411PAIN’s Summer Safety Tips

Time to take out the sunscreen, barbeque grill and bathing suits because summer is officially here! As fun as it is enjoying the outdoors during the summer, it’s important to be as safe as possible. Here are the top 10 tips that will help maximize the fun you’ll have this summer:

1.     Swimming Safety: The most important tip is to make sure you supervise children in the pool. It’s also a good idea to install fencing or gates around pools that are at least 5 feet tall –this can prevent 50-90% of accidental drowning. You can also install a gate alarm that alerts you when the gate has been opened.

2.     Helmet Safety: Make sure you wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. Confirm that the helmet fits, is well adjusted and won’t slip off. Head injuries are the most common in bicycle crashes and a helmet makes all the difference in the world. 

3.     Heat Safety: To avoid heat-related illnesses, it’s important to stay in shaded or air conditioned areas during peak-heat hours of the day (10a.m.–6p.m.). Be on the lookout for heat-related illness symptoms like thirst, fatigue, leg/abdominal cramps, dizziness, headaches, and nausea. It’s also important to not leave anyone in a car unattended. They could be affected even if the windows are cracked open. 

4.     Hydration Safety: We’re supposed to drink half of our body weight in ounces every day. Remind yourself and your kids to drink water often, all day. If they are active, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends they drink water every 20 minutes. 

5.     Food Safety: Heat can ruin your food and cause bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella, among others, to surface. To avoid food-related illnesses, make sure foods that contain mayonnaise, eggs, milk, meat, poultry, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables aren’t kept at or above room temperature for more than an hour. 

6.     Firework Safety: During the summer, we like to celebrate by getting together with friends and family and sometimes lighting fireworks. The best way to stay safe is to go to a community event that’s run by professionals. It’s easier than you think to get a burn or injury from fireworks –stay safe!

7.     Skin Safety: It’s highly recommended that those of all ages apply a water resistant sunscreen every day. Make sure it’s at least SPF 30 and applied 15-30 minutes before going outdoors.

8.     Playground Safety: Check the playground before letting your child play, make sure the surfaces aren’t hot to prevent burns and check equipment to ensure all parts are tight and safe to use. Make sure your child removes anything they have around their neck that could get caught on the equipment. Of course: make sure you have your eyes on them at all times.

9.     Bug Safety: Bugs love to come out and play during the summer. Make sure to apply insect repellent before going outdoors. To protect your skin from insect-related diseases, use repellents that contain DEET. Consider covering up with long sleeved shirts, pants and socks to prevent contact with bugs.

10.                        Grilling Safety: Don’t let children near the grill. Even if the grill has been off for a while, it can stay hot and cause an accident.

Follow these top 10 summer safety tips to reduce the chance of an accident and ensure this summer is the best one yet! If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN) and keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN!

Tracy Morgan Critically Injured After Car Accident

Tracy Morgan and his entourage were traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike earlier this month when an18-wheeler tractor trailer crashed into the limo bus they were traveling in. The limo bus Tracy Morgan was in ended up spinning, flipping over and causing a 6 car crash. Morgan was on his comedy tour and ended up being rushed to the hospital and placed in critical condition, while fellow comedian James McNair ended up dying after the impact. Two weeks after the fatal crash, Tracy Morgan was released from ICU and sent into a rehab facility to recuperate.

It’s been rumored that the driver of the truck dozed off at the wheel after not sleeping in over a 24 hour period and caused the accident, although the police haven’t concluded their investigation yet. According to the National Sleep Foundation, falling asleep at the wheel is not uncommon. In fact, about 168 million people say they have driven a car while feeling drowsy while around 103 million people admit to actually falling asleep while driving. If these statistics teach us anything it’s that no matter what, it’s critical that you are 100% alert and focused on the road and all road signs when driving. If you are at all tired, wait until you know you it’s safe to drive. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ft. Myers or any other city in Florida –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN) and keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN!

Google Introduces Self-Driving Cars

Google has released images and information regarding their self-driving car prototype and it has no steering wheel, no brakes and no accelerator pedals. Many are wondering if it’s safe or even drivable. The prototype has two seats and enough room for a small amount of luggage. How does it work? A smartphone tells it to pick up the user at a location with the next destination set. No human control needed –just a start button and an emergency stop button. 

