Most Dangerous Intersections in Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida is a bustling college town and a highly desirable place to live within Alachua County. Also known by its nickname “The Swamp,” Gainesville has steadily attracted more and more residents each year for a multitude of reasons. According to statistics analyzed by the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews, Gainesville is ranked 37 of 228 for best cities to live in the United States. (Niche, Best Places to Live in Alachua County, https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/gainesville-alachua-fl/ (2022)). Not only is Gainesville home to the prestigious University of Florida, it also ranks as the number one city in Alachua County because of its public schools, family friendly atmosphere, nightlife, and diversity. (Id.)

Gainesville’s high rankings across a multitude of criteria have made it a very attractive option for prospective resident families. Additionally, the resident population has increased steadily each year. Furthermore, The University of Florida brings tens of thousands of students to live and travel within Gainesville’s city limits during the school year. Therefore, the number of motor vehicles being operated within the city of Gainesville will continue to rise; which will unfortunately lead to a continual rise in the number of car accidents.

Unfortunately, operating a motor vehicle coincides with a number of inherent risks. A reasonable person licensed to operate a car is well aware of these risks and most individuals engage in prudent behavior while operating a motor vehicle. However, accidents are incredible common and many drivers will endure the challenges an accident may place on an individual’s life. The goal of this article is to inform drivers with data regarding: 1) the number of motor vehicles registered and insured with the State of Florida; 2) motor vehicles crash statistics in Alachua County, 3) the most dangerous intersections within the City of Gainesville, and 4) steps a motorist should take following an accident. Reading through this article will give you with more information than the average driver, and hopefully provide insights and tools to protect yourself and your loved ones from being victims in a motor vehicle accident.

Motor Vehicle Registration in The State of Florida

For most Floridians, use of a personal vehicle is a necessity in order to conduct day-to-day functions. Florida Law requires all drivers of motor vehicles on public accessways to be: 1) licensed to operate the vehicle they are operating, and 2) have the vehicles registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Florida law states, “every owner or person in charge of a motor vehicle that is operated or driven on the roads of this state shall register the vehicle in this state.” (F.S. 320.02, (2021). This also includes watercraft operated within the nautical boundaries of the State of Florida. There are multitude of reasons why a person must register their vehicle, which include: property identification; collections of money for infrastructure repair and development; and to ensure the motor vehicles are insured in accordance to Florida law.

Florida has some of the most densely populated roadways in the entire United States. Florida, along with two other states, account for Twenty-eight percent of the nationwide total of registered vehicles. (Matt Timmons, Car Ownership Statistics; How Many People Own a Car in the US?, https://www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/car-ownership-statistics (2021)). In Florida alone, there are 7,841,189 registered vehicles. (Id.) Therefore, Florida has some of the most densely populated driving conditions in the country before accounting for additional vehicles traveling within the state that are registered elsewhere.

You may be asking yourself, “why it is relevant to know these statistics?” Well, an attorney such as myself can help guide you on ensuring your vehicle is operated in accordance with the law. Additionally, and more importantly, our firm of expert attorneys can inform you on the importance of specific insurance coverages that will cover your expenses that may result from a motor vehicle accident. You do not want to be in a situation where your insurance coverages are not enough to cover your expenses in the event a wrong-doers insurance policy it too minimal to adequately compensate you for your injuries, property damages, and pain and suffering.

Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics in Alachua County

As mentioned earlier, the City of Gainesville is a great place to live for a multitude of reasons. However, Gainesville ranks quite high on the list of Florida cities with the highest rate of car accidents. According to a study conducted by Lending Tree using data from 2018 motor vehicle insurance quotes, Gainesville ranked five out of twenty-five for “Worst Driving Cities in Florida” (Adam Johnson, Florida’s Best and Worst Driving Cities, https://quotewizard.com/news/posts/florida-best-and-worst-driving-cities, (2019)).

In a more recent publication by the Florida Department of Highways Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) there were a total of 5,173 motor vehicle accidents in 2021. (The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Crash Dashboard, https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/ (2022). This means there was a daily average of fourteen motor vehicle accidents each day for the entire year of 2021. Tragically, 3,646 people were injured as a result of these crashes, and 60 individuals lost their lives as a result of those 5,173 accidents. (Id.)

If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, it is imperative to consult legal representation to make certain you follow the necessary steps to recover for your loss. Once you have contacted law enforcement and have filed an accident report, you should immediately contact an attorney to help guide you through the legal processes to recover from your insurance provider and the insurance provider of the other motorist. Our team will work relentlessly to help you recover financially so that you can focus on physically and emotionally recovering from the hardships resulting from a motor vehicle accident.

