Despite a decrease in overall traffic fatalities during 2011, car accident fatalities for 16 and 17-year-olds increased from 190 to 211 according to a recently released Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) report.

Last year, Florida saw one of the largest increases in teen car accident fatalities. Twenty-two other states saw an increase in teen traffic fatalities and within the last six months, teen traffic deaths have increased by six percent.

With the increase in teen traffic fatalities, many would think the number of teen drivers has also increased. Not in Florida. Between 2006 and 2010, there was actually a decrease of teen drivers in Florida by ten percent according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Why are there less teen drivers? Many teens still in high school cannot afford to buy a car and keep up with the insurance payments required by state law. Other teens simply are waiting to get their driver's license.

Even though there are less teen drivers on the road, those that are driving are more likely to text or use their cellphone. Distracted driving has become the leading factor in fatal teen car accidents. The dangers of cellphone use while driving have become so prevalent that many parents have started using Smartphone applications which disable incoming and outgoing text messages while a car is in motion.

Addressing the Issue

Parents are not the only ones concerned about the increase in teen deaths. The GHSA issued a statement which calls for an improvement in drivers' education for teenagers and increased education for parents on the importance of being involved in establishing safe driving habits for their children.

The GHSA statement also calls for more federal funding for national and state-wide distracted driving campaigns, which could play a key role in raising awareness for safe teen driving and reducing the number of fatal teen car accidents.

According to The Miami Herald, a bill passed by the Senate would have increased the number of inspections of "troubled" ALFs and allowed for the closing of facilities that were not up to par. Further, the Senate bill would have required increased educational credentials for ALF managers. Lobbying efforts by "industry leaders" led the House of Representatives to decline to consider the Senate bill, but the House did, however, pass its own bill.

In a series of reports, The Miami Herald found that many ALF patients across the state are being mistreated and/or being abused and neglected. The reports found incidents of:

• Assault

• Starvation

• Lethal doses of medications being given to patients

• Death

Beyond The Miami Herald's findings, patients of ALFs or nursing homes are at risk of being neglected by caregivers in many areas. Neglect involves the failure of a facility to provide residents with basic services like supervision, food and drink, medical care, and shelter. The failure to provide these services can result in dangerous conditions such as dehydration, malnutrition, sexual assault, medication errors, bedsores, physical injury, and even death.

Bed rails are a surprisingly common cause of nursing home falls and other injuries. According to an FDA study, over a 24 year period, the beds have led to more than 480 deaths, 138 injuries and 185 "close calls."

An even greater risk comes from the potential for seniors to become entrapped. Unlike baby cribs, which are designed to prevent entrapment, railed beds often have a gap between the mattress and the rail. A patient can roll into that gap, which then pushes the mattress further off to the side. As the gap grows, the patient can sink deeper and can eventually become covered by the mattress. Asphyxiation can then occur in matter of mere minutes.

Although bed rail use is still far too common, it has declined in recent years. Experts attribute much of the change not to changing government regulations, but rather to the increasing prevalence of nursing home neglect lawsuits. Many homes find that the cost of replacing outdated beds is cheaper than risking a negligence suit.

If you are helping a loved one choose a nursing home, pay attention to what kind of bed he or she will be using. Sometimes, dangers lurk where we least expect them.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the reason for the spike in license revocations is that more drivers are being reported as mentally or physically unfit to drive. A longstanding, but little-known Florida law, allows anyone to notify the state, in writing, about motorists with mental or physical limitations or conditions that might affect their driving.

Most reports under this law came from family members, the public or a professional after the driver had been in a car accident, became repeatedly confused or was consistently driving erratically. Last year, 9,105 drivers were reported, up from 8,294 in 1999.

How to Help Yourself

Elderly drivers are especially at risk for car accidents. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), drivers 65 and older are involved in more crashes per mile driven than any other age group except teenagers. However, according to AAA, taking away an elderly driver's right to drive is appropriate only in extreme cases. AAA offers some tips for drivers approaching their golden years:

•· Understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you make an honest evaluation of yourself, you may find that there is no problem with your driving. Although driving ability generally begins to deteriorate at age 55, some people can safely drive into old age.

