This case is still under investigation and the names of those involved are being withheld.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that about 75 people are killed annually and about 20,000 are injured on or near riding lawnmowers and garden tractors. One out of every five of those fatalities is a child. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics in a 2001 article in the journal Pediatrics, which was reaffirmed in 2010, states that “many of these injuries can be achieved by 1) design changes of lawn mowers to enhance safety, 2) appropriate age and maturity guidelines for mower operation, and 3) education of parents, other child caregivers, and children regarding the hazards associated with lawn mowers.”

Florida Child Injury lawyer Jim Dodson provides this information to increase consumer safety and awareness. It does not imply that an attorney client relationship exists nor is it to be considered legal advice to any viewer.

What Safe Routes to School Hopes to Achieve

Among the goals of the program are to increase bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic safety, and decrease traffic congestion, to have more children walking and bicycling to schools. Other benefits will be improved community safety, accessibility and increased community interest in bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. 

How to Achieve Safe Routes to School

These goals can be accomplished by encouraging community involvement and improving partnerships among parents, schools, municipalities, and community organizations, and by improving the physical environment to increase the ability to walk and bicycle to school.

What are the 5 E’s of Safe Routes to School Recommended by the Federal Highway Administration?

• Engineering to create infrastructure surrounding schools to reduce speeds and conflicts with motor vehicles and safer crossings, walkways, trails, and bikeways
• Education to teach bicycling and walking safety skills and driver safety around schools
• Encouragement through activities to promote walking and bicycling 
• Enforcement by police of speed limits, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, and proper walking and bicycling behaviors; community enforcement, e.g. crossing guard programs
• Evaluation by monitoring and documenting outcomes

Clearwater Child injury attorney Jim Dodson endorses this program and encourages readers to support its goals to make his vision of child safety a reality.

A release from Associated Press reports that a toddler, 2-year-old Mark Andrew Van Cott, drowned Thursday evening in a lake bordering the backyard of his grandparents’ home in a St. Petersburg’s Brighton Bay area.

The toddler was playing inside the house while his grandparents were preparing dinner. They suddenly noticed he was no longer around and began searching the house for him.

The child’s grandfather then went to search the back yard and saw him lying face down in the lake near the shore. He pulled the little boy from the water and began CPR, which was continued until paramedics arrived.

The young child had apparently gotten out of the house through an open sliding glass door leading to a screened in back porch, and then got out through a screen door that was not secured. The lake is about 60 feet from the house.

The family said that he was not out of sight for more the five minutes before being found in the lake.

Drowning is the number one cause of death in children under 5 in Florida. These tragic child deaths can be prevented by making certain that all doors that could give a child access to water are properly secured, and ensuring that an adult is assigned to keep a watchful eye on a child who is playing anywhere in the vicinity of water.

Florida Highway Patrol reported Lopez was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) resulting in propertydamage/personal injury, driving without a valid Florida driver’s license,  failing to have proof of insurance and careless driving.

Florida law requires school bus drivers to stop at railroad tracks and check for oncoming rail traffic before proceeding.

 The American Automobile Association conducted a survey and found  76% of parents said safety is their main concern when buying a child safety seat but  the  majority of parents polled didn’t know the specifics in regard to placement, age and height recommendations. In a recent study of 3500 car safety and booster seat installations,  72%  of the safety seats were secured in a way that it could be expected a child would suffer injuries if  in a crash.

With all this in mind, here are some safe practices concerning child seat safety and a website to check the locations of child safety seat inspection stations in this area.

 Safety Checklist

•  Parents should ensure that children up to eight years old or four feet, nine inches tall should sit in a safety seat or booster.
•  All children 12 and younger should ride in the back seat of a vehicle.
•  The safest position for a single car seat is the center of the rear seat.

Florida law regarding safety requirements  for child car and booster seats  is more fully discussed in Chapter 1 of my free consumer guide, “When Kids Suffer Big Injuries: A Parent’s Guide to Child Injury in Florida”  available  on our Florida Child Injury Lawyer website.

Attorney James W. Dodson, working to make safety every child’s reality.

 Carlos Pozo, serving a 5 ½ year prison sentence for vehicular manslaughter, was speeding at 100mph on a rain slicked road when he lost control of his car. Kaitlin Kazanjian’s was killed in the crash.  Pozo has no way of paying the verdict. 

