Some people like living in Florida, while others simply enjoy visiting. Whether you live there or visit, you can enjoy the sun, the beaches, and the theme parks with their rides and other attractions.
Florida has some high traffic accident stats, though. You will find several major highways that wind through the Sunshine State, and they see major crashes every day. You may also see a bad wreck on a deserted back road.
Car accidents injure 2 million people in America annually, and many of those injuries happen in Florida. Let’s talk about some Florida driving behaviors that cause the most injuries and deaths.
If you’re on vacation, you might sometimes feel like the usual rules don’t apply. You might stay out later than usual, or you may have more alcoholic drinks than you normally would. You might feel like cutting loose since you’re not in your everyday surroundings.
Florida vacationers might speed on the highways if they visit or even if they’re on local roads. Some of the natives do it as well, though.
Speeding causes many accidents, whether you’re a tourist or a local. That’s because when you speed, you can’t always stop in time if traffic conditions suddenly change up ahead. You might also lose control and wreck the car, even if there’s no other traffic around.
If you stick to the speed limit, you can often avoid the worst accidents. Look for signs that mention the speed limit, and don’t go above that. If you’re on the highway, and you drive five miles over the limit, the cops might not ticket you, but that doesn’t mean you’re not breaking the law and endangering other drivers.
You might see tailgating behavior when on Florida’s roads sometimes. Tailgating means you get behind another vehicle and ride its rear bumper, not giving them much room between your car and theirs.
That’s never a good idea. If the driver ahead brakes suddenly, you might hit their rear bumper because you can’t stop in time.
If that happens, you must contact your insurance company and theirs. You must give the police your report, and they’ll likely blame you since you hit the other car rather than the other driver hitting you.
Tailgating doesn’t help you, and it often hurts. It’s not defensive driving, and it can irritate or even enrage other drivers in some instances.
Brake-checking involves you stopping suddenly when a car rides your rear bumper. Often, tailgating causes brake-checking. One behavior causes another, and neither driver drove defensively in that situation.
If you brake-check someone in Florida driving right behind you, maybe you do it because you don’t like their behavior and you think you’ll teach them a lesson. You might also stop suddenly because someone runs across the street or the traffic conditions suddenly change. If that happens, you’ve brake-checked the driver behind you, just not intentionally.
Instead of brake-checking someone, you should try getting over into the slow lane so they can pass you if they’re in such a hurry. You might also wait till they can pass you on their own.
Drunk driving happens all over the country, and it certainly happens in Florida. The residents might do it if they drink at a bar or club and then try bar-hopping or driving home in their vehicle when they’re over the legal limit. The visiting families might also drink and drive because they’re in vacation mode and not considering the consequences.
You probably know all about drunk driving dangers already. If you drink alcohol and then drive, that can impair your vision or cause more reckless driving than usual. You might black out behind the wheel and cross a road’s center line.
Drunk driving often brings on other poor driving behaviors. If the police catch you, they will arrest you, and you could lose your license. Think about how that will impact your life, whether you’re a Florida native or someone vacationing there.
If you’re a native, that’s no picnic, but if you’re vacationing in Florida, that’s even worse. If you have a court appearance, you might spend more time in the state than anticipated. Imagine calling your boss and telling them you must take extra days off because you have a drunk-driving courtroom appearance.
Road rage incidents have increased lately across the country. More and more individuals keep bringing their personal problems onto the roads.
They might have problems in a relationship or at the office. No matter what’s happening in their personal lives, they can become enraged if someone cuts them off or they perceive some other offense that the other driver didn’t intend.
If you have anger issues, you might yell at another driver, shake your fist at them, or use some colorful language. If that happens, they might turn the other cheek, or they may respond with violence.
Sometimes, if you’re angry on the road and initiate an ugly incident, it might escalate quickly. Some people carry bats in their cars, knives, or even guns. Road rage incidents can end in gunfire and deaths.
If that happens, whether you’re on the giving or receiving end, then you’ve just changed your life dramatically, and for no good reason. If you took a deep breath and counted to ten when someone cut you off or did something equally innocuous, you could get home or back to the hotel safely. Instead, you might sustain a serious injury or face a manslaughter charge.
If you live in Florida or visit there, you should avoid these common driving behaviors. They all make the streets and highways more dangerous throughout the state.
If you start your car knowing that you’ll obey the speed limit, won’t drink before driving, or engage in any of the other behaviors we mentioned, you should get where you’re going safely, and your loved ones, whether in the car or at home, will thank you for it.
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