Articles Posted in Pedestrians/Bicyclists

We oftentimes talk about the dangers associated with distracted driving — taking the lives of thousands every year. But did you know that distracted pedestrians are facing the very same risks?

According to a recent study from the Ohio State University, there were nearly 2,000 pedestrians who found themselves in an E.R. because of a distracted walking-related accident. Unfortunately, those are only the ones that were reported. Researchers believe that these accidents are properly recorded in the first place and that’s why it’s tough to pinpoint the seriousness of the problem. Researchers actually estimate that there are roughly 2 million people each and every year who are involved in a distracted walking accident.

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers understand that Florida continues to be one of the most dangerous states in the country for pedestrian accidents. Our beautiful weather, our growing populations, our exercising habits and our accessible attractions make it easily understood why there are so many people out walking — both residents and visitors.

“The role of cell phones in distracted driving injuries and deaths gets a lot of attention and rightly so, but we need to also consider the danger cell phone use poses to pedestrians,” said Jack Nasar, co-author of the study.

Unfortunately, these accidents are on the rise, too. Since 2005, the number of distracted-walking accidents has actually doubled. But we get it. Smartphones are the key to society. We’re all constantly working and keeping in touch with loved ones, but there’s no reason to jeopardize our safety for it. If you’ve got a phone call, email or text message that needs your immediate attention, just stop and reply. There’s no use in walking into traffic while doing it — unless you’re trying to make a costly visit to the emergency room.

How serious is the problem in Florida?

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), there were more than 7,000 pedestrian accidents in the state of Florida in 2011. That’s more than 20 pedestrian accidents a day, and those were only the ones that were reported.

In these accidents, there were nearly 500 pedestrians killed and another 6,000 injured.

And unfortunately, Lee County continues to be one of the most dangerous in the state. Hang up the phone. If you’ve got a text message, a phone call or an email that you need to attend to, stop, have a seat and deal with it safely away from the road. You don’t want to walk off a curb, walk into a pole or walk into oncoming traffic because of it. These are risks that can be easily avoided. Stay safe out there.

It’s time we hang up the phone (at least while walking along our roadways) and pay attention to what’s going on around us. It’s a beautiful day. Look up and look around (and watch out for that car).
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Fort Myers police officers have identified a female pedestrian who was killed when she was hit by a passing pickup. According to FOX4, the accident happened on Evans Avenue and Colonial Boulevard.

Accident reports indicate that the 45-year-old walker neglected to use a crosswalk and walked into the path of an oncoming pickup. Officers believe that alcohol may have been a factor. Investigation is still underway, but no criminal charges are expected to be filed against the pickup driver.

Our Fort Myers pedestrian accident lawyers understand that there were close to 228,000 traffic accidents reported in the state of Florida in 2011. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), there were roughly 625 accidents recorded each and every day. In these accidents, there were close to 500 pedestrians killed. And what’s even worse is that there were close to 6,200 additional pedestrians injured in traffic accidents.

Nationwide, an average of one crash-related pedestrian death occurs every 2 hours, and a pedestrian injury every 8 minutes. Pedestrians are close to 2 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.

With these statistics, the state of Florida continues to be one of the most dangerous states in the country for foot travelers.

What should you do if you’re a pedestrian injured in a traffic accident?

-Call the police. If you’re unable to, ask someone at the scene of the accident to do so for you. It’s critical that you get an official record of the accident. Make sure witness information is included in this report.

-Get personal and insurance information from everyone who was involved in the accident. With this information, you can insure you can complete a claim properly should any medical attention or other damages result.

-Make sure you get the medical attention you need. After an accident, you might feel a lot of anxiety and overlook an injury. When those anxious feelings dwindle, you may realize some pain and suffering. This can happen hours, and even days, after an accident happens. Make sure you seek medical attention as soon as you feel pain or an injury.

Top Causes for Pedestrian-Vehicle Accidents:

-Distracted driving
-Drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol
-Failure to yield to the right of way of pedestrians
-Speeding
-Negligent drivers
At some point throughout our week, we can bet we’re going to be walking near vehicular traffic. Whether it’s to the mailbox, to our vehicle in the parking lot or on our evening walk, it’s important that we keep safety as a number one priority. We can’t always rely on the safe driving habits of others to keep us safe. We’ve got to remain completely aware of our surroundings and one step ahead of the traffic around us.
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We’ve been talking about the safety of bicyclists for some time now, but the message just isn’t sinking in. Still, motorists are riding around like it’s their road and they own it. It’s time for bicyclists to step up and to fight back — with safer riding habits.

