In my last post I began on series on the four main categories of causes of car accidents. Today’s post explores the second of these categories-roadway design as a cause of car accidents. When we handle an Orlando car accident case, we do consider the issue of roadway design as a possible cause. Infrequently, roadway design does cause or contribute to car accidents.
In those situations we consider what engineers consider in the design of our highways and roads. Those include such things as the manner and design of intersections, merging lanes, bends, crests, school zones, and pedestrian crossings. It also refers to temporary hazards that may be on the roadway such as road construction, parked or disabled vehicles, accidents and traffic jams.
Roadway surfaces must be safe for the traffic and conditions expected. Roadway markings must let drivers know about their ability to pass safely, the location of the roadway in inclement weather using reflective cats-eyes & stakes, and where road surface ends and the shoulder begins. In addition, traffic control devices should be appropriate for the surrounding circumstances.
There should also be behavioral control devices that keep drivers safe from known hazards. For instance, where the road turns quickly or where danger lurks guard rails should be installed. Other such devices include crash barrels, speed bumps, pedestrian islands, raised medians, high curbing and concrete barriers.
The traffic flow should be reasonable for the particular location. Interstate highways remain the safest roads because their flow of traffic is in one direction. One-way streets ease traffic congestion in city centers as well. Rural two-lane roadways are statistically the most dangerous because of a high incidence of deadly head-on collisions and the difficulty impatient drivers face while overtaking slower vehicles.
Roadway identification signs enable someone without a detailed map to travel from one place to another safely. They give advance notice of intersections, destinations, hazards, route numbers, mileage estimates, street names, and points of interest.
Of course, this discussion should include reference to Florida’s sovereign immunity statute, Florida Statute §768.28. This statute and court interpretation limits liability on the part of the state for operational conduct as opposed to planning matters.
