Unregulated Highway Work Zones Result in Deadly Car Accidents

As Florida Lawyers practicing personal injury and car accident law in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, we are alarmed when we learn of ongoing conduct which results in the wrongful death and injury to innocent drives. According to a recent report, car accidents caused by drop-offs along highway construction areas kill about 160 people and injure another 11,000 people each year.

Most of these deadly car accident occur when a car slips off the edge of a road onto the shoulder, causing the driver to overreact and lose control. Generally these drop-offs are the result of roadway contractors negligent failure to smooth out the sides of roads they recently paved.

Sadly, there are few regulations requiring such safety measures along highway work zones. Consequently, few fines are levied against contractors, who, due to either their own carelessness or desire to save money, continually violate these guidelines.

Given the recently enacted Federal Stimulus Package, which is intended to promote additional highway construction, we certainly hope Florida Officials will take a hard look at these dangerous and too often neglected safety issues before more Floridians are hurt.