What You Should Know About the Most Common Causes of Florida Car Accidents

Thousands of car accidents take place in Florida every year. The causes of these crashes, however, are as varied as the types of collisions themselves. Ultimately, the cause of a collision plays a crucial role in determining fault and attempting to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions, so if you were injured in a car crash, it is important to speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney who can help you determine who caused your own accident.

Speeding

Exceeding the speed limit and driving too fast for the conditions are some of the most common causes of Florida car accidents, as they make it much more difficult for motorists to:

Brake quickly;
Negotiate turns safely; and
Change lanes properly.

All of these actions can make it difficult, if not impossible, to avoid a collision with another vehicle, person, or object. Unfortunately, these types of accidents also tend to result in especially severe injuries, as impacts that occur at high speeds generally cause more damage. Even when a driver was not technically exceeding the speed limit, but was driving too fast for the weather or road conditions, he or she could be held liable for causing an accident.

Distracted Driving

Any activity that takes a person’s eyes off of the road, hands off of the wheel, or mind off of the act of driving qualifies as distracting. Certain activities, however, are notorious for causing collisions amongst motorists, including texting, eating or drinking, daydreaming, adjusting in-vehicle technologies, and driving while fatigued. Injured motorists or pedestrians who can prove that a motorist was engaged in one of these activities have a strong chance of establishing negligence and collecting compensation for resulting losses.

Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol

Ingesting drugs or alcohol can alter a person’s response time, affect judgement and reasoning, impair motor function, alter coordination and balance, and impair vision, all of which make it more likely that a person will be involved in a car accident, resulting from:

Speeding;
Following another vehicle at an unsafe distance;
Failing to follow traffic signals;
Violating traffic laws; and
Crossing into oncoming traffic.

The injuries sustained by victims of DUI-related accidents are often seriously debilitating and expensive to treat, making it especially important for these individuals to retain an experienced car accident lawyer who can help them seek compensation for their losses.

Poor Road Conditions

A surprising number of car accidents can be linked not to a motorist’s negligence, but to a city, government agency, or road crew’s failure to properly maintain the roads by:

Repairing potholes;
Replacing missing signage;
Installing guardrails;
Properly designing roads; and
Plowing or salting icy or wet roads.

Holding these entities accountable for their negligence can be difficult. For instance, those who file claims against government agencies in Florida must submit a notice of claim within three years of the accident and can only proceed with a lawsuit until after a 180 day investigation period has passed.

Call Today for a Free Consultation

If you were injured in a car accident in Florida, you could be entitled to damages compensating you for your losses. Please call the office of Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today to learn more about how an experienced car accident attorney can help you with your own case.

Resource:

flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2017.pdf

https://www.booneanddavislaw.com/how-insurers-value-auto-accident-claims/