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« What You Need to Know About Florida Slip and Fall Law
Published at December 2, 2019 by administrator.
While taking a walk in the neighborhood is a great way to stretch your legs and enjoy the beautiful Floridian weather, it may be hazardous to your health. The risk of fatality as a pedestrian in Florida is the highest in the country.
Of the top 14 deadliest cities in the country for pedestrians, a whopping 9 Florida cities made the list.
Pedestrian safety is important to keep in mind while walking on Florida streets. So, how can you make sure to protect yourself while out enjoying your daily stroll? Keep these safety tips in mind on your next walk.
Many streets in the country are built for speed and traffic flow without the thought of pedestrian safety. One of the worst roads in the U.S., South Orange Blossom Trail, sits in Orlando. Between 2008-2017, cars struck and killed 12 people on this street.
One of the main reasons why these deaths occurred is the near non-existence of crosswalks. Pedestrians can use the two crosswalks on either end of the street, but they are easily a 15-minute walk apart. That means that those wanting to cross the road between the crosswalks risk their lives to do so.
It is essential to teach children, family members, and friends the simple tip of walking against the flow of traffic. Even if you are on a sidewalk, walking towards oncoming cars allows the drivers to see you and vice versa. Just the split second it takes to notice a vehicle veering off the road towards you can be the difference between life and death.
An easy way to practice pedestrian safety is to dress in colors that are easy to notice. Bright clothing and those with reflective stripes are easier to see from drivers passing by. Choosing to wear a lightweight vest even on the hottest of days helps make you visible to everyone. Adding a blinking light or walking with a flashlight at dawn or dusk are other ways to keep safe while walking on Florida roads.
While texting while driving is against the law in Florida, it is also important to refrain from texting while walking down a busy street. Anything that demands your attention, like a text, website, or game on your phone, takes away your ability to notice possible surrounding dangers. Your ability to be aware of a car coming at you diminishes when you aren’t focused on the surrounding environment.
If you usually listen to music or a podcast from your phone while walking, consider using the speaker while the phone is in your pocket instead of headphones. This will allow you to enjoy the entertainment but also have an ear out for any out of control vehicles that could be dangerous. Walking without headphones also helps to warm you of other pedestrians or bikers that may catch up to you from behind on a sidewalk.
Drivers have a lot of distractions when traveling the streets of Florida. Help drivers notice you by only appearing in the road where pedestrians should be in the first place. Areas like crosswalks, intersections, and corners of streets are places where it is common to see a pedestrian.
Never pop out into a road from in between parked cars or behind large trucks where drivers can’t see you. Even the presence of you in a spot like this can startle drivers and cause an accident.
While there are driving laws in Florida, there are also plenty of rules for pedestrians to help ensure your safety. Here are a few of the laws that pedestrian accident lawyers know well within Florida.
If a Florida road has a sidewalk, pedestrians must use the sidewalk instead of standing on any part of the roadway for safety. If a road does not have a sidewalk, pedestrians may walk on the shoulder of the road facing oncoming traffic.
It is illegal for a pedestrian to stand in a roadway to solicit a ride or conduct business or employment. You can not stand on the street to guard a car or secure an open parking spot.
Walkers must obey signs at crosswalks at all times, and you should not enter a crosswalk unless you can safely cross the street by the time the control signal changes.
Pedestrians should use the correct half of the crosswalk, the right portion, to allow pedestrians from the other direction to pass within the crosswalk as well.
Involvement in a pedestrian accident is very dangerous and can be a shocking experience. These types of accidents are only getting worse. Know what to do if you are ever involved in a pedestrian accident.
If you are able, call 911 immediately after a pedestrian accident. If you are unable to call yourself, ask someone else nearby to call for you — every passing second counts when dealing with the medical dangers of colliding with a moving vehicle.
While some pedestrians shouldn’t move after getting hit, it is best to move off of the road if you are physically able to do so safely. This allows you some protection from other cars on the road that could hit you as well.
It is essential to remember as much as you can about the car that hit you. Anything that you can tell the first responder is key to making sure that the responsible party is held accountable. Hopefully, the driver that hit you will stop and assist you, but be prepared that they may drive off as well. You’ll want to make sure to have copies of all documents related to the incident, this includes the driver’s personal information, insurance information, and a copy of the police report. In the event of a medical incident, make copies of all medical-related documents and expenses as evidence of treatment.
Many pedestrian accidents are not the fault of the pedestrian themselves. Calling a lawyer after getting hit will help ensure that you receive the proper medical, financial, and emotional resources needed after an accident.
This is where The Stafford Firm can help.
Walking along Florida roads can be a dangerous situation. Know the laws, practice pedestrian safety tips, and make sure that you are prepared in the event of an emergency. Calling the pedestrian accident lawyers at Stafford Firm is the best option on your road to recovery after an accident.
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