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School Bus Overturns on I-10
2008-05-28 22:46:00
It was reported that a school bus carrying about 17 elementary students was involved in an auto accident today on I-10 close to Milton, Florida. In what must have been a terrifying experience for the third grade children, the bus and an SUV ran into each other. The crash caused the bus to roll-over twice and end up in the median. All 17 children on the bus, the bus driver and the teacher on board were all taken to local hospitals as a precaution and a few of them were treated for cuts and bruises.
More About: School

High Speed and Wet Roads Results in Fatality
2008-05-23 16:35:00
According to Kissimmee police, a 19 year-old man was injured and his 18 year-old female passenger died in an auto accident yesterday. They were traveling south on Lawrence Silas Boulevard during the rain yesterday when the driver, reportedly driving around 60 miles per hour, lost control of his SUV on the slick pavement. The vehicle skidded off the road and hit a ulitity pole on the passenger side. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center with multiple fractures. According to the police, charges are pending against the driver.
More About: Results , Fatality , Speed , High , High Speed

Two Fatalities, 5 Injuries in Single Auto Accident
2008-05-22 22:23:00
Two young people have died and 5 others were injured, three of them critically, in an auto accident when their SUV went off the road this morning near Chattahoochee, Florida. According to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the SUV was on the eastbound side of I-10 when it left the pavement and rolled over. It was reported that all but one of the occupants was not wearing a seatbelt and that one person was the only one not ejected from the vehicle. Due to the severity of the accident, eastbound I-10 was closed for several hours while FHP completed their investigation.The Cabin.net reported that all of the victims were in their 20's and worked in the same restaurant in Conway, Arkansas. They were on their way to Disney World in Orlando for a vacation when the accident occurred. It's a terrible thing to lose 2 young people like that. One can only hope that the others come out of this all right. If there's one lesson to be learned from this terrible accident, it's that it doesn't matter...
More About: Auto , Injuries , Accident , Single , Fatalities

Excessive Speed Will Yield High Fines
2008-05-20 16:24:00
A Florida bill approved by the Legislature is intended to reduce the number of drivers who speed and prevent more deaths from auto and motorcycle accidents. It will be sent to Governor Crist who is expected to sign it.Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera indicated that HB #137's intent was to stop motorcycle drivers from doing "wheelies", or taking their bike up on the back wheel, and driving in excess of 100 miles per hour. The bill includes a $1,000 fine for the first speeding offense, up from $250. The second offense would be a possible one-year suspension and a $2,500 fine. For a third offense drivers could lose their license for 10 years and have their bike confiscated.The American Motorcycle Association contacted Rep. Lopez-Cantera and said the bill was discriminating against motorcyclist's who speed. In response, the bill was amended to include anyone driving 4-wheel vehicle in excess of 50 miles over the speed limit would get the same fines and suspensions.The bill is expected to go ...
More About: Speed , High

Ford Pickup Truck Recall
2008-05-15 16:23:00
Ford Motor Company announced a recall yesterday of all 2005 and 2006 Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks with the 5.4 liter engine due to a defective part in the braking system. The recall involves approximately 600,000 vehicles in the U.S. alone.The recall was issued after Ford received 11 reports of minor accidents after a hose detached from the manifold causing the auxiliary braking system to fail. Failure of the auxilary system does not cause total brake failure, but makes it necessary for the driver to brake much harder.Owners of these vehicles will be receiving recall notices in the mail and repairs to the system will be done by Ford beginning in June. Meanwhile, owners can call Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
More About: Ford , Truck , Recall , Pickup

Graduation Parties = Drinking & Driving?
2008-05-13 21:53:00
Florida's high school graduations are about to head into full swing. Have you talked to your teen about partying, drinking, and the likelihood of auto accidents?In 2006, 3,490 teenagers died in automobile accidents, and 31% of those teenage drivers who died had been drinking and 25% had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher*.The Florida Highway Patrol is asking high school students, including seniors, to "celebrate smart" by making the right choice when it comes to drinking and driving, allowing friends to drive drunk, or getting into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking. Graduation is an exciting time as seniors look forward to moving on to the next stage of the lives. FHP just wants to make sure they make it to the next stage alive and well.FHP suggests that teachers and parents discuss the the following rules before their teens head off to graduation parties:Don't drink and drive.Don't get in a vehicle with a driver who has been drinkingMake sure everyone in the vehic...
More About: Driving , Parties , Drinking

