Florida is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous states in the country for motorcyclists, with thousands of riders suffering injuries annually in accidents. One of the primary reasons for this is the fact that the state has year-round weather suitable for riding. If you ride a bike in the Sunshine State, it’s worth learning about where crashes tend to happen the most.
City streets and highways both carry real risks, but the risks riders face can differ significantly between the two environments. If you have already been injured in a collision caused by another driver, determining how Florida law handles motorcycle accident cases is a wise step to take. Read on for what you should know.
Why City Streets Are More Dangerous for Riders
Urban roads put motorcyclists face-to-face with the situations that cause the deadliest crashes. Intersections are the biggest threat, and city streets are full of them. A significant portion of all fatal motorcycle accidents nationwide involves left-turn collisions as well. These happen when a driver turns across a rider’s path after failing to notice the motorcycle or misjudging how fast it was traveling.
City riding also creates constant exposure to hazards you simply do not encounter on the highway:
- Vehicles pulling out of driveways and parking lots without checking for riders
- Distracted drivers looking at their phones while sitting in traffic
- Pedestrians stepping off the curb unexpectedly
- Frequent braking that raises the chance of rear-end collisions
The numbers back this up. Florida counties with the heaviest urban traffic, including Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, and Broward, consistently lead the state in motorcycle crash fatalities.
How Highway Riding Compares
Highways take away many of the dangers that make city riding so hazardous. There are no intersections to navigate, no vehicles making left turns into your path, and far less stop-and-go traffic. As a result, the most common types of deadly motorcycle crashes happen much less often on controlled-access roads.
Highways do carry their own set of risks, though. Higher speeds mean less reaction time and more severe injuries when a crash does occur. Riders also have to watch for:
- Cars and trucks changing lanes without checking blind spots
- Debris scattered across the road that is tough to dodge at speed
- Wind gusts from large trucks that can push a motorcycle off course
- Longer waits for emergency response in rural areas
Nonetheless, the data consistently shows that a large share of fatal motorcycle crashes occur on urban roads; city riding still involves far more possible conditions for a collision to take place.
What This Means for Your Personal Injury Case
Florida law does not subject motorcyclists to the state’s “no-fault” rules, which means you can take legal action directly against the driver who caused your crash. The state uses a modified comparative negligence law, however, which can reduce your recovery by your share of the fault. If a court determines you were more than 50% responsible, you lose the right to collect anything.
Helmet use is one issue that comes up often in motorcycle accident cases. Florida allows riders over 21 to skip the helmet if they carry at least $10,000 in medical insurance coverage. However, while that choice is legal, the other side may still argue that your injuries would have been less severe with a helmet on. That argument can raise your fault percentage and lower the amount you take home.
Contact Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers To Schedule a Free Consultation With a Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Motorcycle crashes carry some of the most serious consequences of any type of traffic accident, and the legal process for pursuing damages involves challenges that are specific to riders as well. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida can review the facts of your crash and help you determine what your claim may be worth from there.
Get started today by reaching out to Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a Jacksonville motorcycle accident lawyer. You can receive some initial legal advice at that time, as well as learn more about your rights and options.
We serve Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, Duval County, St. Johns County, and the surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W Forsyth St Suite 1000,
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167