 The victim’s father, Palm Beach County Sheriff Office Sgt. John Kazanjian, says it doesn’t matter and it was never about the money, stating:  “I just wanted to get everything on the record.  To this day he thinks this was an accident, “It wasn’t an accident. It was his fault. He killed my daughter.”

 Attorneys for Pozo say he has been “incredibly remorseful” since the day of the accident, writing letters to the Kazanjian’s and tearfully apologizing at his sentencing.  

 For over twenty-five years the Dodson Law Firm has been representing clients seriously injured in accidents as well as families affected by wrongful death.  To speak directly to Jim Dodson about your injury claim,  please call our office toll free at (888) 340-0840 and set up a time to discuss your case at no obligation. Read our No Fee Promise.

Nov. 1981, Oscar Russell II, age 12, killed, Jacksonville, FL
March 19,1982, Kimberly Ann Flayac, age 11, killed, Linden, Sumter County, FL
Nov 20, 1984, boy, age 5, serious injuries, Palm Beach County, FL
June 10, 1985, Robert Bliss, age 8, killed, Miramar, FL
Oct. 12, 1987, Joshua Cowart, age 12, killed, Ocala, FL
January 28, 1988, Anthony Scott Baize, age 15, killed, Inverness, FL
Feb 25, 1988, 7 kids hit, serious injuries, Broward County, FL
July 5, 1988, Daniel C. Miesel, age 7, critical injuries, Royal Palm Beach, FL
Sept 20, 1988, Vickie Williams, age 7, injured, Clearwater, FL
Nov. 5, 1988, 8 students injured, Christmas, FL
Aug. , 1989, , age 6, killed, Jackson County, FL
Aug 1989, , age 9, killed, Escambia County Co, FL
Sept 27, 1989, Russell Hibbitts, age 14, killed, hwy 42, Lake County, FL
Oct 27′ 1989, Sarah Ellen DeClue, age 16, killed, Cape Canaveral, FL
Nov. 15, 1989, Kelly Adams, age 18, serious injuries, Tampa, FL
Feb. 21, 1990, Jason Caldwell, age 14, Lake Mack area,2 broken legs, broken shoulder
Aug 27, 1990, Katina Marche Taylor, age 5, critical injuries, Ocala, FL
Aug 29, 1990, Misty DuBose, age 12, serious injuries, Wesley Chapel, FL
April 19, 1991, William McNulty, age 6, killed, Port St. Lucie
Oct 25, 1991, Rita Kuiken, age 15, killed, Lake Worth, FL
Nov 22, 1991, Tonya Rosetta, age 16, critical injuries, Wellington, FL
Dec 12, 1991, Chasteen Goodman, age 12, injured, Hudson, FL
Dec 12, 1991, Tabatha Leonard, age 12, injured, Hudson, FL
Aug 27, 1992 Clifford Morris, age 9, injured, Orlando, FL
Sep 1992, Steven Luteran, age 14, killed, Largo, FL
Oct 9, 1992, Jeremy Millhouse, age 11, killed, Lake Mary, FL
Oct 9, 1992, Arcadio Vergara, age 12, injured, Lake Mary, FL
Oct 9, 1992,Michael S. Beckler, age 11, injured, Lake Mary, FL
Nov. 24, 1992, John Margras, age 13, killed, Lake County, FL
July 30 1993, Stephen Pattinger, age 10, killed, Dade County, FL
Oct 1, 1993, Christopher Scott Davis, age 6, killed, Hobe Sound, FL
Oct 14, 1993, Crystal Worster, age 14, critical injuries, Lake Katherine, FL
Oct 14, 1993, Faith Worster, age 15, broken legs, damaged spleen,Lake Katherine,FL
Oct 22, 1993, Brielle Albamonte, age 14, injured, Winter Springs, FL
Nov 30, 1993, Sadie J. Grant, age 5, killed, Okaloossa County, FL
Dec 1993, ,age ,killed, Marion County, FL
Dec 22, 1994, truck hits 3, 1 killed, Steven Zeigler, age 3, killed, brothers: Nathan
age 4, David , age 6, injured
Jan 5, 1995, Dawn Bonds, age 9, killed, Walton County, FL
Jan 12, 1995, Jonathan Eubanks, age 15, killed, Leesburg, FL
Feb 17, 1995, Sabrina Fuqua, age 8, killed, Santa Rosa County, FL
Sep 28, 1995, Carol Bogdanowitz, age 16, critical injuries, Deltona, FL
Oct 16, 1995, Matthew Madaychik, age 15, killed, Bellview, FL
Nov 7,1995, Melissa Henry, age 13, critical injuries, Palm Beach, FL
Feb 9, 1996, John Christiano, age 12, critical injuries, St. Petersburg, FL
Feb 23, 1996, Jennifer Mosconi, age 13, critical injuries, Mandarin, Duval County
Mar 22, 1996, Kathy Burke, age 13, killed, Mims, FL
Oct 1, 1996, Preston Medley, age 11, injured, Okaloosa County, FL
