Unfortunately, Florida has a reputation for having some of the worst drivers in the country. Indeed, according to a recent report, there are almost 15 traffic fatalities per 100,000 people in the state. To give this figure some context, roughly 3,200 people lost their lives as a result of Florida traffic accidents in 2016.
While these figures represent all types of traffic accidents, the victims of fatal Florida bicycle accidents represent a sizable portion of those killed each year. It is estimated that by year’s end there will have been a total of 130 people killed in Florida bicycle accidents this year alone. Many of these fatalities are caused by drivers who are distracted by some other activity or otherwise not paying attention while driving.
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of Florida traffic accidents, claiming over 200 lives per year. According to a recent report by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the most common cause of Florida distracted driving accidents was general inattentiveness, followed by other distractions inside the vehicle. Surprisingly, cell phone use and texting were low on the list of causes; however, that may be due to motorists not wanting to admit that they were on the phone at the time of the accident.