Elderly Bicyclist Killed in Orlando Hit and Run Accident
An Orlando bicyclist was killed earlier this week in a hit and run accident that highlighted not only the general dangers for bicyclists in a state where few motorists follow the law around cyclists, but also the high levels of hit and run incidents in Florida. According to a report on the incident, the bicyclist was rushed to a local hospital after the incident, where he died from his injuries according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). FHP also announced that there were no details known about the vehicle that hit the bicyclist, although investigators did find a car part from a 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara that may have been involved in the accident near the accident scene. The road was blocked afterwards for several hours while the police performed an investigation into the accident and the cyclist’s death.
Under Florida law, bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws that motor vehicles do, but they also enjoy the same rights to the road that motor vehicles do. However, motorists are also required to stay at the scene after an accident in which someone is injured or killed or in which property damage occurs. Nevertheless, many times motorists do not follow any of these laws and it is the bicyclist who pays the price. This is where it is important if find yourself in a situation where a motorist injures you while bicycling that you contact the experienced Florida personal injury attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley to ensure that you get the assistance you need to obtain maximum recovery for your injuries.
Florida Law Regarding Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Florida law requires that someone who is involved in an accident in which someone is injured or killed or in which someone suffers property damage to remain at the scene of the accident. This would include an accident between a motor vehicle and a bicycle. If a motorist leaves the scene of an accident involving injury or death (including a bicyclist like this recent scenario in Orlando), a driver is required to stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the crash (or as close thereto as possible) and give his or her name, address, and vehicle registration number to the other driver or persons involved in that accident; provide his or her license, registration, address, and other information to any investigating police officers; render reasonable assistance if it is clear another party to the accident needs medical treatment; and, finally, immediately report the crash to the applicable police of sheriff’s office.
The penalties for not following these required procedures are very steep. If the crash involved injuries to another person, a motorist who flees the scene can be charged with a third-degree felony, with penalties of up to 5 years in prison or 5 years of probation, and a $5,000 fine. If the crash involved a death, a driver who fled the scene faces up to 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of four years and a $10,000 fine. In all hit and run cases involving death or injury, the fleeing driver’s license is also revoked for a minimum of three years.
Contact Schwed, Adams & McGinley for Hit and Run Accident
If you are a cyclist and you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Florida, whether a hit and run or otherwise, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney who has represented cyclists who have been injured by Florida motorists in the past to help you to recover maximum damages for your injuries. Contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A. today. We have achieved great success in representing clients in collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles, and other situations in which our clients were riding a bike and were injured during our attorneys’ 200 combined years practicing law. Contact us today at (877) 694-6079 or contact@schwedlawfirm.com for a free consultation regarding your situation.