A 22-year-old driver's vehicle was struck as it was legally parked next to the highway by a 27-year-old driver, resulting in injuries that required transportation to local medical facilities. Charges are pending in the case. A photo posted to NorthEscambia's website showed a totaled vehicle.
]]> Nighttime can be one of the most dangerous times to be on the roads. Vision can often be obscured, motorists are tired and other drivers are more likely to be intoxicated. Drowsy drivers can also pose a significant hazard.Additional danger can occur when a car is parked alongside the road in these conditions.
Even drivers who are legally parked may face additional risk because of compromised conditions and bad visibility. Many private and commercial motorists simply pull to the side of the road to park and rest. Because of cost-cutting efforts by many states, several municipalities have closed rest stops, which only adds to the problem.
Nighttime drivers have a responsibility to remain vigilant while operating their vehicles, and they should pay close attention to vehicles that may be on the side of the road or on the shoulder. Motorists should be able to stop, whether in cases of emergency or not, without worrying about being struck by another vehicle.
Source: NorthEscambia.com, "Charges pending after Hwy 29 crash in McDavid," Jan. 21, 2012
]]>They do know it likely stemmed from poor visibility. The road where the accident occurred, Interstate 75, had been closed because smoke from a brush fire, combined with fog, made for difficult driving conditions. However, prior to the accident the road was re-opened. Now, some are questioning why drivers were allowed back on the road.
]]> One witness who escaped injury says that the scene was chaotic. No one could see much of anything, he says, and he could hear people screaming and crying while cars were hitting each other.Several vehicles burst into flames. A picture posted to CBS News' website shows the charred skeleton of a semi truck, behind which sits a burned-out car with a pickup truck directly on top of it.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 75 were still closed due to cleanup issues, including asphalt that had melted after the explosions. The northbound lanes reopened on Sunday. At least six people remained in hospital trauma units, authorities say. The names of the victims who died have not been released yet.
It's not clear whether the fire may have been started on purpose. There were no reports of lightning strikes and no controlled burns in the area at the time. Police say they will keep looking for answers.
Source: CBS News, "Cause of deadly Florida crash sought," Jan. 30, 2012
]]>81-year old actor Gene Hackman was recently involved in a motorcycle accident while visiting the Sunshine State. The actor was reportedly operating a motorcycle when he was struck by another vehicle one afternoon last week at around 3 p.m. down in Key West. Some reports indicate the actor was riding a bicycle rather than a motorcycle. Details are unclear.
]]> It was initially reported that he suffered from "serious injuries to his head and body" as a result of the accident and was airlifted to a local hospital. While not all details of the accident were released, Hackman appears to be okay. He was released from the hospital hours later after routine tests.According to USA Today, a Florida Highway Patrol report indicates that the accident happened when the actor was struck by a pickup truck, causing him to be thrown onto a grassy shoulder. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
After the crash, Hackman's representative told Access Hollywood that Hackman is fine and would return home, as he only sustained "bumps and bruises." Hackman, who has enjoyed a five-decade career in movies, is perhaps best known for playing Lex Luthor in the Superman films and for "The French Connection," for which he won the Best Actor Oscar. He also won the Academy Award for "Unforgiven" in 1993.
Source: USA Today, "Actor Gene Hackman OK after bicycle accident," Jan. 14, 2012
]]>Four car accidents on Interstate 10 created a headache for morning commuters on Friday. According to NorthEscambia.com, the first accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. near the Pine Forest Road exit.
]]> In that crash, a 51-year-old driver, who was transporting an 8-year-old passenger, was stopped for traffic. At the same time, another driver, a 37-year-old man from Pensacola, apparently locked his brakes, swerved into the outside lane and then crashed into the vehicle. The man and his young passenger were taken to Sacred Heart Hospital via ambulance for injuries.The second crash happened only moments later when a driver was forced to swerve into the median to avoid traffic. He then collided with a Jeep that was already in the median. Luckily, neither driver was hurt in that incident, although one of them was cited for careless driving.
The next two accidents, occurring at approximately 8:02 a.m. and 8:09 a.m., respectively, also involved rear-end collisions. One driver was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Careless driving was also cited in these crashes.
