Do Florida laws make the roads less safe?

Many Miami motorists celebrate that Florida does not impose as many restrictions on drivers as other states. Yet perhaps this freedom is one reason why Florida has such an awful traffic safety record with a higher annual cost for auto accidents than in all but six states.

A report from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS) ranked Florida as one of the most dangerous places to drive. The AHAS has a list of 16 highway safety laws that it thinks all states should implement. These are the additional regulations they believe Florida should put in place and enforce to save more lives:

  • Mandatory rear seat belt use.
  • Obligatory helmet use for all motorcyclists.
  • Children under 2 years old must be in a rear-facing child seat on the back seat of the car.
  • Children under 8 years old and under 57 inches tall must use a booster seat when they outgrow their child seat. It fills the gap until they can use a full-sized seat belt.
  • Learners permits should not be issued until a person reaches 16 years old as a minimum.
  • The age for an unrestricted driving license should be raised to 18.
  • Teenage drivers should face restrictions on driving at night.
  • Teenage drivers should be limited to how many passengers they can take without an adult’s supervision.
  • Ignition interlock devices should be made mandatory for all drunk driving offenders.
  • Teenage drivers should be banned from using cellphones in the car, except in an emergency.

If you are injured in a Miami car wreck, it can be upsetting to know that stricter laws might have prevented the crash happening. Seek legal advice to claim compensation for your injuries.