ORLANDO, Fla. — As drivers make their way through Central Florida this busy travel holiday season, Spectrum News has looked into areas identified as dangerous hotspots for motorists.

What You Need To Know

  • Data from Metroplan Orlando shows 41% of Central Florida traffic deaths occur on 2% of the roads

  • The Spectrum News 13 drone flew over the most dangerous intersection identified as the No. 1 crash hotspot by Metroplan Orlando

  • At the intersection of John Young Parkway and Sand Lake Road, there have been 504 total collisions between 2018 and 2022

Data from Metroplan Orlando show 41% of Central Florida traffic deaths occur on 2% of area roads.

“So many people are traveling during the holidays, and we really want them to stay safe,” says Cynthia Lambert of Metroplan Orlando.

Efforts led by Vision Zero Central Florida, a partnership with Metroplan Orlando and local agencies in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, are currently working to change that.

Jose Corzo owns a beauty studio not far from the intersection of John Young Parkway and Sand Lake Road, which has been identified as the most dangerous in Orlando.

“Sand Lake is a block away and John Young is right next to us,” said Corzo.

He’s been at that location for one year and knows all about the nearby busy intersection.

“I have seen accidents, I have seen all the time, debris after the crashes,” said Corzo.

A Spectrum News 13 drone flew over the intersection, which Metroplan Orlando identified as the No. 1 crash hotspot in the city.

At the intersection, data show that there have been a total of 504 total collisions, with 26 involving death or serious injury, between 2018 and 2022.

“We see high speeds, we see a lot of traffic,” said Lambert.

She added that the stretch of John Young Parkway from State Road 50 to Orange Center Boulevard is the most dangerous high-injury corridor in Orlando.

“There have been 973 crashes over the past five years at that location,” said Lambert, adding that 38 of them involved death or serious injury.

She said it is important to look around, eliminate distractions and slow down.

“Even 5 or 10 miles per hour can make the difference between life and death many times,” she said.

Back at Jessi Beauty Studio, Corzo said basically the same thing.

“Respect all the signs," he said. "You have to also watch the speed and be aware of your surroundings."

Officials say they are looking at several things that can be done to decrease the number of crashes in the area, including potentially changing the design of high-risk roads to make people slow down.