Pinellas County Averages 77 Car Accidents Per Day
According to a report put together by Forward Pinellas, a transportation advocacy group, Pinellas County averaged about 77 car accidents per day over the past 5 years. Traffic accidents are on an upward trend in the county. For 2017, the number was 83 crashes per day. Many of these accidents involve bicyclists and pedestrians. But what makes Pinellas County so prone to accidents?
Types of Roadways
Pinellas County has a high percentage of high volume and high-speed roadways. These roadways carry a large volume of the traffic in the County and are more prone to serious traffic accidents.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving laws in Florida are fairly lax compared to the rest of the country. Texting and driving is currently not a primary offense, meaning that police officers can’t pull over a driver solely for texting. It can only be cited as a secondary offense if a driver is pulled over for something else like speeding or running a red light.
Increased Number of Drivers on the Roads
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 150 people move to the Tampa Bay area every day. This, coupled with the number of tourists that flock to the area, means more drivers on the road. More drivers on Pinellas County roadways means more accidents. In addition, much of the population is elderly meaning the drivers are more likely to have vision, hearing, or mobility issues and may be taking medications that could impair their driving ability.
Solutions
Pinellas County is planning solutions that will hopefully keep the number of traffic accidents under control. These solutions include the building of overpasses, including the ones along US-19. The County also plans to add more bike lanes and crosswalks to increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety. Some of these crosswalks are planned mid-block and not necessarily at intersections only. Widening roads and working on major new corridors is also part of the County plan.
Contact a Pinellas County Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been seriously injured in a car accident in Pinellas County, it’s important that you contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk have over 30 years of experience helping people injured in car accidents. Schedule your free consultation today by contacting us online or calling us at 1-800-538-4878.