Back-Over Accidents

June 4, 2014

Florida Auto Accident Injury Attorney :: New NHSTA Study Shows the Staggering Toll of Car Crashes on U.S. Residents

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Whenever a motor vehicle accident occurs in Florida, or anywhere else throughout the country, it creates a series of events that cost money. While these costs are not always apparent to other people, make no mistake, car accidents can be quite expensive.

When viewed as a whole, the numbers are downright shocking. A recent study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demonstrates that motor vehicle accidents cost more than $870 billion in economic loss per year. This study examined data from 2010. That $870 billion can be broken down even further to a personal basis, averaging an estimated cost of $900 per person in the U.S., which does not just apply to accident victims, but all people residing in this country.

NHTSA’s study, “The Economic and Society Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010,” focuses on some of the behavioral factors that influenced that year’s nearly 33,000 highway fatalities, 3.9 million injuries and 24 million damaged vehicles. According to the study, three driver behaviors including speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving, accounted for 56 percent of the economic loss to the nation and 62 percent of the societal harm. Societal harm is described as harm due to loss of life and decreased quality of life.

What is not so shocking is that drunk driving accidents were found to be among the most expensive kinds of accidents. These accounted for 18 percent of the total economic loss and 23 percent of the overall societal harm.

Speeding accounted for 21 percent of the overall economic loss costing the nation $59 billion and 24 percent, or $210 billion, of the societal harm.

Distracted driving crashes were responsible for 17 percent of the total economic loss and cost $46 billion. These crashes accounted for $129 billion, or 15 percent, of the overall societal harm.

On a positive note, researchers for this study concluded that using seatbelts led to a savings of almost $70 billion in medical care, lost productivity and other costs that were not incurred. For now, around 5 percent of the total economic loss involved people in auto accidents where they were not buckled up or did not properly fasten their seatbelt.

May 23, 2014

Florida Auto Accident Injury Lawyer :: Car Crashes Increase over Memorial Day, Stay Safe on Florida’s Roadways

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Memorial Day weekend is finally here and many of you will be setting out to enjoy the official start of summer with our state’s numerous recreational possibilities. With that said, it is estimated that close to 34 million people will be hitting the road over the long holiday weekend and traveling at least 50 miles from home. Whether you are staying local or making a trek to a family member or friend’s home, the Florida Auto Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton urge you to drive safely and exercise caution this holiday weekend.

Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be a time for remembrance and celebration. Whatever type of activity you choose to partake in this weekend, we urge you to do so responsibly. Make sure if you are driving to always pay attention, look out for any roadside construction and always see to it that everyone in your vehicle is buckled up. Remember, if you are going to be drinking at any point during the holiday weekend, just be sure to have a designated driver set in place.

According to AAA, the amount of motorists travelling on the roadways this Memorial Day weekend will be at a 10 year high. Dating back to past Memorial Day weekends, statistics show that there is an increase of more than ten percent in motor vehicle accidents vs. other holiday weekends.

You can help exercise safety this Memorial Day weekend just by brushing up on a few safety steps:

Always give yourself enough time to get from Point A to Point B.
Follow all posted speed limits.
Limit Driver Distractions.
Make sure everyone, including those in the back seat, is wearing their seat belt.
Do not drink and drive. In fact, make sure you have a designated driver assigned before you start drinking so that you are not tempted to drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.

May 7, 2013

Florida Injury Lawyer :: Florida Girl Loses Legs in Lawnmower Accident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 2-year-old Florida girl lost both feet last month after her father accidentally backed over her with his riding lawn mower.

The child was sitting on the lawn screaming and trying to get her father’s attention, but he was on a ride-able lawn mower and could not hear her over the roar of the engine. The child’s mother watched from a distance as her husband backed the lawn mower up and sliced the 2-year-old’s feet.

A neighbor, who is also a nurse, rushed to the scene and applied pressure to the child’s wounds while they waited for the emergency team to arrive.

The two-year-old was taken to the hospital where she underwent two surgeries. Both of her feet were amputated and she will eventually be outfitted with prosthetics.

Nearly a quarter of a million people are treated for injuries caused by lawn mowers every year, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Lawn mowers are very sharp and can be quite dangerous, so anyone using them should always exercise extreme caution. Anyone using a lawn mower, or any other piece of outdoor equipment, should pay close attention to all safety guidelines in order to avoid injuring themselves and others that may cross their paths. A lawn mower is a serious piece of equipment that can deliver catastrophic injuries should an accident occur, so review the following reminders to keep you and your loved ones free from harm.

October 27, 2011

Tampa, FL Back-Over Accident & Injury Attorneys Whittel & Melton :: Young Girl Backed Over By Minivan Taken to Hospital

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A one-year-old girl was taken to Tampa General Hospital Tuesday afternoon to be checked for injuries after she was trampled over by a minivan.

The 22-month-old child was supposedly standing on the porch of a Tampa, Florida home when the driver, a 28-year-old woman, got into her Chrysler minivan around 2:30 p.m.

Shortly after entering her van, the woman allegedly backed away from her home without noticing the child had toddled behind the vehicle.

The girl had no visible injuries, but was taken to the hospital to be checked out. She was supposedly alert and crying.

Investigators have preliminarily ruled the incident as an accident, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

In most back-over accidents the victims tend to be the elderly and young children. According to KidsAndCars.org, in the United States at least 50 children a week are involved in a back-over accident, 48 are treated for injuries in an emergency room and at least two are fatally injured. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration evaluates that 292 deaths occur from back-over accidents yearly. Children less than five years old make up more than a third of those lives lost. More than one in four of back-over fatalities include those over 69. These two groups comprise almost a third of back-over fatalities.

Back-over accidents can cause serious injuries and even wrongful death. According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control the percentages of the most common injuries from back-over accidents include:

• Contusions and Abrasions – 56%
• Leg and Arm Injuries – 53.6%
• Head, Face and Neck Injuries – 28%
• Fractures and Internal Injuries in Children Under 4 – 39.5%
• Fractures and Internal Injuries in Ages 10-14 – 17.5%

Collisions like back-over accidents can be highly emotional for families since a wide percentage of victims are children, and in many cases the driver is a relative, family friend or neighbor. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 86 percent of drivers that hit children in a driveway back-over accident are friends of the family or family members. The Florida Back-Over Accident & Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton know that back-over accidents can be traumatic for everyone involved. Our staff can offer you and your loved ones the compassion you need during troubled times as well as the comprehensive legal advice and persistent representation needed for a personal injury or wrongful death case in the state of Florida.