Florida attracts a large number of tourists from different parts of the world each year. However, Florida also rates among the most dangerous states for vehicle drivers and other road users. Every year, vehicle accidents occur in Florida, leading to numerous injuries and deaths. If you suffer injuries in a car accident due to another person’s negligence, you can seek compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney can evaluate your case and determine the extent of your injuries.

Top Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents can occur due to a wide range of factors. Car accidents often occur due to vehicle drivers’ negligence. However, drivers can't control all circumstances. Even if drivers are responsible for their vehicles' safe operations, some factors are beyond their control. The most common causes of car accidents in Florida are:

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents in Florida. If a vehicle driver engages in an activity that takes their attention from the primary task of driving, they are highly likely to cause an accident. A distraction is any activity or item that takes a driver’s attention. There are four main categories of distractions:

  • Visual
  • Manual
  • Auditory
  • Cognitive

Visual distraction occurs when a driver looks elsewhere instead of concentrating on driving. On the other hand, auditory distractions occur when a driver listens to noises that distract them. Manual distractions occur when a driver manipulates other items other than the steering wheel—for instance, operating the radio or phone while driving is a form of manual distraction. Cognitive distraction occurs when a driver thinks about other things instead of focusing on driving.

Distractions may occur from inside the vehicle if a driver focuses on vehicle displays, controls, and navigation systems. External distractions include external features, sceneries, and displays. Distractors could also be inside a driver's mind. It's common for drivers to daydream or get lost in thoughts while driving.

No matter how experienced a driver feels, driving requires full attention and concentration. It only takes a small distraction to cause a severe car accident. Some of the most common forms of distracted driving are:

  • Eating while driving
  • Texting while driving
  • Monitoring loud or unruly kids and teenagers while driving
  • Adjusting the radio
  • Talking on phone
  • Inputting information into a GPS

Reckless Driving

Many forms of reckless driving would lead to car accidents. A driver is reckless if he or she disregards or disobeys traffic rules and ends up endangering other road users' lives.

A reckless driver disregards traffic laws and engages in careless conduct like running the red light and failing to stop traffic signs. Engaging in street racing is also a form of reckless driving irrespective of whether a driver is on private or public property. Engaging in street racing increases the risk of losing control of the vehicle or crashing into objects.

It's common for reckless drivers to engage in aggressive driving. Engaging in aggressive driving is an offense, especially if a driver has an intention to harm another person. Aggressive driving can take many forms, including:

  • Failing to yield right of way to oncoming vehicles
  • Tailgating other vehicle drivers
  • Reckless overtaking
  • Evading or failure to follow traffic control.
  • Harassing other drivers on the road
  • Making abrupt and unsafe lane changes
  • Taking out frustrations on other road users
  • Passing in areas where vehicles are not allowed
  • Failing to signal or indicate while making lane changes or turns
  • Ignoring signs and signals from other drivers

Speeding

Speeding is also a leading cause of car accidents in Florida. The majority of car accidents in Florida occur due to speeding. If an accident occurs when a driver is speeding, the injuries are often catastrophic. The speed at which a vehicle is moving affects the impact after an accident. If you have suffered injuries in a car accident where the driver was speeding, you're entitled to compensation under Florida's injury law.

At one time or the other, drivers feel tempted to exceed the lawful speed limits. Most drivers don't take the time to consider the risks of speeding. It's fairly common for drivers to engage in speeding irrespective of their age or gender. The risk of being involved in a vehicle crash is lower when driving is operating a vehicle at a low speed. However, the risk of injuries in case of an accident increases for drivers traveling at high speeds.

When a vehicle travels at high speed, it might be hard to stop in case of an emergency. While moving at high speeds, it’s common for vehicles to get into crashes that could have otherwise been avoided. While driving at high speed, a driver may lose control while making maneuvers. High speed reduces the reaction time for a driver in the face of an abrupt incidence. The majority of car accidents in Florida are avoidable if drivers adhere to lawful speed limits.

There’s more to speeding than exceeding the set speed limits. You could be speeding if you’re traveling too fast for certain road conditions. Different road conditions call for different speed limits. For instance, lower speeds are crucial in harsh weather conditions like rain, snow, fog, or ice. On wet roads or roads with loose gravel, driving at the posted speed limit could pose a challenge. A vehicle driver must adjust his or her vehicle's speeds to suit the existing road and weather conditions. Drivers should regulate the speeds of their vehicles to suit the current circumstances.

Driving Under the Influence

Alcohol or drug-impaired drivers are responsible for causing a fair share of car accidents in Florida. A driver could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Operating a vehicle while intoxicated is a crime often prosecuted under Florida law. The state of Florida enforces strict laws to curb drunk driving. However, it’s still common to find drivers operating vehicles while under the influence despite these laws.

A driver is impaired if his or her blood alcohol content is 0.08% and above. In the case of drugs, there is no specific legal limit that a driver should not exceed. A driver may be liable as long as there are traces of drugs in his or her system. There are different types of controlled substances in the U.S. Each controlled substance has distinct effects on consumption. Therefore, different drugs impair drivers differently.

