Our lawyers are deeply saddened by accidents caused by drunk drivers. Recently, Tiffany Ann Woodham and her unborn baby girl were killed in Tampa, when they were killed when a van driven by an intoxicated driver struck the rear of her car. Doctors tried unsuccessfully to save her unborn baby girl by attempting to perform an emergency C-Section. Sadly, both mother and baby died. Our prayers go out to Ms. Woodham’s family.
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According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the driver of the van, 37 year old Thomas Dick of Tulsa, Oklahoma was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and several other charges. Dick was speeding and had a blood alcohol content of .131; almost twice the legal limit in Florida. Perhaps it is time we reconsider mandatory ignition interlocks on all vehicles. These devices prevent intoxicated drivers from starting their car.
Accidents caused by drunk drivers reinforce the need to find a better solution to prevent this from ever happening again. As Thanksgiving nears, more and more Floridians will be exposed to drivers under the influence. According to the Florida Highway Department of Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Statistics Thanksgiving travelers experience more alcohol-related car and truck accident deaths compared to any other holiday.
The combination of traffic and drunk college kids is a deadly mix. Last Thanksgiving, our Florida Highway Patrol took 136 apparently drunk drivers off of state highways and issued nearly 5,000 more speeding tickets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 431 traffic accident deaths, nearly half related to alcohol last year during the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday. And take note, Thanksgiving Eve, or Blackout Wednesday, is the biggest drinking night of the year for college students returning home for the holidays.
Thanksgiving night is the most traveled holiday time of the year by car. In fact, 61 percent of all passengers last Thanksgiving were killed between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM. To survive this Thanksgiving, here is my number one Miami car accident lawyer safety tip: WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT. You think this is obvious? Fifty-one percent of the 22,187 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year were NOT wearing seat belts. Your family is expecting you for dinner. So, please buckle up.