But you don’t have to do it alone. Now, Lee County officials are working to help make sure that motorists are doing their job out there to keep bicyclists safe.

Our Fort Myers bicycle accident lawyers understand that operating in traffic is a cooperative activity, governed by rules. Traffic rules incorporate practices found, through experience, to facilitate safe and efficient travel. Since not everyone has enough experience to appreciate the rationale of the rules, seasoned and informed enforcement is necessary to help instill safe habits. Officers exercise discretion in enforcement actions; an effective officer is prepared to explain the principles involved when a cyclist or motorist uses poor judgment.

So how do bicyclists do their part?

-Act as the drivers of motor vehicles do and adhere to the same rules.

-Ride with the flow of traffic, never against it.

-Make sure you have lights on your bicycle, and they’re turned on after the sun goes down.

-Ride to the right to allow faster cyclists to pass you on the left.

-Make sure that you’re visible to motorists and your moves in traffic are predictable. You never want to sneak up on a driver and put yourself at risk for an accident.

Drivers and bicyclists can share the road, but under one condition. In the state of Florida, there’s a 3-feet minimum separation rule. This means that there needs to be at least three feet between a bicyclist and a motorist to allow them to legally travel in the same lane.

At intersections, we all need to be on the lookout for bicyclists. And bicyclists: make sure you’re crossing the road at intersections. Everyone is required to follow the laws of traffic devices and crossing laws at these areas. These are laws that are designed to help keep everyone safe.

By following a few simple rules and keeping safety as a top priority, we can all do our part to help to reduce the risks of these fatal accidents on our South Florida roadways.

In 2011, there were close to 700 bicyclists who were killed in traffic accidents in the U.S. It doesn’t stop there either. There were another 50,000 bicyclists who were injured in these same incidents. Bicyclist fatalities accounted for 2 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities throughout the year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

During this same time, there were close to 150 bicyclists killed in the state of Florida, making it the most dangerous in the country.

This isn’t a matter that’s getting any better. Compared to the numbers from 2010, these fatalities and injuries are up close to 10 percent.
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It’s that time of year again, when we see bicyclists hitting the roads.

Dan Moser, with the Florida Bicycle Association, reminds residents and visitors to the Sunshine State that the May is National Bike Month. During this time, motorists and bicyclists are asked to refocus on safety.

According to BikeWalkLee, there are a number of events going on throughout safety awareness month, like Bike to School Day. The day offers a great opportunity to get your kids out of motor vehicles for some exercise. Take a ride with them prior to turning them loose on their own, to be sure they have the skills and knowledge they need to get there safely.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is on board with the safety month, too. As part of FDOT’s bike/ped safety campaign, “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow”, the agency is conducting a survey. You can help do your part by spending 3 minutes of your day to take this survey. It’s important for FDOT’s campaign in making our streets safer for ALL users.

Our Sanibel bicycle accident lawyers understand that Florida is the most dangerous state in the entire country for these kinds of accidents. In 2011, there were close to 150 bicyclist fatalities recorded here in the Sunshine State, according to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). We saw more bicycle accidents during 2011 than any other state in the country.

If you’re part of the island life, you know the importance and prevalence of biking for fitness and travel. It helps you to get to and from your destination, while enjoying the outdoors. That’s why writers at the Island Reported/Islander and the Island Sun have teamed up to promote bicycle safety. And they’re doing it though their regular series of “Cycling Safety Notes,” or public service ads.

Through these ads, there are seven messages that help to make sure that safety is a top priority of cyclists. These ads include messages reminding cyclists to wear a helmet, stay on the right side of the road, warn before passing and to never ride while wear headphones.”

The ads were first developed by the Sanibel Bicycle Club. They’ve been running regularly over the last year, and they just picked up steam with the new partnership.

So use the month of May to brush up on your bicycling skills. It only takes one wrong move to put yourself in a deadly situation. We can’t always rely on the safe driving habits of motorists to keep us safe. Make sure you’ve got what it takes to stay safe out there, through the month of May and for every other month out of the year.
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If you’ve been paying attention out there, you may have noticed the “3 Feet Please – It’s The Law” signs. They’re on county buses and vehicles and even on some of our local bicyclists. According to The News-Press, it’s a way to remind drivers of the law here in Florida that requires motorists to keep a distance of at least 3 feet from bicyclists.

