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5 Ways Motorcyclists Can Avoid Blind Spots

mmm / 04-08-2023 / Motorcycle accident

Florida motorcyclists are much more exposed to the elements and potential accidents than the typical motorist. Motorcycles lack seatbelts and a protective steel frame and are small enough to fit entirely into a car or truck’s blind spot. When a motorcycle rides in another vehicle’s blind spot, the other driver can miss them completely when […]

Michael Damaso / 01-16-2023 / Motorcycle accident

Motorcycles give many individuals in Florida a rush of excitement as they take in the state’s beautiful scenery. However, some of the features that make motorcycles so thrilling can also leave bikers exposed and vulnerable in the event of an accident. Motorcycle accident victims often suffer severe injuries and may require lengthy hospital stays and […]

motorcycle passenger directing the way to motorcycle taxi driver

Michael Damaso / 01-12-2023 / Motorcycle accident

Many Floridians enjoy the freedom and excitement of riding on the back of a motorcycle. While many consider motorcycles as single-person vehicles, many can accommodate passengers. Unfortunately, motorcycle passengers may suffer severe injuries and long-term complications when accidents occur. If you have suffered an injury as a passenger in a motorcycle accident, you may have […]

Investigating a Florida Motorcycle Accident

Michael Damaso / 01-08-2023 / Motorcycle accident

Riding a motorcycle is an exciting way to get from point A to point B while taking in Florida’s fresh air and picturesque scenery. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents can happen instantly and have significant lasting consequences on your daily life. If you have been involved in a motorcycle collision in Florida, it is essential to understand […]

Michael Damaso / 08-10-2022 / Motorcycle accident

There tends to be a bias that motorcycle riders are reckless and careless because of their choice of transportation. However, most experienced and passionate riders prioritize safety. They understand that when they climb onto their bikes, they’re taking a risk, but that’s why motorcycle safety is critical. Older riders often stress to younger and inexperienced […]

4 Steps to Take after a Motorcycle Accident in Orlando

Michael Damaso / 06-04-2021 / Motorcycle accident

Motorcyclists make up only 5% of all drivers, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that fatal motorcycle accidents occur 27 times more often than passenger vehicle accidents. Even the most careful and experienced motorcyclists are at risk of being in a collision. Therefore, all motorcycle drivers must know what to do after […]

Doug / 06-02-2015 / Auto Accidents

In a public-private partnership with GEICO, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) unveiled a new campaign to help curb the problem of distracted driving on Florida’s roadways. Sixty four different “Safe Phone Zones” were designated on various roadways throughout Florida. A map of all of the “Safe Phone Zones” throughout Florida can be found online […]

Doug / 02-11-2015 / Auto Accidents

Whether you are a tourist on vacation or a Floridian on the way to work, a new study encourages you to remain cautious on the roads. The personal finance website, WalletHub.com, has released the results of a study, which analyzed several risk factors, such as minimum auto insurance coverage requirements and percentage of uninsured drivers, […]

Doug / 09-17-2014 / Auto Accidents

All of the schools throughout Central Florida are back in session. Everyday hundreds of thousands of children are waiting for buses, walking on our sidewalks, and crossing streets. Not to mention there is a whole new batch of teenage drivers getting ready to get behind the wheel. The importance of safe driving is heightened during […]

Doug / 06-12-2014 / Attorney

Over the weekend, the country woke to news that famed comedian, star of NBC’s 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan, along with a handful of others, were involved in a deadly multi-vehicle collision on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to authorities, the accident was caused when a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer crashed into a limousine bus carrying Mr. Morgan and […]

Doug / 05-20-2014 / Auto Accidents

The National Complete Streets Coalition released its latest report on Tuesday naming Orlando as the most dangerous metro area for pedestrians. Tampa, Jacksonville, and South Florida follow right behind, with Memphis closing out the Top 5. This map shows the number of fatalities due to vehicle/pedestrian accidents within Central Florida from 2003-2012. The Orlando-Kissimmee area […]

Doug / 05-15-2014 / Auto Accidents

The first sentence in the ABC News story should send chills to everyone who drives, “because of a badly flawed and archaic government recall system, millions of potentially dangerous recalled tires remain on the roads, on store shelves for sale, or simply unaccounted for.” In fact, the problem is so severe and the potential risk […]

