Pedestrian Accidents

Miami Ultra Music Festival Accidents

March 28, 2019 | Wolfson & Leon

On March 29^th, the Ultra Music Festival returns for its 20^th year but with a new location at Virginia Key on Key Biscayne a barrier island in Miami. A new location brings with it new challenges—especially regarding getting to and from Ultra.

This year parking will not be available at Ultra and patrons are being provided the options to use ride share applications (Uber/Lyft) or free shuttles provided by Ultra. With only one roadway on and off Key Biscayne, known as the Rickenbacker Causeway, it is going to be crucial for Ultra-festival goers to 1) download Uber or Lyft apps or 2) be aware of Ultra’s free shuttle service and its locations.

Uber and Lyft will only be available to get you and your friends to Ultra, and you can simply enter “Ultra Music Festival” into your Uber and Lyft app to get to Ultra or a transit hub which has been set up by Ultra. Uber and Lyft can get you to Ultra but are not going to be available once you are at Ultra. For this reason, Ultra is providing free shuttle service to one of three locations.

Walking Can Be Bad for Your Health in Florida

February 28, 2019 | Wolfson & Leon

hitandrunax Going out for a walk may seem like a great idea. However, ironically, going out for a walk in Florida may actually lead to a serious injury or death.

Smart Growth America, a non-profit organization founded in 2000, found in a recent study that over the past decade, over 49,000 people in the United States were stuck and killed by drivers while walking on streets. Put another way, that is the equivalent of approximately 13 people per day.

The number of pedestrian fatalities has increased almost every year since 1990. In the past decade alone, there was a dramatic 35.7 percent increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities, with 2016 and 2017 being the deadliest since 1990.

2 Important Elements in Pedestrian Accidents

October 6, 2015 | Wolfson & Leon

Thousands of people die on American roads each year, and pedestrians make up a significant percentage of these fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, up to 5,000 pedestrians die in car-related crashes each year, and many more sustain serious and often debilitating injuries. In 2012, more than 70,000 pedestrians sustained injuries in accidents with motor vehicles.

Accident report

Two Deadly Pedestrian Accidents Make Headlines in Florida

March 5, 2015 | Wolfson & Leon

In 2013, there were more than 420,000 criminal traffic citations on the state of Florida’s roads, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Incidents that fall under this category of infringement typically include driving under the influence, reckless or negligent driving, fleeing, or racing on a highway. Non-criminal moving citations in the state, for the same period, total more than 2.2 million. These typically include minor speeding, traffic light violations and stop sign violations.

It is obvious, therefore, that there are a significant number of incidents on the state’s roads each day, and as recent stories in the news highlight, these figures are particularly concerning for pedestrians.

If you have been injured in an accident, even if you were not in a vehicle at the time, you may be entitled to compensation. Depending on the circumstances specific to your accident, a Miami personal-injury lawyer at Wolfson & Leon, LLP we may be able to assist you in this process. There is no reason why you should struggle with your injuries on your own. Call us today at 305-285-1115 for a free consultation with an experienced personal-injury lawyer.

The Top 3 Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

March 5, 2015 | Wolfson & Leon

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were approximately 76,000 pedestrian injuries in 2012. However, the agency cautions that the true number of pedestrian injuries is probably far greater, because not every police department takes the time to report pedestrian accidents to state agencies. Of those injured, 4,743 died that year. Despite a variety of programs aimed at reducing the number of pedestrian accidents, the figure has only fallen by 3.2 percent in the past decade.

If you are involved in a serious car accident in Miami, let us help you seek the compensation you need to pay for medical care and lost wages. Wolfson & Leon, LLP has been providing excellent legal representation to the Miami community since 1963. You can count on us to fight to secure the maximum compensation possible in the courtroom and through negotiations with insurance companies. To arrange a free case evaluation with a personal-injury lawyer from our firm, please call us at 305-285-1115.

