Car Accident in Windermere

The Town of Windermere in Orange County has a population of more than 3,100 people and is situated on an isthmus among several lakes. Fittingly known as the “Town Among the Lakes,” Windermere is surrounded by a chain of lakes that includes Lake Butler, Lake Louise, Lake Down, Little Lake Down, Lake Chase, Pocket Lake, Lake Isleworth, Lake Tibet, Fish Lake and Lake Sheen.

The town was established in the late 1880s, but wasn’t chartered until 1925. Named after a town in northern England, Windermere is a popular spot for fishing, kayaking, professional golf, lake cruises and boating. The city center is small and quaint, and it’s been identified as one of the top towns for families with children in Florida.

Windermere car accident lawyers know that while it’s not as expansive as Orlando, it’s neighbor 14 miles to the east, it’s considered an attractive option for those looking for luxury homes in central Florida. It’s minutes away from the Walt Disney World Resort, and there is also proximity to high-end shopping, with the upscale Mall at Millenia just a half dozen miles away. The real estate here is some of the most expensive in Central Florida.

Although the town is fairly small – just 1.57 square miles – officials not long ago annexed the Butler Bay subdivision, which expanded its footprint. Officials tried to also annex the Isleworth subdivision, but met with fierce resistance from the county.

There are only six roads leading into Windermere. With the exception of a few main thoroughfares, most of the roads in the town are unpaved.

While the population count in Windermere is relatively low, the Annual Average Daily Traffic count through the city is exponentially higher. For example:

• Sixth Avenue (east entrance) – 17,000 vehicles each day
• Main Street (north of Sixth Avenue) – 18,400 vehicles each day
• Main Street (south of Sixth Avenue) – 9,500 vehicles each day

Part of the reason for these high figures has to do with the explosive growth of the surrounding areas of Windermere. The town itself hasn’t grown much since the 1990s.

To help alleviate some of the traffic problems in the town, local officials have enacted a number of traffic calming measures. Those include:

• Placing a weight limit on vehicles entering the town. No vehicles over 10 tons are supposed to cross Sixth Avenue.

• Installed two roundabouts in the downtown area in 2004 and a third roundabout in 2010 at Park Avenue and Maguire Road.

• Allows only local traffic on certain streets in an effort to prevent through-traffic from using those roads as a means of bypassing congestion during rush hours.

These efforts have had some positive impact. Still, the number of traffic accidents in Windermere continues to climb.

According to the Windermere Police Department, 2011 traffic accident statistics included:

• Total crashes: 16
• Total injuries: 14
• Commercial vehicle crashes: 2
• Property damage crashes: 7

There were no bicyclist or pedestrian crashes counted that year.

Then in 2015:

• Total crashes: 27
• Total injuries: 16
• Property damage crashes: 16
• Bicycle accident crashes: 1

That represents a 69 percent increase in overall crashes, a 14 percent increase in the number of injuries and more than double the number of property damage crashes.

Town leaders have indicated in the Comprehensive Plan the desire to promote more non-motorized forms of transportation, such as walking and bicycling. That involves a strategy of stricter law enforcement, safer road designs and more targeted improvements and continuous maintenance. At this juncture, the town has shot down any proposal of bus service, given that any public transit at this point would be limited the few paved roads.

Police have launched a series of extra patrols on certain holidays and high-risk time frames. Beefed up enforcement has targeted speeding, seat belt use and drunk driving. In 2015, the police department reported:

• 5,700 traffic stops
• 2,260 traffic citations issued
• 2,680 traffic warnings issued
• 50 traffic crash calls

These ongoing efforts are important because even if Windermere takes measures to curb growth internally, there is no slowing the growth of outside regions.

Those injured in Windermere car accidents should seek the advice of an experienced accident attorney who can help fully explain all available legal options.