•· Communicate respectfully. When speaking to a loved one, don't immediately assume that they want to take your keys away from you. Understand that they want you to be safe behind the wheel. Talk about strategies to correct your shortcomings and overcome their fears.

•· Plan early. Take the same approach to transportation as you would to finances. Plan for regular medical and vision checkups and choose a safer car. Take the opportunity to identify alternate modes of transportation in case your driving skills diminish.

•· Agree on safe limits. If driving assessments or medical exams reveal deficiencies that can't be corrected, you might consider restricting your driving to daytime, off-peak times, and well-lit routes. When these measures no longer seem to be enough, it might be the time to stop driving.

Warranty

Very simply stated, a warranty covers motor vehicle defects. If a consumer discovers a defect on a car that he or she purchased and the car is under a warranty, the manufacturer will repair or replace the defective part.

Insurance

Insurance generally covers repairs to a car when a vehicle is damaged. In the U.S., insurers generally offer three types of insurance:

•· Liability: covers damage that the insured driver causes to other property

•· Collision: covers damage to the insured driver's vehicle in an accident, no matter who is at fault

•· Comprehensive: covers damage from fire, weather, theft, vandalism and other such incidents.

In the event of a natural disaster, people would make claims under a comprehensive insurance policy. The repairs on the car and any new parts would then have their own warranties, which the car owner could use if the part or repair should fail in the future.

People need to read their insurance policies carefully, however, as some insurers specifically exclude coverage for certain events, such as flood damage, from policies. An insurance policy also differs from a warranty in the amount that the insurer will reimburse the policy owner. While a warranty replaces the defective part with an entirely new one, an insurance policy only pays out the fair market value of the vehicle; the insurer will not provide the insured with a new car.

When disaster strikes, it is not the time to try to learn what a warranty covers and what insurance covers. It is wise for consumers to know the extent of coverage before their cars sustain damage, in the event that the insurance company or manufacturer tries to fight the consumer. If you are having difficulties with an insurance company, contact an experienced attorney who can help advocate for your rights.

1. Orlando-Kissimmee, FL
2. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
3. Jacksonville, FL
4. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL

What is good for cars is not so good for pedestrians. And Transport for America points out that pedestrian injuries and fatal accidents across Florida are often not truly "accidental" at all. The emphasis on designing cities, streets and shopping areas for the benefit of cars at the detriment of pedestrians carries with it a real price a price; a lack of pedestrian safety resulting in numerous deaths. A recent New York Times story details the difficulty of using bus stops and the nonexistence of crosswalks in many areas of Florida. Particularly problematic are the long distances between intersections, which encourage pedestrians to attempt to cross roads while traffic is often moving at speeds of 60 mph or more.

Nationwide Deaths

Dangerous by Design describes the death toll of more than 47,700 pedestrians in the years from 2000 through 2009, as "the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of passengers crashing roughly every month." In addition, more than 688,000 pedestrians were injured over the course of a decade, a number equivalent to a pedestrian being struck by a car or truck every 7 minutes.

In 2009, deaths of vehicle occupants had fallen to the lowest level in 50 years, but the report notes that in many cities, including 15 of the country's largest metro areas, pedestrian fatalities have actually increased. Vehicle occupant deaths have fallen due to concerted campaigns to improve vehicle and highway safety. Pedestrian safety has received little attention and the report argues the pedestrian deaths share a common feature; they occur on "arterial" roadways that were dangerous by design, with no concern for pedestrians, those in wheelchairs or on bicycles. Until Florida addresses these design features, pedestrians will continue to suffer unacceptable consequences.

Being familiar with a few key boating safety tips can help prevent boating accidents and better ensure that everyone is protected on the water.

Obviously, for anyone traveling on a boat, it is advantageous to learn how to swim. Enrolling in a boating education course is also hugely beneficial (only 10 percent of boating fatalities occur in vessels piloted by operators with any type of formal training). And, lifejackets should always be worn or at least kept close at hand: Coast Guard reports indicate that in 90 percent of drownings, the victim was not using a personal floatation device (of those who were wearing lifejackets, many were not equipped with devices engineered to keep the head above water after a loss of consciousness).

Paying close attention to the weather is especially important in coastal areas like Florida where conditions change rapidly. Monitor forecasts ahead of time, and be wary of darkening clouds or sudden changes in the wind or temperature.

