Broward Injury Lawyer Blog

Anyone who had an eye on weather in Southwest Florida had also at some point had an eye on television meteorologist Jim Reif, who over the course of more than 30 years in South Florida gained a reputation as an expert on hurricane formations and an advocate for storm preparedness.

Sadly, it was reported by his employer, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, that the weatherman was killed in bicycle accident on a recent Sunday afternoon. Officials are still investigating the sequence of events that led to the crash, but it appears the 61-year-old ran into a sign before falling to the ground and suffering a traumatic brain injury. He was not wearing a helmet.

It’s unclear at this point whether a car caused him to swerve or if he simply lost his balance. Whatever the reason, the incident is a tragic reminder that cyclists must ride defensively at all times, particularly here in Florida, which has one of the highest rates of bicycle accidents and fatalities in the country.
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It’s been well-established that Florida is the most dangerous state in the country for bicyclists. Where Floridians account for six percent of the nation’s population, about 1 in 5 bicyclist deaths occur here.

What a recent report in The Atlantic reveals is that similar trends are reflected throughout the Southern U.S., a combination of a growing number of cyclists, poor infrastructure design and a lack of dollars dedicated to addressing the issue.

Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident attorneys know that pending the initiation of “Complete Streets” projects (which may soon become mandatory for federally-funded projects if Congress passes S. 2004), bicyclists are endangered nearly every time they venture out for a ride in Florida. Absent those risks, Florida would otherwise be an ideal place for it. We have relatively flat roads, scenic landscapes and year-round warm weather.
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Scores of riders have been injured in South Florida bicycle accidents in recent years. To offer up just a few examples:

–A 49-year-old bicyclist was killed after being struck by a pickup truck driver in the 1800 block of Northwest 31st Avenue in Lauderhill in November 2012. The driver was stopped by police several blocks away.
–A 24-year-old doctoral student with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit was arrested in November after he struck a bicyclist in Boca Raton before fleeing the scene. He left his bloodied car at a stop light before stumbling into a gas station parking lot, climbing into a stranger’s car and passing out. Police arrested him soon after. The cyclist died.
–A bicyclist from Fort Lauderdale was critically injured last December and recently died as a result of his injuries after he was struck by a driver on Northeast 18th Avenue. After driving for miles with the paralyzed cyclist on his back windshield, the driver dumped him behind a garbage bin. The driver was later arrested.
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A bicyclist who was paralyzed after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Fort Lauderdale shortly before Christmas has died of his injuries.

Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle injury lawyers understand the 53-year-old victim had been on his way to work when he was hit by a car. The cyclist landed on the back window. Rather than stop, the driver allegedly drove two miles home before dumping the cyclist behind a garbage bin in the parking lot of his apartment complex.

That a person could be so heartless is tough to comprehend. That it happened in the first place – perhaps not so unbelievable, particularly considering Florida is the worst state in the country in terms of bicyclist safety.
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Broward and Miami-Dade Counties have a higher number of bicycle fatalities and injuries than any other county in the state, according to a recent Florida Department of Transportation study.

That dubious distinction places Broward and Miami-Dade right at the top of the list of counties targeted in a state program to improve bicycle safety.

Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident attorney is an aggressive advocate for victims injured by the negligence of others.
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For its fifth year, residents and visitors will participate in and enjoying the Tour de Broward at Miramar Regional Park. According to the Sun Sentinel,
the annual ride, walk and run event will be taking place on the 23rd of February on Miramar Parkway.

During the first three years, the event raised money to help with the construction of Hollywood’s Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital facility. Once construction was completed on this building, officials turned their attention to the pediatric cardiac center. Last year, there were more than 2,000 participants and officials were able to raise close to $400,000.

Who rides bicycles? At least 57 million people, or approximately 27 percent of the population ages 16 and up, according to one recent survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident attorneys understand that residents and visitors heavily rely on bicycles for transportation, their health and fun recreational activities. Not only are we quickly approaching the Tour de Broward, but we’re also looking forward to the Bike Scavenger Hunt in March, Bicycle Safety Day, the Markham Park 100 Race and the Road Course Cycling Race. Cycling is kind of a big deal here in South Florida, and so is bicycle safety.
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