Unfortunately, not many motorists are aware of this law.

Our Fort Myers bicycle accident lawyers understand that the state of Florida is one of the most dangerous in the country for two-wheeled riders. And Southwest Florida is among the most dangerous areas in the state. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were close to 100 bicyclists who were killed in traffic accidents in the Sunshine State in 2010. Only California reported more cyclist fatalities. The safety of these riders depends heavily on the drivers of motor vehicles. We need to look out for one another and keep safety a top priority.

Under this 3-foot law:

-Bicycles are recognized as having the same rights to our roadways as any other motor vehicle. And they are to be treated like any other vehicle.

-Any kind of vehicle that’s looking to pass — whether it’s a bicycle or a tractor-trailer — must allow at least 3 feet between them. Drivers passing other vehicles and bicyclists are also required to pass safely — especially on narrower roadways.

The “3 Feet Please” campaign launched a few years ago in the state of Florida after bicyclists voiced concern that many motorists weren’t aware of the law. This law was actually passed back in 2006 after a number of bicyclists were involved in unnecessary accidents because of seemingly “careless” drivers.

Consider it this way: Vehicles can weigh 2 tons or more. Now when you put that up against a bicycle that weighs less than 200 pounds, it’s not hard to see who’s going to come out the winner.

To help to spread the word, bicyclists across the state are sporting “3 Feet Please” jerseys to remind motorists to keep safety in mind. Lee County has this slogan on Lee Tran buses.

This 3-feet bicycle law is just as important as any other law out there. It’s especially important here in the Southwest Florida area where we see a plethora of bicyclists along our roadways year round. Remember that bicyclist is someone’s mother, someone’s child and someone’s friend. Let’s help to keep everyone safe and keep the distance between bicyclists and motorists.
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According to a recent government study, bicyclists aren’t normally at fault in traffic accidents. Very few injuries of bicyclists are caused by riders running red lights or neglecting to wear helmets.

Our Fort Myers bicycle accident lawyers understand that these findings go against the opinions of many, who continue to blame careless riders for accidents. They’re oftentimes blamed for not paying attention or breaking road laws. Well, we’re here to debunk that theory — and the numbers support us!

According to The Guardian, only in 2 percent of examined accidents was the rider at fault. Of the accidents that were blamed on the bicyclists, about 3 percent of them were caused because they were wearing dark clothing. Neglecting traffic lights by bicyclists was only the cause of about 2 percent of crashes.

These figures were a little bit higher when taking into account the accidents in which the bicyclists was killed. But in such cases, it’s only the driver’s account that’s available.

The accident information was reviewed by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). These researchers found that about a quarter of the cyclists fatalities happened when a vehicle rear-ended the cyclist. These kinds of accidents were more common in rural areas.

When looking at bicycle accidents involving children, their behavior became more of an issue. They were more likely to do something “wrong” on the bike to help to cause the accident. This wasn’t the case with adult riders. With adult bicyclists, the driver of the vehicle involved was at fault about 75 percent of the time. Riders were only at fault in about 20 percent of these accidents.

The cyclists’ lobby group CTC says that the report shows that the government should be focusing more on driver behavior and less on cyclist behavior. The TRL also released a report saying that the helmet law isn’t that important when factoring causes of injuries — helmets only save about 10 or 15 lives a year.

“The main cause of crashes seems to be ‘failed to look properly’, whereas very few cyclists are injured or killed acting illegally, such as failing to use lights at night or disobeying traffic signals,” said Chris Peck, from CTC
With this report from England, and with the history of bicycle accidents in the state of Florida, it’s critical that we help to reduce the risks of these accidents. Florida continues to rank as the top stop for bicycle fatalities in the nation. Lee County is ranked among one of the state’s most dangerous counties.

With the tourist and heavy travel season here, we’re asking drivers to be on the lookout. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be lining our roadways — and they have rights, too! Take the extra second to look for these vulnerable travelers along our roadways before making a move in traffic. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road to help save lives!
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A woman visiting from Ohio was hit and killed while walking across the street on Fort Myers Beach. It happened Monday night on Estero Boulevard, according to Naples News.

