Drivers need to be careful on our roadways throughout South Florida, but you might want to be a little extra careful at the intersection of Congress Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard. According to the Sun Sentinel, this intersection has seen an increasing number of accidents. For that reason, it has now been noted for having the highest accident rate in the entire county.
Car accidents in Palm Beach aren’t only a risk at this intersection — Northwest 15th Avenue and Glades Road has some of the highest accident rates in the area.
Our Palm Beach car accident attorneys understand that there are a few intersections in the area that are in fact seeing lower risks of car accidents, but this reduction is outweighed by these dangerous intersections. Take the intersections of U.S. 441 and Glades Road as well as Forest Hill Boulevard and U.S. 441. Both of these intersections are seeing fewer accidents, but it’s just not enough as intersections like the ones at Forest Hill Boulevard and Military Trail as well as Okeechobee Boulevard and Military Trail continue to be some of the most likely places for accidents to happen.
According to 2010 statistics, the most accidents, nearly 125, were witnessed at Okeechobee and Military Trail. Many local drivers aren’t the least bit surprised as it’s one of the busiest intersections in the county. It has dual left-turn lanes and right turns on every road.
“There’s not too much to be done at Military and Okeechobee,” said Dan Weisberg, County’s traffic engineer.
Engineers in the county continue to scratch their heads in attempt to brainstorm ideas on how to make the area safer. They say that there’s really nothing more that can be done.
At these intersections, most of the accidents are in fact rear-end accidents, meaning that drivers just aren’t paying attention behind the wheel and they’re following too closely.
Others say that the heavy traffic is causing all of the accidents. Recent surveys determined that there were nearly 97,400 vehicles that pass through that intersection every day. In 2010, that intersection saw 12 injuries and one accident fatality. Damages resulting from these accidents totaled more than $344,400.
Military Trail and Forest Hill Boulevard saw more than 120 crashes during the year. It oftentimes swaps spots with Okeechobee Boulevard and Military Trail for being the intersection with the most accidents. At this intersection, there are more than 85,000 vehicles that pass through every day. To help to make this intersection a little safer for everyone, traffic officials are launching a new study, costing nearly $200,000, to see how it can be fixed.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident in Palm Beach, Stuart City, Royal Palm Beach, or elsewhere in the South Florida area, call the personal injury lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC to schedule a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-561-7777.
Additional Resources:
Palm Beach County’s top crash intersections, by Angel Streeter, Sun Sentinel
More Blog Entries:
Fatalities in Car Accidents in Stuart and Elsewhere Minimized with Seat Belts, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, June 23, 2012
Bicycle Accidents in Greenacres and Elsewhere Focus of South Florida Awareness Ride, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, June 19, 2012