Auto Accident Stats in Florida Compared to the Other States
Florida has one of the highest rates of deadly auto accidents in the United States according to one of the latest car accident reports. Before going into much detail, it’s important to mention that these conclusions are drawn from data from various sources with different methods for counting car accidents.
For example, the state of Florida has a higher proportion of the total/ amount of all car accidents compared to the state’s proportion of the total US population. Having that said, here’s a quick wrap of what the report tells us about auto accidents in Florida.
Florida’s Auto Accident Stats & Death Rate:
- 403,626 total car accident crashes in the state of Florida for the year 2018! (over 1000 per day)
- 236,157 of those crashes were reported having injuries
- 3,116 people were in an auto accident which resulted in death as well
The United States Auto Accident Stats (Entire USA)
- 6,452,000 total car accident crashes!
- Estimated 1,889,000 injuries related to auto accident crashes.
- 34,247 reported deaths due to being in an auto accident.
We do know that Florida makes approximately 6.38% of the total US population and that Florida’s overall auto accident crashes make up 6.2% of the total United states auto accident/crash volume. However, Florida’s proportion of auto accident injuries is a staggering 13.4% and also accounts for more than 9.1% of road deaths due to being in an auto accident.
This means that Floridians crash as often as expected but have a higher likelihood of causing accident-related injuries or deaths.
Another report confirms this trend
- Florida’s rate of road deaths per 100,000 people is 14.8
- Florida’s rate of deaths per 100 million miles is 1.44
Overall, it’s safe to conclude that Florida’s accident volumes are higher than average, especially when accounting for population or vehicle miles traveled.
Make sure you get help from a professional Florida car accident lawyer if you are ever involved in such circumstances. Yes, the stats from above may be scary but they don’t mean your injury or loved one’s death was inevitable. Most of the accidents are caused by avoidable circumstances.
Auto Accident FAQ
Your first and foremost action following an accident is to stay calm, check if you or anyone else involved has been injured, and call the police. Get the name and contact information of all parties involved in the accident as well as any witnesses of the event. To document the damage, take pictures of the accident scene, the vehicles, and your injuries. It’s important not to admit liability until you hire an attorney because they will conduct a thorough investigation to establish the driver at fault.
Right after a car accident, you may feel fine, but injuries can surface days, weeks, and even months later. That’s why it’s good to see a doctor even if you don’t believe you were injured in the accident. Your doctor can recognize issues or injuries that won’t immediately become apparent to you and alert you to warning signs of injuries that may arise due to the accident. If you fail to treat your injuries within a certain period of time, you may forfeit your right to get reimbursement for future medical costs. The general rule is not to settle auto accident claims without having been examined by a medical professional.
In most cases, you won’t have to go to court. The majority of auto accident claims are resolved outside of court after negotiating the terms with the insurer. Most insurance companies generally try to settle claims as quickly as possible and for as little money as possible, so it’s wise to have an attorney negotiate on your behalf.
In addition to taking pictures of the accident scene and taking the contact information of the involved parties and witnesses, your detailed explanation of how the accident happened is also necessary to file a claim. Law enforcement reports of the accident will also serve as crucial evidence in your claim.
Many factors determine the driver at fault in an auto accident case. Do not accept any part of the blame until the investigation has concluded. Even if the investigation finds that you are partially at fault, you may still be entitled to receive compensation.
There are cases when the victim also shares part of the blame for an accident. If, for example, you were driving five to ten mph over the speed limit when the accident happened, this would have limited your reaction time, and you could likely be considered a negligent driver even if you weren’t the one to cause the crash. Different states have different ways of settling auto accident claims where more than one driver is at fault. So it’s best to check the specific laws in your state (or the state where the accident took place) or discuss the matter with your auto accident injury lawyer.
It happens surprisingly often that people get into an auto accident where the driver at fault doesn’t have insurance. In these situations, it’s wise to have an auto insurance policy that comes with Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. That way, if you get into an accident and the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, you will still be able to file your claim under the UM coverage you have with your own insurance company. Your insurer will then process the claim following the same process as it would for an opposing insurer. The only difference is that the claim will be against your UM coverage and not against another driver.
Likewise, if you were involved in a hit-and-run accident where the responsible driver fled the scene before you could take their information, you can again seek compensation from your UM coverage.
Suppose you suffered injuries after an auto accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence. In that case, there are two main types of damages that you may seek compensation for: compensatory (a.k.a. monetary) and punitive damages.
Compensatory damages are the most common type of damages in a personal injury claim, and they often include:
● Current and future medical bills
● Property damage
● Emotional duress
● Lost wages
● Loss of enjoyment of life
● Loss of future earnings potential
On the other hand, punitive damages are much rarer, but they can occur in situations where the vehicle manufacturer is to blame.
