Those from outside of the Florida area know Daytona Beach for its luxurious beaches that double as outposts for the outlandish Spring Break shenanigans of college goers. Locals like to utilize these beaches year-round, be it for after work walks or weekend sports tailgating escapades.
It’s commonplace to use these stretches of prime waterfront real estate as communal front yards, which includes parking vehicles. Local laws are now making it difficult for many to carry on the beach parking tradition. Today, drivers are only allowed to park on a 17-mile stretch of beach, in part due to the purchase of coastal land by developers for new seaside commercial projects such as Intregra Sands, a $24 million apartment community. It was once legal to park anywhere along the town’s 47-mile stretch of sand.
Some residents are ambivalent about the continuation of legalized beachfront parking in spite of its long history. Back in 2010, a four-year-old British girl was killed by a car on the beach while she was vacationing with family. Other instances of beach vehicular homicide occurred in previous years resulting from driver intoxication. Memorial Day weekend in 2014 saw another child hit by an oncoming vehicle. Other than children’s injuries, there are also reports of sunbathers falling prey to wayward vehicles.
The dense sand that comprises the beaches lends itself to the popularity of professional motorsports. Due to the affable landscape, racing industries such as NASCAR have grown up in and around the area. NASCAR hosts the annual Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway every February. The Walt Disney World-owned Walt Disney World Speedway ran from 1995-2015 and hosted numerous motorcar events during its active years.
The proliferation of all-terrain vehicular sports causes motor vehicle accidents to often include more than just cars. According to Accidents in U.S.com, recent Daytona Beach accidents involved vehicles used for both utility and sports entertainment.
Fan deaths and injuries that take place during NASCAR races are, in theory, a rare occurrence relative to car accidents overall. But, the number adds to the level of accidents by exposing civilians to vehicles driving at extremely high speeds. In 2013, an article published in Slate.com questioned whether or not car racing is the most dangerous sport for spectators. The article was written in the wake of a 12-car pileup at the Daytona 500 which sent one of the racecars careening into the stands. Twenty-eight local spectators were seriously hurt in the catastrophe.
If you’ve been injured by a vehicle during a sporting accident, while spending time on a local beach, or through the negligence of another driver while operating your vehicle, get in touch with our personal injury attorneys at Morgan & Morgan. Our litigators are skilled in the areas of car accidents and motorcycle accidents. Don’t allow yourself to be run over by improper legal representation when you’ve been wronged.
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