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At one point or another, everyone is a pedestrian. As the expense of driving and insuring a vehicle rise, more and more people choose to walk to their destinations. As the number of pedestrians increases, so do the number of pedestrian accidents. To see where the Miami and Fort Lauderdale regions rank in terms of pedestrian collisions nationally, please go to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.
According to Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in 2012, 726 lost their lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes nationally, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S. The death rate from bicycle crashes is high due to the relative lack of protection bicyclists have in an impact with a motor vehicle.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, nationally from 2013 to 2014, deaths increased from 560 to 610, an 8.9% increase, injuries increased from 2,620 to 2,678, a 2.2% increase and the total number of accidents increased from 4,062 to 4,064, a 0.05% increase. Where the cause of death was known, 78% of fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those drowning victims, 84% were not wearing a life jacket.
While rare compared to other types of motor-vehicle crashes, aircraft accidents do happen regularly, usually with devastating results. Despite significant safety improvements over the past decades, many people each year experience the pain of losing someone in an airplane crash.
Look at this poor elk! The 600-lb female fell through a plexiglass window well into a family's living room in Hailey, Idaho, and they didn't even have any snacks ready for her.
What's up with rubbernecking?
We've all seen it - and face it, probably done it ourselves. There's an accident on the shoulder, and we MUST look. Even if we try not to. What is behind this normal, annoying, and dangerous reaction? It's one more example of distracted driving that Bellingham, WA car accident lawyer Bill Coats looked into, and it turns out, there's a potential bright side for this behavior.
Got a new or leased vehicle? You might have to pay out big if it's wrecked
Car insurance policies are complicated, and all the more so when covering financed and leased vehicles. Here is what you need to do to protect your financial assets if you drive one.
What you need to know about gap insurance
This type of coverage is important to consider if you're driving a financed or leased vehicle. Click this link for an article by Bill Coats Law on gap insurance - what it is, and who needs it.
New or leased vehicle? Read this before you talk to a claims adjuster
Unfortunately, no one can buy insurance to cover an accident that happens before the policy goes into effect. But, if you have a financed or leased vehicle, you'll want to read this article on how to protect yourself in case of a serious wreck.
A critical step in the claims process for owners of financed or leased vehicles
Insurance claims adjusters are notoriously adept at negotiating a smaller claim than their insured would like. If you've got a financed or leased vehicle, you may be in for a bigger shock than even the claims adjuster can give you if you lack gap insurance. Here's what you need to know about this coverage.