The current law in Florida requires drivers traveling in both directions to stop for a school bus that has its stop sign out.  On roads with a raised median, barrier or other open space, traffic heading in the opposite direction does not have to stop.  The fine currently is $265.00 and suspension of your driver's license.   After several recent severe injuries and fatalities to children, a new bill is up for Senate vote called "Gabby's Law" which would make it a crime to pass a stopped school bus, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine up to $500.00.  A second conviction would bring the jail time up to six months and the fine up to $1,000.00.  Gabby was killed by a car shortly after getting off her school bus in DeBary in 2010.  She was 12.

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, unfortunately accidents can happen.  If you have an accident and are injured, don’t let the time clock run on you to seek medical attention.  During this time of year, the days quickly pass.  Drivers involved in crashes with injuries, must seek medical care within 14 days from the date of their accident to take advantage of their automobile insurance PIP (personal injury protection) policy benefits.  On day 15, you are no longer eligible for the benefits you paid for.  To qualify for your full $10,000.00 benefit, your injuries must be diagnosed as an “Emergency Medical Condition”.  If this threshold is not met, your maximum benefit is $2,500.00, even though you paid for $10,000.00 in coverage.  Bottom line, don’t delay after your accident.  If you need additional advice on this information, please call my firm, (407) 628-4871.  If you’ve had an accident and are injured, I am here to help you.  I wish all a happy and safe holiday season.

---  R. David Ayers, Jr.

Inattention or distraction while driving can not only delay a person's response times, and slow down his reflexes, but it also increases a person's risk of running a red light. In fact, a new study finds that as many as 12% of all red light violations are the result of distracted driving.

The National Coalition commissioned the study for Safer Roads, and FocusDriven. The study looked at 118 intersections across 19 communities in the United States, which were all monitored and evaluated over a period of three months. All these intersections were equipped with red light camera systems.

On evaluating the camera images that were derived from these systems at these intersections, the researchers found that as many as 12% of the violations were the result of distractions. In fact, both of these organizations and their research claim that distracted driving could be responsible for as many as 7.3 million red light violations every year.

Red light violations typically lead to side impact accidents like broadside accidents, which result in very serious injuries to the occupants of the vehicle. That is because passengers may have very little protection from serious injuries when a vehicle from the side strikes them. Even with the existence of side airbags, these passengers may have a much higher risk of being killed or sustaining serious injuries in the accident.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also estimates that red light violations are a major cause of accidents across the country. It now appears that both red light violations and distracted driving are quite closely connected, and increase the risk of accidents for motorists. This only underscores the need for motorists to avoid using a cell phone for any purpose at any time behind the wheel.