Doug / 03-28-2014 / Auto Accidents

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. These types of distractions include: texting, using a cell phone or smart phone, talking to passengers, reading (including maps), using a navigation system, watching a video, or adjusting a radio, CD player, MP3 player, etc. (Distraction.gov). However, […]

Doug / 03-27-2014 / Auto Accidents

The SunRail trains are warming up and getting ready for their May debut across Central Florida, but faulty railroad crossing arms may lead to more injuries. So far, SunRail trains cross streets at 127 different locations, each one being another point for a dangerous collision. WESH investigated these crossing and uncovered that the SunRail crossings […]

Doug / 03-24-2014 / Auto Accidents

Last week, a man in Orlando was hit and killed while crossing Colonial Drive near John Young Parkway. WESH reported that the crash happened just past midnight and it does not appear initially that the driver was at fault. According to the report, 50 pedestrians were killed by cars last year in the metro Orlando […]

Doug / 11-27-2013 / Auto Accidents

Today is one of the biggest travel days of the year, and with a huge storm system running down the East Coast, it stands to be one of the more dangerous travel days of the past several years. Here are some tips to make sure you have a safe trip, if you’re the one traveling […]

Doug / 10-23-2013 / Auto Accidents

With seemingly no exception, teens are worse drivers than adults. The accident and death rates of young people ages 15-24 is 14% higher than that of other drivers. Teens and young drivers are more likely to misjudge dangerous driving conditions, drive with distractions, and cause accidents than any other sector of drivers. Are you teaching […]

Doug / 10-16-2013 / Auto Accidents

There has been an increased focus on distracted driving lately. The is mostly due to the fact that more and more accidents being caused, or likely caused do to distracted driving. With all the toys and distractions available to us in our vehicles, and in the case of cell phones, in our pockets, this is […]

Doug / 10-11-2013 / Auto Accidents

As of October 1st, 2013, Florida has joined the majority of states in prohibiting texting while driving. In South Florida, Governor Rick Scott signed SB 52, legislation championed by Senator Nancy Detert for the past several years. In 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cell phone use. Over a million crashes a year […]

Doug / 09-16-2013 / Auto Accidents

In the United States, every day, nearly 30 people die in motor vehicle crashes that involve alcohol-impaired drivers. With higher statistics in other countries there are over 51 million deaths annually due to drunk or impaired driving. In 2010, 1/3rd of vehicle crash fatalities were the result of alcohol related crashes. 17% of traffic accidents […]

Doug / 08-27-2013 / Auto Accidents

In an interesting move, the City of Orlando Board of Commissioners is weighing an option to “change” the late-night crowd in downtown Orlando. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Monday at around 2:00 P.M., the Commissioners will vote on a measure to keep bars open in downtown Orlando until 3:00 A.M. Thursday through Saturday. They are […]

Doug / 07-10-2013 / Auto Accidents

According to a 2007 Harvard study, Americans will spend approximately 101 minutes per day behind the wheel. When you do the math, that means that over 7% of your life is spent driving. Given that percentage, it’s not surprising that many of us get a little blasé about our driving habits and allow distractions to […]

Doug / 07-08-2013 / Airplane Accidents

If you’ve ever been in an accident, or had damage done to your property because of an accident, you know that you have a lot on your mind. If someone was harmed, you need to get them treatment, if damage was done then repairs need to be made. Sometimes things fall through the cracks and […]

Doug / 06-26-2013 / Auto Accidents

There have been a slew of car accidents blocking the Orlando roadways this morning, and this reminds us that if you’re unfortunate to be in one of those accidents, there are some things you need to avoid saying when you file your insurance claim. First things first, it’s important that you never lie to your […]

Doug / 06-10-2013 / Auto Accidents

As if getting into an accident isn’t stressful enough, there is the onslaught of necessities that must be taken care of even after the traumatic event has transpired. There is medical attention, filing a claim, dealing with your insurance company, and taking your car to a body shop, if it is not badly damaged. But […]

Doug / 04-15-2013 / Auto Accidents

After last week’s crash involving a tourist bus in Texas, a great deal of attention has suddenly been put on the tourist bus industry. Questions about safety, maintenance, and training are drawing the most attention in these talks, and serious considerations may be made by both Federal and State regulatory commissions. But are the buses […]

