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Welcome to sunny Florida: known for its vibrant culture, palm tree lined streets, and awful drivers! Just behind Texas and California, Florida holds the title of the third most dangerous state for auto accidents. To most, this isn’t a shock. A quick scroll through a local news source on social media and you’ll see several car crashes just on Glades Road— often being fatal. Within the last few years, Boca Raton has seen about 30,000 more accidents than in the past. In fact, from 2021 to 2022 alone, the number of fatalities due to car crashes tripled. As we all drive on the same roads, it is of utmost importance that we promote a culture of safe and responsible driving.
Climbing Concern
With bustling cities and interwoven highways, South Florida experiences extreme road congestion. Not to mention, Florida is already the fastest growing state in America. This rapid population growth makes it that much more crucial we address the issue of road safety in a timely manner to address accidents and promote a smoother flow of traffic during rush-hour. The solution may reside in funding public transportation to make it cheaper and more accessible as well as improving infrastructure.
Distracted and DUI Driving
Distracted driving, a prevalent issue nationwide, is equally problematic in South Florida. In an era of constant connectivity, many find it challenging to resist the temptation of talking or scrolling through social media while behind the wheel— especially teen drivers. This behavior diverts attention from the road and leads to an alarming number of accidents that could otherwise be easily avoided. Awareness is the number one way to address this cause of crashes. Using signs or bumper stickers can spread the message and remind drivers that a text can wait.
South Florida is known for its nightlife and entertainment scene, yet this often leads to instances of impaired driving. Driving under the influence remains a significant problem, especially near colleges and universities. This is dangerous for both the drivers themselves and innocent victims who share the road with them. Accidents caused by impaired driving are especially unfortunate as they can often be avoided with the use of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. It’s also important to encourage friends to make safe choices and intervene if someone seems unfit to drive.
Every ten seconds, a car crash occurs and 60 people die as a result each day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, since 2011, car-related fatalities in the U.S. increased over 60%. Therefore, it’s time we acknowledge the urgency of this issue. Boca Be Safe is an organization I created that strives to do just that through education, advocacy, and donations to families of fatal car accident victims via bumper sticker sales. If you want to get involved, my club, The Law Society is an outlet to contribute to our mission. We hope to champion this issue amongst local officials and representatives by petitioning and letter writing. Traffic accidents are not just statistics. They are tragedies that impact families, communities, and society as a whole. South Florida’s future as a community depends on our collective commitment to advocate for these traffic safety concerns and ensure that the Sunshine State continues to shine brightly for generations to come.
