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FDOT yanks guardrails after cars pierced in fatal crashes
A tragedy that occurred in 2016 in Tennessee has prompted the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to replace all Lindsay X-Lite guardrails across the Sunshine State. According to News4JAX, a 17-year-old girl was killed in a crash in Tennessee after her car collided with the terminal end of an X-Lite guardrail. The terminal ends are designed...
Read MoreWhat are transportation officials doing to address speed-related crashes?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 9,300 people were killed in speed-related crashes across the United States. Speed-related crashes are usually serious or fatal for two obvious reasons: It takes more time and distance to stop or slow down The greater the speed, the more damage is inflicted In order...
Read MoreDrunk driving will likely increase from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day
Planning on visiting friends and family or traveling this holiday season? Watch out for drunk drivers! Whether having a family dinner on Thanksgiving or attending a holiday work party, people tend to drink more often this time of year. Statistics prove this to be true. SCRAM Systems, an alcohol monitoring company, recently released a holiday drunk...
Read MoreCan You Get PTSD After a Serious Car Accident?
Serious car accident injuries often leave physical scars and permanent life-long injuries. Sometimes they require nothing more than a cast to heal bone fractures. While there can be horrible physical injuries, there can also be emotional scars too. Research shows about 9 percent of car accident victims, or about 270,000 people, develop post-traumatic stress disorder in...
Read MoreInfotainment Systems May Be More Distracting for Older Drivers in Jacksonville
Technology doesn't have to be held in the palm of your hand to cause distraction behind the wheel. In fact, many new cars come standard with built-in infotainment systems that entail many of the same features found in a smartphone. They could include GPS navigation, phone calls, food ordering apps, and music streaming services. Infotainment...
Read MoreFears that trucking accidents will rise if feds relax hours-of-service for truckers
We have hours-of-service regulations in place for a reason: to prevent truck crashes caused by drowsy driving. Under current regulations, truck drivers can only drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour on-duty time period. In addition, truckers must take a 30-minute break when driving for more than eight hours and must have 10 consecutive...
Read MoreSafety Advocates Push for Speed Limiters on Large Commercial Trucks
Road Safe America is leading a campaign for speed limiters on all Class 8 trucks (the heaviest of trucks, including tractor-trailers), according to CDLife.com, a trucking website. The group wants to limit semi-trucks to 65 mph. The nonprofit group's web page, "Big-Rig Speed-Limiter Use Must Be Required on Large Trucks," encourages people to contact their...
Read MoreFatal truck crashes on the rise despite federal safety regulations
The economy in Jacksonville and the state of Florida benefits from commercial truck travel. These trucks transport many of the goods that we regularly rely on. They can also pose a danger to others on the road when not operated with care. Federal and state agencies conduct roughly 3.5 million roadside inspections of large commercial...
Read MoreMajority supports young truck drivers crossing state lines
The DRIVE-Safe Act was re-introduced to legislators this spring, and bi-partisan supporters say it will address the shortage of truck drivers across the nation, including here in Florida. The act is an update to federal law. It includes safety standards that allow younger drivers to enter the trucking industry by driving interstate commerce. Survey results...
Read MoreLawmakers Bring Back the “Stop Underrides Act”
Underride truck accidents are common risk drivers face when sharing the road with large trucks. The trailers on semi-trucks are raised just enough for smaller vehicles to get crushed underneath. When these accidents occur, occupants of cars usually sustain injuries to the neck and head. Since the damage occurs above the hood of a car,...
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