Destin, FL, a tiny town with fewer than 14,000 residents, faces some unusual traffic challenges. The locals live along a narrow peninsula that is just over two miles at its widest point, and that separates the Choctawhatchee Bay from The Gulf of Mexico. As a result, water is present to the north, south, and west of town.
Despite its smaller population, Destin receives roughly 4.5 million visitors each year. This influx of tourists serves to clog the roads that provide access to Destin’s beaches and marinas.
The town also has several large resort hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and entertainment venues to support the tourist industry. As a result, many of Destin’s car accidents result from tourist traffic.
If you’ve suffered injuries in a collision, contact a Destin car accident attorney at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for legal advice. Give us a call at (850) 842-2573 today.
How Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Crash in Destin, FL
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is a well-known and highly respected personal injury law firm providing representation to Destin, Florida, accident victims.
Since 1990, our firm has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our injured clients.
Our Destin car accident lawyers can help you after a collision by providing the following:
- A free consultation to evaluate your case and help you make legal decisions
- Over 60 years of combined legal experience representing accident victims like you
- Aggressive representation and attorneys who are prepared to take your case to trial if necessary
A car accident can leave you with mountains of medical expenses while also disabling you so severely that you cannot work to pay them. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you recover compensation for your injuries.
Why Do Traffic Accidents Form Hotspots?
Traffic accidents can cluster for many reasons, such as:
- Poor road design
- Inadequate traffic controls
- Blind alleys and intersections
- Insufficient road capacity
- Lack of pedestrian and bicycle crossings
But the most common cause of traffic accidents is dangerous and careless driver behavior. For example, drivers might be more prone to speeding on a wide, multi-lane road with fast speed limits. These dangerous behaviors are often amplified by traffic congestion.
Regardless of the reason, studies have shown that crashes not only cluster but cluster according to crash type. Thus, drivers are more likely to run stop signs at certain intersections than others. As a result, crash mapping can help policymakers and law enforcement officials decide where to allocate resources to mitigate crash risks.
Common Locations of Traffic Accidents in Destin, FL
Crashes in Destin tend to cluster in tourist areas. Some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in Destin, FL, include the following:
Dangerous Roads
According to the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard, Destin’s most dangerous road is US-98/Harbor Blvd. This highway runs east-west through Destin and provides access to Henderson Beach State Park, Destin Harbor Boardwalk, and other tourist destinations.
Importantly, US-98 enters the town via Destin Bridge. This bridge can act as a chokepoint when traffic is heavy, leading to backups in both directions.
Other dangerous roads in Destin include:
- Airport Rd., which connects US-98 to the town’s small airport
- Main St., which provides both commercial and residential access
Road accidents typically result from:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe lane changes
These dangerous behaviors often cause sideswiping or rear-end collisions. In turn, those crashes can lead to serious injuries like whiplash. But they do have a lower likelihood of causing fatal injuries than head-on or side-impact collisions.
The liability for road accidents usually falls on the driver who violates a traffic law. For example, if a driver texts while driving and rear-ends another car, that distracted driver will bear the liability for the crash.
Dangerous Intersections
Dangerous intersections in Destin also happen in tourist areas. According to the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard, traffic crashes cluster in three specific areas popular with visitors.
The first is US-98/Harbor Blvd. and Stahlman Ave., where travelers turn off the highway to reach HarborWalk Village and Destin Harbor Boardwalk. The second is the entrance to the Destin Beach parking lot on Gulf Shore Blvd, and the third is Scenic Highway 98 and Dolphin St. near James Lee Beach.
Intersection crashes usually result from a failure to yield the right of way.
This failure can happen in many ways, including the following:
- Running a stop sign or red light
- Turning left across the path of an oncoming vehicle
- Turning right into the path of an approaching vehicle
- Turning into an occupied bike lane or crosswalk
Intersection crashes have a higher risk of causing a serious or fatal injury than road crashes. Intersection crashes also often involve side-impact collisions. These crashes can lead to severe injuries since they happen at one of the weakest points of a vehicle.
Additionally, pedestrians and cyclists have little protection when a car collides with them. As a result, they can suffer serious injuries when hit trying to cross the street at an intersection.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With Our Skilled Destin Car Accident Lawyers
While Destin does have collision hotspots, a crash can happen anywhere in town. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the compensation you can seek for your injuries.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Destin, FL
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
4507 Furling Ln #214, Destin, FL 32541
(850) 842-2573