Oct 28, 1996, Donald Butler, age 13, critical injuries, Daytona Beach, FL
1996, Shakara Peters, age , killed, Seminole County
Nov 19, 1996, Cedreacia Holley, age 5, serious injuries, Dade County, FL
March 17, 1997, boy , age 8, injured, Osceola, County, FL
April 7, 1997, Ticey Rawls, age 16, killed, Hwy 50, Mascotte, FL
June 2, 1997, Heather Daniel, age 15, critical condition, Mandarin, Duval County
June 7, 1997, Monique Earl, age 7, serious injuries, Summerfield, FL
Sep 26, 1997, Joanna Clark, age 13, broken leg, Eustis, FL
Dec 1, 1997, Gilbert Lindner, age 11, killed, Hwy 25, Lady Lake, FL
Dec 3, 1997, Justin Jenkins, age 5, minor injuries, Eustis, FL
1997 Forest High School student killed
Feb 6, 1998, Felix Shmukler, age 11, killed, Ft. Lauderdale
Oct 17, 1998, Jonathan Brown, age 5, injured, St. Petersburg, FL
Oct. 27, 1998, Montae Williamson, age , killed Carol City, FL
Oct. 27, 1998, Mercedes Williamson, age , injured Carol City, FL
Nov , 1998, … Saunders, age 5, critical injuries, Tampa, FL
Dec 21, 1998, Lamon Hines, age 10, injured, Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Jan 11, 1999, Terrie McCourt, age 15, critical injuries, Mims , FL
Feb 24, 1999, Paola Carcamo, age 6, killed, Key West, FL
Mar 10, 1999, Chuck Sparks, age 13, broken leg, E. Orange County, FL
Mar 26, 1999, boy age 7, Fort Pierce, FL
May 19, 1999, Danielle Garris, age 7, critical injuries, Mandarin, Duval County
Sep 23, 1999, Sherwin Alex Gilead, age 12, killed, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sep 30, 1999, Patrice Scott, age 14, injured, walking to school, Orlando
Sep 30, 1999, Candice Scott, age 16, injured, walking to school, Orlando
Sep 30, 1999, Michelle Williams, age 14, injured, walking to school, Orlando
Oct 11, 1999, Mary Stanley, age 14, injured, in a coma, walking to school, Orlando
Oct 19, 1999,
Oct 25, 1999, Patrice Anderson, age 14, killed, walking to bus stop, Orlando
Oct 25, 1999, Jeneva Perez, age 5, injured, Kissimmee, FL
Oct 25, 1999, Jenova Perez, age 5, injured, Kissimmee, FL
Oct 28, 1999, Eric Martin, age 10, killed, Odessa, FL
Nov. 11, 1999, boy , age 12, injured, Poinciana, FL
Jan 10, 2000, boy, , age, injured, Brevard County
Jan 11, 2000, Awilda Ortiz, age 17, critical injuries, Poinciana, FL
Jan 18, 2000, Jonathan Sapp, age 12, killed, Jacksonville
Feb 23,2000, Carlos Rivera, age 14, killed, Kissimmee
March 27, 2000, Kathryn Marvich, age , St. Petersburg, FL
Aug 31, 2000, Hayden Finch, 16, injured, Sanford
Dec 7, 2000, Anastasia Roscigno, age 12, injured, Bellview, FL
Feb 6, 2001, Sheila Deguzman, age 14, killed, Jacksonville, FL
March 6, 2001, Jerrod Hayes, 8, killed, Ocoee
March 8, 2001, Sheila Mae Deguzman, age 15, killed, Jacksonville, FL
Sep. 7, 2001, Calvin Molina, age 9, critical injured, Dover (Tampa)
Oct 2, 2001. Kevin Templeton, age 9, injured, Palm Harbor
Oct 2, 2001. Paige Templeton, age 11, injured, Palm Harbor
Oct 2, 2001. Gerry Sizemore, age 9, injured, Palm Harbor
Oct 22, 2001, Michael Arbuckle, age 14, critical injuries, Delray Beach, FL
December 2001, ____ Edwards, age 13, hit-injured, Palm Beach, FL
December 5, 2001, Victoria Phillips, age 16, critical injuries, coma, Poinciana, FL
January 16, 2002, Scott Craney, age 7, serious injuries, Zephyrhills
January 25, 2002, Caldwell Oupelle, age 7, critically injured, Tampa,
February, 2002
December 10, 2002, Jasmine White, age 9, hit by school bus, Malabar
Dec 6, 2003, Logan Wakeman, age 13, critical injuries, Jacksonville, FL
Jan 7, 2004, Kinsey Michele Leonard, age 15, critical condition, St. Johns County, FL
Jan 7, 2004, (boy), serious condition, St. Johns County, FL
Jan 12, 2004, (boy), serious condition, St. Johns County, FL(hit by mirror)
February 13, 2004, Michael Bronsing, age 16, critically injured, Melborne
February 13, 2004, Jeremy Carr, age 15, seriously injured, Melborne
April 2, 2004, Cullen Bosheers, age 7, critical injuries, Edgewater, FL
