• 05
  • December
    2011

In an attempt to cut down on congestion and reduce the rate of motor vehicle accidents, the Florida Turnpike has abandoned its old-fashioned tollbooths and switched to a new "cashless tolling" system. Boca Raton car accident attorneys and safety advocates throughout the state hail the move as a good step toward reducing the risk of accidents for Florida drivers.

Cashless tolling snaps a photograph of a vehicle's license plate as it passes through a designated tolling areas. Vehicle owners then receive a bill for their toll in the mail. Alternatively, drivers can purchase a SunPass transponder that automatically deducts toll charges from a designated account.

Cashless Tolling Designed to Minimize Congestion and Crashes

The new system was introduce partially in response to the increasing number of rear-end accidents at tollbooths. Because of back-ups in the toll line, these collisions led to multi-vehicle chain reactions. Numerous drivers risked injury during these accidents.

The new system appears to be working well. In the first six months since the Turnpike Extension completed its transition to cashless tolling, only eight motor vehicle accidents occurred within a quarter-mile of toll plaza locations. During the same time period last year, there were 33. Overall, the number of "bumper car" style accidents has been reduced by nearly 76 percent.

Of course, the system is not without its flaws. Some residents have gotten caught up in billing snafus when the cameras misread their license plates or the state didn't have their proper address on file. Others are decrying the change as an invasion into their personal privacy.

Despite these objections, it looks like Florida's cashless tolling system is here to stay. Considering how much safer the turnpike has already become, even the most stubborn Floridians will eventually view this as a good thing.

Source: The Miami Herald, "Some Drivers Get Dinged by Open-Road Tolling" Adam H. Beasley, Nov. 9, 2011.