Final answer:
The statement presents a red herring fallacy by diverting from the issue of increased car accidents to the unrelated act of planting flowers, failing to address the original safety concern.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Car accidents have increased along this stretch of highway, but the workers have planted beautiful flowers near the exits" is an example of a red herring fallacy. This is a type of fallacy of diversion that occurs when an argument is sidetracked by introducing an irrelevant point. The increase in car accidents and the planting of flowers are not causally related, and the mention of flowers does not address the issue of safety or the reasons behind the increased accidents.
In analyzing logical fallacies, it's essential to recognize when information is used to divert attention away from the main argument. Considering that fallacies can undermine the validity of an argument, recognizing a red herring helps in distinguishing between what is relevant and what is a mere distraction. Logical fallacies are critical to identify, as they can also be found in various forms of propaganda.