Are Red Light Cameras a Good Idea?

Counties all over Florida are installing red light cameras in an effort to catch people who run red lights and to boost revenues.  As a personal injury lawyer who cares about traffic safety, I am all for anything that keeps people from running through red lights.  As someone who cares about our constitutional rights, however, I don’t like them.  It is just wrong that you can get ticketed with no police officer there as a witness.  If someone else borrowed your car and ran a red light, how could you prove it wasn’t you driving the car?

A Miami-Dade judge recently ruled that Aventura overstepped state law when it started using red light cameras because using the cameras without a police officer at the scene when the violations occur is invalid.

Recently, a Spring Hill lawmaker filed a bill that would prevent local governments from using red light cameras, calling them a “hidden tax.”  He has a point.  In Brooksville, where the cameras are installed, they have issued more than 5,000 citations as of January 1. 

Some people even argue that red light cameras make people slam on the brakes when they see the camera take their picture and actually cause more accidents.

So… what do you think?  Are Red Light Cameras a good idea?

Florida Should Pass Ban on Texting While Driving

It is so tempting.  You are driving down the road when, “ding” you get a text.  Initially, you keep your eyes on the road, but as time passes the temptation to find out what important message has just been sent to you is just too great.  You pick up the phone and glance down at the text and read it.  This takes about 2 seconds.   You keep driving, but soon the temptation to respond gets to you again.  You grab your phone and start typing in the response.  You might even steer with your knees so you can type with both hands.  As you finish typing, you look up and suddenly see that you have been looking down for 5 seconds and you have almost run into the car in front of you that is stopped at a light.

This is an all too common scenario.  Tragically, drivers often don’t react in time and plow into the back of the vehicle in front of them.  It is unclear how many accidents are caused by drivers who are texting, because drivers rarely admit that they are texting.

Florida is considering passing a bill to ban texting while driving.  Please contact your representative  to urge them to pass this important piece of safety legislation.  To read more on this topic, click here.

If you or a loved one is injured in an accident, please call Paul at 813-305-PAUL (7285) or email Paul@rebeinlaw.com for a free initial consultation.

Pedestrian Accidents Too Common in Tampa Bay Area

The Tampa Bay area has more than its fair share of pedestrian accidents.  I attribute this to a couple of factors.  First, there are a lack of sidewalks in the area.  In most large cities, there are sidewalks on most streets.  In Tampa, however, many neighborhoods have no sidewalks.  Other areas only have sidewalks on one side of the street.

Another factor contributing to the pedestrian accidents in the Tampa Bay area is the fact that we have some very busy streets with multiple lanes of traffic and cars moving at a high rate of speed.  The two worst, in my opinion, are Dale Mabry Highway and US 19.  Every year, many people are tragically killed while crossing one of these busy streets.

Just recently, we saw two children hit outside of Gulf Trace Elementary School while walking down the sidewalk.  In that case, the driver apparently “blacked out” and ran her car up on the sidewalk.  The accident is still under investigation.  To read the full story click here.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, call attorney Paul Rebein at the Rebein Law Firm at 813-305-Paul (7285) or email Paul@rebeinlaw.com for a free initial consultation.

What Should I Do if I am Injured in a Bus Accident?

Some people get a false sense of security when they travel in a large bus.   They think that, because the bus is such a large vehicle, they won’t get seriously hurt if there is an accident.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for a number of reasons.  First, bus passengers are usually not wearing seat belts.  As a result, when the accident happens, the passengers are often thrown about the bus.  Second, large tour buses have a very high center of gravity.  When they veer off the road, they often roll and cause serious injuries.

Both of these things happened in a recent tour bus crash in Highlands County.  The crash happed on US 27 and lake Francis Road.  A charter bus was  heading north when  a car failed to yield the right of way and crashed into the left side of the bus.  The bus veered off the shoulder of the road  and flipped, ejecting several passengers.  Sadly, two passengers died at the scene and many more were injured.  Read more about this tragic event here.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, call the Rebein Law Firm at 813-305-Paul (7285) or email paul@rebeinlaw.com for a free initial consultation.

Motorcyle Accident on US 19 Claims a Young Life

A motorcycle rider was killed this morning in an accident on US 19.  The rider was heading south when a truck driving north turned left into his path.  The rider was ejected and died at the scene.

To read the full story, click here.

We send out our prayers and condolences to everyone involved in this tragedy.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please call 813-305-PAUL (7285) or email Paul@rebeinlawfor a free initial consultation.

Was accident with Hillsborough County Deputy caused by Toyota Sudden Acceleration?

Three teenagers were injured, one of them critically, in a crash with a Hillsborough County Deputy’s cruiser.  The accident happened outside Citrus Park mall on Friday.  The teen’s car was stopped at a red light at the Gunn Highway exit of Citrus Park Mall.  Suddenly, the car accelerated for an unknown reason and smashed into the side of the police cruiser.

It sounds like this accident may have been caused  by “sudden acceleration” problem we’ve seen in Toyota vehicles.  The car driven by the teen was a 2007 Toyota Corolla.  If this is the case, Toyota should be held responsible for the injuries caused by the accident.

To read more about the story click here.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call us at 813-305-Paul (7285) or email paul@rebeinlaw.com for a free initial consultation.

Accident Shuts Down I-275

A three-car accident shut down a south-bound portion of Interstate 275 this morning around 11:30 at Sligh Avenue. A garbage truck driver lost control of his vehicle causing it to end up over a guardrail. The right lanes of the Interstate were then closed for 45 minutes. A driver failed to notice that cars ahead were slowing down and crashed into the car in front, causing that car to crash in the one in front as well. The injured drivers were immediately taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Click here to read the full story.

If you or a loved one was injured in a traffic accident, please call 813-305-PAUL or email Attorney Paul Rebein at paul@rebeinlaw.com for a free initial consultation.