The elderly woman and her husband were walking across from the beach side to the bay side and were in a crosswalk when the accident happened. It happened just before 7:00 p.m. on Estero Boulevard just north of Beach Bay Lane. They were reportedly hit by the elderly driver of a van. The driver said that he was traveling at 25 miles per hour but was unable to stop for the pedestrians in enough time. The driver was cited for failing to obey a traffic control device as well as failing to yield to the pedestrians. Both were taken to the hospital following the accident. The woman was pronounced dead. Her husband is still in the hospital with serious injuries, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office The investigation is ongoing.

Our Fort Myers Beach pedestrian accident lawyers understand that the beach is a hot spot to be during this time of the year. We’re blessed with beach weather year round! Unfortunately, when we see an increase in on-foot and bicyclist traffic, we also see an increased risk for accidents. This is especially true in areas where this kind of traffic volume is high — such as Fort Myers Beach. We also see these risks at some of our hottest areas, including local shopping districts.

There were more than 4,250 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2010. That means that there were about 12 pedestrians killed each and every day. And the numbers don’t look like they’re getting any better. Recent reports indicate that, although the number of traffic fatalities is falling, the number of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities is actually on the rise.

In addition to these thousands of fatalities, there were approximately 70,000 pedestrians injured in traffic accidents in 2010.

Unfortunately, many of these accidents are caused by drivers. Those behind the wheel sometimes feel like they have more rights to our roadways than on-foot travelers. The truth of the matter is that we all belong here and we need to learn how to belong together before more people die.

Who’s getting killed?

-Close to 60 percent were males.

-About 75 percent of pedestrians fatalities happen in urban areas.

-About a half of pedestrian fatalities happen on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

-Close to 40 percent of the younger pedestrian (under the age of 16) fatalities happened before 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

If you’re heading down to Fort Myers Beach, make sure you keep a watchful eye out for pedestrians. This is especially important near crosswalks, but remember that pedestrians can sometimes be unpredictable. Take the time to look for these walkers to help save some lives!
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The tourists are arriving here in record numbers this season, and with the influx of traffic comes an increase in the risk for pedestrian injuries. While we hope for their money and their enthusiasm to kick start our economy every year, we must also do our part to reduce the risk of accidents.

According to The News-Press, two people were killed in two different pedestrian accidents on the same night. One occurred in North Fort Myers while the other happened in Cape Coral. The first of the accidents happened just before 11:00 p.m. at the intersection of Orange Grove Boulevard and Pondella Road. A pedestrian was hit by a passing vehicle, according to reports from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). Reportedly, the vehicle had a green light and the driver was unable to avoid the on-foot traveler. No charges have been filed.

Our Cape Coral pedestrian accident lawyers understand that the second of the fatal accidents happened just before 11:30 p.m. between Academy Boulevards and County Club on Veterans. Officers say that the 25-year-old pedestrian was walking across Veterans Parkway when he was hit by a passing vehicle. The pedestrian was reportedly wearing dark-colored clothing and the driver of the vehicle was unable to avoid him.

The truth of the matter is that pedestrians face some serious risks in the Southwest Florida area year round. But more traffic usually results in more accidents and ultimately more fatalities. These cases also illustrate why speaking with an experienced personal injury law firm is critical in the immediate aftermath of a serious or fatal accident; an independent investigation of the scene of the crash can better determine the circumstances of the collision as well as who was at fault.

Fort Myers Beach is trying to raise awareness and is trying to help out these vulnerable travelers. That’s why city officials have decided to hang banners along the island. They’re going to be staying up all year long too, and they’re going to encourage motorists to remember to share the road — with pedestrians.

After a number of accidents last season, officials with the Fort Myers Beach Public Safety Committee decided that these signs were a must, according to NBC2.

“You could be in the middle of the street itself and they won’t stop; sometimes they just don’t stop,” said Jason Beasley, Fort Myers Beach resident.

The Public Safety Committee is looking into redesigning crosswalks to make them safer for everyone. In the meantime, they have spent about $1,000 for three hanging banners to remind drivers of pedestrians along our roadways.

Next, officials say they’re going to make a brochure to get tourists to slow down. The brochure should include traveling tips for bicyclists and pedestrians as well.

Officials are also looking into relocating some crosswalks so that they correspond with lights.

Drivers are asked to be on the lookout. Florida continuously ranks as the most dangerous state in the country for these kinds of accidents. Most of the accidents are the result of driver inattention. Pay attention behind the wheel and keep a watchful eye out for our most vulnerable travelers.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Department of Highway Safety (NHTSA) is looking to make a little more noise on our roadways.

