3 Hidden Dangers on Miami Roads During Art Basel and Peak Tourist Season
- adriana
- Nov 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 19
Miami becomes a hub for art and culture each December with the return of Art Basel and Miami Art Week. With these special events come hundreds of thousands of visitors from all parts of the world. As Miami attracts so many visitors, it obviously affects traffic in the area, posing hidden dangers beyond mere traffic jams. Here is more about some of these hidden hazards to help you prepare effectively.
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Unfamiliar Drivers on High Speed Routes
Art Basel hosts visitors from over 80 countries, and many of them rent cars to drive on Miami roads for the first time. The thing is that locals know which parts of Interstate 95 and the Palmetto Expressway to avoid, but foreign visitors usually get confused and end up in serious accidents.
The effect is compounded by commercial delivery trucks. Art Basel and peak tourist seasons result in unprecedented deliveries to cater to galleries bringing in artwork, restaurants stocking up on items, and hotels preparing to increase capacity. However, keep in mind that being involved in an accident with 18-wheelers and commercial delivery trucks can be catastrophic.
If you find yourself injured due to a collision with a commercial delivery truck during this chaotic time of the year, it’s imperative to connect with a Miami truck accident lawyer. You have to understand that these cases involve more than one liable party, including the trucking company’s driver, the shipping company, the logistic coordinator, and sometimes the event organizers. That’s when a Miami accident lawyer can help by collecting the right evidence and representing you in a way to ensure trucking companies don’t manipulate your situation.
Intoxication and Impaired Driving Incidents
As opposed to usual drunk-driving incidents that are concentrated on festive days, such as New Year’s Eve, Art Week drinking is usually scattered over several days, with art connoisseurs and patrons enjoying all sorts of drinks during gallery openings, evening galas, and after-parties. This sets them up to take unknown roads home while intoxicated, and often this is done in rental cars.
A DUI crash triggered by a drunk driver in a rental vehicle can result in grave injuries, and it gets even worse when such an accident involves a commercial truck. The impact can happen on a highway where speeds are high, and on top of that, there’s limited insurance cover because the other driver is intoxicated. You have to be aware of this danger and plan your route accordingly.
Inadequate Infrastructure for Pedestrian and Bike Traffic
As drivers get stuck in traffic jams during Art Basel, pedestrians and cyclists increase in number, thinking they can simply find their way around traffic. South Beach, Wynwood, Design District, and Downtown Miami also experience an explosion in pedestrian traffic, since art lovers move between galleries.
Unfortunately, Miami’s street infrastructure is not equipped to handle such traffic activity, with bikelanes and sidewalks becoming inadequate. Commercial traffic may also travel these routes, and when they fail to see pedestrians and cyclists within their blind zones, this results in catastrophic accidents.
Medical attention is vital after such accidents, but writing down what transpired and knowing what should be done about it requires knowledge. This is where personal injury expertise is invaluable to those injured to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable.
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Endnote
Miami comes alive during Art Basel and tourist season, but beneath this visible chaos, lie some hidden dangers. It’s vital to make yourself aware of these hazards and plan everything wisely to stay safe. If you happen to get involved in an accident, make sure to seek immediate medical and legal assistance.