Mark Roman | August 11, 2017 | Car Accidents

Tampa Bay roads have seen two terrible crashes within the last week.

On Monday, four teenagers stole a Ford Explorer and raced through Palm Harbor before dawn. They blew through a red light at more than 100 miles per hour at Tampa Road and U.S. 19. As they entered the intersection, they encountered a local man driving his Toyota Camry to work. The Explorer smashed into the Camry, destroying both vehicles.

Three of the four teenagers in The Explorer were killed. The man driving the Camry, Ricky Melendez, suffered broken bones and internal bleeding. According to the Tampa Bay Times, he is now recovering at home and is thankful to be alive.

On Thursday afternoon, a Brandon woman lost control of her car on the Selmon Expressway in South Tampa. She veered into the median, causing another car to swerve across the road into oncoming traffic. The swerving car hit two cars and burst into flames. All three of its occupants died.

The woman who set the wreck in motion regained control of her car and kept driving. She was stopped and arrested moments later. She now faces multiple charges, including DUI manslaughter.

Unfortunately, the victims of these terrible crashes may never get justice. In stolen vehicle cases, there is often no insurance coverage available at all. Even when coverage is available, as it may be for the Selmon Expressway accident, there is typically not enough to go around. Cases involving multiple deaths and serious injuries create high-dollar claims, and most at-fault drivers do not carry enough insurance to cover them.

Thus, the only way to protect yourself from bad driving behavior by others is to buy uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage, referred to people in the industry as “UM,” kicks in when the at-fault driver has no coverage, or inadequate coverage to cover your damages. Every driver with a Florida auto insurance policy has a chance to buy UM coverage, and you get it automatically unless you specifically decline it and sign a waiver.

UM also protects you when you’re not driving. UM coverage is available to people struck by cars while they are walking or riding bicycles. As long as the accident is caused by another car, the coverage still applies. UM coverage would protect you, for example, if you were struck by an errant car while sitting at a bus stop. It protects against hit-and-run vehicles too.

Unfortunately, some insurance agents don’t explain the importance of this coverage. They assume people would prefer to decline it and save some premium dollars. If anyone tells you that, don’t listen. Buy this coverage if you can possibly afford it instead.

Even the safest driver can be a victim of bad driving by others. There could hardly be more vivid examples of that than the terrible accidents which happened here in the last few days.

Contact the Tampa Car Accidents Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa. We have four convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.

We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442