Two Crashes, Two Fatalities
2008-05-13 18:00:00
Two unrelated Central Florida auto accidents yesterday resulted in the deaths of two men, ages 27 and 51.In Lake County a 27 year-old hit a pickup when he veered into the path of on-coming traffic. The impact turned his Camaro around, facing the opposite direction. It was reported that the driver of the Camaro was not wearing his seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. The two victims in the pickup, who were wearing their seatbelts, were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.A 51 year-old man from Kissimmee died when he turned left in front of a truck. The truck crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle, killing the driver. It was reported he was wearing his seatbelt but died from the injuries sustained in the accident.While these accidents show that seatbelts cannot protect you in all car crashes, you give yourself a much better chance if you buckle up every time you into a vehicle, either as a driver or a passenger.
More About: Crashes , Fatalities

NTSB Reminds States of Deadliest Drunk Driving Accident Ever
2008-05-12 23:11:00
The National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) issued a press release today asking state legislatures to remember the drunk driving auto accident that occurred May 14, 1998. This will be the 20th anniversary of this horrific accident in Kentucky in which 24 youths and 3 adults died and 34 others were injured by a habitual drunk driver.It was this fatal car crash that was the impetus of the NTSB's focus on hard core drunk drivers and put the issue on their "Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements." NTSB put together a model program which included 11 elements they thought would address the issues. They had hoped all states would adopt the model program to reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths each year.The adoption of these measures has had limited success. According to NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker, "While we have seen some progress in all the states, not enough has been done. If more of the elements of our model program were implemented by the states, there would be far fewer ...
More About: Driving , Accident , Drunk , States , Drunk Driving

Outdoor Grilling Safety
2008-05-09 21:50:00
The warm weather comes early in the South and when it does, many people enjoy cooking on an outdoor grill. Whether it's a gas or charcoal grill, the food tastes better when it's cooked outside, but with that great taste comes a greater risk of injury from the grilling. Often times these injuries are due to improper use but they can also be due to a defective product.According to the National Fire Protection Agency, there were approximately 8300 grill-related fires caused by gas grills, charcoal grills or hibachis in 2005 of which 3,400 involved some type of structure fire.Of those fires involving a gas grill (81%), the source was either a broken or leaking gas line or the gas grill ignited some other flammable liquid. The charcoal grill fires were usually the result of something being too close to the grill, or part of the structure caught fire first.The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CSPC) has a list of Grill Safety Tips that you may want to review before you pull that gril...
More About: Grilling , Outdoor

Class 1 Recall of Digitalis
2008-04-28 22:46:00
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issue a press release for Actavis Totowa LLC. The manufacturer located in Morristown, NJ has issued a Class 1 recall of all strengths of their digitalis tablets manufactured under the name Digitek. Distribution of the defective products is by Mylan Pharmaceuticals using their Bertek label, and by UDL Laboratories using their UDL label.The digitalis tablets came out of manufacturing with a double thickness of the tablet, meaning each tablet is a double-dose of the medication. Since Digitek is taken to correct abnormal heart rates and for heart failure, the double-dose poses quite a risk as well digitalis toxicity which can cause renal failure. The symptoms of excess Digitek in the system can be nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instablity and bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate). Patients taking either of these medications should contact Stericycle, a pharmaceutical recall service company, at 1-888-276-616...
More About: Recall

