According to a new study released by Geotab, the Florida section of U.S. 1 experienced more than 1,000 crashes—more than any other road in America—in the last 10 years. Specifically, out of all the 50 states, Florida’s U.S. 1 ranked at the top of the charts for the total number of crashes and fatalities, as well as overall fatal crash rate.
These alarming statistics—amongst others in Florida—have many asking state lawmakers to make the biggest change in half a century to auto insurance in the state and repeal the no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system.
High Levels of Danger with Limited Recovery
Florida’s U.S. 1—known throughout Florida as Dixie Highway, Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Philips Highway, Kings Avenue, Martin Luther King Expressway, and New Kings Road—runs through 13 Florida counties from Key West to Hilliard at the Florida-Georgia border, stretching 545 miles.
Geotab calculated a fatal crash rate of 2.8 for this section of U.S.1—the highest of any roads in the entire country. However, in spite of this obvious danger, Florida is one of only two states that does not require drivers to carry liability coverage for injuring other people—only $10,000 for their own injuries—regardless of fault. Many have pointed out that this coverage—which also happens to carry high premium costs—makes very little sense, as people are often covered by their health insurance when it comes to their own injuries anyway. Still, these PIP premiums have gone up 25 percent just since 2015.
As a result, when an innocent victim suffers from an auto accident that was entirely someone else’s fault, they can end up thousands of dollars in debt, with permanent disfiguration and interference with their ability to work, and the responsible individual bearing no responsibility whatsoever. It can be near-impossible for injured citizens to collect what they deserve from those responsible if they do not have assets, especially without the assistance of an experienced auto accident attorney.
Changes Needed
Florida should arguably follow most every other state and require drivers to purchase bodily injury liability coverage. And after many years of this seemingly nonsensical anomaly, during the month of April, the actions of key legislative committees indicated that they were in agreement.
Specifically, bills now headed to the Florida House and Senate could finally end the state’s no-fault system. The “Grall bill” replaces PIP with required bodily liability coverage of $25,000 per person (or $50,000 per accident), and drivers who already have this coverage could end up saving money each year. However, legislators will likely still require drivers to purchase some coverage for “medical payments” in order to ensure that drivers without health insurance have some coverage in case of an emergency.
Boca Raton Accident Attorneys
Every year in Florida, approximately 200,000 people are injured or killed in auto accidents, and Florida law currently does not make it easy to ensure that justice is done for those who are wronged on our roads. This often necessitates working with a personal injury attorney who has the experience and skills necessary to ensure that you receive what you need in order to ensure that both you and your family are taken care of in spite of your injuries.
With over 180 years of combined experience, Lavalle, Brown & Ronan can help if you or a loved one has suffered in an accident. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
Resources:
news4jax.com/news/florida/study-floridas-us-1-is-most-dangerous-highway-in-america
palmbeachpost.com/news/face-smashed-boynton-cyclist-joins-call-end-florida-fault-pip/AgE1sWi81m6uDqBdPcmzwJ/
For more information and in depth analysis, please contact Attorney Ken Ronan at kronan@bocalaw.com and Case Manager Richard Bagdasarian at rbagdasarian@bocalaw.com.
