Trucking accidents in Hollywood and the rest of South Florida are always devastating. However, if you’re in a passenger car when your accident occurs you may be protected by your seatbelt and by the glass, seats, and metal around you. Unfortunately, if you’re a pedestrian or bicyclist in Miami, Hollywood, or anywhere else in South Florida and are struck by a commercial truck, the results can be much more distressing.
Passenger cars offer scant protection against a fully loaded big rig or tractor-trailer – which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. For bicyclists or pedestrians, however, there is often no protection. Unfortunately, pedestrians and bicyclists in South Florida have a high rate of injury – more so than in other parts of the country. In fact, South Florida in past years has had the unfortunate distinction of ranking number one in the country for pedestrian and bicycle accidents.
The mild weather in Miami, Hollywood, and the rest of the region means more people are taking advantage of it to walk, bicycle, and enjoy the outdoors while staying fit. Unfortunately, in many cases bicyclists and pedestrians are forced to share the road with passenger cars, big trucks, and other vehicles.
In some neighborhoods, there are no sidewalks specifically for pedestrians while in other areas construction or other problems force pedestrians and bicyclists to share the road. Studies have shown that dedicated bike lanes and segregated pedestrian areas can reduce the risk of crashes, and southern Florida has made an effort to offer safer areas for both bicyclists and pedestrians. Despite this, many cases bicycling accidents do occur.
Common injuries in bicycling accidents
In a bicycling accident involving a truck, devastating injuries are quite common. Because a bicyclist takes up less room than even a passenger car, they can easily fit into the blind spots of a large commercial truck. This means that a truck can back over them, can crash into them, or can crush them. Common injuries in these types of collisions include:
- Head Injuries
- Amputations
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Fractures
- Fatalities
- Spinal Cord Trauma
- Crushing Injuries
The risk of fatalities is especially high with these types of incidents.
If you have been injured by a trucking accident and believe that negligence played a role in your crash, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Our law firm in South Florida is pleased to offer free accident consultations to all injured parties. We can help you determine whether you have a case and can help you understand how much the case may be worth so you can make a decision about your situation from a position of strength.