In 2021, there were 401,501 crashes and 3,733 fatalities from crashes in Florida. That’s a lot of people getting into car accidents and a lot of lives lost. Fortunately, many crashes are preventable. Let’s look at the top driving habits that cause crashes in Florida (so you can ensure you’re avoiding them).
1. Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Driving while impaired is incredibly dangerous. In 2021, there were 6,261 crashes in Florida caused by impaired driving (including people using both drugs and alcohol). Alcohol makes driving more dangerous in many ways: it affects drivers’ judgment, depth perception, vision, and reaction time. Impaired driving is the cause of 40% of all deaths on the road.
The good news is that avoiding driving while impaired is very easy. If you’re planning to drink or use drugs, bring a designated sober driver, use a ride share, or take public transportation.
2. Distracted Driving
Many people don’t realize that distracted driving is almost as dangerous as drunk driving. Distracted driving is driving while doing something else, including looking at a phone, texting, eating, messing with the music or entertainment system, or grooming. Essentially, doing anything that takes a person’s mind and concentration off the road.
In 2020, 3,142 people were killed by distracted driving. The most common form of distracted driving is texting while driving. According to the NHTSA, sending or reading a text takes five seconds. Driving at 55 miles per hour, that’s equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
Not only is texting while driving dangerous but you can also be pulled over and cited for it in Florida. Commit to not looking at your phone while driving. If you absolutely must use the phone, pull over.
3. Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving happens when a person drives while tired, using a medication that causes them to feel sleepy, or when they would typically be sleeping. The effects of drowsy driving are similar to those of driving while intoxicated: slowed reaction time, less accurate judgment and vision, and impaired driving abilities. Drowsy drivers can even experience micro-sleep while driving.
According to the CDC, over 6,000 people per year are involved in fatal crashes that can be attributed to drowsy driving. Drowsy driving can be prevented by getting enough sleep, seeking treatment for sleep disorders, reading the warning label on your medication, and switching drivers every 100 miles or so when driving long distances.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department advises that people who are awake for 24 hours or more should never drive. If you’re feeling sleepy or that you aren’t as alert as usual, don’t risk it.
4. Speeding
In Florida in 2020, there were 198 fatalities caused by drivers speeding or driving too fast for the conditions of the road. Speeding is dangerous and a cause of crashes and can result in costly traffic citations.
Driving too fast can lead to reckless driving, not giving drivers enough time to react to hazards on the road, and can cause vehicles to skid in adverse conditions. Luckily, there’s an easy way to reduce crashes caused by excessive speed: drive the posted speed limit, and be sure to slow down and drive more carefully in adverse weather conditions.
5. Failure to Yield Right of Way
It’s not just annoying when drivers fail to yield the right of way; it can be dangerous and even deadly. In 2020, 406 Florida drivers died in crashes caused by failure to yield the right of way.
Drivers fail to yield for various reasons: they’re aggressive drivers, late and rushing, or they don’t think they should have to yield. But another more troubling reason drivers fail to yield the right of way is that they don’t know which vehicle legally has the right of way.
Though every licensed driver must undergo driver’s ed and pass a skills test, drivers can forget things like who has the right of way at certain intersections as they spend time on the road.
Defensive driving courses are an excellent way for drivers to brush up on their skills and refresh their knowledge of who has the right of way in a given situation. The first step to driving safely is understanding the law.
All five of these dangerous driving habits can be avoided by making good vehicle choices and driving defensively.
Updated 11/2/22
