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The Deadliest Highway Stretches in Florida

The Deadliest Highway Stretches in Florida

The act of driving implies a level of freedom, allowing you to conveniently transport yourself, family members, and friends to and from destinations however you like. But it also makes you, as the driver, assume major responsibilities that could have deadly consequences if not adhered to.

And even then, assuming you’re a safe and cautious motorist who follows the rules of the road, you can’t control weather or road conditions that lead to car accidents. And you certainly have no authority over other drivers and their behaviors behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, all of these factors are major reasons why Florida ranked number three (behind Texas and California) for fatal car accidents by state in 2023. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) report on Traffic Crash Facts, the state saw nearly 400,000 vehicle crashes in 2022, resulting in 3,553 fatalities.

Not all roadways are equally dangerous, though. Some are the sites of more fatal crashes than others, possibly due to factors like congestion, poor weather, driver error, speeding, distracted driving, or driving under the influence

That, then, begs the question of which roadways in Florida are the state’s deadliest. Three of the worst are as follows:

Interstate 75

Running from the Upper Peninsula in northern Michigan down to the tip of Florida in the south, Interstate 75 is noted as one of the most dangerous highways in the entire country. It also happens to feature several deadly stretches in the state of Florida, including areas near Fort Myers, Sarasota, and Tampa.

With 404 total fatalities occurring on the interstate in Florida alone, 75 ranked at number 9 for the number of deaths on the 100 most dangerous roads in the country. A study conducted between 2015 and 2019 found that the deadliest stretch of the highway in Florida, specifically, sat in Hillsborough County, with 60 deaths.

Interstate 95

I-95 runs between 15 states from Maine to Florida, covering a total distance of 1,924 miles of roadway. In one recent year, the highway nabbed the number one spot for most fatalities per 100 miles. Although many were attributed to winter weather conditions in northern states, portions of Florida saw their fair share of crashes.

Florida alone accounts for 382 miles of I-95, and sure enough, statistics from 2022 show no less than four spots on I-95 on the top ten list for deadliest stretches of road in the state. The Boynton Beach area took the number 3 spot with 18 fatalities along a 4-mile stretch. 

Fort Lauderdale came in at number 4 with 17 fatalities along a 5-mile stretch. Miami was number 6 with 19 fatalities along a 4.7-mile stretch, and Hollywood was number 9 with 15 fatalities along a 4.4-mile stretch.

Interstate 4

Drawing on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), insurance shopping platform Assurance revealed in a recent study that Florida’s I-4, which spans 132 miles from Tampa to Daytona Beach, is currently the most dangerous highway in the U.S. It has reported the highest number of fatality crashes (34) per 100 miles.

That could be at least partially related to congestion, as the highway passes by and through several urban areas, including Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona. Nevertheless, the NHTSA cites excessive speed as the most common contributing factor in fatality crashes across the board. 

The state worked to address the excessive dangers by opening toll and general-use lanes on I-4 in 2022, reporting a 60% reduction in accidents as a result.

How To Stay Safe on Florida Highways

It’s important to have adequate insurance coverage to account for liability in an accident, but you’re better off avoiding accidents and the damage they cause if possible. 

That could mean paying to use toll or express lanes that are less congested, avoiding travel during times of high-volume traffic like rush hour, or simply finding alternative routes to steer clear of the deadliest stretches of roadway.

Contact a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer from Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.

We proudly serve Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Polk County, and its surrounding areas:

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 223-6200

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
600 Bypass Dr Suite 224-D, Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 493-4418

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg Office
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 314-5988

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
5006 Trouble Creek Rd Unit #200, Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 910-5060

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Lakeland Office
1543 Lakeland Hills Blvd Suite 18, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 251-6196

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