A well-known for its tourist attraction spot, the state of Florida is also notoriously known for mishaps like truck accidents.
According to the estimates released by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) in 2019, there were 33,166 heavy truck accidents in the state by the end of the year.
In 2022, the state ranked at number 3 in most fatalities when compared to other states across the nation.
Reports over the years have been highlighting this major issue, which is caused by a variety of reasons.
Some risk factors that contribute to these mishaps as stated by the Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers include high traffic, lack of sleep, narrow roads, fatigue, and overspeeding, to name a few.
Read the article till the end to have a better understanding of the reasons for high truck accidents in Florida.
Reasons For High Truck Accidents In Florida
According to the estimates released by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) in 2021, there were over 33,000 accidents. This means on average at least 1,101 crashes per day!
There are numerous reasons for such mishaps, which are listed below:
Excessive Traffic
The higher the traffic, the higher the risk of collisions. Having a road trip in car is really worthwhile but When many cars travel in a short time, there can be more incidents caused by someone not seeing something or someone, which results in an accident.
A lack of sleep can cause drivers to make mistakes like this one. The number of accidents increases because drivers pay little attention to their surroundings and others.
Accidents also occur when people drive at different speeds, and craziness happens during heavy rush hour traffic.
Did You Know?
In an annual weekly report released by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in 2022, the weekly statistics indicate that on the day Saturday, there were 131,806 accidents!
Too Many People [Uptake]
Truck drivers spend less time maintaining eye contact while they drive, so they do not notice when they are near someone else while going. Here they should know about things like the no truck zone while travelling.
When there are large groups of cars on the road, it is harder for vehicles to follow each other and make eye contact.
The greater the number of people on the road and not watching, the more likely an accident will happen.
Narrow Roads
It is not only hard to navigate a truck on narrow roads, but also hazardous for the truck drivers due to the high chances of getting into an accident.
The structure & design of the road is only suitable for lighter vehicles due to the restricted width and sharp turns.
Driving on a narrow road during rush hours can cause accidents easily if the driver is not cautious.
Overspeeding & Distracted Driving
Overspeeding is one of the major causes of the tragedies annually. When a person is driving faster than the speed limit and unable to make turns unable to control the turn points or speed breakers, then it could be fatal.
Not only is overspeeding dangerous but also driving while texting, looking away, or eating may only seem to be harmless but is again one of the leading risks for the collisions.
It also is due to being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medications prescribed by medical professionals.
Lanes [Wrong Way]
If two lanes of traffic are on the road and the other two are blocked off, it can be hazardous.
It often happens when one car starts to move in one direction while another tries to go in the opposite direction, causing an accident and blocking off all traffic on the road.
Drivers who do not pay any attention to their surroundings may get into an accident due to this reason.
Sometimes there are times when drivers need help understanding what is above them when they are driving over bridges or overpasses because they do not look up that much or at all.
Lack of Signs
Signs are vital for drivers to read and comprehend before they move forward. A lack of signs that warn drivers about speed limits can cause accidents.
These signs can be on electronic alerts or regular ones posted everywhere. Drivers also only sometimes understand road signs because they do not always pay attention to them.
Some people also read road signs when they achieve a loss of consciousness while driving, causing them to crash into another car or object.
There are also too many speed bumps used on roads, which can increase risk and cause accidents because there is less space to maneuver around them, especially at night when there is more traffic on the road.
Final Inputs
Although the state of Florida is a tourist spot, it is also the epicenter of major truck accidents.
As the years have passed by, the fatality rate has climbed up the graph, which is not a good sign.
Looking out for risk factors like the speed limit, traffic, and concentration among other factors can help in avoiding truck accidents.
