Common causes of car accidents in Miami traffic include, but are not limited to, distracted driving, tailgating, and speeding. These factors can be exacerbated by very heavy traffic congestion, bad weather, or visitors from out of town who are unfamiliar with local conditions.
Our Miami car accident lawyers can figure out how your crash happened. Then we can use that information to pursue the compensation your family needs.
How Accidents Happen in Miami Traffic
These are the most common causes of car accidents in Miami traffic and why each is so dangerous:
Distracted Driving and Miami Car Crashes
Distracted driving happens when a driver stops paying attention to the road for any reason, whether that is a cell phone, a passenger, the car’s dashboard (e.g., adjusting the radio), or something else. It may only take a split-second of inattention for a driver to miss something critical, like a change in lights or a shift in traffic.
Speeding and Miami Car Crashes
“Speeding” could mean either exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for the conditions. For example, if a driver fails to slow down despite heavy traffic, they are speeding, even if they were not going over the legal limit.
Tailgating and Miami Car Crashes
Tailgating, or following other drivers too closely, is a common hazard in heavy traffic. When drivers fail to give others enough room, the tailing driver has less time to stop when the car in front suddenly stops or slows down. This could lead to “fender-benders” or more serious collisions.
Tailgating and speeding are both considered aggressive driving behaviors that make injury or fatal crashes more likely. Speeding was the most common cause of fatal collisions nationwide in 2023, with 18.5 percent of such accidents involving excess speed.
Other Causes of Accidents in Miami
Other factors that could increase the risk of a collision include impaired driving—there were 234 drunk driving accidents in Miami-Dade County in 2023—and failure to obey road signs or signals, such as yield signs or red lights. Unsafe lane changes, such as weaving in between cars or failing to signal, are also a common risk in heavy traffic.
Human Error Causes Most Miami Car Accidents
There are many reasons why even the most well-meaning of drivers can end up behaving recklessly:
- They are impatient or in a hurry.
- They are angry or worried about something else.
- The weather is bad and they are having trouble seeing the road.
- Traffic is heavy and it is difficult to maneuver.
- They are new to the area and are unsure of where they are going.
- They are very familiar with the area and “let their guard down,” assuming they are safe because they know the area so well.
All of these factors and others can cause a driver to go too fast, follow others too closely, and so on. These negligent actions can lead to both single-car crashes and multi-vehicle collisions. In heavy Miami traffic, the odds of a single person’s negligence causing damage and injuries to multiple people increases.
Environmental and Technical Causes of Car Accidents in Miami Traffic
Sometimes, a driver does everything right and still ends up injured—or another driver’s negligence is exacerbated by other factors. For example:
- In heavy rain, wind, or fog, drivers should use headlights as appropriate and reduce speed. Failure to do so could cause someone to lose control or to hit someone they could not see.
- Cars can and do malfunction, whether due to defective parts or poor maintenance.
- Debris in the roadway, from grass clippings and trash to bits of blown-out tire, could cause a driver to lose traction or abruptly swerve to get away from it.
These are less common causes of car accidents in Miami traffic, but they can and do happen. If more than one factor contributed to your crash, you may be able to file more than one claim for compensation.
How Do You Know What Caused Your Car Crash?
Traffic is certainly not unusual in Miami, especially at certain times of year, like when there is a sporting event or during spring break. The more cars are on the road, the harder it can be to determine exactly how your accident happened. We can answer this question by building a case against the liable party. Our legal team carefully investigates every case by:
- Reviewing any available video footage (e.g., from traffic cameras)
- Reviewing any available photos, including any you took immediately after the crash
- Interviewing witnesses about what they remember
- Interviewing both you and the driver who hit you
- Asking an accident reconstruction expert to tell us what they think the most likely sequence of events was
- Requesting a copy of the official accident report from the Miami Police Department
The information from these and other sources could tell us which act(s) of negligence caused your accident and who is responsible for committing them.
Do You Still Need to Investigate If I Already Know Who Caused the Crash?
It is always a good idea to investigate, even if you already feel you know what happened. Both the liable party and their insurance company might dispute liability, downplay your injuries, or blame you for what happened. If you can back up your story with evidence, it may be much harder for them to deny that they are responsible for paying damages.
In addition, even in cases that seem straightforward, there could be contributing factors or circumstances that you will not know about until we look into your case. You want to be confident that you know the whole truth before taking legal action.
Our Miami Car Accident Attorneys Can Find Out What Caused Your Crash
Since 2005, our team has been investigating the common causes of car accidents in Miami traffic and holding negligent parties accountable for the harm they do to others. Call Anidjar & Levine today so we can protect you, too. We offer free, confidential consultations to all callers.
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