Bicyclists And Drivers Watch Out! 14-Year-Old Cyclist Dies After Being Hit In Port Charlotte
Brian O Sutter
Traffic Accidents
Drivers and Cyclists Watch Out For Each Other. While the climate in Southwest Florida makes cycling year-round an attractive activity, the roads in our area from Port Charlotte to Fort Myers to Sarasota are definitely NOT bicycle or pedestrian-friendly.A recent deadly crash in Port Charlotte took the life of a 14-year-old boy as he was attempting to cross US 41 Tuesday.
The deadly crash was made worse by the fact that the driver of the vehicle who hit the cyclist was just 23-years-old, a very young age to have to deal with the aftermath of being involved in this kind of accident.
As tragic as this accident is, it was unfortunately hardly unique and could have been easily avoided.
Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents Are Far Too Common In SW Florida
Deadly and serious accidents involving bicyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles are extremely common in southwest Florida. In fact, South Florida alone had 1,675 pedestrian deaths between 2010 and 2019.
Many of these accidents could be avoided by either the driver of the vehicle being more aware of the activity on the sides of the roads they are traveling on, or the cyclists and pedestrians only crossing streets at cross-walks when it is safe to do so.
In fact, because Florida is a Comparative Negligence law state, a portion of the fault of a crash can be attributed to the pedestrian or the cyclist.
We implore those who want to cycle or walk around town to not just watch for vehicles when crossing roads but to also look at the driver of the vehicle. If the driver is not looking back at them they should not assume the driver will stop or is even aware they are there at all.
Drivers must do better, whether it is day or night drivers should keep an eye on the shoulders of the roads, and sidewalks at intersections. Many deadly crashes can be avoided simply by people just being a little more careful when they are traveling around town.
Regardless of who is eventually found to be at fault the results will be tragic so please - drivers keep an eye out for pedestrians, and pedestrians do not Jaywalk.
If The worst has happened and you or someone you know has been injured after being struck while riding, contact All Injuries Law Firm today for your free case review.
14-Year-Old Boy Has Died After Being Struck By A Car On US 41 In Port Charlotte
Florida Highway Patrol announced that a 14-year-old boy was hit by a car early Tuesday morning while riding a bicycle.
The crash happened as a 23-year-old man from North Port was driving a sedan southbound on US 41 and approaching the intersection with Murdock Circle.
As the car was approaching from the north, a 14-year-old boy was riding a bicycle westbound on Murdock Circle, before sunrise.
At 5:34:00 AM the cyclist entered the lanes of traffic on US 41 and attempted to cross the southbound lanes from Murdock Circle, traveling directly into the path of the oncoming car.
The car collided with the bicyclist severely injuring him. The injured boy was transported to a local hospital for emergency treatment but succumbed to his injuries and
pronounced deceased at the hospital.
FHP has stated that the crash investigation remains ongoing.