SUMTER COUNTY, FL – State troopers said a pickup truck accident in Sumter County Thursday morning left one person dead.
According to WKMG, the crash occurred on County Road 475 at about 12:15 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the male driver was going north on C.R. 475 when the pickup went off the roadway near State Road 470.
The vehicle crashed into a tree and caught fire, killing the driver. His identity was not immediately released.
GAINESVILLE, FL – A man driving a stolen hearse caused a multi-vehicle crash in Gainesville Sunday afternoon, police said.
According to WGFL, the hearse was stolen from the Chestnut Funeral Home on NW 8th Avenue at about 1:30 p.m. Police said the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Williams Stewart, drove about three miles to the corner of NW 34th Street and crashed into four other vehicles.
Williams was injured and taken to an area hospital. No injuries were reported among the drivers of the other four vehicles.
WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – Two people died following a collision between a car and a truck in Pasco County last week, Pasco News Online reports.
The accident happened in the area of State Road 54 and Morris Bridge Road on the morning of April 7. The Florida Highway Patrol said an 81-year-old woman was driving a car west on State Road 54 when she turned into the path of an eastbound tractor-trailer.
The truck crashed into the car, and both vehicles wound up in the southeast part of the intersection. The driver of the car, a Zephyrhills resident, and her passenger, a 38-year-old New York resident, died after being taken to an area hospital. Another passenger in the car was hospitalized in serious condition.
SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a woman died following an accident involving her vehicle in Sumter County Saturday afternoon.
According to WTSP, the incident happened on Fringe Tree Trail near Knotty Pine Terrace in the Villages shortly before 4 p.m. The FHP said a 62-year-old woman driving a sport utility vehicle had backed out of a driveway and crashed into a vehicle that was parked on the opposite road of the road.
The woman then pulled back into the driveway to check on the damage and got out of her SUV but reportedly did not shift the vehicle into park, according to state troopers. The SUV ran over the woman and she was killed. The victim’s identity was not immediately released.
A real estate data firm, Clever Real Estate, analyzed the cities with the best and worst drivers in the U.S. and discovered that three Florida cities rank in the top 5 in the country for worst drivers, earning Florida the top spot as the worst state for drivers.
Here are the top 5 rankings, according to analysis from Clever Real Estate:
The study looked at various metrics to determine the cities with the worst drivers, such as yearly DUI-related traffic deaths, annual traffic-related fatalities, number of days of inclement weather, percentage of uninsured drivers in the area, average insurance premium costs in the area, Allstate’s best driver’s rankings, and the number of auto body repair shops in the area.
While Jacksonville took home the top spot for worst drivers, New York City has the best. Jacksonville has 2.9 DUI fatalities per 100,000 residents, which is 66% more than the average city for this study (1.7 per 100,000 residents). Jacksonville ranks number 7 in the U.S. for the highest number of DUI-related traffic fatalities. NYC, on the other hand, has only 0.6 DUI-related fatalities per 100,000 residents as well as very few driving fatalities in general each year (3.3 per 100,000 residents).
Jacksonville has 10.9 annual traffic-related deaths per 100,000 residents, which is 65% more than the average (6.6) of cities studied. Interstate 95 happens to run right through Jacksonville, and it is considered one of the deadliest Interstates in the U.S.
The high cost of car insurance in Florida means that there are a lot of drivers operating their vehicles without insurance. Average auto insurance premiums in Jacksonville are at $2,745. Orlando’s average insurance premiums are $2,698. Tampa’s average premiums are $3,459. This study found that 20.40% of drivers in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa are uninsured, which is 54% higher than the national average of 13%.
Orlando sees about 130 days of precipitation every year and has 9.1 driving deaths per 100,000 residents annually, which is much higher than the average city, which has 6.6 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents.
Tampa has 10 deadly traffic accidents per 100,000 residents annually, which is 51% more than the average city in the study.
