An authoritative Southwest Florida personal injury legal source duly notes that recurring motor vehicle accidents are simply “a part of life.”
That overview additionally underscores that adverse road outcomes run a wide gamut of scenarios. Florida’s traffic mix spotlights both a constant flow and a sheer variety of vehicles jockeying for position on thoroughfares ranging from streets to ever-busy interstates.
Crashes involving big commercial trucks are frequent and often spur catastrophic and even deadly outcomes. The same holds true for accidents featuring smaller passenger cars, SUVs and trucks. Bicyclists are instantly vulnerable when near roadways or otherwise interacting with traffic. So too, obviously (and to a heightened degree), are pedestrians.
Spotlighting motorcyclists: a notably at-risk driving population
The information below highlights the road challenges routinely posed for motorcycle riders and their passengers.
Those are prominent, as emphasized by the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA alerts the driving public to these compelling motorcycle accident/injury statistics:
- Nearly 5,000 biker/passenger fatalities nationally in a recent year
- Stunningly high rate of motorcycle deaths measured by miles traveled (i.e, motorcyclist deaths occurring at a rate 28 times higher than that for occupants in passenger vehicles)
- Biker deaths accounting for about 14% off all traffic deaths, despite motorcycles comprising a scant 3% of the country’s overall vehicle fleet
What do Florida motorcycle injury numbers centrally reveal?
Many readers of this blog post will likely find the below information germane to motorcycle risks and adverse outcomes in Florida both surprising and sobering. It comes via research culled by the national advocacy group Governors Highway Safety Association. The GHSA notes this relevant to Florida:
- More than 500 motorcycle deaths in each of two recent consecutively measured years (more than 10% of all fatalities nationally)
- Motorcycle crash fatalities as a percentage of all vehicle deaths among the highest in the country (exceeded by a mere handful-plus of other states)
Motorcyclists and their passengers are obviously at elevated risk for potential roadway accidents and serious injuries.
They are far from powerless if a crash and resulting injuries do occur. Third-party negligence can be proactively and aggressively addressed by a proven personal injury legal team. Experienced legal counsel can help an accident victim pursue a meaningful remedy securing both accountability and maximum compensation applicable to a number of financial and other needs.