Broward County Accident Statistics
A recent study found that multiple cities in Broward County rank in the top 25 for the most dangerous places for motorists. This study examined traffic fatalities per 100,000 people, likelihood of being in a collision, and car thefts per 100,000 people - all of which were analyzed in comparison to the city’s population. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, FL (both in Broward) ranked high on the 183 city list.
Although this study shows shocking results in comparison to other places across the country, this information is not necessarily new to those who have driven in the county or are familiar with the annual crash reports released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Broward County Ranks Top Two in Florida
For the past several years, Broward County has consistently ranked in the top of the most dangerous counties in Florida, in terms of driving hazards and traffic fatalities, just behind Miami-Dade. This county, made up of 30 cities and a population of 2 million, averages about 41,100 accidents per year (10% of the state’s overall). Miami-Dade, on the other hand, averages around 65,000.
These numbers, although fairly far apart, have these counties with a stronghold on the top two spots. But what is driving these rates so high?
Accident Type
Knowing what kind of accidents are most prevalent in a specific county can paint a broader picture of potential issues that an area may have. Here is the 2019 crash breakdown for Broward County:
- 34,205 car crashes
- 4,312 commercial motor vehicle crashes
- 1,083 pedestrian crashes
- 716 bicyclist crashes
- 657 motorcycle crashes
- 133 other non-motorist crashes
More than likely, car crashes will be ranked at the top of any accident type list for commonality. This has more to do with the number of cars that may be on the road at any given time than anything else. However, we can look to the other types of accidents to explain potential problem areas.
Truck Crashes
Commercial vehicle (aka truck) crashes account for the second most common type of accident that Broward County may see in a given year. With 4,312 crashes of this nature in 2019 (a 1.39% increase from the year before), this county has the second highest number in the state. However, while Miami-Dade has over double this kind of crash, the number of injuries is relatively consistent - 1,083 in Broward versus 1,428 in Miami-Dade.
Another common thread that these two counties share is that they both exist on Interstate 95, the major roadway along the eastern coast of Florida. Because of this fact, it is highly likely that more trucks will be traveling along this route on a standard basis.
Pedestrian and Bike Crashes
Predicting the rate of pedestrian accidents each year often has a lot to do with how walkable a given city is. The top 20 most populous cities in Broward average a walk score of about 38.5, which is higher than the average of the most populated cities in the state. Fort Lauderdale also ranks higher in comparison to cities of a similar size.
However, these results sharply increase when it comes to bikeability - averaging a score of 49, which is six points lower than the most populated cities.
This indicates that there could be more done to ensure the safety of pedestrians and bikers across the county.
Driver Age
It’s often assumed that younger, more inexperienced drivers tend to get into more accidents. This is because those within the 15 to 24 range are more likely to become distracted or not remain calm in trickier highway situations. However, the data indicates that this may not be the case.
Of the 41,116 Broward crashes that occurred in 2019, only about a quarter of them involved drivers under the age of 25 - totaling 10,850. Additionally, this driver demographic accounts for just 11% of injuries - 2,588 overall.
Speeding
Although rates of traffic fatalities caused by speeding have declined over recent years, reports indicate that this is still a consistent problem across the United States. Florida, having 10% of traffic fatalities resulting from speeding, is actually one of the states with the lowest in the category, being ranked only above Mississippi.
However, we would be remiss to not acknowledge that just because less traffic fatalities happen because of this characteristic, doesn’t mean that this can’t play a role in causing accidents not resulting in death or injury.
Negligent driving is still one of the top causes of crashes, and speeding and distracted driving hugely play into this. Whatever instances occurred leading to your accident, you can rest easier knowing that you can hire an experienced personal injury attorney to review your case.
Car Accident? We Can Help
Our Broward County attorneys have handled dozens of car accident cases for decades. Our multilingual team has had more than 25 cases settle or have a jury verdict of over a million dollars in damages. By hiring Law Offices Cytryn & Velazquez, P.A., you are trusting real results from an empathetic team ready to fight for your rights. Call (954) 833-1440 to schedule your free consultation.