Every year, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles releases data on motor vehicle accidents in the state. This report is designed in part to make road users aware of the risks that they can often face. The 2019 statistics have now been made available. During that year, there were more than 390,000 crashes, and nearly one-third occurred in Miami-Dade county and other parts of South Florida.
The 2017 report revealed that 45,260 people who were injured in South Florida traffic crashes. Again, this total constituted a significant percentage of all Florida accident victims.
The annual reports also cover motorcycle crashes as well as auto-pedestrian accidents. Florida state law only requires helmets for motorcycle riders who are under the age of 21 or do not have insurance policies that provide coverage for at least $10,000 in health care expenses. There were more than 600 motorcycle rider fatalities in 2015, with about 10% occurring in the southern portion of the state.
Pedestrian accidents are unfortunately a common occurrence in Florida, and it is not always a motorist who is at fault. In many cases, people jaywalk or are distracted by using their cellphone. In others, it is a distracted driver who bears most or all of the blame.
People who are seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident often require lengthy periods of expensive medical care and treatment. In many cases, they are unable to earn a living while they are recovering. If the accident was the result of another driver’s negligence, a victim might want to have the help of an experienced lawyer when seeking compensation for their losses.