While none of these accidents turned out to be deadly, they could have been more serious. It's important for drivers to slow down and pay attention during rush hour, when the roads are clogged with cars.
Source: NorthEscambia.com, "Multiple accidents create morning problems on I-10," Jan. 20, 2012
]]>Recently, a teenager was struck by a vehicle while she was sitting on a paved curb at the intersection of Saints Lane and Falcon Drive in Milton, Florida. The 15-year-old girl was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola following the car accident. She reportedly sustained some minor injuries.
]]> It was around 8:05 a.m. on a recent morning when the accident occurred. The 15-year-old girl was sitting on the paved edge of the southbound lane of Saints Lane, according to the Florida Highway Patrol report. That's when the vehicle struck her.According to the Santa Rosa Press-Gazette, the 25-year-old driver of a truck apparently failed to see the girl on the side of the road. He was heading east on Falcon Drive at the time.
As the driver turned right from Falcon Drive onto Saints Lane, he told police officers, he sneezed and was distracted to the point of striking the pedestrian with the right side of his vehicle, according to the FHP.
Following the car accident, the driver was charged with careless driving. It's lucky that the girl did not suffer more severe injuries. Drivers encounter unexpected distractions such as sneezing every day, but it should not cause them to strike pedestrians.
Source: Santa Rosa Press-Gazette, "Milton teenager struck by car, sustains minor injuries," Matthew Pellegrino, Jan. 10, 2012
]]>Their driving problems are now being attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder or as a symptom of a traumatic brain injury. This can cause drivers to perceive threats where there are none, particularly when they encounter overpasses, tunnels, debris or construction areas.
]]> One insurance company, USAA, has noticed the trend. In one study covering the years 2007 to 2010, it was noted that car accidents in which service members were at fault increased by 13 percent after deployments. Accidents were most common within the six months after an overseas tour, according to the New York Times.Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are particularly unique, experts say, because their combat experiences frequently involved roadside bombs and other major dangers on the road.
One woman, a 60-year-old veteran who carried cash to Iraqi reconstructions projects outside American bases, has found driving upon her return to the States to be extremely difficult. She says her whole driving behavior changed and she feels constantly anxious while driving.
The woman has participated in a clinical trial in the hopes that therapies can be tested and developed to help veterans in a similar position. Insurance companies and the armed services are also hoping to expand education and research on the issue.
Source: New York Times, "Back from war, fear and danger fill driver's seat," James Dao, Jan. 10, 2012
]]>A motorcycle accident earlier this month illustrates that point. A 22-year-old man from Milton was injured in a motorcycle accident on New Year's Day at approximately 3:40 p.m. The motorcyclist was reportedly headed east on U.S. 90 when a driver going south on Airport Road turned onto the highway right into his path, causing a collision.
]]> The motorcyclist suffered injuries described by medical personnel as serious. He was rushed to Sacred Heart Hospital, located in Pensacola, by emergency responders, and was undergoing treatment for his injuries there.The 65-year-old driver of the other vehicle, also a resident of Milton, faces charges of careless driving for his role in the accident, following an investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol officers who were summoned to the scene. His own injuries were characterized as relatively minor, but he was transported to the Santa Rosa Medical Center, located nearby in Milton, to be examined and treated.
Motorcyclists are in a rather precarious situation if they are struck by another vehicle. Other drivers have the protection of their own vehicles, but those riding motorcyclists have little protection and face the threat of serious injury if they are struck.
As the campaign says, if more drivers start seeing motorcyclists, the number of careless accidents could be easily reduced.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, "Motorcyclist injured in U.S. 90 accident," Jan. 3, 2012
]]>The car accident killed the woman's daughter and injured the driver of the vehicle she hit. She pleaded no contest, after initially filing the same plea last September and withdrawing it. This time, the judge made sure she was comfortable with her plea to avoid any further complications, according to the Walton Sun.
]]> The crash happened last July after the woman apparently had tried to cash a stolen check. She had apparently over $4,000 worth of checks and credit charges she attempted to pocket in 2011. She had also allegedly been arrested at some point last year for selling Roxicodone.The woman had previously spent time in prison before her "crime spree," as the assistant state attorney calls it. The same attorney had requested a 30-year-sentence, but the judge settled on 25 years.
