Potholes are a fact of life in Florida. They can be caused by a number of factors, including wear and tear, extreme weather conditions, poor drainage, the use of substandard materials, and improper maintenance. In Florida, where extreme weather is an annual occurrence, potholes are fairly common.
In Pasco County, potholes tend to be even more numerous in cities with less wealth. Specifically, cities with lower average incomes like New Port Richey tend to have far greater numbers of potholes. In fact, over a 2 year period, New Port Richey had almost twice as many reported potholes as any other city in Pasco County.
Less Wealthy Areas of Pasco County Have Significantly Higher Numbers of Potholes
Our law firm recently filed a public records request with Pasco County related to pothole reports. The data that we received reveals that where you live has a major impact on the condition of your roadways.
Overall, the wealthiest ZIP codes in Pasco County had the fewest number of potholes. For example, the average income in the Zip Code 33556, in Odessa, is $167,148 per year which reported just 55 potholes over the past two years.
By comparison, 34653 residents in New Port Richey, earn an average income of $54,162 – and have reported 312 potholes.
Our findings indicate that the three poorest ZIP codes in Pasco County report more than 100% more potholes than the wealthiest three ZIP codes. Specifically:
- 33540, 33790, and 33542 combined reported 401 potholes.
- 33556, 34638, and 34637 combined reported 200 potholes.
One might assume this issue is correlated with population size; however, our analysis disproves this notion. When examining the frequency of potholes reported per 1,000 residents in various zip codes, we discovered that the three zip codes with the highest number of potholes per capita had a median income of $50,825. In contrast, the three zip codes with the fewest potholes per capita had a median income of $97,867
This pattern can be seen throughout Pasco County. Cities and towns where residents earn an average income of below $80,000 annually tend to have a much higher number of potholes reported. This includes:
- Shady Hills: 227 potholes
- Dade City: 118 potholes
- River Ridge and Aripeka: 154 potholes
- Ridge Manor, Lacoochee, Trilby, and Dade City North: 106 potholes
- Port Richey, Elfers, and Beacon Square: 244 potholes
- New Port Richey: 312 potholes
Over the past 2 years, 4,054 potholes were reported in Pasco County. The city of New Port Richey accounts for nearly a quarter of all potholes in the county, with 1,000 reported across 13 different ZIP Codes. The next closest city in terms of reported potholes is Hudson, with a little over half the number of potholes (564) across 14 ZIP Codes.
Notably, the US Census reports that the median household income in Hudson is $45,752. Holiday, Florida had the next highest number of potholes over a 2-year period at 518. Like New Port Richey and Hudson, residents of Holiday tend to be less wealthy. The median reported income in Holiday is $40,852.
These numbers indicate that in Pasco County, road conditions tend to be rougher in areas with less wealth. State and local governments are responsible for maintaining all public roads under their jurisdiction. Depending on who is responsible for these roads, the higher number of potholes in poorer ZIP codes could be due to a lack of funding to make repairs or another factor, such as neglect on the part of the state.
Why Does the Number of Potholes Matter?
Potholes may just seem like an inconvenience or something to be avoided as you go about your day. But potholes can be dangerous, particularly if they are large and deep. Depending on the size of the pothole and how your car strikes it, a pothole could even be responsible for a motor vehicle accident.
Most commonly, accidents happen when a car hits a large pothole when it drives. This can cause a car to get stuck or go off course, causing damage to the vehicle and injuries to the driver and passengers. In some cases, accidents happen when a driver swerves to avoid a pothole and collides with another car or a fixed object like a street light or a tree.
Potholes are also incredibly risky for bicyclists and motorcyclists. There is a high risk of being in a serious bike accident if you hit a pothole and are flipped off of your bike. Similarly, motorcycle accidents are often linked to poor road conditions like potholes. These types of crashes can cause serious injury or even death.
In these situations, it may be possible to file a claim against the city or state agency that was responsible for maintaining the road. If you can demonstrate that the government failed in its duty to fix potholes and that failure caused or contributed to your accident, you may be able to recover financial compensation. Our Pasco County personal injury lawyers can work with you to help you get the money that you deserve for your injuries.
How Our Law Firm Can Help
Potholes can damage your car and may even cause accidents. In Pasco County, the data shows that as a general rule, the less wealthy an area, the greater the number of potholes will be. If you were hurt in an accident in New Port Richey or another area in West Central Florida, we will advocate for your right to full compensation.
Distasio Law Firm represents accident victims throughout Pasco County who have been injured in car crashes, bike accidents, motorcycle collisions, and other types of accidents. We have significant experience handling cases involving poor road conditions. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Pasco County personal injury lawyer, give us a call at 813-259-0022 or fill out our online contact form.
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