Officials are asking that electric and hybrid vehicles meet minimum sound requirements to help pedestrians and bicyclists hear them more easily. Ray LaHood with the Department of Transportation says that there are too many vulnerable travelers who are getting involved in serious traffic accidents because they’re unable to hear these quiet cars.

“Safety is our highest priority, and this proposal will help keep everyone using our nation’s streets and roadways safe,” said LaHood.

Our Fort Myers pedestrian accident attorneys understand how important it is for pedestrians and bicyclists to use their hearing while traveling along our Southwest Florida roadways. While we rely heavily on sight to keep us out of danger, we can rely on our hearing to assist the process. We can all sure hear a garbage truck coming our way. The sound serves as warning that it’s time to get out of the way and pay a little more attention. Unfortunately, we don’t have these convenient warnings with the newer-style cars, and officials are looking to change that!

These hybrid and electric vehicles don’t run off of traditional gas or diesel fuel like older vehicles. When traveling at low speeds, less than 18 mph, they’re virtually silent. The proposed standard, also known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141, would require vehicle manufacturers to tweak the sound a bit — although the noise emitted would have to be the same among all vehicles of the same make and model. The extra noise would help pedestrians and bicyclists to recognize the location of surrounding vehicles and help to decide whether or not it’s safe to cross the road.

There is a list of some sounds on the Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles website page.

The truth of the matter is that something like this would be beneficial here in the Sunshine State. According to Transportation For America, the top four spots on the list of Most Dangerous Metro Areas in the country are in Florida:

1.) Orlando-Kissimmee
2.) Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
3.) Jacksonville
4.) Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach
Here in Lee County, we saw close to 200 pedestrians die in traffic accidents from 2000 to 2009. Pedestrians accounted for roughly 17 percent of the traffic accident fatalities recorded during this time.

Many of these accidents could have been prevented if pedestrians could better rely on their hearing to safely navigate through the area. Regardless of sound, pedestrians need to be the most defensive travelers. Make sure you’re one step ahead of the traffic around you and you’re using all of your senses to detect possible dangers. We’ve learned we can’t rely on responsible driving habits of others to keep us safe. We’ve got to take responsibility into our own hands.
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Safety officials are looking into a new traffic system to help to prevent pedestrian accidents at a busy intersection in Naples. Bicyclists and pedestrians who cross Weeks and Bayshore Avenue are at some serious risks for accidents and injuries as many drivers fail to stop at the crosswalks. City officials have already tried to head off these accidents, but the efforts came up shorthanded. Now, the intersection comes with the HAWK system. This is a first of its kind in Collier County. It’s a light that stays off until a pedestrian comes by and activates it. When a walker or bicyclist approaches, the light turns on and works much like a stop light.

Our Naples pedestrian accident attorneys understand how important it is for us to be on the lookout for pedestrians and bicyclists when driving near and through intersections. Pedestrian crashes occur most frequently in urban areas where pedestrian activity and traffic volumes are greater compared to rural areas. The National Safety Council estimates that more than 84 percent of all non-fatal pedestrian crashes in the United States occur in urban areas and close to 14.5 percent occur in rural areas.

How does it work?

First, a flashing yellow light will work to alert drivers that a pedestrian is waiting to cross the road. When the light turns to a solid yellow, drivers need to be ready to stop. Next, the light will turn to a solid red with a “WALK” symbol for the pedestrian. The pedestrian is then allowed time to cross. Next, the light will change to a flashing red and a “DON’T WALK” symbol. During this time, drivers are allowed to pass through the flashing red light after making a complete stop.

According to NBC2, there’s an accident at this intersection almost every day.

“They’ve done various things to try and (get) vehicular traffic’s attention,” said Connie Deane with the Collier County Growth Management Division.

In the Sunshine State, there were close to 500 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2010. These kinds of accidents continue to be an ongoing concern, as officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report increases in both 2011 and 2012. Many of these accidents are the result of driver inattention. Drivers simply aren’t paying attention to our more vulnerable, on-foot travelers.

The truth of the matter is that Florida continues to be the most dangerous state for these kinds of accidents. As a matter of fact, our state holds 4 of the top 5 most dangerous metro areas in the entire country when it comes to pedestrian accidents, according to Transportation for America.

With the New Year, we’re asking drivers to renew their attention for pedestrians. We are entering the busy season and tourists will be arriving in droves. With the beautiful weather that we get to enjoy here, we can bet there are going to be an increasing number of pedestrians.
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