Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Some recent data that tabulates the numbers of crashes and fatalities on roads throughout Southwest Florida should give area drivers reason to take notice. The information regarding which local highways and roads are the scene of the most accidents may not come as much of a surprise to those who drive them daily – but the numbers support what local motorists have often thought – there are far too many accidents in Lee and Collier Counties.
A recent report released by the Lee County Department of Transportation’s Public Works Departments compiles data to show the roads there that had the highest number of traffic accidents in 2008. The top 15 “hot spots” are identified here – the “2008 Rate” numbers indicate the number of crashes per million vehicles entering the specific intersection:
|
2008 High Crash Locations |
|||||
|
On Street |
Cross Street |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2008 Rate |
|
US 41 |
DANIELS PKWY |
59 |
90 |
89 |
1.64 |
|
US 41 |
SIX MILE CYPRESS PKWY |
51 |
60 |
76 |
1.55 |
|
SR 82 |
COLONIAL BLVD |
46 |
69 |
54 |
1.97 |
|
DANIELS PKWY |
TREELINE AVE |
43 |
52 |
40 |
2.03 |
|
COLONIAL BLVD |
SIX MILE CYPRESS PKWY |
43 |
60 |
70 |
1.41 |
|
SANTA BARBARA BLVD |
VETERANS PKWY |
42 |
63 |
39 |
1.59 |
|
US 41 |
PONDELLA RD |
41 |
53 |
53 |
2.26 |
|
DEL PRADO BLVD S |
VETERANS PKWY |
41 |
86 |
49 |
1.07 |
|
US 41 |
PINE ISLAND RD NW |
37 |
53 |
49 |
1.89 |
|
US 41 |
COLLEGE PKWY |
36 |
47 |
66 |
1.26 |
|
COLONIAL BLVD |
METRO PKWY |
36 |
43 |
36 |
1.16 |
|
CORKSCREW RD |
THREE OAKS PKWY |
34 |
27 |
33 |
1.93 |
|
MCGREGOR BLVD |
COLLEGE PKWY |
34 |
47 |
50 |
1.41 |
|
COLONIAL BLVD |
FOWLER ST |
34 |
36 |
45 |
1.12 |
|
SUMMERLIN RD |
COLLEGE PKWY |
33 |
42 |
45 |
1.31 |
If there is any good news to take away from this information, it is that in all but one location, the number of accidents is down from 2007. Still, local government and law enforcement officials are constantly working to make area roads safer,
and reduce the number of accidents in Southwest Florida.
There are other reports compiled which detail the total number of crashes on Lee and Collier County roads, the fatality rates involved, and the causes of the accidents.
The U.S. Department of Transportation publishes a Fatality Analysis Report from information contained in law enforcement accident reports.
Lee County Traffic Deaths from 1994 to 2008
Fatal Accidents 1340
Total Deaths 1464
Drinking 25.3%
Speeding 17.5%
No Seat Belts 68.2%
Lee County Roads with Highest Death Counts from 1994-2008
Type of Road Name of Road Number of Deaths
INTERSTATE I-75 164
US HIGHWAY US-41 148
STATE HIGHWAY SR-80 83
_________________________________________________________
Collier County Traffic Deaths from 1994 to 2008
Fatal Accidents 713
Total Deaths 825
Drinking 19.5%
Speeding 16.4%
No Seat Belts 65.9%
Collier County Roads with Highest Death Counts from 1994-2008
Type of Road Name of Road Number of Deaths
INTERSTATE I-75 208
US HIGHWAY US-41 112
COUNTY ROAD CR-846 53
Recently, The Scripps Howard News Service conducted their own study of national and area roads via the newspaper and television outlets they operate throughout the country. (Scripps has no media outlets in Lee County.) The company’s reporters compiled data illustrating which roads were the most deadly, and called their special report “Killer Roads”. In the series, the Collier County information uncovered by reporters from The Naples Daily News revealed what most people would think to be obvious – the best way to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities is to not drink and drive, travel at the posted speed limit, wear your seatbelt, and avoid aggressive and distracted driving habits. Also, the series pointed out that there might be a correlation between expanding the number of Interstate lanes and reducing accidents. A Florida Highway Patrol spokesman was quoted as saying that more lanes equal less congestion, and the result is a reduced incidence of accidents.
“As the Scripps series pointed out, most of the traffic fatalities can be attributed to speeding, alcohol or drug impairment or not wearing seat belts,” noted Bruce L.
Scheiner, Founder and Senior Attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A. He continued by adding that “distracted drivers who are texting, eating or using their cell phones have also been shown to be as dangerous as drunk drivers.”
Aggressively fighting for justice on behalf of accident victims and their families has been the mission of the experts at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers since 1971. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another or by a roadway that may be unsafe, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Please call 1-800-Dial-BLS or log onto www.focusedonjustice.com to arrange for a no-obligation,
free private consultation. If our firm works on your case, you pay us nothing unless we win.
For updates on this topic and others, subscribe to the Florida Injury Lawyer blog at the top of this page.
