Car Accidents Involving Pedestrians Happen Too Often in Fort Lauderdale

As a personal injury attorney helping injured car accident victims in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Attorney Joseph Lipsky knows too well that Miami-Dade and Broward Counties are extremely dangerous for pedestrians. In fact, according to a recent study by Dangerous by Design, our community is the 4th most dangerous location for pedestrians in the United States. The statistics reveal that pedestrians are 300 times more likely to be injured by a car in South Florida as compared to other areas across the United States.

And, while the officials at FDOT acknowledge the severity of this issue, they have yet to implement any roadway design changes which will make it safe for pedestrians. Sadly, over 47,000 pedestrians were the victims of wrongful death due to being struck by a car over the past decade. And throughout Miami and Fort Lauderdale, there were over 1,500 pedestrian versus vehicle deaths over the same time period.

The study developed a calculation they refer to as the danger index, which compares the probability of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle, as determined by state records, against the number of respondents. While South Florida’s numbers are partially skewed due to our elderly population, given their delayed reaction skills, the prevalence of high speed roads in known pedestrian areas do not help prevent deadly car accidents.

Some of the suggestions to reduce these needless deaths and injuries include building more crosswalks with wider protected sidewalks. Additionally, the Florida Department of Transportation is also trying to identify areas where pedestrians are more prone to being involved in an accident with a car, and is attempting to lower speeds and restrict right hand turns in those areas.

Having helped too many families who have had to endure the pain of losing a loved one who was struck by a car, personal injury attorney Joseph Lipsky encourages our local governments to expedite roadway design changes.