Clearwater, Florida, is known for its beautiful beaches and active community, but there’s a major concern about road safety. With busy roads, there’s an increased risk of accidents, whether people are commuting, picking up kids, or traveling for fun. As Clearwater personal injury lawyers, we need to know where the most dangerous roads and intersections are, but just looking at accident numbers doesn’t tell the whole story.

At Abrahamson & Uiterwyk, we’ve developed the “Clearwater Road Safety Score,” which shows where the worst crashes are happening based on both accident severity and how much traffic a road carries. This helps us better understand the actual risk to drivers, not just the number of crashes.

The Clearwater Road Safety Score isn’t just about counting accidents. It looks at two main things:

• Crash Severity: A fender-bender is less serious than a crash that causes death or serious injury, so we give more weight to the severe crashes.

• Traffic Volume: Some roads are busier than others, so we account for the number of cars on each road to better compare the risk.

Our score combines these to give a better picture of where high-risk crashes are happening relative to how busy the road is. The result is a clearer understanding of which roads are the most dangerous.

How We Calculate the Score

We used Florida crash data from 2019 to the present, classifying injuries using the KABCO system. KABCO is a scale that categorizes crash injuries by severity:

• K (Fatal Injury): The crash caused a death.

• A (Incapacitating Injury): A serious injury that prevents normal activity, like broken bones or unconsciousness.

• B (non-incapacitating Injury): An injury that’s noticeable but not life-threatening, such as bruises or minor cuts.

• C (Possible Injury): No visible injuries, but the person may feel pain or have symptoms like nausea.

• O (No Apparent Injury): There were no injuries, only property damage (like a car dent).

To better reflect the real-world impact of crashes, we gave higher weight to more severe injuries. This helps us focus on roads where serious accidents happen, even if the total number of crashes is lower. We also included Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) data to understand how many vehicles use each road, ensuring we compare the risk per vehicle. This gives a fairer view of how dangerous each road really is.

Clearwater’s Top 10 Dangerous Roads

Based on our analysis, here are the top 10 roads with the highest Clearwater Road Safety Scores, showing the most dangerous roads relative to traffic volume:

1. Drew Street
2. Gulf to Bay Boulevard
3. US 19
4. Missouri Ave S
5. SR 60
6. Court Street
7. SR 580
8. Myrtle Ave N
9. Coachman Rd
10. Belcher Rd

What Does This Mean?

• Drew Street has the highest risk per vehicle, with serious accidents happening despite having fewer total crashes.

• Gulf to Bay Boulevard is also high on the list, with a lot of traffic and serious accidents.

• US 19, while busy and having many severe crashes, ranks lower due to its massive traffic volume.

Tips for Staying Safe

• Stay Focused: Avoid distractions like using your phone or eating while driving.

• Drive Defensively: Keep a safe distance and be ready for sudden stops.

• Be Careful at Intersections: Many crashes happen at intersections, so be extra cautious there.

• For Pedestrians & Cyclists: Always use crosswalks, obey traffic signals, and stay visible.

By knowing the most dangerous roads and following safe driving habits, we can help make Clearwater’s streets safer for everyone.

Abrahamson’s Clearwater Office:

Address: 2639 McCormick Dr, Clearwater, FL 33759

​​For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:

Name: Erik Abrahamson

Company Name: Abrahamson and Uiterwyk Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers

Phone: (727) 270-9206

Email: info@theinjurylawyers.com

References

1. KABCO Injury Classification Scale and Definitions. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/media/20141
2. Defining EPDO - Equivalent Property Damage Only - from Improving Safety on Rural, Local, and Tribal Roads: Safety Toolkit. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/safety/local-rural/improving-safety-rural-local-and-tribal-roads-safety-toolkit/step-2-conduct
3. Defining MEV - Million Entering Vehicles - from Intersection Safety Manual for Local and Rural Road Owners: 3. Safety Analysis. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/safety/local-rural/intersection-safety-manual-local-rural-road-owners/3-safety-analysis
4. Clearwater, FL Traffic Crash Reports 2019 to Present. Retrieved from https://gis.fdot.gov/ssogis/
5. 2024 Annual Average Daily Traffic Report: Pinellas County. https://tdaappsprod.dot.state.fl.us/fto/reports/622UPD_Combined_AADT_Report_2024/7_15_CAADT.pdf

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