Florida Sees Highest Number of Bicyclist Fatalities in Nation in 2017

FLORIDA – According to a news report posted online by yoursun.com, Florida saw the highest number of bicyclist fatalities in the nation in 2017. The state accounted for more than 15 percent of the country’s total bicyclist fatalities, based on information compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).*

More than 50 cyclists have been killed in traffic accidents in only three counties in Florida since 2011: Charlotte County, DeSoto County, and Sarasota County. The state represented 16 percent of the total fatal bicycle accidents that occurred in the country in 2017, according to NHTSA. Most bicycle fatalities involved failures to yield (38 percent), drivers not seeing bicyclists (10 percent), failures to follow traffic signals (8 percent), and improper turns (8 percent).

Experts say that the best way that bicycle accidents can be avoided is for both cyclists and drivers to treat bicycles like motor vehicles. Bicyclists should ride in the roadways with traffic, and drivers should treat cyclists just like they would other drivers. However, the news report says that more than one-fifth of bicyclists in Florida ride against the flow of traffic.

“Bicyclists who do not go with the flow of traffic are putting their lives in danger,” said Mark Jenkins, a spokesperson for AAA. “Although it may be more comforting for a cyclist to see approaching motorists, this creates scenarios where drivers may not see them. That’s because drivers do not always check for wrong-way traffic before entering an intersection. Traffic laws and safety recommendations are there to help protect you the next time you take a spin.” 

Accident News is a driver safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.yoursun.com/arcadia/sports/florida-worst-state-for-bicycle-fatalities/article_1e37e02a-8ba1-11e9-a010-2fc8c97945bc.html