Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic crashes, injuries and deaths on Palm Beach County roadways. At virtually every intersection I see people in the cars beside me either texting, with their phone up to their ear, or even video chatting! It blows my mind that drivers of modern cars, equipped with Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and Android Auto are still driving around playing with their phones. There is no doubt that this contributes to the high rate of intersectional accidents around the county. In 2020, while driving was down due to Covid, there were 22,106 crashes in Palm Beach County resulting in 185 deaths and 12,832 injured. While the order may change a bit year over year, these intersections are consistently considered to be among the county’s most dangerous:
- Okeechobee Boulevard and Military Trail
- Glades Road and State Road 7
- Atlantic Avenue and Lyons Road
- Atlantic Avenue and Military Trail
- Military Trail at Forest Hill Boulevard
- Southern Boulevard and Forest Hill Boulevard
- North Congress Ave and 45th Street
- Jog Road and Forest Hill Boulevard
- Jog Road and Lake Worth Road
- Glades and Airport Road
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed crash data and found an alarming rate of crashes involving stopped cars. Honestly, there is no excuse to hit a stopped or disabled vehicle unless the driver is distracted, probably on his or her phone. Even more alarming is an IIHS study finding that many serious injuries occur when a vehicle strikes a pedestrian who is leaving, working on, or returning to a stopped vehicle. This results in over 300 death per year; and that number has been on the rise for the last 7 years.
Lesser, Lesser, Landy and Smith is one of Florida’s most professional, ethical and respected personal injury law firms and we are here to help if you are injured in a crash. Some initial advice is to call 911 and to seek medical attention right away to assess your condition. At the emergency room and at a subsequent doctor’s appointment, tell your doctor about everything that hurts, whether it is constant or comes and goes. If possible, take photographs of the scene of the crash, the vehicles, and any obvious signs of injuries. While these things can be described, there is no substitute for a picture. Many insurance companies will call you for statements and even offer you a small amount of money a day or 2 after the crash and before you even know if you will recover. This can seriously impact your legal rights and they know it! Let us handle the insurance companies while you focus on getting better.
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