You might be living in one of the nation’s most dangerous cities to drive in
Life in Miami moves at a fast pace maybe that is one reason why it is probably considered one of the most dangerous cities. The same frenzy of activities that makes Miami attractive to tourists often carries over onto the roads, with drivers rushing to reach their next destination. Driving in a congested city where drivers are anxious to make it to places on time is the main cause of car accidents. In Miami, where drivers are speeding, texting, staring at their GPS, and just not paying attention can make your daily commute one of the most dangerous things you do on a daily basis.
Statistics for 2017 released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor vehicles shows there were a total of 388,032 car crashes in Florida. Also, data from the U.S Department of Transportation shows a steady 12 percent increase in the number of fatal car accidents every year with Miami and Broward at the top of the list. Broward County was one of the highest car accidents in the state of Florida at 40,324 total crashes while Miami-Dade County had 63,157 total crashes in 2017. To further explain these numbers and what they mean, more than half of the accidents occur during the daytime, more specifically between the hours of 4:00- 5:00 p.m. due to rush hour. A cause for this extremely high number of car crashes has to do with distracted driving, operating a vehicle under the influencer and weather.
Micah Pratt, an insurance writer for Obrella said, “Knowing the most common factors that contribute to crash-related fatalities in your county can help you make smart driving decisions, which helps make your city roads and highways safer.”
Teen drivers are at a higher risk of crashing than those who are under the influence. This occurs because even though drivers under the influence are impaired, teen drivers are less experienced and are sometimes even afraid of the road, according to the data collected by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. On the other hand, the percent of retired drivers in Florida is one of the highest in the country and is one of the leading contributors to the percent of car accidents. The number of drivers over the age of 65 in car accidents was almost double that of drivers between the ages of 15 to 19 years old in 2017, according to the data. However, poor weather conditions and distracted drivers can be a main contributing factor to collisions in Florida.
“It can be risky getting behind the wheel, but the more information you have about what’s happening on the roads you travel every day, the better prepared you’ll be to contribute to safer roads,” Pratt said.
In a world full of distracted drivers, drunk drivers, and unqualified drivers behind the wheel it’s important to understand that driving carefully can ultimately save a life.
Nicole Avila
Journalist
