Mindful of the increase in Orlando car accidents, officials have made August Child Safety Awareness Month as kids head back to school. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are helping to raise awareness of safety issues for both parents and drivers.
“Our morning and afternoon commutes will start to look different as the school year begins, but one thing that must remain constant is our commitment to driving safely,” said FLHSMV Executive Director, Terry L. Rhodes. “This Child Safety Awareness Month, and every month, I urge all motorists to be vigilant on the roads and remind parents and caregivers to ensure children are protected when in and around cars.”
More than 100,000 children were involved in Florida car accidents last year, resulting in 167 deaths and 1,200 serious injuries. Officials say that drivers must do a better job of preventing pedestrian car accidents. They emphasize observing speed limits in school zones, being extra alert for children on bicycles and sidewalks, and obeying the law to stop for school buses.
Preventing Orlando Car Accidents: Yield for Pedestrians
One cause for the increase in Orlando car accidents involving school children is the use of cell phones by both drivers and kids who are walking, skateboarding, or riding bicycles. To raise awareness of the danger of school zone accidents, Best Foot Forward Central Florida pedestrian safety advocates have launched their 2022 #iY4Peds campaign:
We’re having a blast helping
@OCPSnews
Transportation Services gear up for the new school year at their annual Fall Conference! Drivers are excited to go home with their own #iY4Peds magnets. This group will definitely be “not guilty” of violating FL’s driver yield laws. ????????
Best Foot Forward works to get more drivers to yield and stop for pedestrians in crosswalks by “combining community education with low-cost engineering changes and high-visibility enforcement.”
Pedestrian Injury Attorney for Orlando Car Accidents
Even though a child may not be paying attention to his or her surroundings while crossing the street or getting off the bus, the ultimate responsibility for preventing school zone accidents and injury rests with the driver. A driver must drive slowly and carefully in a school zone, paying full attention and obeying speed limits and caution lights.
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reminds drivers that the fines for failing to stop for a school bus have doubled. Last year, the penalty for failure to stop for a school bus went from a minimum $100 to $200 “and if a second offense is committed in 5 years, the person’s license will be suspended for up to 1 year. The penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal goes from a minimum of $200 to $400 and if a second offense is committed in 5 years, the person’s license can be suspended up to 2 years.”
When there is an accident, the best thing to do after taking care of immediate medical concerns is to talk with an experienced and aggressive personal injury attorney. There may be critical long-term financial repercussions that may not occur to you at the time. An insurance company may press you to settle for what seems like a reasonable amount of money. But there may be critical long-term financial repercussions that aren’t readily apparent.
If an act of carelessness or negligence has harmed you or someone you love, talk to an Orlando car accidents attorney at the Martinez Manglardi Personal Injury Law Firm. We’ve been helping people in Central Florida recover from injuries for nearly 35 years. Call 866-729-7874 for a free consultation. Convenient office locations throughout Central Florida.
Reminder from the Highway Patrol about Orlando Car Accidents and School Safety
