If you’re involved in a Saint Petersburg highway crash at the hands of someone else’s unsafe driving habits, it’s a double tragedy. As personal injury lawyers in Pinellas, this is a reality that we are all too familiar with. Our attorneys have handled cases involving a diverse range of driver negligence, but reckless speeding is a common culprit.
In February 2014, five people died in a car crash on Interstate 275 because someone was driving the wrong way on the interstate. Around that same time, there were two other accidents resulting from speeding violations that resulted in three more fatalities, one involving a motorcycle crashing into a concrete wall. Again, speed causes accidents. You can review the original article about the accident on the Tampa Bay Times website if you want more details.
How To Prevent Reckless Speeding Accidents in Pinellas
According to the National Safety Council, “Speed is involved in about one out of three fatal crashes.” Trying to encourage other Florida drivers not to speed remains a significant challenge. Speeding is a leading cause of car accidents. What factors can help make a change?
• Speed Enforcement Cameras
• High Visibility Enforcement
• Speed Regulators
• Traffic Calming Measures
Speed Enforcement Cameras
These cameras have been set in place by law enforcement agencies trying to better enforce speed limits by catching those on camera who are breaking the laws. There is also “automated license plate recognition” technology that has been in place in central Florida since 2006, as this video demonstrates.
High Visibility Enforcement
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this technology is a universal approach to safety that is designed to stop unlawful traffic behaviors. In this method, a combination of very visible law enforcement efforts are utilized, along with a strategy to better educate the public about the laws and promote voluntary compliance.
Speed Regulators
With this device, sometimes also called a “governor,” sensors detect your speed and relay that information to the engine’s computer, which has in its memory the top speed that vehicle is allowed to go. In 2011, the NHTSA looked at mandatory speed limiters for heavy-duty trucks. The speed limits for passenger cars vary. If accidents caused by speeding continue to occur, could we be looking at more “speed regulators” in the future?
Common Traffic Control Measures in Pinellas
Our law firm’s headquarters is located on Park Blvd in Pinellas Park, FL. This is a very busy road that sees more of its fair share of speeders, car accidents, and pedestrian accidents. However, the city has taken steps to implement more traffic control measures in the area. These include speed humps, speed tables, raised intersections, a speed table, or certain road closures.
1) Speed Humps
Speed humps can be used on residential streets; it’s typically not recommended for major roads or intersections. It is a raised area of pavement; the shape is generally round, and it can be from 12 to 14 feet in length.
2) Speed Tables
A speed table is a long raised hump, flat in the middle, sloping to ramps on both ends. It is most often used for local streets and main roads in small communities.
3) Raised Intersections
These types of intersections are most typically used in developed urban areas. They are usually combined with other traffic or speed control measures.
4) Road Closures
Closing down the road entirely can be used as a last resort when excessive speeding has been reported in an area in Pinellas. This is a tactic that the police may use if they discover street racing or other traffic crimes are taking place there.
5) Neighborhood Traffic Circles
If you have lived in St. Petersburg for a while, then you may be familiar with the traffic circles that were added on 1st Ave N and Monterey Blvd NE. These had been put in place following growing concerns and reports from residents of speeding in their neighborhoods. Traffic circles are raised islands in the middle of intersections, which traffic has to circle in order to maneuver through.
6) Chicanes
A chicane is a series of narrowing roads usually forming an “S” shaped curve, using curve extensions.
7) Choker
As a traffic control measure, chokers are used to narrow a street by extending a sidewalk for local and collector streets.
8) Center Island Narrowing
Using raised islands in the center of a busy street artificially narrows the travel lanes. You can see that limiting space is a popular method of keeping speeders in check.
Call a Pinellas Personal Injury Lawyer After a Car Accident
Unfortunately, you can’t stop someone from speeding if they are intent on doing so. It’s just like how we can’t prevent all car accidents in Pinellas from happening. One of the tougher lessons we have to learn in life is how to identify what we can and can’t control. If you’ve read this post, then you have already taken proactive steps to protect yourself and you could also take some time to share information about the dangers of speeding with others.
If you or a loved one do get injured in a Pinellas car accident, then please reach out to Herman & Wells. Our firm was co-founded by a board-certified civil trial attorney specializing in personal injury cases. You’ll be connected to a really talented attorney instead of a case manager when you choose our law firm. Call (727) 821-3195 or use our online form to request a free consultation.