Out of all auto accidents, pedestrian accidents may arguably have the most devastating aftermath. This is particularly regarding the serious injuries and damages that the involved pedestrians walk away with. Pedestrians do not wear protective gear when navigating Florida roads, so the sheer impact of a standard motor vehicle, motorcycle, or even bicycle may be enough to severely hurt them. With all that being said, please continue reading to learn how a bicyclist might injure you as a pedestrian and how an experienced Tampa pedestrian accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can brief you on your legal rights at this time.
What rules must pedestrians follow in the state of Florida?
You may have heard the saying once before that pedestrians have the “right of way.” This means that pedestrians have the legal right to cross the street without fear of being hit by a vehicle. While this rule may put you at ease when encountering an intersection, you must still be mindful of the regulations that apply to you. That is, Florida law holds that pedestrians must abide by the following:
- A pedestrian must not walk on highways or ramps that lead to highways.
- A pedestrian must not walk around “stop” barriers at bridges or railroad crossings.
- A pedestrian must walk on the sidewalk whenever there is one accessible to them.
- A pedestrian must follow the instructions of traffic control devices at intersections.
- A pedestrian must cross at an intersection and not in the middle of the road (i.e., no jaywalking).
- A pedestrian must not cross at a right angle or diagonally unless a marked crosswalk or traffic control device indicates so.
As a pedestrian, how might a bicyclist injure me on Florida roads?
Sadly, even by closely following the pedestrian laws mentioned above, you may still be injured by another negligent party on the Florida road. More specifically, below are examples of how you may accidentally collide with a bicyclist:
- A cyclist may travel at nighttime or during poor weather conditions and not see you crossing the street.
- A cyclist may be traveling at a high speed and fail to yield when it is your turn to cross the street.
- A cyclist may ride a poorly maintained bike and fail to brake on time before running into you.
- A cyclist may be intoxicated and fail to maintain their lane when sharing a path with you.
- A cyclist may ride on a sidewalk rather than in a designated bike lane and run into you.
- A cyclist may abruptly turn without checking if you are already crossing the street.
If you can relate to any of the above incidents, understand that you may have a solid personal injury claim on your hands. So, to better understand your legal rights in the matter, please seek the advisement of a sound and skilled Tampa auto accident lawyer. Please feel confident that our team at Merricks Law Group, P.A. has significant experience handling legal cases like yours. So call us today.
