September 19, 2022
According to the National Safety Council, more than 45,000 individuals were killed on American roads in 2021 alone. Put another way, the equivalent of one regional jet ferrying 125 people every day crashing and killing everyone on board is the number of people lost on American roads every single day that passes. If you stop, re-read this statistic, and really start to think about how each of these individuals was a member of a family, had friends, was valued, and was unique, processing that statistic can quickly inspire overwhelming emotions.
Tragically, far too many of these lives are lost every year on particularly dangerous roads in Florida. The National Safety Council recently identified 60 specific “hot spots” across the country. These hot spots are particularly dangerous stretches of road. Of the top 60 hot spots in 50 states, SEVEN of them are located on a SINGLE stretch of highway in Florida.
Although this reality is maddening, it provides Floridians with a hopeful opportunity to prevent additional deaths. If some of the most dangerous road conditions in Florida can be properly addressed, countless lives may be saved as a result of that effort.
Legal Options for Victims of Crashes Along Unsafe Stretches of Road
As an experienced Fort Pierce, FL car accident lawyer – including those who practice at Tuttle Law, P.A. – can confirm, car accident injury victims are too often under the impression that if another driver didn’t cause their accident, they have no grounds upon which to file a lawsuit. This is simply not true in many cases.
In order to pursue compensation successfully in a personal injury lawsuit, an injury victim must be able to prove that the named defendant in their lawsuit caused their injuries as a result of negligence, recklessness, or intentionally dangerous actions or inactions. Unnamed personal injury defendant does not have to be an individual. Car accident injury victims regularly sue the manufacturers of defective auto parts, trucking companies, and even government agencies tasked with ensuring that a particular area of road is safe to drive upon.
If you have been injured as a result of unsafe road conditions, even if your accident was a single vehicle accident, you may be in a position to pursue personal injury damages from anyone tasked with safely maintaining the road you were driving on when your harm occurred.
If you are unsure of whether you are in a position to name a government agency as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit, that is more than okay. It is often difficult to confirm who or what may be held accountable for harm caused by a crash at first glance. Instead of making assumptions, connect with an experienced personal injury lawyer who can advise you as to your rights and options after evaluating the specific circumstances that led to your unique crash scenario. Once you understand what your options are, you can make informed decisions about your next steps.