2017 Car Accident Statistics in South Florida

Car accidents occur every day in South Florida. Some are fender benders and lead to nothing more than scratches, while others result in devastating injuries that completely change the lives of the victims. While many accidents involve two or more cars, some involve only one or a variety of other vehicles present on the road.

Examining statistics on the nature and severity of these accidents can help shed light on car crashes in our state. The following are statistics on recent car accidents in Florida.

Number of Accidents That Occurred on Florida Roads in 2017 

Florida

as a state witnessed a significant number of automobile accidents last year, with 391,784 total crashes for all types of vehicles, including bikes. Of these, there were 248,338 injuries and 2,939 fatalities. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported a decline of 8,000 car accidents between 2016 and 2017 in the state as a whole.

Broward County

Broward County was one of the three counties in Florida with the most automobile accidents in 2017, having 41,254 total crashes. There were 24,748 total injuries and 201 total fatalities due to traffic accidents in the county. The most common time of day that these accidents happened was between 1 and 6 pm. There are many possible reasons the rates of car accidents are this high in Broward County. The number of retired people compared to younger people is higher in Florida than most of other states in the country. Other than people between the ages of 24 and 34, drivers above the age of 65 in Broward County caused the highest percentage of accidents.

Another possible explanation, especially for people between 24 and 34 who make up 36.55% of the accidents in Broward County, is impaired driving from alcohol. Driving under the influence is an issue that is widespread across the country, so it is likely to be a main contributing factor to these 2017 car accident statistics.

Statistics like this are important to know, not only as a driver but also as a biker or a pedestrian, as there were 1,080 pedestrian crashes and 752 bicycle crashes in Broward County in 2017. These statistics can help provide a comprehensive understanding of what is going on out on the county’s roads, and what citizens and officials should look out for as the population expands.

 

Teen Crashes and Alcohol Use

A high number of 2012 crashes involved teen drivers and passengers. According to the report, 34,341 teen crashes took place, leading to 77 teen drivers and 48 teen passengers killed, as well as another 8,967 and 7,049 injured, respectively.

The data suggests that life-threatening alcohol use is far too common among Florida drivers. Out of all of the crashes that occurred in 2012, 17,258 were possibly alcohol-related, contributing to 12,066 injuries, including 877 fatalities. Nearly 10,000 of the alcohol-related crashes were confirmed, with 7,000 suspected, though proof was not readily available.

What do the numbers mean? 

The data shows that teen drivers are disproportionately at risk of crashing, and fortifies the claim that driving under the influence will result in impaired judgment, raising the risks of a crash.

Car crashes are one of the most common types of personal injury cases, because they happen so often. They are dangerous vehicles that put people in dangerous situations. This requires even better driving from the drivers. More focused and responsible drivers can prevent many of these accidents. A little more than 77% of the accidents occurred when the weather was clear, so many of the crashes are due to human error. Analyzing the number of injuries and fatalities that took place is an important way to help people realize how vital it is to be a responsible driver.

If you or a loved one has been involved in any kind of car crash and sustained substantial damage, you need an attorney with knowledge about the dangerous statistics of Florida car accidents. The attorneys at Chalik & Chalik are experienced in personal injury law all around the state of Florida. The risk of accidents in Broward County is high, and we can help you recover the compensation you need if you were a victim in one of these accidents. We take the time to understand what happened, so we can offer the strongest case possible. Reach out to us today for a free consultation or call now at (855) 529-0269