The Most Dangerous Intersections in the City of Gainesville

After reading the prior sections of this article, a motorist should realize that driving in Florida comes with increased risks of accidents. Not only are the roads in Florida filled with millions of registered vehicles, but this number does not account for the millions of additional motor vehicles brought into the state by tourists who are driving on Florida’s highways and city streets. As previously discussed, not only is the city of Gainesville’s population steadily increasing with permanent residents, but also the population rises during the school year by thousands of more residents who come to live in study at the University of Florida. As a result of the growth in the city of Gainesville, many roadways are experiencing higher levels of traffic each year, and the frequency of motor vehicle accidents is increasing each year. This portion of the article aims to inform you as to the most dangerous intersections with Gainesville’s city limits.

A motorist should always drive with an abundance of caution, but having the knowledge of where you are at the highest risk of being involved in motor vehicle collision can provide you with an advantage. Our list of the most dangerous intersections within the city limits of Gainesville was created from data compiled by the many law enforcement authorities within the City of Gainesville, Alachua County, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Below is the list of the twelve most dangerous intersections:

1. NW 34th Street & NW 39th Avenue

This intersection is a major artery for both North / South and East / West traffic through Gainesville. The speed limit is 45 and the turn signals for both lights typically provide a flashing yellow yield arrow. These roads generally connect dense residential areas with medium density business in the south such as restaurants and is commonly used as a route to University Avenue and the University of Florida.

2. West University Avenue & NW 22nd Street

This intersection is on the North side of the University of Florida’s main campus. The area is commonly flooded with younger drivers and foot traffic being so close to campus. The signal often provides a flashing yellow yield arrow that some drivers either don’t pay attention to or fail to yield to on coming traffic. With tragic accidents along this road the speed limit has been lowered to 25 and speed control devices have recently been installed to attempt to protect the population from car accidents.

3. SW Archer Road and the north Interstate 75 on and off-ramps

This intersection has one of the highest density of commercial buildings in the Gainesville area. The speed limit is 45 and people are notorious for following too closely in this area. The most common type of accidents we see here are from rear end collisions resulting from people tailgating in an area where there is constant stop and go traffic. With nearly endless choices for restaurants and shops including Best Buy, Walmart and Sam’s club this is a popular destination for students who typically drive more carelessly.

4. SW Archer Road and SW 37th Boulevard

Following closely behind our #3, this intersection is dangerous for all of the same reasons as the above mentioned. This intersection typically has more foot traffic however as there is housing near that people often walk from. We have seen many accidents in this intersection from driver’s failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians using the crosswalks. Many driver’s are not educated well enough to know to watch for pedestrians crossing the road while the driver is making a right hand turn.

5. SW 20th Avenue and SW 62nd Blvd

This intersection serves a similar purpose to our #1 location in that it is a high density residential environment including several large apartment complexes. It is one of the main roads leading to the Archer / Butler Plaza area and many driver’s also use these roads when heading home from work. With construction common here and many merge lanes following turning onto SW 20th Avenue, many drivers will attempt to race around other cars.

6. SW 16th Avenue and SW 13th Street

This intersection is similar to the North side of UF’s campus however it is located in the South East corner. It provides one of the most common routes to both the University of Florida and to their medical facilities including the school of veterinarian medicine. It is not uncommon for foot traffic to be present and motorist tend to speed in this area.

7. SW 34th Street and SW 20th Avenue

This is a bit of an awkward intersection. It feels that when originally designed it was not meant to host such high traffic volumes as it does today. This intersection provides a commonly used alternative route to Archer road that goes behind many of the businesses found in Butler Plaza.

8. SW 13th Street and SW Williston Road

This intersection is found between two the the major high speed highways that many people that live to the South of Gainesville use to come and go. It is a fairly well constructed intersection and does not have nearly as much foot traffic as the others found on our list however with the sheer amount of volume in traffic it directs every day it has become an accident prone area.

9. SW Archer Road and the south I-75 on and off-ramps

Similar to the previous intersection, I-75s south bound on and off ramps are commonly used. Not as dangerous as the north bound ramps from less congestion in the area, this intersection has poorly drawn turn signal lanes causing much confusion in the area especially when construction is present. It is only a matter of time before this intersection becomes as popular as the East side with growing businesses moving into the area such as Bass Pro, Texas Steakhouse and Starbucks being near.

10. SW 40th Boulevard and SW Archer Road

There is a common theme on the list pointing to the Butler Plaza area and Archer road as being some of the most dangerous in Gainesville for car accidents. This location continues to solidify those findings. Home to many businesses for food and goods, this intersection also has several very large hotels that are especially popular during sporting events at the University of Florida. With increased foot traffic many pedestrian accidents happen here when vehicles fail to yield the right of way to them.

