FLORIDA INTERSTATE AND INTERCHANGE ACCIDENTS

Car accidents happen on I-95 for several reasons. Road debris, highway construction areas, and improper lane changes are just some of the everyday obstacles drivers on I-95 can face. Still, with all the distractions that there are on I-95, there is nothing more confusing than the sections where highways meet. With interstate highway 95 covering the majority of Florida’s Eastern seaboard, there are several highway interchanges to confuse drivers and cause car accidents.

Jacksonville car accidents happen often when I-95 meets I-10 and In the Fort Pierce area, I-95 meets the Florida Turnpike. Now even though these interchanges do have accidents, nothing comes close to the much more congested interchanges in Broward and Miami-Dade.

BROWARD I-95 INTERCHANGE

In Broward County, there always seems to be an accident where I-95 meets Highway 595 by the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Another interchange that is prone to accidents but is simply a ramp is the I-95 exit for State Road 84. This I-95 exit is radically different than any other exit on 95. It is a multi-level exit with straight off-ramps and hairpin turns. If a driver is exiting I-95 too fast, they may lose control of their vehicle making the sharp left or right turn onto State Road 84. The irregular layout with all of the median dividers, signs, signals and barrier walls make this a very dangerous exit on I-95 for Broward County drivers. In fact, there have been five car accident fatalities on this highway exit since 2007. These accidents have included cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

MIAMI GOLDEN GLADES INTERCHANGE

Miami has the Golden Glades Interchange. This is one of Florida’s most confusing highway interchange. The Golden Glades interchange is like a perfect storm of bad road conditions to cause an accident. It is 200 acres of tangled highways. At an estimated 400,000 drivers a day, the Golden Glades Interchange is Florida’s busiest junction. This is the meeting point for Interstate 95, the Florida Turnpike and the Palmetto Expressway. Opened in 1954, this confusing interchange has a lack of signs, poor road conditions and literally has cars going in circles – even through what seems to a graveled side road at one point.

FACTORS THAT CAUSE CONFUSION AND LEAD TO CAR ACCIDENTS ON FLORIDA HIGHWAYS

  • Change of pace: As you drive on a highway, you get accustomed to the number of cars you are sharing the road with and the speed everyone is traveling at. When merging on to another highway, you are also merging into a different driving environment. People may be driving faster or slower. You may find yourself surrounded by large semi-trucks or buses.
  • Road condition change: Another adjustment might be the road conditions. You may be going from a smooth highway with clear road paint to an older road where there may be constructed and it is difficult to tell if you are even staying in your lane.
  • Design change: Like the State Road 84 exit in Broward, not all ramps are the same. Highways can sometimes have a different design layout for their on-ramps, off-ramps, and roads in general. Most people will agree that driving on the turnpike and driving on I-95 are two very different experiences.

CONTACT A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident on a highway interchange, then please contact our Ft. Lauderdale Car Accident Attorneys for a free consultation and start getting answers to your questions today.  Our injury attorneys handle cases throughout the State of Florida.

Car Accidents on I – 95

FORT LAUDERDALE CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS FIGHTING FOR VICTIMS IN I-95 ACCIDENTS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA

It doesn’t matter if you live in Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade or any other county on the east coast of the Florida State; if your daily commute involves I-95, you know car accidents are a daily occurrence.

ABOUT INTERSTATE 95 (I-95)

Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main highway on the east coast of the United States – running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean seaboard. Starting in Miami (Dixie Highway turns into I-95 near the Brickell Downtown area) and not ending till the U.S meets Canada (Though the State of Maine), this interstate highway is 1,925 miles long. Even though I-95 is the sixth longest highway, it passes through more states than any other U.S highway. It is also one of the oldest U.S. interstate highways.

I-95 IN FLORIDA

Some of the most congested and accident-prone areas in all of I-95 are in the 382 miles of this Highway’s Florida roads. In 2010 the Florida section of I-95 had more auto accident fatalities than any other interstate highway in the entire United States. I-95 is also the most dangerous highway in Florida for truck rollovers.

CAR ACCIDENT DEATHS ON I-95: WHY SO MANY?

  • Defective and/or outdated roadways: I-95 is one of the oldest interstate highways in the country. This means that some of the road conditions and road designs may be outdated and even unsafe for current driver needs and habits.
  • Highway construction: Updating I-95 means highway construction – and lots of it. It seems like there is always some type of road construction zone with cones and detours on I-95. Even if you are paying complete attention to the irregular lane change indicated by the construction barricade, the driver next to you may not be.
  • Debris that has not been removed in a timely fashion: Whether it is due to a construction zone or a negligent truck, road debris can sometimes make I-95 seem like an obstacle course.
  • Other drivers: The driving habits of others can just be plain dangerous. Changing lanes without using a turn signal, road rage, sudden lane changes, speeding and complete disregard for rules of the road are often seen when driving on I-95.
  • Tourist unfamiliarity: If you take all the factors that we’ve already mentioned and added a driver that is not from the area and is unfamiliar with the challenges of driving on I-95, it could be dangerous – not to mention unfair for the driver.

ACCIDENT PRONE AREAS ON I-95

An accident can happen anywhere on I-95, but there are certain areas and sections that seem to have more accidents than others. You should make it a point to pay extra attention when driving in these accident-prone areas:

  • I-95 on-ramps
  • I-95 off-ramps
  • Interchange areas
  • Highway construction areas

SPEAK TO A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you or a loved one are involved in a car accident on I-95, you need to speak to a firm that understands and is familiar with highway accidents and the unique approach needed for these types of cases. The Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at MADALON LAW offer a free consultation pay for all costs of your case and we will only bill you if we win your case. Speak to one of our accident attorneys now to have your questions answered and find out if you have a case.

