Florida Injury Victim Lawyer Blog

A dangerous game is being played out on Florida's roadways. Almost every week someone is killed or seriously injured in a Florida motorcycle accident. Young men and women, with extremely fast motorcycles perform dangerous and reckless stunts in the middle of traffic.

These stunts which are acted out on the public roadways, are not only deadly to the riders, but they endanger everybody traveling on Florida's roads. Florida lawmakers recently passed a law to more clearly define reckless riding and stiffen penalties for so called "stunt biking." Governor Crist is expected to sign the law as soon as it reaches his desk.

Speed racers, mostly young men on fast motorcycles, show off and are often seen video recording their antics in order to post them on the Web. They weave in and out of traffic and often pop wheelies at over 80 mph. They are not only killing themselves but are putting everybody else on the roads in danger of personal injury or death. The police cannot even catch them because of the high speed these motorcycles can quickly attain.

Although wheelies are only one piece of the problem, the law requires motorcyclists to have both wheels on the ground at all times. Other dangerous behavior falls under the loose definitions of reckless driving statutes. The new law stiffens penalties for dangerous riding to $1,000 for the first offense and up to $3,000 for the third. Further penalties include suspending the motorcycle license. Although, a lot of people are saying that the regulations don't go far enough. According to police, 60 percent of the motorcycle riders engaging in this type of behavior are unlicensed so threatening to confiscate their license is no penalty at all.

Approximately three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involve other vehicles, most frequently a passenger car. Because of the motorcycles small profile and excessive speed of stunt riders, drivers of other vehicles can't see and have no time to react to avoid collisions. Loss of control at high rates of speed is also common factors in daredevil motorcycle accidents.

Motorcycle accidents are frequently more devastating and traumatic because there is less protection for riders and passengers plus some of the riders are not even wearing helmets since Florida Law no longer requires them. The number of brain injuries and spinal cord injuries are especially high in motorcycle accidents. The type of people who perform dangerous tricks frown on wearing helmets. The drivers of automobiles in accidents involving motorcycles can be psychologically damaged even if they are not physically injured. Since the riders are unlicensed in many cases, they are also uninsured. Accident victims often cannot be adequately compensated because unlicensed riders cannot get insurance.

Even with new laws in place, enforcing them will be difficult for police. The speed and agility of high-powered motorcycles leave police cruisers in the dust. Unfortunately, the only time most violators are caught and charged are the ones whose motorcycles are disabled or destroyed in an extreme motorcycle accident. In some cases, the videos they use to show off might be used against them.

In no way does the behavior of these hooligans tarnish the reputation and skill of serious motorcycle enthusiasts. Their disregard for the safety of men, women, and children who share the road should be strongly condemned. Fortunately, Florida and other states are moving in the right direction to curtail these dangerous activities.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident in Florida, you may need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side. Please contact Payer Law Group today for your free consultation with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney.

Posted by James Payer | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Motorcycle Accident

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A motorcycle accident claimed the life of a Florida motorcyclist when he plunged from the Interstate 95-State Road 84 ramp. The accident has renewed calls for authorities to make the I-95 ramp safer.

Errol Michael Etosha Dodd, 24, of Miramar, suffered a fatal fall from the ramp at about 3:30 a.m., when he attempted to head from southbound I-95 to toward the New River bridge, just north of westbound State Road 84, on his Honda motorcycle, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Earl Brown said.

Dodd was in the right outside lane of I-95, approaching the New River bridge overpass at the State Road 84 exit, when he tried to pass a white Cadillac Escalade, Brown said. Instead, Dodd struck the SUV's right side, lost control of his bike and plowed into a concrete barrier wall.

After the impact Dodd, who was wearing a helmet and a motorcycle jacket, fell 60 feet onto the riverbank below, Brown said. He died at the scene.

"It seems unreal," Dodd's mother Georgia Fyffe said Sunday. "They need to put something there to prevent motorists from falling."

