A group that is focused on promoting traffic safety across the country recently released their annual report on the status of each state’s efforts to improve highway safety through the making of important laws.
According to this group, Florida has several deficiencies in their laws that create opportunities for drivers in Tampa and elsewhere in this state to engage in unsafe driving habits without the fear of getting pulled over or facing punishment. The end result is that there are more car accidents on this state’s roads than there otherwise would be.
The report was particularly critical of a couple aspects of Florida’s laws or, rather, lack thereof.
For one, Florida’s licensing of teen drivers is a little lax. Compared with other states, the youngest motorists in Florida have a pretty fast and easy route to unfettered driving privileges, and this can lead to increased danger for a number of reasons.
On another note, the authors of the report thought that Florida’s could be a bit tougher on accused drunk drivers as well as distracted drivers, particularly those who choose to engage in texting and driving.
It is of course ideal when policymakers give Florida’s drivers incentives to drive carefully or, for that matter, disincentives to be unsafe while on the road. Hopefully, Florida’s lawmakers will take this report as a challenge to catch up to some of their counterparts in other states when it comes to traffic safety.
In the meantime, Tampa-are victims of accidents involving inexperienced drivers, distracted drivers and drunk drivers still have legal options available to them, including the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit alleging negligence.
