Stuart is a small city in Florida with only about 18,250 residents. But despite its limited size, the town still experiences a substantial number of traffic crashes.
In fact, according to the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard, the city saw over 2,300 collisions in 2021 alone. These car accidents tended to cluster, forming a clear picture of the most dangerous roads/intersections in Stuart, Florida.
After a crash, remembering where it occurred can help a lawyer from Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers determine the details of your case and who might bear liability for your injuries. Contact our Stuart car accident attorneys at (772) 444-7000 for a free initial consultation to learn more.
How Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Stuart, FL
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers has been providing legal services to accident victims in Stuart, FL since 2014. Over that time, our Stuart car accident lawyers have recovered over $60 million in financial compensation for our injured clients.
If you sustain an injury in an auto accident, our attorneys will provide you with the following:
- A free case evaluation to assess your case and explain your legal options
- A team with over 40 years of combined experience to negotiate a fair settlement
- Fierce litigators to take your case to trial if the insurer fails to settle the case
Car accidents can cause severe injuries regardless of location. Do not hesitate to contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to discuss your car crash and the compensation you may seek.
Why Do Crash Hotspots Form?
Florida has based its Target Zero traffic safety campaign on the idea that traffic crashes do not come from “accidents” but instead from preventable causes, such as:
- Dangerous driver behavior
- Poor road design
- Inadequate crosswalks
- Deficient traffic control policies
Research supports that theory, with certain studies showing that crashes tend to cluster in areas where existing conditions amplify driver error. For example, drivers tend to run red lights and stop signs at intersections with confusing crossings and signage. In addition, narrow, congested roads are less forgiving of tailgating and distracted driving because cars heavily crowd together.
Some more conditions that might cause the formation of a crash hotspot include the following:
- Increased speed limits
- Traffic congestion
- Sharp curves
- Standing water
- Obscured traffic signals/signs
- Hidden driveways, intersections, and alleys
Pedestrian accidents often cluster where roads lack mid-block crosswalks, and bicycle crashes happen on roads without bikeways.
Dangerous Locations in Stuart, FL
Though Stuart is a relatively small city, it is, in fact, the most populous in Martin County. Using the county’s statistics from the Florida Crash Facts report for 2021, it can be found that crashes in the area resulted in over 20 deaths and 1,900 injuries.
Furthermore, using the crash map on the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard, you can see that crashes in 2021 clustered in only a few specific locations:
Dangerous Roads in Stuart, FL
Some of the most dangerous roads in Stuart include the following:
- US-1
- SE Indian St.
- FL-76/Kanner Hwy.
These roads provide the major routes through the city, leading to lofty speed limits and heavy use that encourages speeding and tailgating. Crashes on these roads and highways removed from intersections are most often sideswipe or rear-end collisions.
Sideswipes often result from improper lane changes in which a driver fails to check their blind spot before maneuvering. The liability for these crashes falls on the driver who failed to look before changing lanes.
In contrast, rear-end collisions can happen for many reasons, such as:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Distracted driving
- Cutting off other drivers
The fault for these crashes almost always falls on the rear driver, though the front driver might still be liable for crashes caused by changing lanes without leaving enough room for the vehicle they pass by.
Dangerous Intersections in Stuart, FL
Dangerous intersections in Stuart are as follows:
- The US-1 exit for Dixie Hwy.
- SE Indian St. and SE Willoughby Blvd.
- FL-76 and SE Central Pkwy.
- NW Jensen Beach Blvd. and SE Green River Pkwy.
These intersections, particularly the US-1 exit for Dixie Hwy., are some of the most congested in the city.
Intersection crashes occur when a driver fails to yield the right of way to another driver. Both vehicles try to proceed through the intersection simultaneously, resulting in a collision.
Some circumstances when a failure to yield might happen include the following:
- Disobeying a yield sign, stop sign, or red light
- Turning into or across the path of another vehicle
- Going out of turn at a multi-way stop
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents can happen at intersections when drivers fail to yield to them in crosswalks.
In any case, intersection crashes are very dangerous because side-impact, or T-bone, crashes can crush the door into the passenger compartment. The door and window can also collapse inward, causing serious injuries.
Nevertheless, the liability for intersection crashes falls on the driver who failed to yield the right of way. Under Florida’s modified comparative fault law, the liability might even fall on multiple drivers, including the accident victim, if they all contributed to the cause of the accident.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Stuart Car Accident Lawyers
Car accident injuries can result in costly medical treatment and therapy. Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers AT (772) 444-7000 for a free consultation to discuss your injuries and the financial compensation you can pursue under Florida law.