The fatality is one of several that have occurred at or near the multiple ramps at I-95 and State Road 84 this year. In April, Shawn Montero, 30, hopped over the low-lying barrier wall to relieve himself, apparently not realizing there was nothing to stop his fall. In June, William S. Wehner, 57, was driving north on I-95 when he crashed at the State Road 84 exit ramp. In February, three men died when their car vaulted the elevated exit ramp and plunged onto I-95 below.

Florida Department of Transportation officials recently began reviewing the ramp design and were improving lighting and signage, authorities have said. Earlier this month, the DOT announced workers would install a 4-foot chain-link fence atop the barrier walls of I-95 near the New River overpass. They are expected to be finished by December.

Authorities have said no matter what they do to make the road accident-proof, ultimately, drivers must look out for themselves.

"It's a tragic event," Brown said of the accident that killed Dodd. "We're always promoting and trying to educate the public on traffic-related safety, especially with motorcycles."

Dodd's friends and relatives said he loved his red bike. After brushes with the law as a juvenile, he got a job at a thrift store, stocking and driving. He lived with his mother and brother in the 7500 block of Grandview Boulevard and rode with other motorcyclists.

He'd been riding around downtown Fort Lauderdale with a few others the night of the deadly crash, Fyffe said.

"He was always a safe rider," said Reagan Arjoon, 24, whose older brother and Dodd often rode together. "They know that when you ride a bike, you gotta respect the bike. "

News of Dodd's death drew many friends to his home Sunday. They called him "Smiley Dodd" or "Dollar" because he always friendly and respectful, someone who watched out for others.

"Everybody on the block feels it," neighbor Sharon "Mama Soul" Belnavis said. "They've got to do something about that railing, it could've been anybody. It's enough, too many deaths already."

Source: Macollvie Jean-François, South Florida Sun Sentinel

Posted by James Payer | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Motorcycle Accident

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A 50 year old motorcyclist was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident when he was struck by a car while making a left turn in Polk County, Florida Saturday afternoon. Gerald Pitts of Winter Haven was riding a 2007 Honda motorcycle and was attempting to turn left on a green light when James Hill ran a red light striking Mr. Pitts. As a result of the impact Mr. Pitts was pinned underneath another car that was also attempting to turn left. Hill fled the scene but witnesses were able to get a partial tag number. Police found Hill about an hour later in a parking lot having repairs made to his truck's front tire, the Highway Patrol said. Hill has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident with serious injuries.

Having represented Florida accident victims for many years I have seen the devastating impacts of people running red lights and stop signs. These collisions can severely injure or kill the occupants of a motor vehicle, truck or motorcycle. The likelihood of personal injury to motorcyclists is greater because of their physical vulnerability. There is simply no excuse for ignoring traffic control devices when the results can be so devastating.

Failure to obey traffic control devices is a major problem in Florida. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has identified intersection safety as the number one high-risk area of highway safety. FHWA reports that, each year, more than 2.8 million intersection-related crashes occur in the United States, representing more than 44 percent of all reported crashes. Intersections are prone to serious traffic crashes simply because they place motor vehicle operators in an environment where motor vehicles directly cross paths, directly exposing drivers to traffic crashes in which little space is available to avoid the serious consequences of poor driver choices such as disobeying traffic signals, failing to stop at red lights, or “assuming” the right of way.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety* (IIHS) reports that more than 900 people a year die and nearly 2,000 are injured due to vehicles running red lights. And red lights are, of course, used at intersections. About half of these deaths are pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles who are hit by those drivers who run red lights. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) reports that 96% of drivers fear being hit by a person running a red light at an intersection, while 55.8% admit to running red lights. And what is the most widely used excuse for red light running? “I was in a hurry.” Though this may be a reason, it is certainly not an excuse. There is no excuse for believing that your time is any more valuable than anyone else’s time or that your time is more valuable than your safety or the safety of others. Obeying traffic control devices is easy to do and would make our roads a much safer place to travel.

Posted by James Payer | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Motorcycle Accident

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