A motor vehicle can do a good deal of damage to you on your bicycle in Florida. After all, you are pretty much exposed. You must know what you need to do at the exact accident scene. Prior to going out on your bicycle, you must make sure that you have your personal info on you, your cell phone, plus your emergency contact info. This can help you big time.
Once you get into a certain bicycle accident, the basic steps that you take are vital. These steps need to be timely. You are required to call the police/ambulance or make someone else do the same. When the police arrive at the scene, you must make sure that you take down the police officers’ info. He is likely to make a police report and document things.
This is vital info that is likely to help you in your Florida personal injury case. You must get the driver’s info, no matter what. Get info from other passengers as well as the insurance information of the driver.
Which are the most common bicycle accident injuries?
The most common bike accident injuries are inclusive of face, eye, and dental injuries; fractures and dislocations; punctured lungs; abdominal injuries like bowel contusions and ruptures, etc.
What are your rights as a Florida cyclist?
As per Florida law, cyclists tend to have all the rights and duties applicable to the driver, no matter what the vehicle is. Now, there are some exceptions, like regulations for riding with a young kid, making use of a bicycle helmet, etc. In general, cyclists are entitled to their fair share of the road. Bike riders need to use the bike lane in case they are riding slower than the standard speed of traffic. If such a lane is not available, they are needed to ride to the right. However, people might fail to do so! It is an unfortunate fact that most drivers do not consider bicycle lanes as general traffic lanes. However, this is no real excuse for their negligence as per Florida law.
Here are some basic steps to take after a Florida bicycle accident:
1. Go ahead and wear the right gear
It is important to wear reflective gear. Riding a bike is not always dangerous for you. However, if you are riding in the dark, it is important for you to wear some sort of reflective gear both on your body as well as on the bike. The bike needs to have reflectors in the front as well as the rear. If you are riding at night, you must use a flashing light on both ends of the bike. When it comes to personal apparel, you should go ahead and wear a reflective vest, bright colored clothes, or a helmet that comes with a light on it.
2. Try to ride with traffic
When you are riding your bike, make sure to ride with traffic. You must never ride against traffic when you are a bicycle rider. When you tend to ride against traffic you make it hard to handle turns. Also, vehicles will have trouble turning. Riding with traffic makes sure that you will see pedestrians, make the appropriate turns, stop at traffic lights and stick to every other traffic law. Keep in mind that bicycles are required to follow the basic rules of the road which vehicles are required to follow.
3. Do wear a helmet
You should always wear a helmet. Do not bother about how you look! Wearing a helmet can save your life. If you are hit by a car and your head slams onto the ground, the helmet might save some grace.
4. Consider riding with a friend
Keep in mind that not every bike ride will take place with a bunch of people. Now, you might want to or have to ride on your own. You can think of riding with a friend on a frequent basis. At the time of riding with someone else, they might be able to call 911 in case you get injured in an accident or suffer a certain medical emergency.
5. Do not ride at night
You must try not to ride at night. If you do not have to ride at night you should prevent yourself from doing so. It is a fact that nighttime riding can be highly dangerous, even when you are wearing the right reflective gear. The same can happen if you have reflectors on your bicycle or are riding with traffic and have a helmet on your head. Keep in mind that it is not easy to see someone on a bicycle at night due to the overall darkness.
You will require to get the contact info of any of the witnesses to the accident. At the very least, get their name, address, and phone number. They are likely to be able to testify on your behalf. It is important that you take pictures or videos of your injuries and the damages that happened to your bicycle. Make sure that you have visual evidence since it can turn out to be highly useful in court. Never give a statement to your insurance company till you speak with your Florida Bicycle Accident Attorney. Consider it as a big deal. Most insurance companies can get your words twisted. And, this might lead to getting fewer returns.
The main goal of most insurance companies is to spend less amount of money. Never move your bicycle right after an accident. In general, police want to see the scene intact. You must look for medical attention within a short period of time. Keep in mind that the doctor can help prove your set of injuries to the insurance company. Also, you may have unknown injuries at present and look for medical treatment. This can enable the discovery of your injuries. If you did not look for medical attention, the insurance may want to say that you are faking your set of injuries. Also, they may not quote you on this set of injuries since you never said them in the early stage.