Contaminated Heparin Linked to 81 Deaths
2008-04-22 15:44:00
It has been reported that 81 deaths in the U.S. can be linked to a contaminated supply of the drug heparin, a blood thinner, imported from China. The deaths were centered around dialysis patients who use the defective products on a regular basis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Chinese officials are at odds as to where the contamination occurred. Although the Chinese agreed that the heparin was contaminated, they said the deaths could not be attributed to the contaminant and they want to inspect the factory where the heparin was put into vials.U.S. government officials are considering increased funding which will add more FDA inspection offices in China and increased inspections of the drug before it is exported. FDA director Dr. Janet Woodcock, "assured patients, however, that all heparin supplies in the United States hadbeen tested with the most sensitive assays and had been found to beuncontaminated."
More About: Deaths

Internet Shopping for Prescription Meds
2008-04-16 21:32:00
Everyone knows that the cost of prescription medications in the U.S. is extremely high and its taking a bigger and bigger piece of the family income, particularly that of senior citizens.According to the About.com:Senior Health, one in four Americans has no prescription drug insurance. This often forces them to buy their prescription drugs on the Internet through online "pharmacies". The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) understands this need to search out the best price for your medications, but they want to make certain that you are getting safe drugs from Internet. They caution consumers that not all online pharmacies are licensed to sell drugs in the U.S. You can't even be certain there is a licensed pharmacist on staff to help you. Therefore, any information you get may not be accurate or you may get the wrong medication. There is also no guarantee that they will keep your personal information private. The FDA also warns that some of the medications bought online ma...
More About: Shopping , Meds , Prescription

Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedra, Aristolochic Acid and Human Placent
2008-04-14 22:59:00
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice of immediate recall of several defective dietary herbal supplements due to a risk of health problems.Herbal Science International Inc. is recalling twelve of its supplements at the direction of the FDA due to the health hazard that they pose. Nine of the products being recalled contain the ingredient ephedra which has the botanical component ephedrine alkaloids. Ephedrine alkaloids are "adrenaline-like stimulants that can have potentially dangerous effects on the heart." They can cause blood pressure to go up and can have the same effects as a stroke or heart attack.Two of the other products being recalled have the ingredient aristolochic acid. Arisitolica acid is a strong carcinogenic and nephrotoxic botanical chemical. Taking supplements containing these ingredients poses a risk for kidney failure.The product containing human placenta is being recalled because the FDA has not approved human placenta for human consumpti...
More About: Human , Supplements , Acid , Dietary

Driver Loses Control, Hits Three Pedestrians, One Dies
2008-04-09 14:55:00
A 60 year-old female driver unexplainably lost control of her car causing a terrible auto accident on a busy highway in Lauderhill yesterday. The Nissan ricocheted off another vehicle going the same direction and headed directly for a bus stop where it struck three victims. One of the female victims landed on the hood of the Nissan and was carried over 500 feet - all the while the car was mowing down a street sign, bouncing off vehicles and crashing through a hedge. The victim on the hood of the car at last ended up on the ground in the parking lot of a church and did not survive. Another victim taken to a local hospital was stuck by the flying One-Way street sign. The driver was taken to the hospital with chest pains and it was not determined if the accident caused the pain or the pain caused the accident.One local police officer likened the car crash scene to that of a billard table as the car bounced off the several cars.
More About: Driver , Control , Hits , Dies

Fiery Crash Kills Two on I-95
2008-04-08 17:15:00
A two-car auto accident on I-95 last Saturday killed two victims and the one who hit them walked away with only minor injuries.The two victims, a couple from New Jersey, were travelling either very slowly or almost stopped, according to Florida Highway Patrol, when a 23 year-old man from Boca Raton slammed into their slow moving vehicle. Both vehicles slid almost 100 yards, then burst into flames.A sheriff deputy from Broward County tried to rescue the victims but the intense flames prevented him from doing so. Witnesses said the scene was horrifying as the flames leaped 20 - 30 feet in the air.
More About: Crash

Texting While Driving May Become Illegal In Florida
2008-04-02 23:20:00
According to the Orlando Sentinel, in an effort to reduce auto accidents, Florida may be the next state to make it illegal to text-message while driving. Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, is sponsoring the bill which would allow officers to ticket drivers who were texting and driving if they were pulled over for some other traffic violation. There would be a $60 fine for the offense.While there are many other distractions that effect driver safety such as cell phone use, mapping your route from a GPS system, or even eating, Sen. Baker said the legislators were "drawing the line at texting."The ban on texting while driving will be attached to the legislation prohibiting minors from talking on their cell phones while driving.
More About: Driving , Illegal

