Two burglary suspects were killed in a car accident according to a recent report on local Orlando news station WFTV’s website. The Sanford police received a phone call from a concerned neighbor regarding a burglary on the residential Scott Avenue. Multiple suspects raced away from the home in a stolen SUV and were subsequently followed by Seminole County deputies via helicopter and also deployed stop sticks. The driver of the stolen SUV struck the stop sticks, causing the vehicle to roll over multiple times, sent debris into the roadway, and ejected the five individuals from the car. One eyewitness account reported that the vehicle seemed to be going as fast as 100 mph. Two suspects died from the crash, while the other passengers remain hospitalized and unidentified.

Yearly Snapshot of Car Accidents

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2013 more than 32,000 people died in car accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates the annual economic cost of these collisions totals $242 billion. Several factors contribute to the high rate of car accidents in the U.S. including impaired driving, failure to obey the speed limit, and lack of safety belt use, among others.

DOT studies have shown that in 2013 a total of:

  • 32,719 individuals lost their lives in car accidents in 2013;
  • 30,057 accidents occurred involving 44,868 vehicles;
  • 65 percent of car accident-related deaths were passenger vehicle occupants;
  • 14 percent of car accident-related deaths were pedestrians;
  • Two percent of car accident-related deaths were bicyclists; and
  • 2013 recorded the second-lowest number of fatal car accidents since 1975.

Furthermore, males had a higher per capita car accident death rate than females; males ages 20-24 and 85 and older were the most vulnerable to car accident fatalities. Safety belt use for front seat passengers was found to be 87 percent, according to a national daytime observation of motorists. Fatality is much higher in a car accident when a passenger is not restrained by a safety belt.

No-Fault Insurance

Florida is a “no-fault” state, which means the insurance provider covers damages incurred to the insured (its customer) in a car accident, regardless of which party is at fault. In other words, a driver does not need to go after the other party’s insurance companies in order to be reimbursed for damages. Twelve states in the nation in addition to Puerto Rico require no-fault insurance coverage.

Florida has an “injury threshold” under which drivers can go outside of the state’s no-fault system and pursue a claim against the responsible party directly only if the injuries sustained from the car accident are considered severe enough. Generally, this requires permanent injuries such as significant and permanent scarring, disfigurement or significant and permanent loss of important body parts/functions resulted from the collision.

Car Accident Help

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident as a result of the negligence of another, contact an experienced Brandon car accident attorney at Reed & Reed right away to learn about your rights and obligations under state law. No matter what the cause of the crash, it is important to have an aggressive legal advocate on your side. Call (813) 438-5960 or contact us online today to schedule your initial case evaluation.

From our office in Brandon, we help clients in Tampa, New Tampa, Plant City, East Hillsborough County and throughout the state of Florida. Contact Reed & Reed for a free consultation.