Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Rollover Miami truck accidents can be devastating. They can crush passenger vehicles, cause serious Miami brain injuries, close entire highways, cause toxic chemical spills, spark fires, and more. These types of Miami traffic accidents often cause devastating injuries and cost thousands of dollars per accident in public funds for cleanup costs.
Florida is now focusing on reducing the impact of rollover truck accidents in the state. In order to do that, the state plans to pay an incentive to tow companies – through the ‘Rapid Incident Scene Clearance’ program — who can clean up these types of accidents in an hour and a half. Florida is also taking a closer look at areas with higher instances of rollover accidents and is adding new signs or changing construction in some areas to make roadways safer. For example, new construction and signs on Florida’s Turnpike and on I-595 are intended to help prevent car accidents and truck accidents.
In 2005, the number of Florida rollover accidents reached a record 708. By 2009, improvements meant that the number of these accidents dropped to 296. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, towing companies have also gotten better at clearing up after rollover truck accidents. In 2010, these accidents took an average of 60 minutes to clear, compared to 57.3 minutes in 2011.
However, experts agree that much needs to be done, especially when it comes to road design in rollover hot spots. The ramps connecting Interstate 595 to Florida’s Turnpike have been the site of seven major rollover accidents between 2005 and 2008. According to the American Transportation Research Institute, it is one of the most common spots in the state for rollover accidents, made all the worse by the fact that many trucks need to head through that area in order to reach Port Everglades. Tight ramps and other design problems may contribute to road accidents in that area, according to experts.
There are several hotspots in Florida for rollover truck accidents. The U.S. 27 interchange at the turnpike in Miami-Dade County, for example, has seen eleven rollovers in recent years while Pompano Beach’s I-95 ramp has seen seven such accidents.
In terms of road design, there are many improvements that Florida has made in recent years to help prevent Miami car accidents and truck accidents. For example, the state has installed some direct ramps to replace S-curves which force drivers to make sharp turns. In areas where speed has been found to be a factor causing Miami motorcycle accidents and truck accidents, communities have installed larger and brighter speed limit signs as well oversized signs warning drivers about the dangers of speeding. The I-595 is being changed as part of a $1.8 billion project.
According to experts, most truck rollover accidents are caused by driver error, however, and there are plans underway to help prevent driver error as well. For example, the American Transportation Research Institute hopes to launch mobile communications network to help give truck drivers warning about accident dangers and hot spots. The satellite-based network would give drivers warning in time for drivers to be more alert when approaching high-risk intersections and areas.
If you have been in a Miami truck accident, speak with a personal injury attorney before making any decisions about your case. Your injuries could cost more than you realize and you may qualify for more compensation that you have been led to believe. Contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your case with a qualified personal injury attorney.