The Disturbing Trend of Crosswalk Accidents in Florida

When you were growing up, your mom likely told you to look both ways when crossing the street; however, in some situations, mom’s good advice isn’t enough – especially if you live in the state of Florida.

The Sunshine State ranks as number two, only under California, when it comes to pedestrian fatalities. This is quite shocking, especially when you consider that California has twice the number of people Florida does. In fact, Florida leads the nation regarding crosswalk accidents per capita. Unfortunately, this is a rather troubling trend that doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Not only are there are a high number of fatalities, but the number of pedestrians injured in crosswalk accidents is also going up. This makes Florida the crosswalk accident capital of the entire United States.

Some of the factors that contribute to this high number of crosswalk accidents can be found here.

Climate

There’s a reason that Florida is known as the Sunshine State. Unlike the people in the majority of states, Floridians enjoy warm weather throughout the year. This allows residents to enjoy participating in various outdoor activities and sporting events, as well as walking and bike riding. However, living in paradise comes with a price. Motorists and pedestrians have to remain aware of one another. In many situations, crosswalk accidents occur in Florida due to the negligence of others, including impaired and distracted driving.

Visitors

The tourism industry in Florida brings in a huge influx of people from all around the world. Many visitors and tourists are not familiar with the streets or the rules of the road. Those from another country may even have a language barrier and not be able to understand street signs. The combination of speeding and careless drivers can have a huge impact on the increase in crosswalk accidents.

Lax Cell Phone Laws

Much like people in the rest of the world, Floridians love their cell phones. You don’t have to go too far to see drivers who are talking on their phones or playing online games and texting. Florida is also one of the few states that don’t have a ban on handheld devices for drivers. The fact is, the use of cell phones by drivers is one of the top causes for distracted driving in the state. If they are used at crosswalks or intersections, the results may be deadly.

Subpar Driving Habits

While it is easy to blame cell phones for the majority of crosswalk accidents in the state of Florida, that is not the only cause. Poor driving habits are also a contributing factor. Many drivers may disobey traffic signals and signs or speed on the roads. While several cities have cameras in place at traffic lights, this hasn’t significantly reduced the number of crosswalk accidents in the state.

If you have suffered an injury while in a crosswalk in Florida, you should seek medical attention right away. If the injuries were caused by a person’s negligent or wrongful act, then you may be able to recover monetary compensation. If you would like to schedule a free consultation contact the attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez by calling 561-660-9421.