Preparedness in terms of equipment is another essential for boaters, particularly those embarking on long voyages into the Gulf of Mexico or other oceanic waters. Make sure your boat is seaworthy with a pre-departure inspection: check navigation lights, fuel and oil levels, fire extinguishers, basic tools and spare parts. A built-in horn or a portable air horn should be on board for signaling, and, if you truly want peace of mind, bring a VHF marine radio (this relatively cheap, ruggedly reliable means of communication can quickly guide rescuers to your exact location).

Finally, never operate a boat under the influence of alcohol. The effects of alcohol can be multiplied by exposure to sun and wind on a boat; alcohol use is even dangerous for passengers, who may fall overboard. Drunken boaters are not only a hazard to themselves and their passengers, they also increase risk to those in nearby vessels. Figures from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission indicate that almost a third of the state's boating deaths involve alcohol or drug use.

Take a Moment for Boating Safety

Ignoring these safety tips can lead to legal liability, collisions, and even drownings; the stakes could hardly be higher.

So, the next time you take to the water looking for a good time, dedicate a few minutes to fulfilling your safety responsibilities to passengers, other boaters, and yourself.

The program evaluate how real drivers react to vehicle-to-vehicle applications in cars that do things like warn the driver about hazards in intersections, an upcoming red light, other cars breaking suddenly, icy road conditions or simply assist a driver pass another car safely. Researchers want to determine how accepting drivers are of the technology and whether significant driver distractions arise from the warnings the applications give to drivers.

After the Driver Acceptance Clinics conclude, the next phase of the program will involve the DOT releasing 2,000-3,000 vehicles equipped with DSRC onto the nation's roads beginning in the fall of 2012 to evaluate how they do in "real world" condtions. The results from both the Driver Acceptance Clinics and the "real world" tests will help the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determine whether the technology is advanced enough to warrant eventually requiring manufacturers to equip all new cars with DSRC capabilities.

Advocates of connected vehicle technology maintain that the cars inspire huge potential for reducing auto accidents. A NHTSA study indicates that such technology could possibly eliminate up to 81 percent of motor vehicle accidents not involving drunk driving because the technology gives drivers a 360 degree awareness of driving conditions and alerts them to dangers that they normally would not be able to perceive unassisted.

Researchers claim another benefit to connected cars will be smoother traffic flow. Drivers can receive advanced warning of traffic congestion on their intended routes and alter their paths if necessary. Additionally, urban planners will analyze the traffic pattern data that the connected car technology gathers to aid them in making roads less congested.

DSRC technology is still being tested and researchers are not certain how drivers will adapt to it. If things go as researchers hope, however, soon talking cars will not be just a movie phenomenon, but a useful way for drivers to avoid accidents.

However, every reduction in home health care spending means more Americans are forced into nursing homes. As nursing homes face overcrowding and inadequate staffing brought on by budget cuts, the potential for abuse and neglect increases substantially.

Medicaid is a program jointly funded by individual state governments and the federal government which provides medical treatment and care for low income individuals. While Medicaid draws funds from both state and federal coffers, it is administered solely by state authorities.

While states typically must subsidize nursing home services through Medicaid, there is no such requirement for home care. Even though home health care programs are generally cheaper to operate than nursing homes, they involve upfront costs that states have great discretion in supporting or eliminating.

Some nursing homes are already feeling the crunch as more and more patients are admitted who, but for budget constraints, would be receiving care at home; the fastest growing age demographic is actually younger patients between 31 and 64, who now represent some 14 percent of nursing home residents.

Abuse and Neglect Concerns

Although elder abuse is dramatically underreported, as many as 10 percent of older Americans are estimated to have been abused within a care setting.

Research indicates that rates of abuse and neglect increase when overcrowding becomes an issue. Overcrowding means more strain on employees, less effective managerial supervision and an increased number of residents who are at risk for negligent care. Furthermore, lower staff to resident ratios coupled with budget reductions means poorer quality staff training, a factor also correlated with a higher risk of neglect and abuse.

Seniors and disabled individuals already suffer harm at the hands of caregivers at an unacceptable rate. Unfortunately, due to impending cuts to home health care services, the odds of your loved one suffering nursing home abuse or neglect are unlikely to go anywhere but up.