By Ben Thayer, Co-Founder & Co-Owner · 3 min read

Who this is for: Written for practice teams using crash data for community awareness, and for families planning safer routes after a concussion.

Key takeaways

  • Crash maps show reported crashes, drawn from public sources. Many minor crashes are never reported.
  • Filter by county, date range, crash type and severity, then look for repeated corridors and intersections.
  • Crash data can inform staff awareness. It should never change a clinical decision.
  • Testing is based on a patient's symptoms, not on where their crash happened.
  • The map is for awareness only. It is not legal or medical advice.

Why look at crash data at all

Knowing where and how crashes happen helps practices anticipate the injuries that may walk through the door, and helps families understand the roads they use every day. Florida's public crash data is available through state resources such as the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Treat a crash map as background, never as proof of anything about a specific patient.

Reading the map

Heavy interstate traffic in Florida
Even low-speed collisions in traffic can jolt the head and neck.

Start with your county and a recent year. Filter by crash type and severity, then look for clusters along major corridors and at intersections. Note which roads appear again and again.

Patterns worth knowing

Rear-end crashes tend to cluster where traffic stops suddenly, such as highway exits and busy signalized intersections. Angle crashes gather at intersections with left turns. Pedestrian and bicycle crashes often appear along wide, fast arterial roads. Rural areas may show fewer crashes but more severe ones.

Related in this series: Accident Types We Support (Auto, Fall, Work, Motorcycle), Returning to Driving After a Concussion and How Statewide Mobile TBI Testing Coverage Works in Florida. For the full overview, start with our guide, Concussion After a Crash.

Limits of the data

Crash records depend on police reports, which vary in detail. Injury classifications at the scene are based on quick observations and may not reflect symptoms that appear later. Data can lag by months. And we will never use crash data to make claims about a specific accident, fault or case.

A busy corridor near your office is a reminder of why screening at intake matters.

For practice teams

Bright, calm clinic exam room
Braintree testing takes place at the referring provider’s office.

Some practices review local crash patterns once or twice a year at a staff meeting. If a corridor near your office sees frequent rear-end crashes, your intake team may see more whiplash patients, and some of them may have concussion symptoms too. Use that as a prompt to screen consistently.

For patients and families

Maps can help you plan routes when you return to driving after a concussion. Talk with your provider before driving again if you have dizziness, slowed reactions or vision problems. Parents can use the map to talk with new drivers about risky intersections near home and school; pedestrians and cyclists can use it to choose safer routes.

After any crash

Call 911 or go to the ER for a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, a seizure, weakness or confusion, whatever the map says about the road.

Frequently asked questions

Can the crash map show whether my crash was serious?

No. It shows reported crashes in aggregate. Your own evaluation depends on your symptoms and your provider's assessment.

Where does the data come from?

Public sources, including Florida state crash records. Police reports vary in detail and data can lag by months.

Should a practice refer patients based on where they crashed?

No. Referrals are based on each patient's symptoms and history.

Related reading:
Book a 15-minute briefing Refer a patient Providers Attorneys How it works Service areas

We diagnose. You treat.

Fully mobile across Florida: we test at the patient's home, at any of 40+ service locations across Florida, or at your office. Mobile, physician-reviewed concussion and TBI diagnostics for Florida providers and their accident patients. Reports go to a neurologist ahead of the neuro evaluation; the referring provider then receives a copy for advanced imaging and treatment recommendations.

Book a 15-minute callRefer a patient

Or call 813-709-3771

Sources

This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.