If you are one of the thousands of people who live or work in the Mary Esther, Florida, area, car accident data can play a significant role in your day-to-day safety. Armed with the knowledge of how often and under what circumstances injury and fatal car crashes occur, you can better adjust your driving behaviors to limit your risk.
The town’s proximity to Eglin Air Force Base, located just 20 minutes away, can create traffic risks for residents and visitors of the city. The Mary Esther car accident lawyers at Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers can help you exercise your legal rights if you are unfortunate enough to be hurt on the road here. You can contact us online or call (850) 809-0170.
How Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers Can Help After An Accident In Mary Esther, FL
Mary Esther, Florida, may not seem like the place where you or your loved ones could be injured in a car wreck. However, traffic crashes do happen here, and you need assistance from a knowledgeable and skilled Mary Esther car accident attorney when you are involved in one. Your attorney from Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers can help you:
- Determine your eligibility to file an injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver
- Obtain evidence and reports to substantiate your compensation claim
- File your claim within the two-year statute of limitations
- Pursue a settlement if it is in your best interests
- Take your claim to trial in pursuit of compensation
We have been serving the Panhandle since 1981 and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We are committed to providing unmatched customer service to each client who retains our services.
How Many Car Crashes Occur in Mary Esther?
Mary Esther is part of the Crestview-Fort Walton-Destin metro area and is located in Okaloosa County. In 2023, Okaloosa County recorded 3,300 of the state’s 395,175 traffic crashes. Less than one percent — 28 out of 3,375 — of the state’s total traffic fatalities occurred in Okaloosa, as did 2,180 of the approximate 250,000 instances of car crash injuries.
Additionally, there were 238 wrecks in Okaloosa County involving a commercial motor vehicle. These resulted in two fatalities and 87 injured individuals.
Even though Okaloosa County averages about two traffic fatalities each year, the number of fatal crashes in Mary Esther is even lower. Between 2018 and 2022, there was only one fatal car accident in the city. This fatal wreck occurred in 2021.
Top 5 Causes of Auto Crashes in Mary Esther
When considering the many ways a crash can happen in Florida, a handful of factors feature prominently in many of the state’s auto accidents. The following five factors are responsible for a majority of the car accidents that happen every year:
1. Careless Driving
Careless or negligent driving is a catchall term that encompasses motorists whose general driving behavior evinces a disregard for others’ safety. In 2023, careless drivers were responsible for over 4,200 accidents that resulted in incapacitating injuries and nearly 285,000 crashes overall.
2. Failing To Yield The Right Of Way
About 163,000 collisions of all types, including 3,052 resulting in incapacitating injuries, occurred due to a driver failing to yield the right of way. Florida’s right-of-way rules govern who gets to proceed before other traffic when vehicles approach the same point on the road from different directions, such as at an intersection.
3. Fail To Maintain Lane
Drivers who failed to keep their vehicles in their own lanes of travel contributed to over 45,000 traffic crashes in 2023. Roughly 10,000 crashes involved people who sustained some level of injury. Motorists might fail to maintain a single lane for a variety of reasons, including inattentiveness, obstructions in the road, or carelessly attempting to switch lanes.
4. Running Red Lights
It can be tempting to try to beat a red light, especially when you are late or stuck in stop-and-go traffic. However, other motorists might erroneously assume the first driver will slow down and stop. This dynamic leads to car accidents, including the 33,045 red-light wrecks that happened in Florida in 2023.
5. Improper Turns
You could make an improper turn by failing to give adequate advanced warning before attempting to make a turn, not yielding the right of way, or turning into the incorrect lane. Thirty-six wrecks resulted in a fatality, and another 300 suffered permanent, incapacitating injuries.
Contact Our Mary Esther, FL, Accident Lawyers For A Free Consultation
Even if you are a careful driver, other motorists in Mary Esther, Florida, may not be. If a crash does occur and you suffer a broken bone, spinal cord injury, or head trauma, it is essential that you consult with Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation, and our experienced team can help you obtain what you deserve.
Contact our office to schedule your free initial case consultation. Our Mary Esther car accident lawyers will review your case, advise you of what your claim could be worth, and help you get started on the road to recovery.