11. Newberry Road and NW 75th Street

Last on our list is the Newberry area directly around the on and off ramps for I-75. This is one of the most traffic heavy areas in the Gainesville area during rush hour and many locals know to avoid the area if possible. The cause of many accidents here stem from the confusing merge lanes, heavy congestion that often times block intersections following yellow / red lights and the fact this road is the main route for many people who live West of Gainesville including the city of Newberry.

(https://www.enjuris.com/florida/gainesville-car-accident-attorney.html (2022)). If you pull up these intersections on a map, you will realize the majority of them are in close proximity to the University of Florida, and between the city areas of midtown and downtown. Additionally, Archer road is prevalent on this list, and that is likely because of the growth in density of local shopping centers along Archer road.

What Every Motorist Should Do Following an Accident

When learning how to drive for your licensing exam, you may have been informed on what you should do following an accident. Most motorists are taught that basics of what they should do following an accident, such as: 1) call emergency services if there are any injuries, 2) call the police to come take an accident report, and 3) exchange insurance information with the other driver. However, there are a few more things every person should do following an accident that is crucial in order for their lawyers to make a claim and retrieve the highest amount possible on your behalf. This portion of the article will provide you with a simple seven step checklist to follow in the unfortunate event you are ever involved in a motor vehicle accidence.

The first step on the checklist is to always stop and remain on the scene if you are involved in a motor vehicles accident. Florida law, like every other state, requires motorists to remain on the scene or risk being charged with criminal penalties such as “hit-and-run” charges. If you are involved in a collision on a busy roadway, you should safely try and move the vehicles involved to a location as close as possible to the scene of the accident.

The second step on the checklist is to call the police. Officers who respond to a crash fill out comprehensive reports that are valuable evidence for individuals trying to recover damages for physical injury and damages to property. If anyone in your vehicle or the other vehicle/s are injured call 911. If neither vehicle has any injured parties and you would still like to have a police report conducted at the scene, you can call the Gainesville non-emergency dispatch at (352) 955-1818.

The third step on the checklist is to seek medical attention for yourself or any other party involved in the accident. It is important to remember that injuries from motor vehicle accident may not be noticeable right away. Most motorists are usually in a state of shock and they may not notice an injury until minutes, hours, or even days following the accident. Seeking medical attention from a hospital or your general practitioner is extremely important following an accident. Medical expenses can be extremely costly for a victim in a motor vehicle accidents and attorneys who specialize in motor vehicle accidents use medical reports to help victims ensure they recover the most compensation available from insurance companies.

The fourth step on the checklist is to try and obtain any witness information. The majority of the time when an accident occurs, other individuals witness the events that transpired. Testimony or statements given by these individuals are crucial for collecting all of the facts leading up to the motor vehicle accident, and can even help a person negate or prove liability. Additionally, witness information can come from machinery or technology used on the roadway. Many individuals use dashcam and many streets/intersections have cameras. If you own a dashboard camera, always have it recording while driving your motor vehicle. If you do not have a dashboard camera, see if any other individuals who witnessed the crash have a dashboard camera that was recording the collision. If you are able to collect footage from any source, request a copy and the information of the individual who has the original recording. This footage is indispensable evidence for your claim.

The fifth step on the checklist is to take photographs on your phone or any other camera you may have in your possession. A motorist should take photographs of the following: 1) their vehicles, 2) the other vehicle/s, 3) the scene of the accident, 4) the other person’s drivers license and insurance information, and 5) any visible injuries. If you cannot take pictures at the scene of the accident, try and do the following as soon as possible: 1) write down the weather conditions on the day of the accident, 2) the time of the accident, and 3) take pictures of your vehicle.

The sixth step on the checklist is to report the accident to your insurance company. Do not provide them with specifics unless you consult an attorney first. Simply provide your insurance company with the basic information necessary to report the accident. Do not file a claim with your insurance company without first having contact our firm or another personal injury attorney.

The seventh and final step is to contact an attorney specializing in motor vehicle accidents. These types of attorneys are normally called personal injury attorneys. The biggest mistake you can make is to believe your insurance company, or any other insurance company involved in the accident, are motivated to help you. Insurance companies, like any other business, are only motivated by making a profit. An insurance company adjuster’s job is to pay you the lowest amount of money possible. If an insurance company calls you to ask questions about the accident following the report, instruct the agent to speak with your attorney first.

If you are the victim of an motor vehicle accident, do not wait to contact one of our experienced attorneys about your case. Our firm has attorneys through the entire State of Florida who are ready to help you obtain the compensation you are rightfully owed. You focus on your mental and physical recovery, we will focus on your financial recovery. If you, a loved one, or a friend have been in an motor vehicle accidents, call today for your free consultation and as always, we never charge a fee until we win your case.

Attorney Logan Lawrence

04/07/2022