According to various sources, it’s dangerous to be a Florida motorist. National surveys, Florida’s Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Crash Dashboard, and insurance safety reports all indicate that Florida continues to rank as one of the most dangerous places to drive. Although, nation-wide stay-at-home orders have drastically reduced the amount of daily traffic, the rate of deadly accidents continues to increase steadily. Those who suffer injuries in a Florida car accident should contact an attorney to discuss their rights and how they can pursue a claim for compensation.
Reports from the nationwide surveys from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that risky driving behaviors and fatal accidents increased during the first several months of the COVID-19 national emergency. The researchers evaluated seat belt use, speeding, and impaired driving, ultimately concluding that many fatalities involved more than one of these risky behaviors. Further, a popular website providing the public with an objective, third-party, resource for automobile insurance information listed Florida as number nine among the top ten states with the highest number of fatal car accidents.
Florida’s Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles maintains an up-to-date public dashboard that tracks collisions throughout the state. The public can search for car accident data by vehicle type, injury, and classification. The harrowing statistics from the last full reporting year reveal that there were 339,905 crashes in Florida. Out of the total number of crashes, the database reports 3,286 fatalities, and 211,804 injuries. Of these crashes, there were 5,919 bicycle accidents and 157 fatalities; and 8,005 motorcycle crashes and 504 motorcycle fatalities. There were 8,072 pedestrian accidents in Florida and 699 pedestrian fatalities. Finally, the database shows a startling 91,824 hit and run accidents, resulting in 255 fatalities and 20,935 injuries.
Even more disturbing is that in 2021 alone, there have been 25,844 crashes, 217 fatalities, and 16,197 injuries as a result of Florida motor vehicle accidents. This total includes 444 bicycle crashes, 554 motorcycle crashes, 631 pedestrian crashes, and a concerning 7,035 hit and run accidents. These numbers, so early in the year, during a time of limited travel, highlight the continued dangers that motorists, passengers, and pedestrians face every day. While every motorist should take the necessary precautions every time they get into a car, all the care in the world cannot guarantee you’ll be able to avoid a collision caused by another driver. Negligent parties contributing to these alarming numbers should be held liable for the injuries and damages they cause.
Have You Suffered Injuries in a Florida Accident?
If you or someone you love is amongst the thousands of people who have suffered injuries in a Florida car accident, contact the Law Offices of Robert Dixon for assistance. Our firm’s experienced legal team has been successfully representing personal injury clients in their claims against negligent and reckless parties. Our legal team handles Florida car accidents and other motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, and medical malpractice lawsuits. Our experienced attorneys maintain an active practice by keeping up-to-date with all relevant statutory and case law changes. Through this diligence, we have recovered significant amounts of compensation for our clients. Contact our office at 877-499-HURT (4878) to schedule a free initial consultation with a Florida accident attorney today.