Are you planning to drive in or through Tampa? We have five tips for driving in Tampa! For the uninitiated, this can be a very intimidating task to prepare for, and even for the seasoned Tampa drivers, the result can be a dangerous accident. The following five tips are good references for anyone driving in Tampa, whether they are a daily driver or simply passing through.
If you encounter someone who didn’t follow these rules and are in a crash, make sure to contact a good car accident lawyer. You do not deserve to pay for the damages caused by someone else’s actions, and the right attorney can make sure that you are able to make a full financial recovery from the other driver’s actions and negligence.
Stay on the lookout for left- and right-turn lanes
In theory, a designated lane to take either a left or a right turn should be extremely helpful to everyone on the road; in most cases, they are. However, realizing that you are in a designated turning lane once the light changes can be very stressful, and can draw the ire of everyone else on the road as you try to change back into the appropriate lane. If you are using Google Maps, keep an eye on the upcoming lane suggestions.
Set your GPS before departing
In addition to the recent law banning handheld use of any wireless communication device, using your GPS while you are driving is just downright dangerous. In addition to the danger of being distracted while you are inputting your destination, you can quickly become turned around on the multitude of Tampa highways while trying to get somewhere and your confusion can lead to an accident. By setting your coordinates before you leave, you are eliminating distractions while making sure you can get to where you need, safely and on time.
Avoid rush hour
Rush hour in Tampa is between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. If at all possible, avoid getting on major roads like I-275 during these times in order to avoid crashes, constant slowdowns, excessive traffic, and an increased chance of being rear-ended in an accident. If you must travel during these times, consider using a GPS app like Waze in order to get real-time alternative routes delivered to your device that can help you avoid the worst of the congestion.
Refer to traffic reports
Even while using a GPS, traffic reports can be a great way to get up-to-date reporting on different accidents, roadwork, and hazards that you would be good to avoid. Oftentimes, locals will offer different tips to avoid predictable traffic, like taking an earlier exit, using a lesser-known side street, or any other number of tricks. While these tricks can be very helpful in predictable conditions, a traffic report may give you some additional insight as to where to drive to avoid certain conditions that you hadn’t planned for.
Keep an eye out for out-of-state plates
While it may seem like discrimination, this isn’t to say that out-of-state drivers are bad; in fact, the entire reason to stay wary of out-of-state plates is that it is likely that they may be overwhelmed by the Florida State Highway System, trying to make sense of the many lanes of travel, and trying to understand where they are supposed to be driving to get to their destination. Essentially, by keeping your eyes open for visiting drivers, you can simply assume that they are not following the first four tips, and will, therefore, pose some sort of additional risk to themselves and everyone else on the road.