While many agree that the woman did not intend to hurt anyone, the attorney made an interesting statement about her punishment. According to the Walton Sun, he says, "The state's position is sometimes making a reckless act is equivalent to making an intentional act."
The judge noted that the woman had passed up every opportunity she had been given since the first time she was sentenced in 2005. Sadly, her actions ultimately claimed her daughter's life.
Source: Walton Sun, "Updated: Courtney Coughlin pleads no contest, sentenced," Chris Olwell, Jan. 3, 2012
]]>A pit bull that was allegedly roaming loose around the grounds of a Pensacola middle school attacked a young girl and also killed the girl's 6-week-old Pomeranian puppy. And while this dog attack occurred, the pit bull's owner stood there and did nothing, according to the victim's mother.
]]> The dog belonged to a staff member who lived on the grounds of the middle school for security purposes. The employee was permitted by the school to own two dogs, but was responsible to keep them properly leashed while outside.The victim's mother said that the man really owned three dogs, one of which was a pit bull. Not only did he apparently own too many dogs, but the pit bull often wandered free. The victim's family lived in a home that borders the school, which can be accessed by an opening in the yard fence.
One recent day, the loose pit bull allegedly attacked the 12-year-old girl, who was with her puppy at the time. The girl started to scream in terror, which caught the attention of her mother and mother's boyfriend who were inside the house.
According to Fox 10 TV's website, the pit bull had mauled the small puppy while the girl tried to stop it with a Taser. The girl's mom rushed outside to try to stop the attack, but the pit bull did not relent until the mother's boyfriend fired multiple gun shots in the air.
The little girl says that she remains traumatized by the events and her mother says that she is reminded of the gruesome incident every time she walks through or near the area.
Source: Fox 10 TV, "Loose dog attacks girl, kills puppy," Joe Salvatore, Dec. 6, 2011
]]>A 17-year-old from Pensacola was found shot to death in a Buick Riviera last month. He had been shot in the head. His 17-year-old friend was found shot in the head as well, but he survived. Two 20-year-old men are now charged with murder and attempted murder for the shootings.
]]> The teens were discovered by a man who was riding his bicycle home near the parking lot of Baptist's Sleep Disorder Center. He went to the parking lot and discovered the surviving teen attempting to get back onto the Buick.Police say they have pieced together what happened based on what the surviving teen can remember, as well as information provided by other witnesses.
The 20-year-old men, one of whom was driving a GMC Yukon, apparently approached the teens as part of a drug transaction. A woman who says one of the men gave her a ride in the Yukon earlier in the day claims that he asked her if she knew somebody -- anybody -- who had some money.
In addition, the man's mother confirmed that he was driving her GMC Yukon. Some blood that was removed from the vehicle matched blood from one of the shooting victims.
One of the men was in Escambia County Jail on $500,000 bond, while the other was in prison without bond. He had been on probation for an unrelated incident.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, "Two Pensacola men charged with murder," Richard McVay, Dec. 28, 2011
]]>A federal agency has proposed an almost total ban on the use of cellphones and other electronic devices behind the wheel, hoping that this will help decrease the number of car accidents. The proposal from the National Transportation Safety Board comes in the form of a recommendation, which can be adopted or rejected by individual states.
]]> The change, if adopted, would encompass both talking and texting while driving, or browsing the web. It would not exempt hands-free cellphones and devices.In Florida, such restrictions would break new ground, as the state currently has no restrictions at all on the use of cellphones or portable electronic devices by motorists. Only 15 states currently have no such restrictions, although not a single state currently bans the use of hands-free phones.
The agency's recommended ban was inspired, in part, by a fatal car accident in 2010 in which a teenage driver of a pickup truck apparently received and sent a total of no less than 11 texts in the same number of minutes before an accident that wound up killing the driver, as well as a passenger on a school bus.
The thought behind the proposed ban is that drivers currently get distracted by focusing on the content of phone calls, texts, or web pages, regardless of whether or not hands-free devices are used. This, the agency unanimously concluded, causes car accidents that could be prevented.
State senators in Florida are mulling a softer option, which would outlaw texting while driving. However, it would be subject to secondary enforcement, meaning the citation would have to be connected to another offense.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, "Feds push to ban cellphones while driving could bolster state law," Richard McVay, Dec. 13, 2011
]]>It was all he could do after a fiery car accident left another driver dead. The impact was so forceful that both vehicles erupted and flames, which then set nearby trees on fire. The massive accident shut down traffic in both directions for several hours.
