Over 400,000 motor vehicle accidents occurred across the state of Florida in 2018 according to data released from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Almost 35% of the crashes occurred in the southern portion of the state in large cities such as Miami.
The number of accidents increased slightly from 402,385 in 2017 to 403,626 in 2018. The numbers translate to an average of 1,106 crashes happening per day in the state. Experts believe that distracted drivers may be the reason behind the increase. Substances are also a factor as over 5,000 of the accidents were caused by a driver who was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Unfortunately, over 3,000 people lost their lives in 2018 due to these accidents. Car accidents are the leading killer of people aged 5 to 34. Experts say that a number of different strategies can be used in Florida to decrease crashes and accident deaths. Sobriety checkpoints, ignition interlock devices for drivers who have been previously convicted of a DUI and graduated driver licensing laws may all help decrease accident statistics in the future.
Car accidents might cause devastating and life-altering injuries that result in costly medical bills, lost wages during recovery and pain and suffering. Those who drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or who become distracted with technology may have behaved negligently. For example, a driver who texts while driving might not be paying attention to traffic and hit the vehicle in front of him or her. A lawyer may be able to produce cellphone records that show the driver was using their cellphone right before the accident. This may show that the driver was negligent. The driver might then be responsible for medical and compensatory damages to the injured parties.
