Every step we can take to reduce or completely eliminate injuries to children caused by car accidents in Florida is a step in the right direction,
West Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) February 04, 2014
West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer Adriana Gonzalez of Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. today said it’s critical that parents and guardians of children become aware of Florida’s new child car seat law, which went into effect in January.
Commenting on a report in CBS 12 News, “New Florida Laws That You Need To Know” (Jan. 1, 2014), Gonzalez said the car seat law could lead to fewer injuries and fatalities involving children.
“Every step we can take to reduce or completely eliminate injuries to children caused by car accidents in Florida is a step in the right direction,” Gonzalez said. “Our law firm knows first-hand just how devastating injuries to children can be for families in Florida. All it takes is one reckless driver to completely change the lives of entire families in an instant. A child’s life depends on the way a car seat is secured, and this law addresses that.”
Florida’s new law applies to children and car seats that weigh more than 65 pounds combined, according to the CBS 12 News report. Previously, a latch system was an option for securing the child. Now, Florida law requires drivers to use a seatbelt to restrain a child in a car seat that weighs more than 65 pounds combined, CBS 12 News reported.
Florida requires all children under 5 years old to be secured properly while traveling in a vehicle, according to Florida’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. Children under 3 years old must be secured in a federally approved child car seat. Children 4 through 5 years old must be secured in a federally approved child car seat or with a safety belt, according to Florida’s DMV website.
But no matter how well built child car seats are, they’re no match for a reckless driver in Florida, said West Palm Beach auto accident attorney Charles E. Cartwright.
“Drivers need to realize that their actions have consequences,” Cartwright said. “If you cause a head-on collision or rear-end accident because you were texting while driving or drunk driving, you must be held accountable. Accidents can be devastating, and they are especially heartbreaking when children are involved.”
Cartwright said victims who have been injured or families who have lost loved ones in accidents should seek the advice of legal counsel. An attorney can help pursue compensation and hold the responsible individual or company accountable, he said.
About Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A.
Charles Cartwright obtained his law degree from the University of Miami in 1993 and has been practicing law in South Florida for over 20 years. Well versed in all steps of the personal injury process, Cartwright is an AV-rated attorney who has received the highest rating from Martindale Hubbell. Adriana Gonzalez obtained her law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida, and has been an officer in the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association since 2009. In 2012 and 2013, she was named one of Florida’s Rising Stars by Super Lawyers for her work in personal injury law.
For more information on what to do if you’ve been injured in an accident, call (800) 608-2965.
Gonzalez & Cartwright is located at 813 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth FL 33460. Visit http://www.gonzalezcartwright.com/