]]> The crash occurred on Friday morning at around 7:30 a.m. on State Road 123 near the Elgin Air Force Base. A pickup truck was reportedly traveling south on the road, crossed the yellow double line and collided with the tractor trailer, which was headed north.Both vehicles immediately caught on fire. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the pickup truck driver became trapped in his vehicle as the fire engulfed it. Officials were not sure, but he may have been killed upon impact. According to Northwest Florida Daily News, crews tried to help the pickup truck driver get out of the vehicle, but they were unable to do so. The body of the 20-year-old man, who was from Crestview, was taken to the medical examiner's office.
The driver of the tractor trailer, who is from Alabama, managed to exit his truck and was not hurt. He had been wearing a seatbelt, as was the other driver, the Florida Highway Patrol says.
What had begun as a routine morning ended up as a tragic day.
Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, "Semi and vehicle on fire after crash; State Road 123 shut down in both directions," Wendy Victoria, Dec. 23, 2011
]]>Children between the ages of 5 and 9 are more likely to be bitten by dogs than any other age group. And the dog bites usually come from canines who are adults between the age of 2 and 5. Those who are bitten may need post-exposure rabies treatments.
]]> The holiday season can be a rather stressful time of year for pets, experts say, because there is a lot of commotion, strangers entering and leaving the house and lots of kids running around.The Meaford Independent has an interesting article about ways to prevent such dog bites during busy holiday times. Here are a few tips offered.
• Respect the dog's space, including food and toys.
• Place the dog in a separate room or a place where they can have some peace and quiet.
• Ask permission before petting a dog if you are unsure of its demeanor, especially if children are around.
• Make changes in the environment if it will make the dog feel safer.
• Never place a baby or small child on the floor near a dog, even a trusted pet. It may also be best to keep the baby's door closed.
• Watch out for stress signals from pets, such as turning away, closed mouth or lip licking.
What about you? How do you handle your pets during the holiday season?
Source: The Meaford Independent, "'Tis the season for dog bites," Dec. 20, 2011
]]>The victim was a pedestrian who was struck by a taxi in the St. Andrews area recently. Immediately after the fatal car accident, no names had been released and no charges had been filed. A spokesperson for the Panama City Police says the accident report was unavailable and he was not authorized to provide further details.
]]> The victim was struck on a recent evening at around 5 p.m., in front of the Black Angus restaurant. He was apparently pinned under the car and sustained critical head injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital by paramedics. The victim overnight died as a result of the head injuries he sustained in the accident, according to the Panama City News Herald.The fatal accident occurred when the victim allegedly walked out in front of the taxi while it was headed down a busy road. The scene of the accident, U.S. Highway 98, which is also known as 15th Street, was shut down from Michigan Avenue to 23rd Street until 9:30 the same evening to allow for time for the police to investigate at the scene of the accident. During the investigation, motorists were detoured to another route.
Source: Panama City News Herald, "Pedestrian hit by taxi dies overnight," Dec. 10, 2011
]]>According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of accidents with drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 years old is four times higher when compared to other drivers. The program was developed because car accidents cause the leading amount of teen deaths in the U.S.
]]> Advocates of the program in Congress will be pushing for $25 million per year for states to increase graduated driver licensing programs they already carry. One stipulation of the program would not allow a teen to get a learner's permit until an older age.Currently, there are only two states with all seven components deemed most effective, including the minimum age of 16 years old for a learner's permit, a six-month minimum limit before a teen can drive without supervision, and a minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving during the learner's stage. Additionally, a teen can receive an intermediate license at the age of 16 ½, there would be enforcement of an intermediate nighttime driving restriction beginning no later than 10 p.m., and there would be a restriction of only one non-family passenger for an intermediate license holder. Teens would be able to receive a full driver license at the age of 17.
Although there is much support of the proposed program, some groups including the National Youth Rights Association says the idea is discriminatory. Others might oppose it, arguing it is interference of state rights.
Source: USA Today, "Study: Phased-in teen driving privileges could save 2,000," Larry Copeland, Dec. 6, 2011
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