If you’ve ever driven on the roads here in Broward County, you know that car accidents happen all the time. Whether because people don’t look when they change lanes, or they speed through an intersection on a red light, or because of any number of other negligent things people do when they are driving, the streets and highways in Broward County can be dangerous places.
During 2021, 2022, and 2023, each year there were over 40,000 car crashes in Broward County.
So, that raises an obvious question – what steps can you take to avoid a car crash? Here are a few helpful tips that you should keep in mind whenever traveling on the roads in Broward County or anywhere else in Florida.
1. Don’t drive next to large trucks
If you are driving next to a large truck, pass them as quickly as you can, or if you don’t want to pass them, make sure not to stay alongside them any longer than necessary. You want to avoid riding in the lane immediately next to a large truck because their field of vision is limited and oftentimes, they are the most dangerous vehicles on the road. When you are driving next to some large trucks, it’s possible the driver of the truck won’t even see you in their mirrors.
2. Slow down when approaching intersections
Even if you have a green light, be mindful when crossing intersections, especially if your light just changed to green. People run red lights all the time, thinking they can beat whoever is coming in the cross direction. You should also make sure to slow down when there is foliage blocking your view or you don’t have a good view of the traffic coming toward the intersection from the cross street. You just can’t rely upon other people to obey the rules of the road.
3. Drive slowly when exiting a driveway
When pulling out of driveways, if there’s anything blocking your vision on either side, proceed slowly and cautiously. There could be cars driving on the road that you don’t immediately see, or there could be bicyclists or other pedestrians coming your way.
4. Stay away from reckless drivers
When you see reckless idiots driving and speeding on the streets, get as far away from them as you can. Cautiously, of course. Here in Broward County, we see reckless drivers all the time, driving up and down the streets and highways acting like they own the roadways. Keep your distance from these drivers; they are car accidents just waiting to happen.
5. Check your mirrors and look back before changing lanes
When you’re driving on the road, even though you just looked in your rear or side mirror two or three seconds ago and it appeared clear, check again before changing lanes. You never know if somebody else might have swerved into the next lane without any notice. Plus, once again, there are idiots all over the place who are speeding by at 100 miles an hour or even faster. They are moving fast enough that they can appear out of nowhere in the two or three seconds that have gone by since the last time you looked in your mirror. So, it never hurts to check twice before changing lanes. You also should not rely solely on your mirrors. Remember to quickly turn your head and look back before you start switching lanes.
6. Get other drivers’ attention
We know this is becoming a bit repetitive, but in case it wasn’t clear, there are a whole bunch of reckless idiots driving on the roads in Broward County and throughout all of Florida. Let’s say you are sitting in your car, stopped in traffic or at a red light. While sitting there, you see somebody barreling down on you from behind and are worried they are going to crash right into you. You don’t know what to do! There are at least two things you can do to try to avoid this type of accident:
- Blow on your car horn as loud as you can to attract that person’s attention.
- Open your driver’s side window and start waving your left arm up and down to attract their attention.
Hopefully, the person will get the point and see they need to hit the brakes right away.
7. Be careful in parking lots
Nobody expects to get into a car crash in a parking lot. Typically, everybody is driving at a relatively slow speed. But you’d be surprised how frequently car crashes occur in parking lots all over Florida. When you are driving in a parking lot, make sure to be aware of your surroundings. Be mindful of people walking all around the area. People don’t just walk in the crosswalks. They walk in the traffic lanes, in the parking spaces, and anywhere else they can find. So, keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians. And watch out for cars pulling out of parking spaces. This is a very common type of accident - when one car backs out of a parking space and crashes into another car traveling in the lane behind them. For that same reason, whenever you are the person backing out of a parking space, proceed very slowly and cautiously.
Some accidents are unavoidable
Although we hope you pay attention to the tips we gave you above, they can only help you minimize the risks when driving on the roads here in Broward County. The truth is, no matter how cautious you are, sometimes there is no way to avoid an accident. So many drivers on our streets and highways are negligent or just plain reckless, and many times, accidents happen despite your best efforts to avoid them.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Broward County or anywhere else in Florida, call our office today at 954-833-1440 today for a free consultation.