Highway Car Accidents

THE CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS OF MADALON LAW HELP THOSE INJURED IN BROWARD, MIAMI-DADE, PALM BEACH AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA

It goes without saying that driving on the highways of Florida can be quite the challenge and incredibly dangerous. Highway accidents are usually severe and often deadly and can happen on the highway, interchange, or the off-ramp and on-ramp of any of our Florida highways. From rear end accidents commonly found on I-95 during traffic hours to fatal accidents on I-75 and the Florida Turnpike where cars travel at faster speeds, it seems like you can’t drive on a Florida highway without running into traffic due to an accident.

Here are some of the most common challenges that cause highway accidents in Florida:

HIGHWAY CAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO CONGESTION

Some areas are busier than others, but there is no denying the population in Florida is growing and so are the cars on the road. We have teenagers who are in their first few years of driving. There are also people who have recently moved into the area and have not had time to adjust to the roads or the unique driving habits of others. Then there are the many that vacation in Florida. The unfamiliarity of driving on our highway roads will probably be more challenging for a tourist than anyone else. More cars mean more accidents.

CAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO POOR OR OUTDATED HIGHWAY DESIGN

With all of the beautiful attractions Florida has to offer, it is easy to forget that just 60 years ago this state was primarily thought of as swampland. Many of the older highways were opened in the 1950’s when there were less than 3 million people in the entire state. In 2012 the United States Census Bureau estimated over 2.5 million in Miami-Dade County alone.

CAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

This can be seen as a necessary evil because as much as it may create traffic and slowdowns, what they are doing is updating the roadways for us. Unfortunately, there are times when highway construction could cause or contribute to an accident. There could be excessive gravel or construction debris left on the road and can cause an accident. An improperly marked construction zone could also cause a highway collision.

CAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS

Unless you are in traffic, it is probably safe to say you are driving faster than you would when you are not on the highway. The faster a car travels, the higher the risk of an accident if you find yourself trying to avoid one. For example, being cut off by another driver or making a quick move to avoid road debris can be startling on a regular road. Facing the same situations on the highway going over 60 mph can lead to a vehicle rollover and serious injury or even death.

HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DISTRACTED DRIVING

Unlike the young motorists’ and tourists that we mentioned before, there are also many veteran drivers who are incredibly familiar with Florida highways and their challenges. Unfortunately, this level of familiarity can lead to multitasking while behind the wheel – distracted driving. A person could be checking their emails, texting, putting on makeup, eating or anything else that gets their eyes off the road. A person may also go into a mental “autopilot” due to their comfort level of driving the same commute to and from work.

HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS DUE TO BAD DRIVING HABITS

Not using a turn signal. Swerving through traffic. Cutting through multiple lanes quickly in order to not miss the exit. You do not have to drive too far on the highway before you see one of these.

CONTACT A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you have been involved in a highway accident and are injured due to someone else’s negligence, then you need an attorney. Contact the Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at Madalon Law for a free consultation and get answers to your questions today.  Our injury attorneys handle the entire State of Florida.

The On-Ramp and Off-Ramp of Florida’s Most Dangerous Highway

OUR CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF I-95

The majority of our staff uses I-95 to get to our Ft. Lauderdale accident attorneys office location. There are stories about accidents on I-95 every morning and every afternoon. There is never a question of if there will be an accident on 95 – just how many accidents and should we seek an alternate route. Even though Highway I-95 stretches across the entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard (Miami to the beginning of Canada) and passes through more states than any other U.S. highway, it is the Florida portion of I-95 that seems to be the most deadly. In fact, in 2010 the Florida portion of I-95 had more fatal accidents than any other Highway in the United States.

I-95 ON-RAMP AND OFF-RAMP ACCIDENTS ARE OFTEN DEADLY

A car accident on I-95 can happen on the shoulder, median or road of the highway. A vehicle can collide with trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, road debris, construction barriers and more. An area of highway that sees its share of accidents is the on-ramp and off-ramp. Unfortunately, these accidents can often be fatal.

So what are some of the factors that lead to these car accidents?

  • Ramps: Cars can lose control on the ramps if they are getting on or off I-95 too quickly. Remember that most of these ramps are higher than ground level. Losing control on an elevated ramp can lead to a vehicle rollover, collision or accidentally driving into the small body of water that ramps often loop around.
  • On-Ramp and different speed limits: An on-ramp can be extremely dangerous because they have low-speed limits (in order for cars to not lose control) and drivers are entering a high-speed road. This could lead to a devastating auto collision if one of the drivers isn’t paying attention – the driver entering I-95 at a slower speed or the driver already on I-95 traveling at a very fast speed.
  • Off-Ramp and vehicle direction: When a vehicle is exiting I-95, it is normally at a faster speed than usual. There have been occasions where a car takes the off-ramp to get on I-95. This will cause a head-on collision with two vehicles – and more than likely a car accident death (or deaths). This highway scenario is so dangerous; police are instructed to stop pursuing if a suspect they are chasing were to do this during a chase.
  • Not wanting to miss the exit: We have all seen it. Someone quickly cutting through lanes (sometimes without the turn signal) so they don’t miss their exit. Cars will even go from the HOV lane to the exit in the time that it takes to drive a quarter mile on I-95. This urgency can create a sudden congestion on the exit lane and possibly even an accident.

SPEAK TO A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

The Ft. Lauderdale car accident attorneys of MADALON LAW understand the roads of Interstate 95 and are here to help car accident victims with a free consultation and all fees of the case taken care of by the firm. You will not even be billed unless we win your case. Driving on any highway can be unpredictable, but it is hard to find one more unpredictable than I-95.

Contact our Broward accident attorneys today so we can answer your questions and help you during this difficult time.  Our injury firm handles cases throughout the State of Florida.