Deadly Intersections in Broward County

Florida ranks fifth in the nation for overall traffic accident deaths, and Broward County is statistically one of the most dangerous places to drive in Florida. Fort Lauderdale in Broward County has the second highest pedestrian fatality rate in the country. Fort Lauderdale has a relatively small population of only about 165,000 residents, but about 12 million tourists visit it each year.

In 2015 alone, there were 41,000 car crashes reported in Broward County, the second-highest number in the state for that year behind Miami-Dade County. In just Fort Lauderdale there were more than 6,200 crashes in 2015 alone, about 2.4% of which involved alcohol.

Danger Spots in Broward County

A few intersections stand out as particularly dangerous in Broward County:

• Pines Boulevard and South Flamingo Road reported more than 100 pedestrian fatalities in just five years.
• A1A and Las Olas Boulevard reported more than 1,000 injury-causing accidents in 2015 alone.
• Atlantic Boulevard and U.S.1 saw more than 6,000 accidents in 2015.
• US-27 and Griffin Road reported more than 1,000 property damage-related accidents in 2015.

Other notably dangerous intersections in Broward County include:

• Sunrise Boulevard and Andrews Avenue.
• West Oakland Park Boulevard and NW 50^th
• NE 26^th Street and Federal Highway.
• The I-95 corridor at all major exits.

These intersections are dangerous for several reasons, mainly traffic congestion, aggressive driving, and visibility. Tourists and commuters may feel tempted to drive fast or take risky maneuvers to make appointments on time, and this mentality is a major contributing factor to the number of traffic fatalities in the area.

Broward County is also notoriously dangerous for pedestrians. A study from Smart Growth America tracked the most dangerous cities in America for pedestrians, and eight Florida cities made the top ten. Use caution when walking in Broward County; always stay on the sidewalk and look carefully before crossing any streets, even if the pedestrian traffic signal gives you the right of way. Avoid walking on roads at night and if you must do so, wear reflective clothing or clothing that will make it easier for passing drivers to notice you.

Broward County’s “Vision Zero”

A new initiative in Broward County dubbed “Vision Zero” has the singular goal of reducing traffic fatalities for a single year to zero. The program seeks to accomplish this goal using several structural and engineering strategies as well as public awareness campaigns. The initiative began in 2015, and within 2015 through 2016 saw decreases in annual traffic fatalities, but the area is still quite a long way from dropping traffic fatalities to zero for a full year.

Tips for Avoiding Accidents in Broward County

It’s safe to assume that you’ll regularly encounter drivers from out of the area in Broward County. Some of these drivers may be unfamiliar with Florida traffic laws, and some may be driving unfamiliar rental vehicles. It’s always safest to err on the side of caution and drive defensively whenever possible.

“Driving defensively” means refraining from aggressive maneuvers, carefully signaling before lane changes and turns, and yielding the lane to faster traffic. It also means abstaining from alcohol and other illicit drugs before driving and taking advantage of public transportation when possible. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash in Fort Lauderdale, contact our attorneys today at Chalik & Chalik.