Intersections pose some of the biggest threats to drivers in New Port Richey, Florida. Speeding through stop lights, making illegal turns, and refusing to yield the right of way can all lead to devastating crashes. It’s always a good idea to use extra care when going through an intersection, but are some intersections more dangerous than others?
There are several intersections around New Port Richey that tend to be dangerous. If you’ve been in an accident on such a road, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault driver. Our New Port Richey car accident lawyers at Winters & Yonker Personal injury Lawyers. can help you understand your rights and options.
Contact us at (727) 910-5060 today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Read on to learn more about the most dangerous roads and intersections in New Port Richey, FL.
How Can Our New Port Richey Personal Injury Lawyers Help?
Every year, thousands of New Port Richey, FL, citizens are injured in car accidents. If you’ve been hurt in a crash, the personal injury lawyers at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers. want to help.
Our New Port Richey car accident lawyers have almost 120 years of combined experience, and we’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients.
When you hire us, we can
- Assess your claim and explain your options
- Gather evidence to support your case, including pulling police reports, analyzing medical records, and talking to witnesses
- Carefully calculate every dollar you could be owed in damages
- Negotiate with the insurance companies to get you a fair settlement offer
- If negotiations fail, take your claim to court to get you full compensation
Schedule a free consultation with us today and start getting the representation you deserve.
How Common Are Accidents in New Port Richey?
Before we dive into the specific roads that are more dangerous for New Port Richey drivers, let’s talk about some New Port Richey statistics. Every year, Pasco County sees about 8,000 car accidents, about 100 of which result in deaths. Close to 7,500 drivers are injured in these crashes every year.
In 2021, the state of Florida suffered more than 1,000 fatalities at intersection crashes. There were more than 6,000 incapacitating injuries in intersection crashes, as well as almost 30,000 non-incapacitating injuries. There were over 60,000 additional possible injuries that resulted from intersection crashes in Florida in 2021.
The Deadliest Road in America
You might be surprised to learn that the deadliest road in America is, in fact, in New Port Richey, Florida. U.S. 19 was given this title in July 2022 after a team of researchers studied the roads that saw the most pedestrian deaths in America. Of the 60 hotspots they identified for pedestrian deaths, seven were on U.S. 19 in Pasco County.
Last year, Pasco County suffered 201 pedestrian traffic accidents, 28 of which were fatal. Another 13 drivers were killed on U.S. 19 alone in Pasco County in 2020. This means that this road accounts for 12 percent of all traffic fatalities in Pasco County that year.
Since the release of the article naming the highway “the deadliest road in America,” Pasco County officials have been working to find ways to make the highway safer for pedestrians.
Other Dangerous Roads and Intersections
As dangerous as U.S. 19 is, it’s not the only hazardous road in New Port Richey. State Road 54 is another common culprit in traffic accidents, as is 22nd Street in Dade City. And there are several intersections around the city that tend to see more wrecks than average.
The intersection at Congress Street and Massachusetts Avenue sees more than its fair share of accidents, as does the intersection of Main Street and Madison Street. You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled at the intersection of Cecilia Drive and Madison Avenue. And, of course, you need to take special care when driving through almost any intersection with U.S. 19.
Common Causes of Intersection Crashes
The good news about intersection crashes is that many of them are preventable. One of the most common causes of these accidents is people running through red lights and stop signs. This also includes attempting to run a yellow light, rather than slowing down and stopping.
Illegal turns and refusing to yield the right of way, of course, often lead to intersection crashes. And sadly, distracted driving is an extraordinarily common cause of intersection crashes. Texting, talking on the phone, reading, fiddling with the radio, or searching for something in the car can all take your eyes off the road at a critical moment.
Common Injuries in Intersection Crashes
There are several common injuries that result from intersection crashes in New Port Richey, FL. Many of these accidents cause head trauma since the forces involved can sling your brain into the inside of your skull. Other accident victims wind up with broken bones and even internal bleeding.
In some cases, intersection crashes can cause spinal cord injuries that may lead to paralysis. Other less serious neck and back injuries can also happen during these crashes.
If you’ve been involved in an intersection crash, it’s critical that you get examined by a doctor as soon as possible to determine what injuries you may have.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
Florida’s no-fault laws make it somewhat tricky to get compensation after a car accident in New Port Richey, Florida. All drivers are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance that covers their own losses. If you get into a car crash, you will first file a compensation claim with your own insurer to cover your injuries, regardless of who is at fault.
That being said, if a crash causes losses that are more than your PIP insurance will cover, you could still be entitled to compensation from the driver who caused the wreck. Florida allows drivers to opt out of the no-fault system when they suffer a “serious injury.”
Florida also has a comparative fault law. This means that even if the wreck was partly (or mostly) your fault, you can still recover compensation. The amount of money you get will be reduced by the percentage of the blame that you carry. So let’s say you’re entitled to a $10,000 settlement after an accident that was 40 percent your fault. You’ll be able to collect $6,000.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with a New Port Richey Car Accident Lawyer Today
Intersections in New Port Richey, Florida, can be exceptionally dangerous, especially along U.S. 19. Always follow traffic signals around intersections, and check every intersection before turning into it. It’s also important to avoid driving distracted – no texting, reading emails, applying makeup, or hunting for something in your floorboards while the car is moving.
If you’ve been hurt in an intersection accident, the New Port Richey personal injury lawyers at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers want to help. Schedule a free consultation with us today and discover how “the aggressive attorneys” can help you get the compensation you deserve.
