The Most Dangerous Roads in St. Pete

Nestled between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico along the coast of Florida, St. Petersburg offers an idyllic location to live or visit. Like all cities, however, St. Pete has its share of motor vehicle accidents. It may not be realistic to avoid all high-accident areas. Still, knowing which roads and intersections are riskier can help reduce your chances of a crash.

St. Pete car accident lawyer Dennis Hernandez knows how deeply a crash can affect victims and their families. Along with physical injuries, victims frequently experience emotional trauma and financial hardship following a motor vehicle accident. Attorney Dennis Hernandez urges all drivers to use caution when traveling in and around St. Pete. To help you avoid the most problematic areas, he has compiled a list of the most dangerous roads in St. Pete.

Common Accident Locations in the St. Pete Area

St. Petersburg is in Pinellas County and ranks among Florida’s largest cities and key locations in the Tampa Bay area. With a population of almost three million residents, the Tampa Bay area is the second-largest metropolitan area in Florida. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLSMV), Pinellas County saw 14,818 crashes in 2023. These accidents caused 111 deaths and injured more than 9,000 people.

• US-19: US-19 is a major thoroughfare that runs south down the Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State until it ends in St. Petersburg. For decades, motorists have navigated bumper-to-bumper traffic, along with impatient and often aggressive drivers, along US-19. Several of the county’s most dangerous intersections, particularly for pedestrians, can be found along US-19, specifically between 9^th Ave. N. and 26^th Ave. S. In one recent year (2019), half of the fatal accidents along US-19 were pedestrian accidents.
• 38^th Avenue: A major east-west route across the Pinellas peninsula, 38^th Avenue joins several other heavily traveled roadways, including US-92, I-275, and US-19. The exit ramp from I-275 onto 38^th Avenue typically sees a high number of car accidents each year.
• Central Avenue: Along with being one of the few roadways that traverses the entire peninsula from Tampa Bay to the beaches, many popular tourist attractions can be accessed via Central Avenue, making it one of the busiest roads in St. Pete. Central Avenue sees frequent pedestrian accidents each year, especially in the downtown area. The stretch between 2nd Street N. and 4th Street N. is particularly dangerous.
• SR-693/66th Street N: Another heavily traveled roadway, SR-693, also known as 66^th Street N., can be difficult to navigate where it intersects with US-19 near 22^nd Ave. N. In addition to confusing traffic patterns, this area has many popular retail stores. These businesses attract heavy traffic throughout the day.
• 5^th Ave. N./Alt US-19: Many of the most dangerous intersections in Pinellas County can be found along 5th Ave. N. (which also becomes Alt US-19), a popular east-west roadway running through the heart of St. Petersburg.

What Can I Do to Help Prevent Being Involved in a Car Accident?

Knowing which roads and intersections are most dangerous in St. Pete can help you avoid a crash. But to protect yourself and your loved ones even further, you should also follow these safety tips:

• Avoid Distractions: Distracted driving has always been a frequent contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents; however, the prevalence of cell phones has dramatically increased the number of distracted driving accidents. Avoid anything that distracts your eyes, hands, or mind. Stay fully focused on the road while driving.
• Stay Alert: Experts tell us that driving while sleep-deprived is as dangerous as driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Get sufficient sleep before a road trip and pull over at a hotel or rest stop the moment you start to feel your eyes drooping shut.
• Keep Your Distance: Maintain enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you to stop quickly should the need arise. The same concept applies to keeping enough distance between you and the vehicle behind you.
• Avoid Nighttime Driving: Along with increasing the likelihood that you will be driving drowsy, driving at night reduces your visibility and increases your odds of being involved in an accident.
• Drive Defensively: A little planning and a lot of awareness can go a long way toward keeping you safe on the roadways. Plan out your route ahead of time when taking a road trip and remain vigilant while driving. Scan the road ahead and behind you on a regular basis so you can react quickly should a threat appear.

What Should I Do If I Was Injured in a St. Pete Accident?

The aftermath of a car accident can involve physical and emotional pain as well as financial hardship. Fortunately, you do not have to go it alone. Dennis Hernandez, a St. Pete car accident lawyer Dennis Hernandez is here to assist you. If another party’s negligence caused your accident, we will fight to hold them accountable. You deserve compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial suffering. At Dennis Hernandez & Associates, we use our experience and resources to advocate for your rights. Our goal is to help you receive full and fair compensation after a St. Pete car accident.

To take the first step toward getting the compensation you need by calling St. Pete car accident lawyer Dennis Hernandez today at 855- 529-3366 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on this page. We will provide expert legal advice and services free of charge until you WIN your case.”