According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 99 bicyclists were killed in Florida in 2009. Florida bicycle accidents accounted for 3.9 % of all traffic fatalities in 2009 and that year 4,376 bicyclists sustained serious personal injuries as a result of collisions with cars. Many bicyclists in Florida have voiced concerns about bicyclist safety in Florida, especially in light of the death of assistant professor Kurt Lang Frankel, who was killed while bicycling in Florida in early July. According to experts, there are many things which can be done to help prevent Florida car accidents involving bicycles:
1) Wear helmets. All bicyclists should wear helmets each time they get on a bike to ride. Helmets have been proven by research to help prevent many Florida brain injuries. In the event of an accident, a helmet can help prevent fatal head injuries.
2) Stay alert and safe. Bicyclists can stay alert for cars and drive in bicycle lanes where such lanes are available. However, motorists also need to stay alert and avoid distracted driving in order to notice bicyclists and others sharing the road.
3) Educate motorists and the public about laws, then enforce the laws. Many bicyclists in Florida agree that drivers in the state do not seem to be aware of many laws. For example, cars should drive about three feet away from bicyclists, but many motorists do not obey these laws.
4) Create better logistics for bicyclists. More bicycle lanes, wider bicycle lanes, and more signs can help make sharing the road easier. As well, more crosswalks where bicyclists can cross can be useful for both bicyclists and pedestrians.
If you have been injured in a Florida car accident or bicycle accident, contact the Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation in our Miami, Homestead, or Hollywood law offices. If you cannot meet in our offices due to your injury, the legal team at the Flaxman Law Group will be happy to visit your South Florida home, workplace, or hospital room as well.