There are various factors that account for the high number of traffic deaths in the state of Florida, but distracted driving is one major reason that these numbers continue to remain high each year. In 2020, Florida saw 215,000 distracted driving-related deaths, which was lower than previous years dating back to 2015 where the Sunshine State saw between 265,000-295,000 distracted driving-related fatalities.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so it is important to refamiliarize yourself with safe driving practices and aim to limit the number of distractions in your vehicle. Our Florida Car Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton understand that some distractions are unavoidable for motorists, but you can do things to reduce these distractions, such as:
Deputies believe a Deltona, Florida woman was killed, and her brother was injured, by a distracted driver who drove up on the sidewalk where they were walking their dog.
The crash occurred around noon on Sunday, April 2, 2023 in the city of Deltona.
Reports indicate that the driver, a 67-year-old man, driving a BMW convertible became distracted after a bag fell between his legs.
Deputies allege that when he reached down to retrieve the bag, he swerved across the center line, cruised through the opposite lane of traffic, and ultimately landed upon the sidewalk. He hit both the woman and her brother.
The convertible came to a stop after striking a large rock.
The woman, 68, was pronounced dead at the scene. The brother, 55, was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
The dog was not harmed, according to reports.
The driver of the convertible was not harmed, but a passenger in the vehicle suffered minor injuries, according to reports.
It is not believed at this time that the man was operating his vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Charges are pending while an investigation into the crash continues.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Our Florida Car Accident Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want to make sure you are doing everything you can to not fall victim to distractions when behind the wheel. Staying focused to keeping your eyes on the road in front of you is the key to arriving to your destination safely.
Below you will find 10 Tips for Preventing Distractions while Driving:
If you have passengers with you that can help limit distractions, then utilize their assistance. Make them your designated caller/texter/navigator.
MARION COUNTY, FL – Authorities said a car accident in Marion County Monday morning left a woman dead and a toddler critically injured.
The crash happened near the intersection of County Road 318 and U.S. Highway 441, according to Ocala News.com. An investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol determined that a 44-year-old Citra woman was driving east in a sedan on County Road 318 at about 7:40 a.m. when she veered left into the oncoming lane.
The sedan veered directly into the path of an SUV going west on County Road 318 and the vehicles collided head-on. The sedan driver died at the scene, while a 2-year-old boy riding in her vehicle was listed in critical condition at UF Health Shands Hospital.
MARION COUNTY, FL – A multi-vehicle accident in Marion County Wednesday left two people injured and slowed afternoon traffic, Ocala News.com reports.
Ocala Fire Rescue responded to the scene on Interstate 75 northbound near mile marker 351. Two people were taken to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries.
The wreck shut down the right lane of I-75 north, causing major delays. Traffic on I-75 was reported to be backed up beyond mile marker 343, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and our Florida Car Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want to remind you to put your cellphone down and focus on the primary task at hand – just drive. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urges everyone to pledge their commitment to refrain from distractions behind the wheel by using social media to spread the word – #JustDrive.
We want everyone to be aware of the deadly epidemic that is happening on not just Florida’s roads, but nationwide. Distracted driving was responsible for the deaths of 3,522 people in 2021. From 2012-2021 it is estimated that 32,000 + lives have been lost due to distracted driving. With that said, this month is a great time to regroup and recommit to avoiding distractions when behind the wheel. Cell phone use is the most common form of distracted driving, specifically, social media use, talking, and texting. Other risky behaviors include eating, drinking, applying makeup, and adjusting radio dials or GPS systems.
Our Florida Car Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton urge you to drive responsibly and follow these tips for a safe ride:
MARION COUNTY, FL – State troopers said a rollover accident in Marion County early Monday morning left a driver dead.
According to WKMG, the crash happened as a 22-year-old man was driving an SUV on Marion Oaks Manor near SW 70th Avenue Road at about 12:40 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the man drove at a high rate of speed and lost control of the vehicle while going around a curve.
The SUV went off the roadway and hit a mailbox before overturning several times. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and pinned under the SUV. The victim, an Indianapolis resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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