You Should be Thankful for These Florida Car Accident Laws

Laws are designed to protect citizens and keep them safe.  This holiday season, we are reminded of laws that keep us safe. 

Florida’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP)  § 627.736
Florida is one of several states that require PIP insurance coverage.  Florida requires drivers to have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage.  With this coverage, if you are involved in an accident, your own insurance company pays 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages-regardless of who is at-fault in the accident.  This law is beneficial because it helps to reduce payment delays for those involved in car accidents.  PIP also covers ambulance fees, funeral costs, and reimbursement for prescriptions.  Family members that live at the same address can be covered too if they do not have their own PIP insurance coverage.

Duty to give information and render aid Florida Statutes §316.062
In Florida, drivers involved in a car accident where a person is injured, deceased, or property has been damaged must give their name, address, and vehicle registration to parties involved in the collision.  This law ensures that drivers do not leave the scene of an accident, but are held accountable for their role in the accident.  If a driver does leave the scene of an accident, he or she may be held criminally responsible.

Red Light Cameras
If you are caught running a red light, it can be annoying.  However, red light cameras can provide a bird’s eye view of what occurred during a car accident.  Red light cameras discourage speeding and have reduced car accident fatalities in some large cities.  An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that cameras reduced the fatal red light running crash rate of large cities by 21 percent and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 14 percent.

Trial by Jury
Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, “I consider trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.” The 7th Amendment of the United States Constitution gives those involved in civil cases with a value of more than $20 the right to be judged by a jury of their peers.  This eliminated the possible bias a judge may have against a plaintiff or defendant.