Child Car Seats Recalled Due to Possible Injury
2008-04-02 17:20:00
The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration has issued two recalls due to possible injury to a child in the event of an auto accident. Both cases involve the actual seat separating from the base unit, but one is if there is a car crash in the front and the other involves side impact auto accidents. The first recall is for the Evenflo Discovery child seats manufactured by Evenflo Company, Inc. from 2005 through 2008. Approximately 1,000,000 Discovery model numbers 390, 391, 534, and 552 are being recalled because the seat may separate from the base in a "high impact side collision" providing no protection for the child. Consumers should contact Evenflo at 1-800-356-2229 or www.evenflo.con/discovery for instructions on getting an additional hook to ensure the seat remains stationary.Combi USA Inc. is recalling approximately 67,000 Combi infant seats due to possible separation in a front end crash. The model numbers include 4400, 4515, 4520, 8065, 8074 8086, 8087 and 8520 and...
More About: Injury , Child , Recalled

Children Injured Riding in Back of Pickup Truck
2008-03-31 21:19:00
An auto accident involving a single vehicle injured six children near Davie last week-end. The driver of a pickup truck, who was not licensed to drive, let the children ride in the truck and they were injured as they were thrown about the pickup bed. Luckily, none of the children were seriously injured.According to the Orlando Sentinel, the 34 year-old driver was arrested on "cruelty toward a child, operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, possession of an open container, failure to wear a seatbelt as well as other traffic-related charges".According to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), most states have enacted laws prohibiting drivers from allowing anyone to ride in the back of a pickup, either an open bed or a covered bed. Yet there were thirty-five children or teens under the age of twenty killed both in 2005 and 2006. Common sense would tell you that if your child must have be strapped into a car seat or seatbelt in car in order to be safe,...
More About: Children , Truck , Back , Pickup , Riding

Animals on Highway Cause Two Wrecks, One Fatality
2008-03-27 16:45:00
Two auto accidents on Florida's highways this week have been caused by aninals wandering onto the road.A wild hog strayed onto Bridge Road in Hobe Sound, near Jupiter, and was hit by a 34 year-old man from Indiantown. The driver hit the large, black animal on a dark stretch of road and as a result drove off the pavement and struck a power pole. The man was wearing his seat belt, but unfortunately died in the accident. In another animal-related car crash, a 57 year-old man from Merritt Island struck and killed a cow that was crossing Highway 50 in Bithlo. At 1:34 in the morning, Hwy 50 is also a dark road and the driver was unable to miss the cow that had meandered into his path. There were no reports of injury to the driver.
More About: Animals , Fatality

State Representative Backs Mandatory Driver's Ed Law
2008-03-25 14:50:00
Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, wants to reduce the number of auto accidents involving inexperienced teenage drivers. He is proposing to make driver's education a mandatory requirement for high school graduation.Tampa Tribune's online website, TBO.com, reportsAccording to a Florida Traffic Crash Statistics Report from 2006, drivers age 15 to 19 have the highest crash rate per 10,000 licensed drivers, while 18-year-old drivers have the highest rate of involvement in fatal crashes.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that auto accidents are the number one killer of teens ages 15-20. There were 3,490 teenage auto fatalies in 2006, and 272,000 injuries.Rep. Ambler's bill is also supported by many teenage drivers, one of whom helped write the proposed bill. Teens realize that many of their peers are bad drivers and would gain knowledge and experience by taking driver's ed course, thereby, reducing the number of car crashes and teenage fatalities. Currently...
More About: State , Representative , State Representative

