Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
Officials with the Allstate Insurance Company recently released the ninth annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report.” This report showcases the nation’s 200 largest cities and ranks them according to the safest — and most dangerous — drivers.
For the third time in the history of the report, Fort Collins, Colorado has been ranked as “America’s Safest Driving City.” Fort Collins has been ranked in the top 10 for safety every year since the report launched.
Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers understand that the South Florida region didn’t do that well in this new report. Fort Lauderdale came in 148 out of 200. We actually dropped a spot from the previous year. According to the study, drivers in the area can expect about 8 years between accidents. That might sound like good news, but consider this: Fort Lauderdale drivers are about 25 percent more likely to get into an accident than the national average.
On the other hand, we have Miami. Miami ranked in as the 187 safest place (out of 200) to drive in the U.S. Miami actually stayed the same year over year. In this area, drivers can expect about a 6.5-year time frame between accidents, but are actually about 60 percent more likely to get into an accident than those under the national average.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the country’s traffic fatality total increased by about 1,700 from 2011 to 2012. This was the first yearly increase in the number of traffic accident deaths since 2005.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) reports that there were close to 228,000 traffic crashes reported in the state of Florida in 2011. That’s about a 3 percent change from the year before. What that means is that we saw close to 650 car accidents each and every day of the year. In these accidents, close to 2,215 people were killed and another 182,000 were injured.
But it’s not just the motorists who are getting injured and killed in these accidents. It’s the pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists, too. Throughout the year, there were close to 500 pedestrians killed, about 120 bicyclists killed and another 415 motorcyclists killed in traffic accidents. We’ve all got to work together out there to make sure our roadways are safe for everyone.
Regardless of where you live, or what you drive, it’s important that you’re driving safely. Only you can help to improve your safety on the road. Drive defensively and keep an eye out for those irresponsible drivers. With the new texting law coming October 1st, it’s also a good time to remind drivers to stay off their phones, whether it’s for a text message or for a phone call. You don’t want any distractions to take your eyes off the road. That’s how accidents happen.
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident, call Freeman Injury Law at 1-800-561-7777 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Broward Traffic Safety Watch: Tired Drivers an Autumn Risk, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, September 5, 2013
Slightly Fewer Traffic Collisions Reported in Florida First Half of 2013, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, August 14, 2013