According to statistics, more motor vehicle accidents occur during summer months, whether they involve a car or truck, motorcycle or pedestrian. This truth seems accurate across the board, even in states that deal with snow and ice during the winter.
What causes the uptick in motor vehicle accidents during this time of year? In Florida, many variables contribute to the statistical numbers.
More People on the Roads: Between people on vacation, those off work, and kids out of school – more people are traveling the roads all day long. Busier roads lead to more opportunities for collisions and rear-end accidents. On local streets, especially by the beaches, pedestrians crossing intersections in far more prevalent – not only on weekends but every day of the week.
Inexperienced Drivers: Not only are there more people on the roads in general, but teenagers who would generally be in a classroom most of the day are heading from place to place as well. An influx of inexperienced drivers onto already crowded roadways is always cause for concern. In addition to those already licensed, more teens take advantage of long days off to learn to drive.
Construction: Northern states may see construction crews on the road only during the summer months. But for South Floridians, construction is a year-round, ever-present reality. So although we may not have an increase in construction projects during these months, all those extra people making their way into single lanes and through new traffic patterns is a recipe for confusion and errors in judgment.
Increase in DUIs: More people tend to indulge in alcohol during the summer months, whether with friends at the beach, pool, or evening barbecue. With more people getting together for social events, there is a more significant opportunity for impaired driving. And while the summer does not offer up the highest incidence of DUI – that tends to happen over the holidays – it does exhibit an increase over normal levels. Along with some of the other factors discussed, alcohol plays a frequent role in summer motor vehicle accidents.
Visitors Unfamiliar With the Area: At first glance, this category may seem to fit under “more people on the road.” However, visitors add an additional level of risk for everyone on the road. Visitors are more likely to quickly make a lane change, slam on the brakes or go over the speed limit – all behaviors of people unsure of where they are and where they want to go. While GPS has alleviated this problem considerably, visitors are still more likely to make snap decisions while driving. On Sarasota’s Keys, drivers are also often unfamiliar with local laws, such as pedestrians having the right of way on many roads.
Weather Conditions: Everyone who has lived in Florida during even a single summer understands that a storm can whip up out of nowhere. Our famous afternoon thunderstorms can be quite severe and deliver driving rain, heavy wind gusts, and low visibility. Certain coastal areas can also flood very quickly, and although rare, tornados can swirl up with minimal warning. It doesn’t take a hurricane to experience dangerous driving conditions – an ordinary Tuesday storm can produce them as well.
Overall, driving in South Florida can be a bit challenging if these conditions exist – so keep your eyes open, heed the speed limits, and stay safe.
If you were in a car accident and believe you deserve compensation, call the personal injury attorneys at Probinsky & Cole. We offer representation to accident victims from Sarasota to Orlando and Tampa.