1. Poor Road Design

Avoid Car Accidents With Pedestrians

December 19, 2013 | Wolfson & Leon

Arizona’s Department of Transportation (ADOT) recently updated its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, which was originally established in 2003. The program intends to increase the infrastructure for pedestrians and bikers along the state highway system in order to allow more people to take advantage of multiple methods of travel.

The new plan rolls out at the same time that many cities are reporting their highest number of pedestrian accidents ever. KVOA News reports that a car recently struck an 18-year-old woman as she was crossing the street. People who live near the intersection where the accident occurred said that there is a lack of lighting along that road and not enough marked crosswalks.

The ADOT plan’s update will focus on improving safety by modernizing walkways and increasing driver awareness. At Wolfson & Leon we care about pedestrian safety. Below you will find some tips to help avoid causing an accident with a pedestrian. If you have been injured in a car accident with a negligent driver, we can represent your interests in court. To discuss your case, Call Us At 305-285-1115 Today!

Two Pedestrian Accident Victims

November 15, 2013 | Wolfson & Leon

Auto accidents occur all the time in Florida, but none are as deadly as those between a car and a pedestrian. Negligent driving is generally to blame, and accidents that involve pedestrians often turn into hit and runs. This week, NBC News reports that two separate accidents killed two pedestrians in Miami.

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The first accident claimed the life of 78-year-old Fannie Ash who was struck as she walked across the street. The driver that hit her left the scene of the accident, but he was quickly found and arrested by Miami police.

New License Plate Chosen in Online Poll – Legibility of Plates Helps Catch Hit and Run Drivers

December 19, 2012 | Wolfson & Leon

MIAMI BEACH – Following a poll, Floridians have chosen a new license plate tag. The poll was done online. The plates have seven characters so that the State does not run out of combinations to distribute. Highway Safety Chief Julie Jones Jones pushed for flat plates so that red light cameras could see them easier. Apparently, a good number of red light violations cannot be substantiated because the cameras cannot read the raised letters and numbers. But the group PRIDE opposed her. PRIDE manufactures the plates with help from inmates. Apparently, they do not have the technology to make a flat plate.

There were quite a bit of complaints about the plates. A photo is attached. They don’t look so bad to us. The main point of a license plate is so that police and others can identify a vehicle. License plates become important following hit and run accidents. Many times, witnesses on the scene write down a plate of a car that hits other cars or pedestrians. Then, the police or a private investigator tracks down the runaway driver. Leaving the scene of an automobile accident with injuries is a crime. But it happens often. The new plates appear to be more legible. From a safety and accountability standpoint, that is all that counts.

Hialeah Hit and Run – Pedestrian Dies from Accident Injuries

December 19, 2012 | Wolfson & Leon

HIALEAH – Sadly, a woman died Tuesday in a pedestrian accdient. She was hit by a truck. The woman was walking on a sidewalk when the accident happened. The accident happened when a truck went up onto the sidewalk and crashed into the woman who was walking. After that, the truck proceeded to go flying back into the street, smashing into a schoolbus. The schoolbus had 16 children on it. The children were unharmed.

Pedestrian accidents like this are devastating. The woman was on the sidewalk and not even on the roadway. The accident happened in front of a shopping center at the intersection of West 16th Avenue and West 53rd Street. When vehicles leave travel lanes and cross into areas where people are walking, personal injuries are often devastating. In this case, the victim lost her life. There is really no way to prevent many accidents like this if you are the pedestrian.

Even if someone is off of a sidewalk or not in the crosswalk, it does not mean that the accident was solely his or her fault. While there are specific laws that govern where pedestrians are supposed to walk which are set forth in Florida Statute 316.130, those who are driving a car have the ultimate requirement to avoid hitting pedestrians. After describing a pedestrian’s duty to abide by traffic laws and walk in appropriate places, Florida Statute Section 316.130(15) provides that “[n]otwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person propelling a human-powered vehicle and give warning when necessary and exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused or incapacitated person.”