were taken to the hospital via helicopter as trauma alerts, which indicates critical injury. The 12-year-old, a boy, was most critically injured and reportedly suffered swelling and bleeding of the brain. The other children were treated and released. 

In a situation like this, our Miami-Dade child injury lawyers know that liability in this case could depend on a few different factors. One will be who was operating the golf cart. A person need only be 14 to operate a golf cart, according to F.S. 316.212, but operation on public roads is restricted except as outlined in specific scenarios in the statute. For example, it can only be operated on county roads in situations where the county has conducted an analysis to determine operation of golf carts is safe there.

But of course, the presence of many gated communities and proximity to golf courses make it a popular mode of transportation. It’s imperative that owners and operators of golf carts take into consideration where they are allowed to travel with the vehicle and the roads and byways they must avoid.

Part of the problem is that other drivers of larger, faster motor vehicles aren’t anticipating golf cart traffic, so they may not react as quickly as they otherwise might.

The other issue is that the law does not require seat belts to be worn while the vehicle is in motion, and in fact, many if not most golf carts aren’t even equipped with seat belts.

Although Florida tends to have a reputation as a laid-back vacation destination, it’s precisely this lassaiz faire attitude toward safety that results in so many Florida golf cart injuries and deaths every year.

Researchers with the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System report there were 150,000 injuries between 1990 and 2006 that involved golf cart accidents. More recent incidents indicate there are 15,000 new injury cases every single year.

The point is that these are not freak accidents. The causes are known and the risks are preventable.

While this case out of Miami-Dade made headlines for the fact that it involved five children, even this isn’t all that unusual. In fact, one-third of all golf cart injuries are children under the age of 13. Even at low speeds, injuries to young children can be quite serious, especially when there is a rollover – which is 10 percent of all golf cart accidents.

And of course, this is exactly what happened in the most recent case. The children’s grandmother, who heard the accident not realizing it was her own grandchildren, said her grandchildren and others in the community routinely traveled around in golf carts.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury in a golf cart accident, our Miami injury lawyers can help answer your questions.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

5 children hospitalized after golf cart collides with car, July 4, 2016, Staff Report, WSVN 7-News

More Blog Entries:

New Federal Law Improves Safety of Rental Cars, July 9, 2016, Miami Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Authorities report the incident happened shortly after 1 a.m. on a Thursday morning. At that time, a 25-year-old operating a sport utility vehicle southbound on U.S. 1 reportedly blew through a red light at Douglas Road. He was allegedly texting at the time of the crash.

The vehicle went out-of-control, striking two palm trees. He was also allegedly struck by a car that was traveling in the opposite direction. The SUV then turned over. Nearby witnesses described the sound as, “like a bomb.” 

The 25-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle that had been traveling northbound thankfully was not injured. However, U.S. 1 had to be shut down for hours, re-opening only just after 5:30 a.m. the following morning.

Investigators said cocaine was found in the vehicle, but it is too early to tell whether decedent was under the influence of that drug or if it may have played any kind of a role in the crash.

Driver distraction is a serious issue in Florida and beyond. It’s an extremely risky behavior, and it places drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists in danger of injury and death. Drivers who are focused on the road are overall safer.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV) reports there are three basic kinds of driver distraction:

• Visual – taking your eyes off the road;
• Manual – taking your hands off the wheel;
• Cognitive – thinking about something other than the road.

Texting checks all three of those boxes, which is what makes it one of the most perilous kinds of driver distraction. What’s worse, because virtually everyone has a cell phone, the problem is extremely widespread. These drivers are not just a threat to themselves and their passengers, but as our Miami car accident lawyers know: They are a threat to everyone else with whom they share the road.

The FDHSMV reports that there were a total of 45,740 distracted driving crashes statewide in 2015. Of those, 25,560 crashes resulted in injury for a total of 40,000 injuries.

Just in Miami-Dade County, there were a total of 4,445 distracted driving crashes last year with 1,996 of those causing a total of 3,227 injuries. Sixteen of those cases were fatal. Authorities in the county issued 689 texting-and-driving citations last year, which per F.S. 316.305 is a secondary offense punishable by a minor monetary fine.

In Broward, there were 3,762 distracted driving crashes in 2015 resulting in 1,944 injury crashes that resulted in nearly 3,000 injuries. A total of 8 deaths were attributable to distracted driving. Officials in the county issued 402 distracted driving citations that year as well.

Most recently, the Pokemon Go game craze that has swept many communities in the U.S. has sparked concerns of yet another form of driver distraction.

State authorities and even the AAA have released statements urging drivers to avoid playing the game while driving.

Some signs indicated that “Pokemon Go is a No-Go When Driving.”

Statewide, there were approximately 3,500 texting-while-driving citations issued by law enforcement. A number of legislative proposals are on the table that would strengthen the state’s texting-and-driving law to a primary offense with a stiffer fine.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

Early Morning Car Crash Caused by Texting in Miami Kills One on U.S. 1, July 14, 2016, Staff Report, NBC-6 Miami

More Blog Entries:

Allen v. Montalvan – Florida Car Accident Settlement Reversed, July 16, 2016, Miami Car Accident Lawyer Blog