Car accidents are common in Florida, which could be because the state has some of the most careless drivers in the country. That's according to a recent study that ranked Florida in the top 10 states with the "Most Irresponsible Drivers."
NBC News Channel 8 in Tampa reported on the study this year by SmartAsset. According to the nationwide study, Florida tied with Colorado for the 10th most irresponsible drivers. Mississippi was ranked the worst state in the country for irresponsible drivers.
What Makes Florida Drivers So Careless?
In the SmartAsset study, researchers compared statistics in three categories – fatalities per mile, drunk driving arrests, and the percentage of drivers who don't have car insurance.
Here's what SmartAsset found for Florida:
- In 2020, there were 1.28 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven in the state, according to car statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- In 2020, there were 3.6 arrests per 1,000 drivers for driving under the influence (DUI) in Florida.
- In 2019, a total of 16.3 percent of drivers in Florida did not have some form of car insurance.
Car Accidents In Florida
If you thought the SmartAsset study was upsetting, the bad news is that Florida's car accident fatalities and injuries are only getting worse. The recent SmartAsset study was based primarily on motor vehicle accident statistics from 2020, which recorded the most car accident fatalities in Florida in more than a decade.
A total of 3,332 people died, and 212,432 people were injured in car accidents in Florida in 2020, according to the Florida Crash Dashboard compiled by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Then last year, those figures increased dramatically again. Overall, 3,759 people were killed in Florida car accidents in 2021, an increase of 427 deaths or 12.8 percent compared to 2020. An additional 252,900 people were injured in Florida in motor vehicle accidents last year.
Negligence is a common factor in car accidents.
Serious or fatal car accidents happen for many reasons. But certain contributing factors often result in severe accidents each year in Florida. For example, the SmartAsset study reported that drunk drivers remain a big problem in Florida. In 2020, drivers under the influence of alcohol killed 871 people, according to the NHTSA.
Speeding drivers also wreak havoc on Florida's roads and highways. In 2020, 285 people in Florida were killed in speeding-related accidents.
And while car accidents impact many people, pedestrians are more vulnerable than others. For example, in Florida, 696 pedestrians were killed in 2020. Last year, that figure soared to a record high of 847 pedestrian fatalities, according to FLHSMV statistics.
Talk to a Tampa car accident attorney today.
You might think you don't need an attorney if another driver caused your car accident. But drivers often deny responsibility, and insurance companies care more about protecting profits than making you whole again. As such, these types of cases can get complicated quickly. And if you don't have legal representation, you might not get the money you deserve for medical bills, vehicle repairs, replacement income, and other losses.
At Armando Personal Injury Law in Tampa, we can fight for your rights and advocate for the compensation you're entitled to under the law. We know how to build a winning case in Florida, and we're prepared to do the work required to get the results you deserve. Discover what our law firm can do for you. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with an experienced Tampa car accident lawyer. Our office is on East 5th Avenue in Tampa, and we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no fees unless we secure financial compensation for you. It's that simple.