Understanding Bicycle Accidents and Personal Injury Claims in Miami

Insight into Bicycle Accidents in Miami by Perazzo Law

Whether you are riding your bike in Hialeah, Kendall, the City of Miami, North Miami Beach or anywhere else in Miami County, a bicycle accident can be devastating to the victim and his/her family. Injuries in a bicycle accident can range from minor cuts and bruises to broken bones, head trauma, or even wrongful death. The truth is that riding a bicycle in Miami isn't as easy as one would think riding a bicycle in Miami should be. There are many bicycle laws in Miami which can affect you and motorists sharing a city street or highway road. Whether you are riding a bicycle on the sidewalk or riding a bicycle on the street in a bicycle lane, how do you know you are not breaking the law?

This Bicycle Accident article aims to help you understand Florida law with respects to bicycle riding on the sidewalk and sharing the streets of Miami with other motorists.

The law in Florida dictates that a bicycle rider may ride their bike on the street and occupy the entire lane alongside cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, and all other motor vehicles. Florida holds a bicycle rider to the same rules of the road and laws as a motor vehicle, so cutting between traffic in Miami is illegal and can cause you to crash your bicycle into a car and become severely injured. Riding a bicycle against traffic is not illegal but it is highly recommended against. Bicycle crashes against an oncoming vehicle can lead to wrongful death in Miami.

According to official reports and statistics published by the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida, with Miami and Miami County in particular, is of the most dangerous places in the USA for bicycle riders. A large number of Bicycle accidents in Miami result in death, with most bicycle fatalities taking place at night and in rural areas.

• Aggressive riding is a major cause of bicycle riding accidents in Miami. Many times, bicycle riders fail to yield and this fact represent 15% of all bicycle riding accidents in Miami. The chances of a bicycle fatality on a Miami roadway increases when a cyclist rides against traffic rather than with the flow of traffic. Negligent riding and not respecting traffic laws play a major part in bicycle accidents in Miami. Many times a bicycle rider makes a U-turn and is struck by an oncoming motor vehicle. The personal injuries in such a case may be devastating to the rider and family members.
• Poorly maintained bicycles may also lead to injury. A Miami bike rider may be riding at a high speed and may have to stop to prevent an accident. Sadly, his/her brakes fail because they were not will fitted, or the bicycle’s chain may pop while pedaling through traffic, causing the rider to lose control and fall into oncoming traffic. It’s vital for bicycle riders in Miami to make sure their bicycle is in good shape before taking to the streets or roads in Miami.
• Motorist negligence is to blame for almost 40% of all bicycle accidents in Miami, especially at city intersections and on Miami roadways. A bicycle involving a motor vehicle may usually involve a motorist turning right while a bicycle rider is crossing the street or a driver makes a left turn as the cyclists is riding towards the motor vehicle. A bicycle rider may be riding very aggressively at an intersection and be struck by a motorist distracted by cell phone use or other external factors, such as running a red light or failure to stop at a stop sign. Many bicycle accidents in Miami may be the result of a motorist changing lanes without signaling or checking his/her side mirrors. On some occasions, a bicycle rider may be riding in a motorist's blindspot. When this happens, the chances of a bicycle accident greatly increases if the motorists decides to turn unexpectedly.
• Bicycle riders in Miami may be riding their bicycles while under the influence or distracted by cell phone use, either by texting or listening to music at volumes that prevent them from reacting to the honking of a motor vehicle's horn.

Surprisingly enough, the chances of an accident as a result of riding a bicycle on a city sidewalk is not much safer, or less dangerous, than riding in the street, though the chances of a fatal accident on a sidewalk are indeed much lower than on a Miami roadway or street. Some of the main causes of bicycle accidents on a Miami sidewalk may include crashing into pedestrians, crashing into non-moving objects such as outdoor street signs, light poles, or even hitting a curb which may cause a bike rider to flip over, resulting in a broken collarbone or brain trauma.

Most Bicycle accidents which occur in a Miami crosswalk can be due to either negligence on behalf of the rider or motorist. A motorist may blow a red light as the bicycle rider had right of way. The situation can be all the contrary if the rider thought he/she might be able to make it past the red light unscathed. Most often, this situation may end in a severe bicycle accident as the speeds involved are usually high, even though, a motorist does not necessarily have to be driving very fast to provoke severe personal injury to a bicycle rider in a Miami crosswalk.

Statistically speaking, children are more prone to more suffering severe personal injuries than adults in the event of a bicycle accident in Miami. Since children do not operate motor vehicles, their main means of transportation is a bicycle. Children should always wear protective accessories such as helmets, elbow, and knee pads to help lessen their degree of injury in the event of a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle, another cyclist, or even a pedestrian. Adult supervision is highly recommended for children of young ages riding bicycles on city sidewalks of street biking lanes on Miami streets.

If you, a family member, or loved one has suffered personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death as a result of a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle or overall negligence, don’t hesitate to contact the Perazzo Law Firm either ONLINE or by PHONE at (786) LAWS-411 for a FREE initial consultation to discuss a Bicycle Accident claim in Miami.