If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Florida, you could be at risk for a suit for damages to recoup some of the losses involved in injuries throughout the accident. If negligence is proven in a case, this can often lead to compensation being delivered to the winning party. One of the easiest ways to prove negligence comes with Florida traffic law violations. Violating a traffic regulation that resulted in an accident can immediately count as proof of negligence in a suit.

In this guide, we will go through some of the most common violations in Florida that can be used as proof of negligence in Florida car accidents. We used data throughout FLHSMV reporting to examine tickets on Florida roadways. These are some of the most common traffic infractions that police officers are ticketing for which could also be considered proof of negligence in the wake of an accident.

Speeding

Speeding is still one of the most commonly ticketed traffic citations in Florida. Nearly 35% of all violations issued each year are speeding tickets. Speeding during an accident can be the cause of negligence because it demonstrates that the driver was not in control of their vehicle. High speeds can often lead to an increase in property damage as well as injuries that are more severe. This can be one of the most dangerous violations that you can commit which may eventually result in an accident.

Stoplight And Stop Sign Violations

Failing to stop at a stoplight or complete a red light stop can easily be a violation that results in a charge of negligence. A failure to stop in these areas accounts for 22% of the traffic tickets issued throughout Florida. Even if there isn’t a red light camera at the light you are coming up to, failing to stop can lead to an immediate citation or a count of negligence if it results in an accident.

Careless Driving

A careless driving citation could mean changing lanes without looking or simply performing careless driving behaviors that resulted in an accident. If you can be proven as a careless driver or you have a history of citations, this can work against you in a personal injury suit.

Criminal traffic violations: Criminal traffic violations are some of the easiest ways to prove negligence in the event of an accident. Driving under the influence, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and more can be areas where you are instantly proven negligent in an injury suit. These are traffic violations that need to be avoided at all costs.

To Prove Negligence

A Florida court needs to prove a breach of duty for the driver, a duty of care for others on the road, the court needs to identify the driver for the negligence and the accident as well as a proof of harm. The plaintiff in proof of harm needs to have proven that they suffered some type of harm as a result of an accident. Harm can be defined as physical, financial loss or even psychological harm as a result of the accident.

In order to stay safe on Florida roads, you need to make sure that you are avoiding some of these most common mistakes behind the wheel. If you regularly take liberties with some of these Florida traffic law violations in your own vehicle, you may want to consider driving with extra care and caution so you don’t end up in the courtroom for an accident that you’ve caused.

If you or somebody you know has been involved in a car accident, contact us today for a free consultation.