We recently reported on the record number of traffic deaths on the roads of Southwest Florida last year.

WGCU reported Lee County had the second-highest number of traffic deaths on record in 2022.

At least 123 motorists lost their lives on Lee County roads in 2022, according to preliminary data. The highest annual total was reported in 2005, when 150 people were killed on local roads. The first two years of the pandemic saw 107 deaths in 2020 and 118 deaths in 2021.

Through more than 50 years of representing the injured, our car accident attorneys know all too well that most serious and fatal traffic collisions are not “accidents.” They are avoidable. And they occur because of negligent behavior on the part of one or more drivers.

Safer Driving an Achievable Goal in 2023

The good news is the common factors in these collisions are well understood. Committing to be a safer driver in 2023 is not complicated. By avoiding just a few common causes, you can significantly reduce your chances of being involved in a collision.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 38,000 people lost their lives in traffic collisions in 2020. The most common causes were:

• Speeding
• Impairment
• Failure to wear a seat belt

“The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “People should leave the house and know they’re going to get to their destination safely.”

We see from this list that resolving to wear your seat belt, never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and obeying the speed limit, can significantly reduce your chances of being involved in a serious or fatal collision.

After 50 years of experience, we would add to that list. Most common reasons for traffic collisions our car accident attorneys see include:

• Aggressive driving
• Collisions involving vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycle riders
• Collisions at intersections
• Distracted driving
• Inexperienced or senior drivers
• Drowsy driving

Aggressive Driving Ends Lives

While each of these behaviors significantly increase the risks, aggressive driving involves a group of driving behaviors that far too many motorists are guilty of committing on a regular basis. There is every evidence that pandemic restrictions, and the added stress of hurricane recovery, have shortened the fuses of many drivers on the road. Please take a deep breath and resolve to remain patient behind the wheel. The most common causes of aggressive-driving collisions include:

• Speeding
• Failure to yield
• Failure to obey traffic control devices
• Failure to respect the increased danger at intersections
• Failure to use turn signals
• Tailgating
• Abrupt lane shifting

These are easily avoidable factors that increase your risks on the road. By taking just a few extra seconds to remind yourself that driving is likely the most dangerous thing you do on a daily basis, you can better respect the risks and significantly decrease your risk of being involved in, or blamed for, causing a tragedy.

If you or a loved one is injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, at 1-800-646-1210.