It’s almost snowbird season here in Florida. Every year, Florida sees an influx of folks from pretty much everywhere it gets cold in the winter, and the usual “snowbird” migration starts right around October and doesn’t end until they all return home again in April.
Unfortunately, the annual arrival of the snowbirds brings both good and bad. While they’re a huge part of Florida’s winter economy, snowbirds also tend to create more traffic issues – for a variety of reasons.
Why does the risk of a traffic accident increase in the winter?
Since Florida isn’t exactly the land of foul weather, what causes the annual spike in traffic accidents? They’re largely related to:
- The age of the drivers: The vast majority of snowbirds are retirees, so they’re advanced in age. That means slower reflexes and more trouble seeing at night or judging distances due to age-related physical changes in their bodies.
- A lack of familiarity with the roads: It takes a while to get used to the switch in roads and the traffic patterns when people come down to Florida for the winter. Driving on unfamiliar roads can make for a rough adjustment and some confusion – which, in turn, leads to accidents.
- The increased traffic: Since there are more people in the area, there’s just more traffic to contend with on a daily basis – and that always ups the risk of a wreck.
- Distracted drivers: Both local residents and snowbirds alike may be distracted by everything from their GPS devices to billboards.
If you get injured in a car accident here in Tampa (whether you’re a local resident or just waiting out the winter), make sure that you have sound legal guidance as you pursue the compensation you are due.