NBC6 Reporter Sophia Hernandez explores traffic crash data in Miramar and finds that most incidents happen in parking lots. She finds out why.
We’ve been traveling around South Florida hearing from you, looking into different neighborhoods and seeing what areas have the most traffic crashes.
This time we hit the streets of Miramar.
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WATCH HEREHOW TO FIND THE DATA
It’s a city that’s still blossoming: Miramar, Florida. It is the third largest city in Broward County by land size, and the fifth most populous city in the county.
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You would think it’s no stranger to an accident or two, but you would be surprised where they happen.
To find the areas with the most crashes, NBC6 reached out the city of Miramar’s Police Department for their latest numbers on accidents that have taken place in 2023 and 2024.
Local
TOP CRASH SITES IN MIRAMAR
According to the data, the top five crash sites are as follows:
1800 S University Drive with 17 crashes
1900 S University Drive with 15 crashes
6890 Miramar Pkwy with 7 crashes
14375 Miramar Pkwy with 7 crashes
11225 Miramar Pkwy with 6 crashes
And the one thing they all have in common?
They’ve taken place in parking lots.
PARKING LOT PROBLEM, WHAT’S BEING DONE
“It does surprise me. That’s unbelievable,” said Lucan Gore, a resident of Miramar for 35 years.
He was at the Walmart Supercenter parking lot that is the number one spot for traffic crashes.
With only one entrance on Pembroke Road and two off S University Drive, some aren’t surprised the Walmart lot and the Sam’s Club lot, which is number 2 for traffic crashes, are at the top of the leaderboard.
According to the City of Miramar, S University Drive outside of these parking lots is a state road, where recent improvements were completed to improve pedestrian mobility. It includes road resurfacing, new striping and lighting upgrades.
NBC6 reached out to Walmart about the crashes. This is what they said in a statement:
“The safety of our customers and associates is a top priority. We remain committed to our partnerships with Miramar city leadership and local law enforcement on these issues.”
Off Miramar Pkwy, NBC6 then went to one of the spots tied at number 3, a Publix parking lot.
The county says the road outside of the parking lot is a county road and that there is an upcoming project to reconstruct a curve, where they say many crashes happen at.
Also at number three is another Publix parking lot, but this one is off a city road.
The City of Miramar says that recent work was completed to resurface and restripe the road to reduce the width of the travel lanes.
They state that police also do frequent speed enforcement here.
NBC6 reached out to Publix but did not receive a response.
The shopping center plaza at number five is Miramar Park Place, with a variety of restaurants and other businesses.
The city says the road right outside is also a city road which was recently resurfaced and restriped.
But as far as work being done inside these parking lots, for now it’s minimal.
HOW DID THESE CRASHES HAPPEN?
According to the crash data, the majority of the crash descriptions have to do with backing your car improperly, careless driving, and failure to use due care.
Something drivers in the area hope their fellow neighbors on the road will take more seriously.
“To be more attentive and be more patient. A lot of people get upset with another just for a traffic light opening sooner or you didn’t put your blinker. And people lose their minds,” said one driver.
“Courtesy and respect, stop trying to always be first,” another resident said.
