MIAMI – Florida is the deadliest state in the U.S. when it comes to intersection fatalities, according to a new report based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The study commissioned by AutoInsurance.org shows Florida accounting for 10.03 fatalities per 1,000 miles of road between 2010 and 2017. The next deadliest state was Hawaii with 6.71 fatalities.
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Miami-Dade County ranked third with 1,009 deaths within the time period, behind only Los Angeles County and Maricopa County (Phoenix) in Arizona. In all, four Florida counties, including Broward (545 fatalities), ranked in the Top 10 among the country's deadliest.
"Our findings suggest highway intersection deaths are common along much of America's East Coast but are most prevalent in Florida by far. Indeed, even for federal highways passing through multiple states, Florida seemed to be the epicenter of intersection deaths." read the report.
"According to experts, staffing shortages have limited law enforcement efforts to police Florida's roads. In Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, the number of traffic citations has declined, while crashes have increased."
The report singles out U.S. 1, which stretches from Maine to Florida. However, "as drivers get closer to the Florida Keys, the highway begins to seem more like a local road, complete with stoplights, varied speed limits, and traffic."