Florida Remains the Deadliest State for Cyclists, CDC Reports
Injuries and deaths that occur due to accidents on the road affect more than just drivers and passengers of motor vehicles, as our Delray Beach personal injury lawyers know. Sadly, it is often bicyclists as well who wind up badly – and sometimes fatally – injured on the roadways, and in no State more frequently than here in Florida. According to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC), Florida remains the deadliest state in the country for cyclists.
The new wide-ranging report, released just last month, attempts to connect cyclist deaths with motor vehicle traffic. (This connection should come as no major surprise to Floridians, who know that Florida’s roads and highways can be especially dangerous for a number of reasons.) With mounds of data sifted through by CDC employees, the report compares statistics from two periods, the first being the period from 1975-1979, and the second being the period from 2008-2012. As our Delray Beach personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Aronberg, Aronberg & Green know, in the most recent set of data, Florida proves itself to be the most dangerous state for cyclists, even when population is accounted for.
There are more than 100 cyclist deaths each year in the Sunshine State, at a population-adjusted rate of .57 per 100,000 residents (the highest in the country). Compare this to the lowest rate in the country of just .04 per 100,000 residents, which is the rate boasted by Vermont. Florida didn’t score too highly on the degree to which these fatalities decreased either. While Maine showed the most positive movement, with a 78.7% decrease in cyclist mortality between the two time periods, Florida showed one of the most meager decreases, with just 9.7%
With high cyclist fatality numbers and inadequate decreases in such numbers, Florida’s roadways appear relatively unwelcoming to those on bicycles. Our Delray Beach personal injury lawyers know that our state must do more to promote the safety of cyclists, especially when warm weather and outdoor activities are touted as benefits of living here. Currently, state law only requires a bicyclist to wear a proper helmet if they are under 16 years of age; apparently, this requirement is insufficient.
The picture painted by the CDC’s report might not even show how bad things really are. For instance, perhaps the most significant limitation of the study is that it only involved death-causing incidents that both a) involved a motor vehicle and b) took place on a road. This means that any accidents which either didn’t involve a motor vehicle or which took place off a public road (a private driveway, a private parking garage, etc.) were not included in the study.
When you or your loved ones go out for a bicycle ride, please do so carefully. If you have any questions about this or any other personal injury issue, or if you or a loved one has been injured due to the recklessness or negligence of another, please contact our Delray Beach personal injury lawyers at Aronberg, Aronberg & Green by calling 561-266-9191 or by e-mailing us at daronberg@aronberglaw.com. We look forward to assisting you!
