Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of serious auto accidents. In reality, all of these instances are entirely preventable when drivers take the proper precautions behind the wheel. To put the entirety of this problem into perspective, here are some relevant distracted driving statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Every day, about eight people lose their lives in distracted driving accidents.
• There were 2,841 people killed in distracted driving-related auto accidents in 2018. More than 400,000 more were injured.
• About 25% of drivers involved in 2018 fatal distracted driving crashes were young adults aged 20-29.

Knowing the most common types of driving distractions can help you, as a driver, stay safe behind the wheel. Here’s what you need to know.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies three types of distracted driving:

When you think of post-traumatic stress disorder, your mind probably flashes to images of soldiers returning home from war. But, did you know that car accidents are actually a leading cause of PTSD in the U.S.?

What Is PTSD and What Causes It?

PTSD is a psychological disorder that develops after a person witnesses or experiences a traumatic event, such as a serious car crash, assault, abuse, wartime/conflict, or a natural disaster. Essentially, the disorder heightens one’s fight-or-flight response and makes them feel anxious, stressed, or frightened in even safe situations. Other symptoms may include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Hypervigilance
• Panic attacks
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Intrusive thoughts

According to a study done by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly 40% of car accident survivors develop symptoms of PTSD. While it’s not fully understood why some people develop this disorder and not others, several factors play a role in who exactly is at risk, including:

When you’re injured in an accident, such as a car crash or slip and fall, you may assume that the person who caused the accident would be the one on the hook for paying your medical expenses, lost wages, and other related damages.

However, that’s not necessarily the case in the Sunshine State. Unlike many other states, which follow a fault-based insurance rule that we described above, Florida is considered a no-fault insurance state. This term is a common source of confusion for many car accident victims, so we discuss more about what no-fault insurance means below.

What Is No-Fault Insurance?

No-fault insurance, also referred to as a personal injury protection (PIP) policy, is a type of auto insurance coverage that is designed to compensate the insured individual should they be injured in a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. In Florida, PIP policies generally cover the following:

Between 2003 and 2015, U.S. military service members were issued Combat Arms earplugs. Originally designed by Aearo Technologies, which was bought by Minnesota-based company 3M in 2008, the Combat Arms earplugs were designed to protect service members from both lower- and high-level noises known to cause hearing damage. These earplugs were standard issue and were provided to hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of active-duty service members.

Unfortunately, the Combat Arms earplugs contained a serious flaw that rendered them essentially useless.

The initial design made it so that the earplugs were too small for standard Army carrying cases, and they also posed certain fit issues with some service members’ helmets. Because of this, the earplugs were modified and made shorter. While this solved the surface-level problems, it led to a serious side effect: the earplugs no longer effectively filtered out or blocked high-level noises, meaning service members were exposed to incredibly harmful, highly damaging noises. As a result, countless men and women suffered permanent, irreversible hearing damage, deafness, and tinnitus, a condition characterized by a persistent ringing or “buzzing” in the ears.

Florida sits in close proximity to the ocean and vulnerability to storms and hurricanes. Homes in this area face unique threats and are at an increased risk of sustaining internal and external damages.

For these reasons, homeowner’s insurance and other property-related insurance coverages are the most vital forms of protection you can have as a property owner in this state. Below, we discuss some of the most common types of property damage insurance claims in Florida. We also cover the potential problems you may face when filing.

Exterior Wind Damage

Storms and hurricanes can lead to heavy winds, falling trees, or blowing objects. These weather events commonly results in roof damage. This damage to your roof may be more difficult to spot and locate. It can remain undetected until more serious signs of interior damage begin to manifest. It’s also a type of damage that typically requires complete replacement of the roof structure.