Jacksonville Injury Lawyer Blog

As a Jacksonville automobile accident attorney I have represented many injured people who have been hurt because another driver was texting This morning the Department of Transportation announced — finally — that the operators of trucks and buses on U.S. roadways will no longer be able to text while they should be watching the road.
Transportation ecretary Ray LaHood is quoted in this Reuters story:
“We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe,” LaHood said. “This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”
Failure to obey will come with a hefty cost, too: as high as $2,750.
Those penalties — and even jail time — are more than justified by the danger these drivers are creating; danger to their passengers, other drivers, and themselves. We at the Law Offices of Henry Gare applaud the D.O.T. for their decision.

As a Jacksonville car accident attorney I am asked the following question all the time: I had a car accident, now what?

Try to stay calm. Panic can make others panic and the situation worse. There needs to be a calm person to determine the extent of damage and to determine if there are any injuries that need immediate medical attention.

File a Car Accident Report with the Police
Even in a minor accident it is important to make sure there is a legal accident report. Do not leave the scene until the police file a full report.

Discuss the Car Accident Only with the Police
With everyone all shook up it can be hard not to talk about what just happened, but that can also lead to you not thinking clearly and accurately about what happened. It is important to limit your discussion of the accident and not to admit any fault or liability. You should talk about the accident with the police and your insurance agent only.

Get the Facts
This is the part most people know to do, but often forget to after the accident for one reason or another. It is important to get names, address, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident. A description of the car and license plate number can also be helpful, but make sure you also get their insurance company and the vehicle identification number of their car. Don’t just assume the license plate number will do because most insurance companies only record the type of car and the vehicle identification number, not the license plate number.

Call you Insurance Agent
Call your agent or insurance company’s 800-number immediately, even at the scene with the police if possible. Sometimes the police officer can give your insurance company more accurate information rather than information you may not be recording properly because you are upset by the accident. This can save you a lot of time later waiting for your claim to be processed.

Not surprisingly, a recent study, done at the University of Utah, determined that texting while driving, not only increases the risk of having a car accident, but is significantly more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving.
A new study shows that texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. The study determined that texting drivers were less likely to apply their brakes in a timely manner to avoid a car accident, that they followed other vehicles too closely and demonstrated significantly delayed reaction times. Further, the researchers determined that texting drivers were 6 times more likely to be in a car accident, as compared to drivers who were concentrating on driving.
The study found that texting to be more dangerous than simply talking on a cell phone, determining that drivers can better split their attention between a call and driving, rather than texting, which causes the driver to concentrate more upon typing or reading a message. This research, from the journal Human Factors, ultimately determined that drivers increased their risk of being in a car accident by thirty percent when texting. If you have been injured in a Jacksonville car accident please call the Law Offices of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.

A tragic Jacksonville car accident happened today. Our thoughts go out to the local family that lost their daughter today. A 5-year-old Jacksonville girl died after being struck by an SUV while crossing a busy Mandarin street with her mother and younger brother late this morning, police said.

The unidentified girl was dragged under the vehicle on southbound San Jose Boulevard at Kori Road shortly before noon. The light turned green before she, her mother and 4-year-old brother, in a stroller, could get across, said detective John Hurst of the Sheriff’s Office.

The mother was hospitalized, but her injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. She told police they were heading home from the nearby Kmart, Hurst said.

The van was being driven by an unidentified man who did not see the girl, Hurst said. No charges have been filed. I drive on San Jose Boulevard everyday and can confirm that this intersection is one of the most dangerous in Jacksonville. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family who suffered this tragedy.