Living the Night Life: Supporting Your Team and Staying Safe in Tampa

The sports season is upon us once again, and with the Tampa Bay Lightning games returning in just twenty short days, and the Tampa Bay Rays games marked on calendars of residents throughout the Central Florida region, you can practically feel the excitement in the air. With all that excitement though, comes a certain level of risk. Many of these games kick off after dark (especially after they follow a time change) and that means your chances of an accident increase when driving downtown. There are a few key areas you should watch out for if you will be driving in or around the downtown Tampa area on a game night:

• Channelside Drive, S. Florida Ave (located alongside the S. Regional Parking Garage and Silver parking) and Old Water Street – these are the three main roads around Amalie Arena (home of the Lightning) that will be quite busy on game nights, especially during the hour before and after the game. If you are driving on these streets after dark, watch not only for other cars, but also for hockey fans on foot as many people walk from the game to the nearby hotels and restaurants. Additionally, watch for traffic redirection from officials, since they sometimes place barricades and officers in place to help better manage traffic following an event.
• Traffic will be very heavy on Highway 175, and 5th Ave. S. on nights when the Rays are playing. Subsequently, traffic sometimes backs up onto I-275 causing delays. Be aware of this if you’ll be in the area around a game time. The roads mentioned above lead to Tropicana Dr. which surrounds all of Tropicana Field, so you can rest assured this road will be very busy before and after a baseball game or concert and you’ll likely come into contact with many cars and pedestrians leaving the stadium. Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings, especially at night!
• Following game nights, downtown Tampa has plenty of popular restaurants, bars, and other establishments open late to accommodate fans. Not only will these pedestrians be walking (and crossing) the streets throughout the downtown area, but also many will have been drinking at either the local dives, or at the game itself. It’s YOUR responsibility to drive carefully and watch for those on foot, so you don’t end up at fault.

If you are the unfortunate victim of an accident in the Tampa Bay area this sports season, call the legal team trusted by residents throughout the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas. Sessums Law Group doesn’t just represent you, WE STAND FOR YOU, so you can be confident that your case is handled well. Give us a call to discuss your situation, or explore our site for more information.

By Mark Sessums | Published September 12, 2018 | Posted in Accident | Tagged auto accidents, pedestrian accidents, sports season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays | Comments Off on Living the Night Life: Supporting Your Team and Staying Safe in Tampa