Fatal motor vehicle accidents occur every day in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic accidents claimed the lives of 37,461 people in 2016. While there has been a downward trend in traffic deaths, 2016’s fatality count is 5.6 percent higher than 2015’s 35,485 traffic fatalities. With so many people losing their lives on the roadways, it is more important than ever to exercise responsible behavior behind the wheel.
How many People Die Each Day in Florida Motor Vehicle Crashes?
In 2016, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported that 3,176 people perished in 2,935 fatal traffic accidents in Florida. These fatal crashes make up approximately 0.7 percent of Florida’s total number of accidents for 2016 (395,785). About 165,940 Florida crashes involved at least one injury and resulted in 254,155 accident-related injuries.
Based on these statistics, it appears that approximately 8.7 people died every day in Florida accidents in 2016.
Miami-Dade County reported the most 2016 fatalities in the state with 294 fatalities. Broward and Hillsborough counties follow closely behind 245 and 228 fatalities, respectively.
Fatality Rates in the United States
The NHTSA calculated the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and determined that it was 1.18, an increase of 2.6% from the 2015 VMT. The fatality composition includes:
- 36% passenger car occupants
- 28% light-truck occupants
- 18% nonoccupants (e.g., pedestrians, bicyclists)
- 14% motorcyclists
- 4% large-truck, bus, and other occupants
The NHTSA found that travelers in passenger vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks) made up 23,714 out of the 37,461 traffic fatalities that occurred in 2016. The passenger vehicle fatality count of 23,714 is the highest it has been since 2008.
You could Seek Compensation for Your Loved One’s Fatal Collision
When another party is responsible for a fatal accident, Florida law allows the victim’s family to seek financial damages from the liable individual or entity. Under Florida Statutes §768.21, you and your family members may qualify to recover compensation for the loss of the deceased’s:
- Financial support
- Services
- Companionship
- Protection
- Parental guidance
Financial expenses, such as those to cover the funeral, burial, and outstanding medical bills up to their passing, are also often available.
How Our Law Firm Can Benefit Your Wrongful Death Case
Wrongful death can affect your family emotionally and financially, but you do not have to suffer through this challenging time without support. Our team has represented many victims’ families after a fatal car accident to help them receive closure and compensation. We do so by:
- Uncovering evidence to prove liability and link the victim’s fatal injuries to the collision
- Identifying and calculating recoverable damages
- Keeping track of filing deadlines and paperwork completion
- Building a solid case
- Advocating for your family in negotiations and in court as necessary
Our firm takes care of all this and more at no upfront cost to you so your family can focus on healing. Whether the cause of your loved one’s fatal car accident seems obvious or not, you can leave the legal responsibilities to us.
Why do Fatal Crashes Occur?
Fatal motor vehicle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. Determining who is at fault for an accident is a challenge for a Fort Lauderdale car accident injury attorney in any accident-related claim, but figuring out why the accident occurred can get us one step closer to figuring out liability.
The decisions people make when they decide to operate a vehicle have a major impact on the outcome of the crash. Some of these decisions include:
- Restraint usage – Many accident fatalities would not occur if drivers and passengers used restraints while sitting in their vehicles. In 2016, 10,428 vehicle occupants who were not wearing seatbelts or other forms of restraint died in U.S. accidents. In Florida, at least 739 vehicle occupants died in 2016 because they were not wearing restraints.
- Alcohol impairment – Driving under the influence of alcohol can slow reaction times and impair judgment. Approximately 10,497 out of the 37,461 traffic deaths nationwide involved a driver impaired by alcohol. In Florida, alcohol-impaired driving factored into 461 out of 3,176 traffic fatalities in 2016.
- Drowsiness – Driving when you are physically too tired to focus on the road can cause serious accidents. In 2016, approximately 803 traffic deaths in the U.S. involved a drowsy driver.
- Distracted driving – Using a handheld electronic device, eating, reading, or engaging in other distracting behaviors causes thousands of fatal accidents every year. About 3,450 traffic deaths in 2016 occurred in distracted driving accidents nationwide.
When we become your legal team, we will look for evidence of factors like these to prove that another party was responsible for your loved one’s fatal collision. If we are able to prove another driver’s negligence, we could hold them liable and recover compensation for you.
Reach Out for Legal Support After a Fatal Collision
Florida drivers lose their lives every day in devastating motor vehicle accidents. At the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine, our attorneys understand that the death of a loved one can turn your world upside down. That is why we take responsibility for your claim and handle all the complex insurance and legal matters while you focus on your family.
Call (954) 525-0050 today and begin a free case evaluation with our team.