The car has an estimated 100 mile range and uses a combination of sensors and software to locate itself in the real world, of course combined with the power of highly sophisticated maps –a GPS. The software was made to be able to recognize objects, other cars, people, road signs and traffic lights. According to Google, it’s perfectly safe –but only time will tell.

If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of an accident, don’t forget to call the 411 PAIN by dialing 1-800-411-PAIN. If you live in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Ocala, Orlando, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Naples or any other city in Florida, 411 PAIN can help you get your life back on track if you’ve been injured after a car accident. Make sure to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN).

Florida Looks To Crack Down On Hit And Run Penalties

Hit and Run accidents happen way too often. Most of the time there’s no way to get justice. Before you can write their license plate number down or call the police –it’s too late and there’s not much you can do when they run. Because of this, the state of Florida wants to crack down on their hit and run penalties. 

A bill, passed by the Florida Legislature, intends to close the loophole that allows someone convicted of fleeing a deadly or serious traffic accident scene to receive less jail time than a driver who stays on the scene and is guilty of a DUI. Right now, it’s difficult to get justice out of sentencing for such cases. The “Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act” is waiting to be signed by Governor Rick Scott and if it does, it will go a long way in helping keep Floridians safe and prevent hit and run accidents from happening in the first place. The law puts hit and run accident victims one step closer to getting justice as it ups the penalties for those who leave the scene of an accident while increasing the mandatory minimum jail sentence for those convicted. 

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ft. Myers or any other city in Florida –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN) and keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN!

Rotating Your Tires

Rotating Your Tires

Imagine you’re driving on a wet road and your car starts to skid. You can’t remember the last time you got your tires rotated, even though your friend told you that you should. Waiting too long to rotate the tires on your vehicle can lead the tread in individual tires to wear at uneven rates and could cause an accident.  Making sure your tires have been rotated properly can ensure proper traction and control when behind the wheel.

Holding off on rotating your tires can be problematic. When driving regularly, weight isn’t evenly distributed throughout the vehicle, causing certain tires to get worn before others. For example, the engine is a lot heavier and places more weight at the front of the car which means front tires automatically get worn out quicker. Because of this, the best method is to move each tire to a different corner of the vehicle so that they all get a chance to get worn equally and you can avoid uneven wear that could lead to traction issues. To do this, you want the front tires rotated to the back and vice versa. Then, rotate the side each tire is on. This will ensure ea tire gets the chance to support the vehicle in a different way and thus distribute control evenly.
Figuring out when to rotate your tires is as easy as checking the owner’s manual for your specific car. There, it will indicate how many miles you should drive before getting the tires rotated. Normally, you’re looking at every 3,000-7,000 miles.

Following these important steps are vital when trying to avoid a car accident due to weakened tires. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries as the result of a car accident in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Fort Myers, or any other city in Florida, 411 PAIN can help. After 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who understands the tactics insurance companies use to decrease your compensation. Let 411 PAIN fight for your rights and get you the money you deserve! Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN) and join the conversation at #411PAIN.

411 PAIN Handicapped Parking

411 PAIN Handicapped Parking

People with disabilities need to have full access to all public facilities. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) establishes that disable persons have appropriate accommodations at all times. Laws vary from state to state. Some states might require the international symbol of accessibility (a person sitting on a wheelchair) painted on the parking space while others don’t. The state of Florida has special rules for handicapped parking. If you need a personal injury lawyer, contact 411 PAIN Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Clearwater, Fort Myers, Naples, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or Miami, contact 1-800-411-PAIN.

The standard parking space in Florida is 9 x 24. While federal law only requires 8 foot in most states, Florida handicapped parking space is 12 feet wide. There is also a 5 foot aisle required between spaces. An 8 foot aisle should be reserved for van-accessible spaces in order to accommodate large wheelchairs and other equipment. Under Florida law, signs to identify the parking space should be posted 7 feet above the ground whether they are posted on a column, post, or on the ground.

In parking lots with 1-100 spaces, 1 handicapped parking space should be provided for every 25 spaces. In medical offices serving only disabled people, 20% of the parking space is set aside for handicapped parking. Offices or clinics serving other people besides the disabled reserve only 10% of their parking space for the handicapped.

In most states the fine for standing, stopping or parking in a handicap space is $250. The fine also applies for drivers using the handicap permit or license plate without the person it was intended for being in the vehicle. People with healing injuries must check the expiration date on their decals and license plates.
Contact 411 PAIN if you were injured in a car crash.