Each year 395,000 road accidents take place on Florida’s roads, according to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Too often these accidents are the result of driver aggression, with one study ranking Florida as the 8th most aggressive state.
In a bid to cut the number of aggressive drivers in the south, the Florida Highway Patrol has relaunched the Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) campaign. The campaign previously targeted aggressive drivers in South Florida in 2014 and the team behind the initiative hope it will continue to be a success this year.
The initiative
Research has found that when a large truck is involved in a fatal collision, 88% of the time the cause of the incident is driver error. Whereas, a mere 12% of accidents are the result of vehicle defects or poor driving conditions. Under the initiative, the Highway Patrol has said that they will ticket drivers who are witnessed following too closely, changing lanes when it’s unsafe to do so or who commit speeding violations on Florida’s highways.
Each year thousands of drivers in South Florida are involved in road accidents as a result of aggressive drivers and dangerous roads. Therefore, the Highway Patrol’s campaign is a welcome sigh of relief which will go a long way in cutting the number of accidents on the roads and overhauling the way the nation drive.
While the campaign will only run for two weeks, it is hoped that the tickets dished out alongside a billboard and radio campaign will have a long-term effect on drivers in the south.
Dangerous roads
(Jimmy Baikovicius/Flickr)
South Florida’s home to some of the country’s most dangerous roads. A study conducted in 2017 revealed that the I-95 Express lanes from Little River to the Golden Glades Interchange, Miami, (NW 69th Street) was the deadliest road in the country. Meanwhile, Miami’s Northwest 54th Street, as well as Northwest 7th Street, also fell in the top 15. With locals already battling hazardous roads, it’s essential that the Tact campaign is successful to prevent an increase in the probability of being involved in a road accident.
Protecting the nation
In 2016, 668,699 drivers were involved in a crash on Florida’s roads. These individuals would have undoubtedly received various injuries. Head, neck, spinal, facial and back injuries are all common injuries experienced when you’re involved in a car accident and many also develop psychological injuries as a result of the shock and emotions experienced.
One study found that 9.6% of individuals with a musculoskeletal injury experienced psychological distress, too. Scottsdale personal injury lawyer states that, “Immediately after an accident or incident, you are often overcome with emotion, making it difficult to determine what your next steps should be.” The campaign that the Highway Patrol has launched aims to significantly reduce the chances of you being involved in a crash, but if you do find yourself in one, be sure to seek professional advice regarding your injuries.