Police Motorcycle Camera Proves the Need to "Move Over"
2008-03-20 19:53:00
Last November a member of the Hillsboro Oregon Police Department was on a routine traffic stop when he nearly lost his life in an accident, and the whole thing was recorded by the camera on his motorcycle.The video shows Officer Clint Chrz standing next to a vehicle, talking to the driver on the shoulder of the Pacific Highway. Out of nowhere you see his motorcycle come flying into him. A drunk driver had hit his motorcycle and which then rammed into the the officer. The force of the car crash threw him into the middle of the highway. Luckily another car on the highway saw him lying there and pulled his vehicle up to protect him from on-coming traffic. Whether his helmet saved his life, we will never know, but the officer suffered only cuts, bruises and a concussion.It is because of accidents like that of Officer Chrz that 43 states, including Florida, have enacted the "Move Over" law. It requires drivers to slow down when approaching emergency vehicles and give them the amount of r...
More About: Camera , Motorcycle

Surgeon Removes Healthy Kidney
2008-03-20 14:47:00
A surgeon in Minnesota left a cancerous kidney in a patient and instead removed a healthy one. The doctor has promised to stop practicing medicine after his horrible mistake was revealed a day later by pathology reports. Surgeons will now have to double check CAT scans and MRI's before beginning surgery. There is no word on how the patient is doing, or whether he will need a kidney transplant to survive. Most people can live with only one kidney, and now that his healthy one is gone, he might need such a transplant. Therefore, the doctor's mistake has affected not just one person, but perhaps two since that kidney could have gone to someone else. It is also interesting to consider the recourses this patient would be left with in Florida, where one size fits all medical malpractice claims would limit his recovery for his suffering due to this shocking mistake.
More About: Healthy , Kidney

Legionnaires' Disease Attacks Florida Tourists
2008-03-18 16:44:00
Orange County Health Department director Dr. Kevin Sherin has reported two incidents of Legionnaires' disease in Orlando. The out-of-state tourists had both stayed at the Quality Inn Suites just off International Drive near Universal Studios, then travelled to Pinellas County where the disease was diagnosed.The hotel operators voluntarily closed the hotel for a short time on Friday as state inspectors sampled water from the hotel pool and spa. Air quality tests continued to be taken this week. However, it may not be known for a couple of weeks if the hotel was the source of the disease due to the testing process.The Center for Disease Control defines legionnaires' disease as -Legionellosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Legionellapneumophila. The disease has two distinct forms: Legionnaires' disease, the more severe form of infectionwhich includes pneumonia, andPontiac fever, a milder illness. Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in 1976 when an outbreak ofpneumoni...
More About: Florida , Tourists , Attacks

Semi and Train Accident Closed Local Road
2008-03-18 13:41:00
Confusion still exists as to what caused a train to back into a tractor-trailer late last night. The truck-train accident, which happened around 11:00 p.m. last night, closed Landstreet Road near Orange Avenue for almost eight hours. The driver of the semi said he was stopped at the tracks when the railroad crossing gates went up and he proceeded across the tracks. The train, which was backing up, collided with the side of the semi, causing it to roll over on its side. The semi caught fire, but the driver was able to escape with only minor injuries. The conductor, however, who was riding at the back of the train, was sent to the hospital with serious injuries.According to tv news reports, there was some concern over chemicals that were being transported on the train, but it was determined there was no safety risk.
More About: Accident , Train , Local , Semi

Mystery Car Going Wrong Way on I-95 Causes Fatalities
2008-03-17 19:18:00
Was it the white Mercedes or the black Pontiac traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-95 that caused the multiple car accidents? Florida Highway Patrol is not saying and the investigation may lasts several days, or maybe even a few weeks.All that is known for certain is that the two vehicles were in a head-on crash at about 5:00 am this morning. The driver of the Mercedes, a 54 year-old man from Quebec, and the two passengers in the backseat, a 79 year-old from Quebec and an 83 year-old man from Boca Raton, were killed instantly. The third victim was a 69 year-old woman who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.The 25 year-old driver of the Pontiac survived the collision and was doing better than expected and should survive the accident.There were other accidents related to the vehicle going the wrong way, but not directly involved in the head-on collision. A Delray Beach office saw the vehicle going in the wrong direction and pursued it - headed south in the ermerge...
More About: Mystery , Wrong , Fatalities