Fort Lauderdale was recently ranked the most dangerous city to drive through in the entire United States. CNBC concluded that fatal car accidents in Fort Lauderdale had the highest occurrence per 100,000 population than anywhere else in the country.
There are a few ways that someone could gauge how dangerous driving would be in a specific city. The CNBC list was calculated by examining the cities with the highest number of traffic fatalities as a barometer of the danger level. The study only considered cities that had a total population of 150,000 residents or more. The most recent traffic accident data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System was used to find these totals.
Our Broward car accident attorneys understand the risks. A number of these fatal accidents could have been prevented with safe driving habits.
The most dangerous cities are as follows (from last to greatest):
-Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
-Birmingham, Alabama.
-Tulsa, Oklahoma.
-St. Petersburg, Florida.
-Jacksonville, Florida.
-Lubbock, Texas.
-Memphis, Tennessee.
-Jackson, Mississippi.
-Chattanooga, Tennessee.
-Salt Lake City, Utah.
-San Bernardino, California.
-Little Rock, Arkaksas.
-Augusta-Richmond Co., Georgia.
-Orlando, Florida.
-Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
If you look closely, you’ll notice that a third of that list is cities in Florida. Many safe driving advocates blame tourists that are driving in unfamiliar areas, spring breakers and senior citizens.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were roughly 10,111,000 registered vehicles in the United States that were involved in police-reported accidents in 2008. More than 25,000 people lost their lives in these accidents. Another 2.35 million people were injured.
The CNBC reports concluded that Fort Lauderdale has a total population of more than 183,000. During the study period, there were more than 40 people killed on our city’s roadways. Of that total, more than 24 of the fatalities were pedestrians. This gives our area a total fatality rate of 22.39 per 100,000 population.
To help keep you safe on our dangerous roadways, Ford Driving Skills For Life offers these safety tips:
-Look ahead. Always look ahead in traffic for approaching hazards. The more time to have to react, the safe you’ll be.
-Have a plan. Know where you’re going before your leave. Having a plan will help to reduce confusion and unannounced maneuvers, which can help to keep everyone safe.
-Slow down. Speeding decreases the amount of time you have to react to a road hazard. Abide by posted speed limits at all times.
-Put away distractions. Motorists need to keep their eyes and mind on the road and both hands on the wheel. Distractions increase your risks for a serious accident. Distractions can include other passengers, your cell phone and your radio.
The car accident lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC represent victims and their families in Margate, Miami, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie and Fort Lauderdale. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, call 1-800-561-7777 today for a free consultation to discuss your rights.
Additional Resources:
15 Dangerous Cities for Driving, by Colleen Kane, CNBC
More Blog Entries:
Cameras Located at Fort Lauderdale’s Most Dangerous Intersections Can Reduce the Risk of Car Accidents
July 21, 2011
Florida Ranks 37th Nationwide in Driving Skills
June 11, 2011