Study: ‘Deadliest mile’ in nation is a stretch of Florida highway
Most Florida drivers know that some stretches of road are more dangerous than others. And many of us imagine that our state’s roadways are more dangerous than those in other states.
A recent study lends weight to this suspicion. In fact, it found that the most dangerous mile of road in the entire country is here in Florida.
20 years of crash data
For the study, researchers looked at 20 years’ worth of data about more than 91,000 fatal accidents across the nation and pinpointed their locations. They then worked out an average number of accidents per mile of road.
Their results showed that a span of I-95 in Ft. Lauderdale had 24 fatalities in 2000-2019, 50 times the national average number of fatal accidents. Researchers said this stretch of I-95, between I-595 and State Route 84, is the deadliest single mile of roadway in the entire nation.
Safety advocates have complained about this part of the interstate for years, saying it has complicated onramps and offramps and insufficient lights and reflectors, all while carrying traffic that moves at high speeds. They say these factors contribute to the high number of fatal accidents.
Researchers found that this stretch of road was not the only unusually dangerous mile in Florida. Of its top 10 deadliest miles, the study found three were in our state.
Who is at fault?
If the poor design of a roadway contributed to an accident in which you were injured, can you hold the government liable for your damages? It’s a difficult legal question, but the answer is yes, possibly.
Generally, there are special rules involved for filing a personal injury lawsuit against a government agency, although some government entities in Florida make the process easier that others. However, to be successful in suing a government agency after your accident, you would have to prove that the agency was negligent, and that its negligence led to the accident. This would not be easy, even if your accident happened on a stretch of road that is well known to be dangerous.
However, that legal issue would not necessarily affect your ability to file a lawsuit against a negligent driver who caused your accident.
The legal issues in these cases can be difficult. It’s important to discuss all your options with an experienced attorney.
