Where Are Florida Car Accidents Most Likely to Happen? The Answer Might Surprise You
As any experienced Fort Lauderdale, Fla. car crash injury lawyer knows from work assisting clients -- serious and fatal traffic accidents can and do happen anywhere. From busy Florida interstates such as I-95, to state roads and Turnpikes, to city streets crowded with pedestrians, to back roads and roads along our waterways, canals, and beaches. Accidents happen on Florida bridges and drawbridges, too. Our terrain is varied and a challenge to drive, including for tourists.
However when public safety experts look at Florida motor vehicle accident fatality data -- some particularly hazardous traffic circumstances emerge that prove to be more deadly than others. Any guesses what those might be?
Given the speed at which people drive on Broward County, Fla. area highways, one might think the passing lane of Interstate 95 is the most dangerous. Or given the way large commercial trucks dominate Florida highways, perhaps being near one of those could be risky for motorists in automobiles. And what about driving congested Fort Lauderdale or Miami city streets -- that seems dangerous with so many pedestrians and cars clamoring for the same space.
If you guessed any of the above as the number-one spot to get in a serious Fla. car accident, you'd be wrong. Yes, those are potentially hazardous driving locations and situations, but not the most risky for traffic accidents in Florida. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts Florida report…
Of the 2,558 fatalities in Florida motor vehicle crashes in 2009 -- the crash type category with the most accidents was "involving a roadway departure." That year, 1,120 people lost their lives in Florida traffic crashes where at least one vehicle left their travelling lane and crashed.
It might also come as a surprise that of the 2,558 traffic deaths in Fla. in 2009 -- 1,546 were single vehicle crashes -- not multi-vehicle crashes. So while yes, it sometimes feels risky sharing South Florida highways and city streets with so many other hurried drivers, it's the back roads that are in fact the most hazardous.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that more than HALF of all deadly traffic accidents in the U.S. occur on rural back roads. This is disproportionate to the number of back roads in the U.S., which amount to 40% of all roadways. A key factor in the roadway departure problem is curved roads. According to the FHWA,
About three-quarters of curve related fatal crashes involve a single vehicle leaving the roadway and striking trees, utility poles, rocks or other fixed objects, or overturning. Eleven percent are head-on crashes, which are the result of a vehicle entering the opposing lane.
So while some drivers in South Florida may feel relieved when they get off a busy, fast traveling interstate or turnpike -- remember to continue driving cautiously. Back roads are in fact the most hazardous to drive on. Please keep that in mind as you travel in Fla. this Thanksgiving.
Note: For those who guessed South Florida city streets to be dangerous for motorists and pedestrians -- you are right about that. Next to roadway departures, the second most frequent place where a fatal traffic accident in Fla. may occur is at an intersection (or intersection related). In 2009, some 758 people died in motor vehicle crashes at Florida intersections.
Related Florida Injury Attorney article:
Driving Large and Small in South Florida : SUVs Safer, But Compact Cars Risky in Collisions (Oct. 27, 2011)
Sources:
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida 2005-2009
Roadway Departure Safety: A Manual for Local Rural Road Owners (PDF)
FHWA Nov. 2009
