Clearwater’s Road Hazards: A Driver’s Guide to Avoiding Accidents
In Florida, car accidents rarely occur randomly. Instead, they tend to result from a combination of factors. The leading cause of traffic accidents is risky driving behaviors. For example, distracted driving and failing to yield underlie many intersection accidents in Clearwater, Florida.
However, location also plays a role. Road design, congestion, and traffic controls can set the stage for crash hotspots to develop in certain intersections or stretches of road. Take a closer look at how these principles apply in Clearwater.
How Roads Become Dangerous
It’s important to note that while drivers can make risky decisions on any road, these errors are harmless in certain conditions. For example, a collision cannot happen when you are the only driver on the road, no matter how poorly you drive.
According to a study conducted at Iowa State University, crash clusters often form where the road conditions are unforgiving of driving mistakes. These conditions amplify driving errors from harmless mistakes to traffic accidents. Some conditions that can lead to crashes include:
- Heavy traffic
- Speed limits set too fast
- Inadequate pedestrian crossing
- Poor directional or warning signs
- Inadequate traffic controls, such as traffic signals and signs
- Poor road design, such as blind intersections, sharp turns, or unbanked curves
Of these factors, traffic congestion is one of the most common. As a result, the most dangerous roads are often the busiest.
Road Collisions In Clearwater
Accidents are usually classified as “intersection-related” or “non-intersection.” Intersection-related crashes occur at or near the following features where roads meet:
- Intersections
- Merges
- Interchanges
Non-intersection crashes occur on roads between intersections or highways without intersections. These crashes occur for different reasons than intersection-related crashes.
Intersection-related accidents typically happen when drivers fail to yield the right of way, resulting in multiple vehicles colliding where the roads intersect. By contrast, road crashes often involve rear-end or sideswipe crashes.
Sideswipe collisions happen when vehicles hit side to side. They often result from improper lane changes and lane drift. In Clearwater, this can occur when drivers fail to check their blind spots or drift out of their lanes due to poor directional control.
Rear-end collisions occur when one vehicle slams into the rear of the car in front of it. These are more accurately called front-to-rear collisions by some traffic experts. Such crashes can result from following too closely, speeding, and distracted driving.
The blame for a rear-end crash usually falls on the driver of the rear vehicle. However, the driver of the front vehicle may contribute to the cause of a collision by cutting off the other vehicle or brake-checking it.
Dangerous Roads In Clearwater
The Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard includes a crash map showing traffic accident clusters in Clearwater. Using data from 2024, the following roads were identified as the city’s most dangerous:
FL-60/Gulf To Bay Blvd.
This road is a major east-west route across Clearwater. Crashes cluster at three primary locations along this road:
- Between Myrtle Ave. and Missouri Ave.
- Between Keene Rd. and Belcher Rd.
- From US-19 to the Bayside Bridge
This road is heavily traveled since it connects Clearwater to Clearwater Beach to the west and Tampa to the East.
US-19
This highway is a major north-south route through the city. Crashes tend to occur along certain stretches of it, particularly between FL-60/Gulf to Bay Blvd. and FL-590, as well as the area near Countryside Mall.
McMullen Booth Rd.
This road is not as dangerous as FL-60 or US-19. However, it has two notable crash clusters at the entrance to the Bayside Bridge and Enterprise Rd.
Driving Safely In Clearwater
The city’s most dangerous roads are also its most convenient and busiest. However, not all of Clearwater’s major roads are dangerous, and you can find safer alternate routes. Additionally, many of these crashes result from preventable behaviors. You can reduce your risk of a collision by avoiding distractions and being vigilant at intersections.
If you do experience an accident, speaking to a qualified car accident attorney can help you determine the best path forward.