April 2, 2004, Ryan Bosheers, age 8, critical injuries, Edgewater, FL
May 19, 2004, Suzanne Marie Pape , age 6, critical injuries, Jacksonville, FL
October 10, 2004, Rebecca McKinney, age 16 , killed, St. Petersburg, FL
November 5, 2004, Ashley Acevedo, age 14, injured, hit by school bus, Clermont
November 12, 2004, Diana Kautz, 15, killed, Royal Palm Beach, FL
January 5, 2005, Gaston Roy Johnson Jr., 14, killed, Orlando
January 12,2005, boy age 15, killed Lake Wales, FL
Feb 12 , 2005, Brooke Ashley Ingoldsby, age 8, killed, St. Petersburg, FL
Mar 1, 2005, Kelsey Nicole Reeser, age 17, serious injuries, Dunedin, FL
March, 2005, girl, age 9, killed, Rockledge, FL
April 7, 2005, (girl) age 15, Injured, hit by car getting off bus, Orlando
April , 2005, Anthony Lupton, age 17, killed, St Lucie County, FL
April 25, 2005. Barry Bows, age 14, killed, Jacksonville, FL
Aug 29, 2005, Elysha Jennings, age 15, critical injuries, St. Petersburg, FL
September 30, 2005, Paul Martin, 12, critical injuries, hit by car, Apopka
November 1, 2005, Courtney Carpenter, 16, hit by car, Lakeland
Jan 10, 2006, Kodijah Tulloch, age 11, killed, West Palm Beach, FL
Jan 2006, Lake Butler, 7 killed 15-year-old Nicki Mann, who was with siblings Elizabeth Mann, 15; Johnny Mann, 13; Heaven Mann, 3; Ashley Kenn, 13; Miranda Finn, who was either 8 or 9 years old; and Anthony Lamb, who was almost 2 years old. Truck hit car at bus stop
October 19, 2006, Michael Nieves, 15, stabbed at bus stop, Orlando
December 4, 2006, Boy 15, girl 17, injured, Miami, FL
December 7, 2006, Zachary Cain. 14, broken leg, hit by car, Lakeland
Feb 8, 2007, Anthony James Anello, age 16, killed, Fort Meyers, FL
March, 2007, 6 yr old girl, critical injuries, Marianna, FL
April 20, 2007, boy age 16, critical injuries, Jacksonville, FL(sleeping in road)
Aug 21, 2007, Trinity Baxter, age 12, critical injuries, Tampa
September 25, 2007, Kristopher Huffman, age 5, killed , St Lucie County, FL
September 27, 2007, Alexis Blackmore, age 11, critical injuries, St. Lucie County, FL
October 1. 2007, Austin Smith, age 11, killed, getting off bus, Kissimmee
October 3, 2007, 5 yr old boy, injured on his way to bus stop, ran in front of car, Sanford
October 25, 2007, Lauren Gist, age 15, killed crossing road to bus stop, Mascotte, FL
October 25, 2007, Kelly Martinez, age 11, killed crossing road to bus stop, Callahan, FL
December 3, 2007, Durance Sims, age 7, critical injuries, crossing road, Orlando, FL
December 3, 2007, 13 yr old girl, attempted kidnapping at bus stop, Deltona, FL
February 6, 2008, Joline Julceus , 9, minor injuries, Port St. Lucie, FL 7:20am
May 7, 2008, teenager, hit by school bus, West Palm Beach, FL
August 28, 2008, Christian Gonzolez, 10, critical injuries, Valrico, FL
September 5, 2008, Ronshay Dugans, 8, killed, bus crash, Tallahassee, FL
September 9, 2008, Kaitlyn Harper, 13, killed, walking to bus stop, Brooksville, FL
September 17, 2008, Erika Desire , 17, critical injuries, Ft. Pierce, FL 5:40am
September 23,2008, Frances Margay Schee, 13, killed, bus hit by truck, Citra, FL
September 23, 2008, Christopher Cepeda, 14, killed, hit by car, Hwy 27,Davenport, FL
November 17, 2008, Jenna Bryan, 15, critical injuries, hit by SUV, Deltona, FL
September 25, 2009, Brandon Castillo, 8, killed, Lehigh Acres, FL
September 29, 2009, Hollywood, FL boy hit getting onto bus
September 29, 2009, Oakland Park, FL, 16 yr old girl, serious leg injuries, hit by bus
October 12, 2009, Walter Edelman, 15, injured Hudson, FL
October 12, 2009, William Calder, 13, injured Hudson, FL
October 28, 2009, Julie Lister, age 6, killed, Panama City Beach, FL
October 28, 2009, Michael McFall, age 9, critical injuries, Panama City Beach, FL
December 18 , 2009,Nora Hernandez-Huapilla, 17, killed, Pinellas Park, FL
Feb 10,2010, Jacqueline M. Jeffery , ,hit getting off bus, Seminole, FL

