A recent collision between a truck and an SUV (sport utility vehicle) on Jacksonville State Road 26 tragically took the life of a 30-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Accidents like this one are far too common. In fact, the number of Florida car accidents increased by 23% in 2012 and are at an all-time high.
Fatal Jacksonville SR 26 Crash
According to the Gainesville Sun, 52-year-old Michael Pickering of Keystone Heights, a retired, 30-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, was driving his Chevy S-10 pickup west on SR 26 near the Orange Heights US 301 overpass.
A 73-year-old resident of Earleton was traveling southeast in his Chevy SUV on the old SR 26 access road. After stopping at a stop sign, the driver traveled onto SR 26 and into the path of Pickering’s pickup. The pickup struck the SUV’s left side with its front section, which sent both vehicles spinning before coming to rest in the eastbound lanes of SR 26.
The SUV driver and his passenger and Pickering’s 10-year-old daughter were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital with serious injuries. Michael Pickering was also taken to Shands, but was pronounced dead on arrival. He had just retired after 30 years of public service.
Tragic accidents like this one are an uncomfortable reminder that car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, Florida car accidents are at an all-time high.
Florida Car Accidents Increased 23% In 2012
According to statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 281,340 traffic crashes in Florida in 2012. That’s an increase of 23.4% over 2011. Many of those resulted in catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injuries and paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, loss of limbs and more. While a car accident can be caused by just about anything, some of the most common causes are:
Aggressive Driving. Florida law prohibits aggressive driving, which includes speeding, unsafe or improper lane changes, following too closely, failure to yield the right-of-way, improper passing and failure to obey traffic control devices such as traffic lights, stop signs and railroad crossing gates.
Distracted Driving. Distracted driving has become an epidemic in the United States, as cell phones allow everyone to be in constant communication. Despite numerous advertising campaigns against texting while driving and engaging in other forms of distracted driving, over 1.5 million accidents occur due to distracted driving every year.
Drunk / Drug Impaired Driving. Drunk and drug impaired driving (including prescription and over the counter drugs) cause thousands of accidents on Florida’s highways every year.
Fatigued Driving. Driving while fatigued slows reflexes, impairs decision making skills and can result in falling asleep at the wheel.
Speeding. Breaking the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions has been the leading cause of car accidents in our country for several decades, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
If you’ve been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced Florida car accident attorney to analyze your situation and determine your legal options so that you and your family can make an informed decision about what’s best for you.
A recent collision between a truck and an SUV (sport utility vehicle) on Jacksonville State Road 26 tragically took the life of a 30-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Accidents like this one are far too common. In fact, the number of Florida car accidents increased by 23% in 2012 and are at an all-time high.
Fatal Jacksonville SR 26 Crash
According to the Gainesville Sun, 52-year-old Michael Pickering of Keystone Heights, a retired, 30-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, was driving his Chevy S-10 pickup west on SR 26 near the Orange Heights US 301 overpass.
A 73-year-old resident of Earleton was traveling southeast in his Chevy SUV on the old SR 26 access road. After stopping at a stop sign, the driver traveled onto SR 26 and into the path of Pickering’s pickup. The pickup struck the SUV’s left side with its front section, which sent both vehicles spinning before coming to rest in the eastbound lanes of SR 26.
The SUV driver and his passenger and Pickering’s 10-year-old daughter were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital with serious injuries. Michael Pickering was also taken to Shands, but was pronounced dead on arrival. He had just retired after 30 years of public service.
Tragic accidents like this one are an uncomfortable reminder that car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, Florida car accidents are at an all-time high.
Florida Car Accidents Increased 23% In 2012
According to statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 281,340 traffic crashes in Florida in 2012. That’s an increase of 23.4% over 2011. Many of those resulted in catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injuries and paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, loss of limbs and more. While a car accident can be caused by just about anything, some of the most common causes are:
If you’ve been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced Florida car accident attorney to analyze your situation and determine your legal options so that you and your family can make an informed decision about what’s best for you.