Fatal Bicycle Accidents
When you read media reports, you might be horrified by the number of Orlando cycling fatalities. Cycling deaths are recorded not only during the warm season, but also in the winter. If a cyclist is struck and killed, the incident will be treated as a traffic accident. A bicyclist is considered to be just as much the operator of a vehicle as the driver of a car or motorcycle is. If you have been injured, or if cycling fatalities in Orlando happened to relatives of yours, contact our attorneys for help in filing a claim with the insurance companies or the at-fault party.
Bicycle and Vehicle Collisions
Approximately two million people live in the Orlando County area, and another 60 million people visit the area each year, traveling by various modes of transportation (including bicycles). About 1,000 bicyclists are hit by cars every year. A large number of bicyclists are students at the state’s major universities. UCF (University of Central Florida) is the largest university in the state, where every day more than 6,500 cyclists come to study. Unfortunately, street bike fatalities occur among them. Most bicycle fatalities occur on busy highways and byways where there are no designated bike lanes.
Most Dangerous Areas for Cyclists in Orlando
Potentially dangerous areas in Orange County, which includes Orlando and where fatal crashes have occurred, are:
- Orange Blossom Trail corridor from Colonial Drive to Sand Lake Road;
- Goldenrod Road corridor from University Boulevard to Narcoossee Road;
- Westmoreland corridor from Robinson Street to Anderson Street (total length 0.6 miles, rate of bicycle accidents, including cycling fatalities, was 7.5 per mile);
- University Boulevard corridor from Semoran Boulevard to Goldenrod Road (total length 1.25 miles) with 4.8 accidents per mile, including bike fatalities.
Overall, analyzing data from Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties, 69.6 miles of streets are potentially dangerous. Collectively, these streets account for 0.9% of all county roadways, yet they account for up to 25.3% of all bicycle-vehicle accidents, including Orlando cycling fatalities.
Catastrophic Bicycle Injuries
Many bicycle injuries are catastrophic and incompatible with life, resulting in street bike fatalities. The most common types of injuries resulting from an accident in which a truck or passenger car has struck and killed a bicyclist are:
- back fracture;
- damage to the neck;
- damage to internal organs;
- closed head injury (craniocerebral trauma);
- broken bones;
- dislocation.
Also, when a car hits a bicyclist, the motorcycle driver may need to have his arm or leg amputated. The highest number of accidents involving bicyclists, including those fatally struck, is seen on Saturday evenings. It is also believed that the greatest number of cycling deaths is seen at night, not during the day. If your relatives have experienced Orlando cycling fatalities, contact our lawyer, who can help draft a claim for car accident compensation (including funeral expenses).
Most Dangerous Risk Factors for Cyclists
Cycling fatalities are most commonly reported under the following circumstances:
- A collision at a road crossing.
- A collision while driving in your lane or on an oncoming stretch of road.
- A collision with the open doors of a car or truck (an element of an obstacle that the cyclist did not see).
- A collision in a parking lot, including a bicycle parking lot.
- A collision with a vehicle that is reversing.
Bicycle Crash Statistics
The total number of cycling deaths in the United States in 2019 was 846. In addition, statistics show the main causes and factors of bike fatalities.
- Accidents most frequently occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- The highest number of bike fatalities occurs in cities (78%). Rural areas account for 22%.
- The total number of bike fatalities is higher for men than for women, by a factor of six.
- Approximately 25% of all accidents in which the bicyclist was hit involved the influence of alcohol.
Each accident has its unique characteristics. Our attorney will help you or the relatives of the bicycle accident victim correctly file a claim with the insurers or the court.
Compensation for Bicycle Accidents in Orlando
The amount of compensation will depend on what type of insurance the bicyclist had. State law does not require a bicyclist to have insurance, but it is advisable to have a minimum standard PIP that covers the minimum expenses associated with a bicycle accident. We recommend asking our lawyer for a detailed explanation of benefits.
Get a Free Consultation
If you have been injured while riding a bicycle or if a relative of yours was killed in a bicycle accident, you can contact our lawyer and get a free initial consultation. For an objective evaluation, we recommend that you present your case so that a specialist can develop a further plan of action.
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TheNunezLawFirm@gmail.comWe are open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.