Arrive Alive Campaign Hopes to Reduce Deadly Florida Car Accidents

Due to a dramatic rise in the number of Florida car accidents resulting in wrongful deaths, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recently brought back their Arrive Alive safety campaign. Fort Lauderdale personal injury Lawyer Joseph Lipsky knows too well that because of its weather, rising population and ever popular destination for tourists, Florida is always one of the most-deadly states for driving.

The updated Arrive Alive campaign is a statewide safety program which brings together the resources of all police departments and the Department of Transportation, who with the use of real-time data hope to stem the residing tide of deadly car accidents. The State moved forward with its initiative after recent statistics demonstrated a rapid rise in Florida car accident caused wrongful deaths, increasing from 2500 in 2014, to more than 3000 in 2016. Incredibly, nearly 150 people have needlessly lost their lives on Florida’s roadways this year.

Not surprisingly, Florida is not alone in experiencing a rise in deadly car accidents. Nationally, car accident wrongful deaths increased more than 7 percent of the same time period. Yet, multiple studies show that Florida’s roads, due to a lack of safety laws, remains a leader in dangerousness. Some of the needed safety laws include police enforcement of passenger seat belt usage, mandatory motorcycle helmet use and a ban on texting while driving.

The Advocates report says Florida is missing a rear primary enforcement seat belt law, all rider-motorcycle helmet law, booster seat law, five of the seven teen driving provisions it recommends, an ignition interlock law, and an all-driver text messaging restriction. Although the Arrive Alive program is not advocating for these needed safe driving laws, as a Miami personal injury lawyer, Joseph Lipsky suggests the Florida legislature take action in passing laws which will save lives.

As for the Florida’s Arrive Alive campaign, Florida law enforcement intends to spend their resources and efforts on increased police presence, driver education and road improvements. According to the statement from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “The Arrive Alive initiative will incorporate law enforcement presence, media outreach and road safety assessments in high crash and high crime areas through a strategic and data driven approach. This approach will be shared with partners and will guide all activity throughout the initiative to ensure resources are targeted in the appropriate areas.” We certainly welcome any statewide effort to reduce car accidents and wrongful deaths, and hope our fellow drivers recognize the dangers which are present on Florida’s roads, and Arrive Alive.