Doug / 08-17-2012 / Auto Accidents

https://youtu.be/-t2zTQW6yis This video is from an ABC News report this past January after a series of deadly crashes on Interstate 75 in which 11 people were killed and 18 people were hospitalized. On August 2, 2012, the trucking industry magazine Fleet Owner reported that one of the major findings of a state investigation into the […]

Doug / 04-27-2012 / Auto Accidents

On Monday, we began to discuss the 2012 National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs from April 23-27 this year. The national program now involves virtually every state in country, and the video above is one from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The video features construction workers each offering what they think is the […]

Doug / 08-16-2011 / Motorcycle accident

If an adult meets certain insurance standards under their motorcycle policy, Florida law does not require that person to wear a helmet while on a motorcycle. Most bikers are safer riders and yet, sadly, they can still get hurt by careless motorists. Everyone needs to understand that, helmet or not, bikers are legal and safe […]

Doug / 12-31-2010 / Motorcycle accident

A preliminary approval has been granted by the U.S. District Court in a breach of warranty class action lawsuit that was filed against the American Suzuki Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation over damages that were allegedly caused by a defective design in the 2005 and 2006 Suzuki GSX-R motorcycles. The settlement has been negotiated […]

Doug / 12-29-2010 / Motorcycle accident

A 17 year old girl was a passenger on her father’s motorcycle when a vehicle struck them at a high rate of speed. The girl suffered several fractures that required surgery to place pins and plates. Not only was she hospitalized for a long while, she also had to undergo rigorous physical and occupation therapy, […]

Doug / 12-23-2010 / Motorcycle accident

When 40 year old Robert M. Gianguzzo was struck by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle, he was thrown roughly 25 feet through the air. When EMT’s arrived Gianguzzo said that he was having trouble breathing. Gianguzzo was transported to the nearest hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Mr. Joseph Presti age 83 […]

Doug / 12-22-2010 / Motorcycle accident

Anyone who knows anything about motorcycles is well aware of the name Harley Davidson, and is well aware of the danger involved in riding a motorcycle. A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by a firefighter who was left as a quadriplegic after a motorcycle accident. The 2004 accident on an Arizona interstate […]

Doug / 12-21-2010 / Motorcycle accident

Andrew Schlichtemeier age 21 is being sued by the families of two of the four men that were killed in a motorcycle crash in August. While motorcycles are known to be dangerous and certain precautions should be taken when riding, in this case it probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference if the four […]

Doug / 12-20-2010 / Motorcycle accident

David Apa, an Attica prison guard was injured while riding his motorcycle in August of 2007. The cause of the accident was Dr. Barbara Radolinski who veered in front of his motorcycle in her vehicle. Apa lost his job at Attica because of surgeries required due to the accident because he was not covered by […]

Doug / 12-17-2010 / Motorcycle accident

A Santa Clara County jury awarded David Allen more than $1.8 million for injuries that he sustained in a motorcycle accident. This case has been a landmark case for personal injury victims across the country. The insurance company defendant had offered Allen a settlement of $100,000 to compensate him for the injuries he sustained when […]

Doug / 12-16-2010 / Motorcycle accident

A personal injury lawsuit after a motorcycle crash in Illinois has led to a record settlement of $6 million for a man and his daughter. Richard Wright and his daughter Kelly were struck by a man in a pickup truck while they were riding a motorcycle. Both of the riders experienced several injuries including a […]

Doug / 05-11-2009 / Motorcycle accident

The National Safety Council is promoting May as National Motorcycle Awareness month in an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle accidents and deaths. According to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, the number of motorcycle deaths rose again last year for the tenth consecutive year to 5,154. The primary focus of Motorcycle Awareness […]

Doug / 07-18-2008 / Motorcycle accident

On July 1, 2008 the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) implemented a new motorcycle training program aimed at reducing the number of motorcycle accidents. The Basic Rider Course was designed by FDHSMV and will be offered by private schools and teachers. Drivers who take the class and successfully pass the test […]

Doug / 03-20-2008 / Auto Accidents

Last November a member of the Hillsboro Oregon Police Department was on a routine traffic stop when he nearly lost his life in an accident, and the whole thing was recorded by the camera on his motorcycle. The video shows Officer Clint Chrz standing next to a vehicle, talking to the driver on the shoulder […]