South Florida Personal Injury Blog

Broward personal injury lawyer Andrew Alitowski finds that motorists are often surprised to hear that bicycles are subject to the same rules of the road that motor vehicles are. Many people think that bicyclists can “do their own thing,” or are afforded special rules because cyclists are more vulnerable than people in vehicles. Although a bicycle collision with a motor vehicle can be truly devastating, it is important to remember that the bicyclist must follow the Florida traffic safety laws, just as a motorcycle or car must.

Bicyclists and passengers on bikes must wear helmets if they are under 16 years of age, according to the Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys Alitowski & Moore, P.A. Bicycle riders must stop for red lights and obey all other traffic signals and signs. They should not ride on major highways and in some areas, they are not permitted to ride on the sidewalk – just the street. For nighttime riding, a cyclist should remember to properly equip his bike with reflective devices and lights. Additionally, the bicycle must yield to pedestrians who are crossing at a crosswalk. In general, if you are riding a bicycle on the street, remember to obey traffic laws just like if you were driving. Many cyclists forget to do so, or perhaps believe they are exempt from traffic laws. For example, a cyclist might cross at a red light because he or she does not see any oncoming traffic. This practice remains dangerous – and the cyclist could receive a citation from a local law enforcement officer. More importantly, the bicycle could be involved in an accident with a motor vehicle, which could cause serious or even fatal injuries to the cyclist.

Of course, Broward accident attorney Alitowski represents clients who have been injured inbicycle accidents. Many cyclists are injured due to the negligent driving of motorists, many of whom forget that bikes are on the road, as well, do not properly check their mirror, or are otherwise negligent in their driving. Also, a bicycle rider who is injured, but not actually hit, by a motor vehicle may be able to recover damages in some instances. For instance, if the cyclist was able to evade the motor vehicle in time – by swerving, for example, or jumping off of the bike – to avoid collision, but was nonetheless injured by the evasive action, he or she may have a valid personal injury claim against the negligent driver of the car.