Florida Leads Pack in Motorcycle Fatalities
The wind. The freedom. The excitement of being part of the environment rather than being in a metal and glass box passing through it. While a car is an extension of your house or your office, a motorcycle is an extension of you. But with that euphoric freedom comes risk.
According to the most recent statistics compiled by state and federal highway authorities, Florida leads the nation in motorcycle fatalities. And so far, 2016 is shaping up to be especially deadly for bikers in the Tampa Bay area, which over the past two weeks has seen a surge in fatal biker wrecks.
Florida Counties
In Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, nearly 20 wrecks in which motorcyclists were killed were reported over the first 10 weeks of the year. This is indeed a startling statistic. That’s a biker fatality every four days and if that trend continues, 91 motorcyclists will be killed over the course of the year. On average, about 73 bikers are killed each year in the three-county region, most of which occur on the vehicle clogged roads of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, state statistics show.
Nationally
Nationally, 4,486 motorcyclists lost their lives in 2014, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. In Florida, 449 motorcyclists and/or passengers died in traffic wrecks in 2014, according to the most recent Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles report. Even though this number actually represents a decrease from the year before, the Sunshine State still holds the top spot for motorcycle fatalities. Tragically, one in every five people killed in highway crashes here is on a motorcycle, even though bikers represent only 7 percent of the licensed motorists.
With five-hundred thousand bikers attending Daytona Beach’s 75th Bike Week last week, Florida is clearly a hotspot for motorcycle enthusiasts this time of year. Whether you ride a motorcycle or drive a car or truck, be safe and avoid becoming a statistic.
Injured in a Florida motorcycle accident due the negligence and improper conduct of another? Then call TRIPP LAW FIRM – Personal Injury Law at (727)398-2900 in Pinellas/Pasco County, (863)666-0380 in Polk County, and (407)850-8680 in Orange/Osceola/Seminole County, for an immediate, confidential case evaluation. There is NO Fee and NO Costs if we do not obtain a Recovery for YOU!
At the TRIPP LAW FIRM, we have the necessary experience to protect you and your family’s legal rights and pursue the appropriate damages. Thus don’t hesitate to call us. We answer our phones 24/7/365. The injury law team and staff private investigators at the TRIPP LAW FIRM are ready on a moment’s notice.
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Resources:
Keith Morelli, The Tampa Tribune – Traffic, Deadly ride: Florida leads nation in motorcycle fatalities (Mar. 13, 2016), available at http://www.tbo.com/news/traffic/deadly-ride-florida-leads-nation-in-motorcycle-fatalities-20160313/.
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