Florida Driving: Unexpected Effects of COVID-19

If there’s one thing Floridians can agree on, it’s that driving in the state is often a chore. You might assume that roadways would be overall safer in 2020, given that miles driven were down 13%. Shockingly, the opposite is true. 2020 was a record-setting year for Florida driving. With a little research and preparation,…

5 Shocking Polk Crime and Traffic Statistics

It goes without saying that 2020 was not the year any of us expected. Between social unrest, politics, and coronavirus, 2020 posed quite a few threats to our daily comfort. In addition to all of this, regular crime and legal issues were still commonplace. Below we have 5 of last year’s crime and traffic statistics…

Push to Repeal No Fault Auto Insurance Laws

Florida lawmakers are pressing forward with an effort to repeal the state’s no-fault car insurance system. Short of full repeal, they hope to achieve a major overhaul. Any changes will likely be controversial, given the fact that no-fault insurance is a perennial hot-button issue. Critics say it’s behind the times at best and, at worst,…

Top 10 Most Dangerous Intersections in Tampa

Some car accidents are inevitable. But there are some areas in Tampa where crashes are more likely. A local advocacy group, All For Transportation, recently delved into crash statistics and identified the most problematic intersections. The purpose of the study is to encourage government leaders to make road and highway improvements in Tampa and Hillsborough…

Tips for Returning to Normal Life After a Tampa Car Accident

An automobile accident can result in harm on many levels, not just physically. Returning to the life you once lived can take time. The recovery process has its ups and downs, and you may feel like you’re riding an emotional rollercoaster. Believe it or not, that’s normal after a car accident. More than 7,000 people…

Are Car Accident Settlements Taxable in Florida?

It’s a common question we get from our personal injury clients hurt in a car crash. You are likely to wonder if taxes will consume the settlement you received once your case is resolved. At Brooks Law Group, we know this is an important question. We advise clients to seek the advice of their CPA…

I-4 Construction Updates for Commuters

Commuting on I-4 is a struggle that Polk and Hillsborough County residents know well. Whether you commute to Tampa or Orlando, you’ve surely been caught in some rush hour traffic. It looks like the new year will bring some I-4 construction changes that might help you out! Did you know that I-4 is one of…

Drunk Driving in Florida: The Holiday Danger

For residents of Florida, driving is a bit unusual. As a visitor, you may believe that turn signals are optional here—they are not. You might think that the left lane is no longer for passing in this state—it still is. Maybe you think it’s perfectly legal to drive with faulty brake lights (since every car…

California Proposition 22 and the Future of Ride-Share

Since their inception in the early 2010s, ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft have been growing more successful and popular. In 2019, Uber alone completed nearly 7 billion trips. Needless to say, this powerful technology is changing the way we see transportation today. This is why the decline of its workers’ rights via California Proposition…

Dangers of Driving After Daylight Saving Time Change

An unintended by-product of the switch to and from Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a marked increase in deadly car accidents. The spike is especially notable in the spring, when we lose an hour of sleep. In fact, fatal car wrecks go up by six percent in the week following the start of DST. This…

Why Wasn’t Uber Charged in a Fatal Self-Driving Car Crash?

The news of an Arizona bicyclist who was struck and killed by an autonomous Uber vehicle in 2018 made national headlines. At the time, the public wondered if the company would face charges. But recently, the safety driver hired to oversee the autonomous car was charged with criminal negligence. However, neither Uber nor the company…

Young Men Driving Dangerously During COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has infiltrated nearly every aspect of American life. When the nation was shut down in early spring, there was a rise in unsafe driving habits nationwide, especially among young men. Chief among them was driving under the influence of alcohol or mind-altering drugs. But a rise in other risky behaviors, such as…

Adults With ADHD More Likely to Be In Car Accidents

Car accidents are more likely for adults who experience ADHD symptoms beyond childhood, according to a new study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ADHD, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, affects more than 6.1 million children in America. Characterized by trouble focusing, sitting still,…

How Does Driving Stress Affect Me?

If you’ve been feeling more stressed lately, you’re not alone. Anxiety levels are rising across the country, and this is only made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our staff from our offices in Tampa, Winter Haven, and Auburndale have been learning different stress relief tactics. We figured it was time we share a little of…

Distracted Driving: Has It Improved?

It’s pretty unlikely that you haven’t heard of the dangers of distracted driving. Our state has recently started to take the problem more seriously. It’s been just over a year since Florida’s texting and driving law went into effect. Though we don’t have updated statistics just yet, hopefully this law has kept us off our…