Intoxication has a wide range of effects on a driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely. Impairment affects a driver’s:

  • Vision
  • Reaction time
  • Spatial awareness
  • Coordination
  • Alertness

When a driver is intoxicated, his or her vision gets impaired. Intoxication causes slower functioning of the eye muscles and alters a driver’s visual perception. These effects often result in blurred vision. Intoxicated drivers are not likely to notice foreign objects on the roads.

When a driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, his or her coordination is slower than that of a sober driver. Impairment affects coordination between the hand, feet, and eyes. Impaired drivers have slower reaction times, and this makes them a hazard while on the roads. 

Impairment also has adverse effects on a driver’s alertness. When under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a driver may feel drowsy and have a hard time focusing on driving. Intoxication affects a driver's spatial awareness. When under the influence, a driver may misjudge the position of other vehicles on the road. An intoxicated driver may assume that the approaching vehicle is far, only to collide with the vehicle while making a turn.

Alcohol dramatically reduces a driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely. To curb drunk driving in Florida, the law enforcement officer set up sobriety checkpoints to numb drunk drivers. However, drivers still manage the checkpoints and drive while intoxicated. Some of the car accidents that typically result from drunk driving are:

  • Rear-end collisions
  • Head-on collisions
  • Striking objects and pedestrians
  • Rollover accidents
  • Sideswipes
  • Wrong-way accidents

If you have suffered injuries in a car accident due to an intoxicated driver, the driver is liable under the law. With a personal injury attorney’s help, you can sue the driver and get the compensation you deserve.

Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is also a major cause of road accidents in Florida. Fatigued drivers have slower reaction times and are less attentive while driving. It's common for drivers to fall asleep while behind the wheel due to fatigue. Men have a higher tendency than women to fall asleep while behind the wheel. Driver fatigue is hard to control because, unlike intoxication, it is easy to measure, so the police can't test driver fatigue.

Car accidents resulting from driver fatigue are common on dual carriage highways and motorways. These areas have monotonous environments and lack distractors and driver stimulations if a driver falls asleep while behind the wheel, he or she gets off the road or drives into the back of the vehicle ahead of him or her.

Car accidents resulting from driver fatigue tend to be high-speed because drivers do not have ample time to brake before the crash. Therefore, the likelihood of severe injuries or death of the victims of these accidents is also high. The risk posed by fatigued driving is almost similar to that posed by drunk driving.

What are the leading causes of driver fatigue? Numerous factors could easily contribute to driver fatigue:

  • Lack of enough sleep – Several factors could make a driver fail to get enough rest at night. For instance, a person may not sleep well with disruptions like a new baby and busy schedules. Other factors that could lead to a lack of enough rest include stress and sleep disorders like insomnia.
  • Long hours on the road - A driver's driving deteriorates after several hours of continuous driving. Therefore, the longer a driver stays behind the wheel, the more likely they are to be less attentive and cause an accident. It's advisable to take a break from driving every two hours.
  • Irregular sleep patterns - Drivers with regular work patterns or who shift between different work shifts are likely to experience irregular sleep patterns. Irregular sleep patterns will prevent a driver from getting enough rest and increase the driver's risk of causing an accident.
  • Stress - If a driver is experiencing stress he or she will have a hard time concentrating on driving
  • Vehicle engineering - Modern vehicles have great designs that make them cozy and comfortable. Modern vehicles accord drivers a more relaxed driving, especially if a vehicle has cruise control. This comfort might lull and driver making him or her fall asleep while behind the wheel.
  • Medication - Certain over-the-counter and prescription medication could have a drowsy effect on a driver, making the driver experience extreme fatigue. Some medications do not carry enough warning to show that they could impair driving.

Poor Road and Weather Conditions

Car accidents in Florida also occur due to poor road and weather conditions. For instance, the presence of obstacles or potholes on the road could lead to a car accident. When a driver is trying to evade hitting a pothole or another obstacle on the road, they may end up colliding with other vehicles. A driver may also lose control of a car after hitting an obstacle leading to a rollover car accident.

Car accidents are common in certain weather conditions, especially when it's misty or rainy. Mist may blur a driver’s vision and make it hard for the driver to spot oncoming vehicles. A driver may not be able to detect obstacles on the road while it’s misty. Therefore, collisions and other types of car accidents are common when it’s foggy, misty, or rainy.

Vehicle Defects

Vehicle defects are also a cause of car accidents in Florida. If a car accident occurs due to vehicle defects, the vehicle manufacturer may be liable for the accident. However, the vehicle driver may also be liable for the defect due to poor vehicle maintenance.

Find a Car Accident Attorney Near Me

If you suffer injuries in a car accident due to another person or entity’s negligence, Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney can fight for your rights. We’ll evaluate your case and advise you on the best way forward in seeking compensation. Contact us at 904-800-7557 and speak to one of our attorneys.