Florida Car Accident Rates: Tampa/St. Petersburg Area Shows Improvement

August 31, 2012 (Press-News.org) As much as we like to envision a future in which car accidents are a relic of an unsafe past, fatal accident and serious injury rates remain high despite safety awareness programs and technological advances. In fact, many aspects of the connectivity that should make us safer have led to increased car and truck accident risks due to driver distraction.

The latest regional crash and fatality statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles show some improvement throughout Tampa and St. Petersburg metro counties. Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County and Polk County all showed significant reductions in car crash rates, accident fatality rates and fatalities related to DUI accidents.

Some of the highlights include a 22 percent decrease in accident fatalities in Hillsborough County, as well as a nearly 20 percent reduction in drunk driving deaths. Polk County saw a 28 percent decrease in its vehicle fatality rate. The one anomaly in the statistics was a slight increase in the overall crash rate per 100 million vehicle miles in Pinellas County, but fatality rates still decreased.

Nonetheless, the raw numbers still reveal that more than 400 drivers and passengers lose their lives on streets and highways in the Tampa region in a given year. Statewide, overall fatalities dropped to just below 2,500, a decrease of nearly five percent. However, pedestrian and motorcycle passenger fatalities increased, as did the number of bicyclists injured in car accidents.

Crafting Policies to Further Reduce Vehicle Accidents

Looking forward, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has announced its latest strategic plan for reducing motor vehicle accidents and enhancing public safety. Important upcoming changes include:
- Reassigning supervisory and investigative positions to assign more Florida State Troopers to patrolling Florida highways
- Targeting aggressive drivers, drunk drivers and speeders through proactive enforcement
- Coordinating medical and administrative review efforts to better implement driver improvement programs and license revocations
- Promoting safety education for at-risk drivers
- Developing public safety campaigns to enhance awareness of risks to motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians

The hazards that lead to serious and fatal wrecks are well-known: dangerous driver behaviors, defective vehicles, poorly loaded cargo and unsafe roads might all play a role in a single car or truck crash. Smart policies can and do make a difference.

Long-term reduction strategies do not affect the need for personal injury victims or family members of wrongful death victims who need compensation. A Florida car accident attorney can explain the range of evidentiary and legal factors that must be considered when seeking damages from negligent drivers and insurance companies.

Article provided by Stamatakis + Thalji + Bonanno
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