If you live in Largo, work in Pinellas Park, or just commute through the heart of the county, I don’t even have to finish the sentence. You know the groan that happens when someone mentions Ulmerton Road.

It’s the headache of Pinellas County. It’s the road where "just running a quick errand" turns into a white-knuckle experience.

I’ve been practicing law here for a long time at Carter Injury Law. I live here. I drive these roads just like you do. And from where I sit, looking at accident reports, talking to injured clients, and dealing with insurance adjusters, Ulmerton Road (State Road 688, if we’re being formal) isn’t just annoying. It is consistently one of the most dangerous stretches of pavement in our area.

So, let’s talk about it. Let’s break down why Ulmerton Road has so many accidents, what I see in my office, and how you can keep yourself (and your car) in one piece.

(1) The "Stroad" Problem: It Can’t Decide What It Is

There is a term urban planners use that fits Ulmerton Road perfectly. It’s ugly, but it’s accurate. They call it a "Stroad."

It’s a mix of a street and a road.

A "road" is supposed to be for high speed. Think of I-275 or US-19. Its job is to move cars from Point A to Point B fast. A "street" is supposed to be where life happens, shops, restaurants, driveways, and people walking.

Ulmerton tries to be both, and that is why it fails.

We have speed limits that say 45 or 50 mph (which means folks are actually doing 60), but the road is lined with hundreds of driveways, gas stations, fast-food joints, and strip malls. You have traffic trying to flow like a highway, mixing with grandma trying to turn right into a Walgreens.

(2) Sun, Seasons, and Construction

Beyond the engineering, there are factors that are just native to living in Largo and Pinellas County. You can’t ignore these.

(i) The East-West Sun Blindness

Ulmerton runs almost perfectly east to west. If you have lived here longer than a week, you know what happens during rush hour.

• Morning Commute (Eastbound): You are driving straight into the rising sun. It’s blinding.

• Evening Commute (Westbound): You are driving straight into the setting sun.

I have handled cases where the driver truly, honestly did not see the car stopped in front of them because the sun glare was like a laser beam in their eyes. Visors don’t help. Sunglasses barely help. When you combine that glare with the stop-and-go traffic near Seminole Blvd, reaction times drop to zero.

(ii) The "Snowbird" Season

Look, we love our winter residents. They support our local businesses. But we have to be real about the traffic impact. From November to April, the volume on Ulmerton explodes.

You have locals who know exactly which lane they need to be in mixing with visitors who are looking at their GPS, trying to find their rental condo, and suddenly realizing they need to make a U-turn. That hesitation causes rear-end accidents. It causes sideswipes. It frustrates the locals, leading to aggressive driving, which just makes everything worse.

(3) Where the Most Crashes Happen

When I review accident data or take calls from new clients, there are specific intersections that come up over and over again. If you are driving through these spots, you need to be on "high alert."

(i) The Largo Mall Stretch (Seminole Blvd to 113th)

This area is a magnet for rear-end collisions. Why? Because everyone is trying to get somewhere specific. You have the mall entrance, the movie theater, the restaurants, and two major intersections back-to-back.

Traffic bunches up here. You think traffic is moving, and then suddenly everyone stops dead because the light at 113th turned red. If you are looking at your phone here, you are going to hit someone.

(ii) Ulmerton and 49th Street North

This is a massive intersection. It feels like crossing an ocean. The issue here is red-light running. The cycles of light are lengthy. No one wants to endure yet another cycle. People floor it when that light turns yellow. However, the other side has a green light by the time they cross because the intersection is so wide.

When the light turns green for you at 49th, wait a beat. Look left. Look right. Ensure the guy in the pickup truck trying to beat the yellow actually stops.

(iii) The 66th Street Intersection

Another heavy hitter. We see a lot of "left-turn" accidents here. Drivers get impatient waiting for the arrow, or they try to shoot the gap on a solid green. If you turn left in front of oncoming traffic, it is almost impossible to prove you weren't at fault. Just wait for the arrow.

(4) The "Wave of Death" and Other Traps

I want to get a little technical for a minute with "liability" talk. These are the specific behaviors on Ulmerton that get people sued.

(i) The "Wave of Death"

I see this constantly near the industrial parks on Ulmerton. Traffic is backed up in the left and center lanes. Someone is trying to pull out of a gas station to turn left. A "nice" driver in the left lane stops and waves them through.

The driver pulls out, thinking it’s clear. But the driver in the right lane didn’t stop. They didn’t wave anyone through. They are doing 50 mph. And the next thing I see is a T-bone collision.

Do not be polite. Be predictable. If you have the right of way, take it. Stopping to let someone in when traffic is moving is dangerous. If you wave someone into a crash, you can actually be dragged into the liability mess.

(ii) The "Right on Red" Trap

Ulmerton has wide turns. Drivers turning right on red are looking left at the oncoming traffic. They are watching for a gap. They see a gap, hit the gas, and turn right. What they didn’t look at was the crosswalk to their right. We handle cases where pedestrians are hit this way. The driver says, "I never saw him." Well, you didn’t see him because you were only looking for cars.

If you are turning right on red, you have to stop completely. Look left, look right, and look left again.

(5) How to Protect Yourself

I don’t want you to have to call my office. I mean that. I’m happy to help when things go wrong, but I’d much rather you go home to your family safe and sound. Here is what I tell my friends and family about driving on Ulmerton Road.

(i) Get a Dashcam

This is the single best piece of advice I can give you. Accidents on Ulmerton are messy. It’s often "he said, she said."

Without a witness, it’s a fight. A $50 dashcam solves that fight in five seconds. It is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy. If you drive in Pinellas County without one, you are taking a huge risk.

(ii) The "Three-Mississippi" Rule

You learned the "two-second rule" in driver’s ed? Forget it. That’s for perfect roads with perfect drivers. On Ulmerton, you need three or four seconds of space. Rear-end collisions are the most common crash we see. 

In Florida, there is a "rebuttable presumption of negligence" if you hit someone from behind. That’s fancy lawyer talk for: It’s your fault unless you can prove a miracle happened. Leave space. If people cut in front of you (and they will), just let off the gas and make space again. Let them win. It’s not a race.

(iii) Stay Out of the "Suicide Lane"

If you don’t have to be in the right lane, don’t be. The right lane is where people are slamming on brakes to turn into Wendy’s. It’s where people are pulling out slowly from tire shops.

The middle lane is usually your safest bet for through-traffic. The left lane is okay, but you have to watch for people stopping to make U-turns.

Find your lane, stay in it, and avoid weaving. The weavers are the ones who end up flipping their cars.

(iv) Assume You Are Invisible

This goes for drivers and pedestrians. If you are walking across Ulmerton, assume the cars cannot see you. The lighting in some spots is terrible, and with the distractions of phones and touchscreens, drivers aren’t scanning for people.

If you are driving a motorcycle, this goes double for you. Ulmerton is tough for bikers. People just don't look for the single headlight.

(6) What to Do If It Happens to You

Ulmerton Road isn’t going anywhere. We are stuck with it. It’s a vital artery for our community, but it demands respect. It’s crowded, it’s fast, and it’s full of distractions. But if you understand why it’s dangerous, you can drive it defensively.

Drive like everyone else is distracted. Drive like everyone else is late. Give yourself extra time so you aren’t the one speeding to beat the light at 66th Street.

And if the worst happens, and you find yourself on the side of the road with crushed metal and a hurting back, you know where to find me. I’ve seen it all before on this road, and I’m here to help you pick up the pieces.