The ad headline, with an eye-catching  graphic read: “Why do most 16-year-olds drive like their missing part of their brain?  Because they are.” 

A teenager’s brain is not fully developed until their 20’s. The dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, the “missing part of the brain,” plays a major role in teenager’s decision-making and the understanding of consequences. That is why as parents of teen drivers, anxiety and a lot of prayer go along with seeing our young drivers pull out of the driveway; and a sigh of relief and thankfulness when they are home safely!

 Allstate reminds us  teen drivers, yes, even bright, seemingly mature teens sometimes do things the insurance people label as “stupid.”  But  they say- it’s not really their fault!

The company supports  the Standup Act, or the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act of 2009.

 The law creates a National Graduated Driver Licensing law that would provide teens with  on-the-road experience gradually, while helping them avoid risky conditions.

 States that have implemented GDL programs  have seen the number of fatal crashes among 16-year-old drivers fall by almost 40%.

Florida instituted it’s GDL program on July 1, 1996. 

Florida Child Injury Lawyer Jim Dodson, working to make safety, every child’s reality.

 A condition called pre-diabetes brings great concern. Youngsters with this condition were at almost double the risk of dying before 55, and those plagued with high blood pressure were at some increased risk. Obesity however was the factor most closely related with an early death, researchers said.

 “The message here is that if you take your kid to the doctor and the doctor says, ‘Well, their blood pressure is O.K., their cholesterol is O.K. and their sugar’s O.K..,’ the kid who’s obese still warrants our attention,” said Dr. Peter F. Belamarich, chief of specialty medicine at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx.

 In Florida, 33% of children are considered overweight or obese.  This is higher than the national average of 31.6%.  These statistics have gradually risen since 2003.

Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Palm Beach County Health Department said the state’s investigation hasn’t uncovered the reason behind the Palm Beach County community’s elevated levels of childhood brain cancer and brain tumors. Alsonso gave no hope that even after investigators wrap up the 2^nd phase of their work next month that an answer will be found. 

Senator Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, an attorney general candidate countered with his own comments saying, “It’s unreasonable to simply say there is no known cause, when many factors could have contributed to environmental contamination in The Acreage.”  The concerns lie in large groves and farms, and most notably in the nearby Pratt & Whitney plant, which has spilled chemicals on its property over the years.  The Health Department director pointed out to reporters that she has “nothing saying these cancers are a result of Pratt & Whitney.”

Results released Monday confirmed suspicions and fears.  Higher rates of brain tumors and cancer are evident in the 32,000-39,000 residents of this rural Palm Beach community.  The data reveals “significantly elevated” pediatric brain and central nervous system cancers, particularly for girls, in those up to 19 years old.

What’s next?   That part is unknown as this promises to be an incredibly frustrating and frightening series of events for the residents at The Acreage.  For the latest information visitors can find out more at acreageforum.org.