Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyer

A 22-year-old man was killed Tuesday morning after a pickup truck struck him as he tried to bike across a road, according to authorities.

The Plant City man was apparently improperly crossing the southbound lane of N Park Road around 11:15 a.m. when he was hit by a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 67-year-old Lakeland man, according to Plant City police.

The bicyclist died at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck was not harmed.

Police confirmed that no charges would be filed against the driver.

Bicycle riding has become increasing popular over the years, both for transportation and recreation. Due to the fact that biking is much more common nowadays, the number of collisions between cars and bikes has also increased. Unfortunately, anytime there is an accident between a bike and a car, it is often the biker that suffers severe injuries or possibly death. For this reason alone, it is extremely important for all bike riders to follow the traffic laws and always be on the lookout for possible hazards, including inattentive drivers or other obstacles in the roadway. However, even the most vigilant biker is still at risk on the roads of Tampa because drivers do not always pay attention to people on bicycles.

Bicyclists must follow the same rules of the road as automobile drivers. Bikers are required to ride in the same direction as traffic and stay off of the sidewalk. However, it is not uncommon to see cyclists riding against traffic or on a sidewalk. Cyclists must stop at all traffic signs and signals and observe traffic laws. Additionally, bicyclists must display lights and reflectors while riding at night. When bikers fail to follow the rules of the road, tragic accidents can occur.

A street race across the Courtney Campbell Causeway resulted in a smashup with a Tampa police cruiser late Sunday night, ultimately closing the westbound side of the bridge until the early hours of the morning.

According to reports, a black two-door car was travelling west across the Causeway at a high rate of speed just before midnight. As the car rode over the westbound hump, the driver, a 34-year-old man, lost control of the vehicle and struck a guardrail. The car’s front end then slammed into the left rear side of the police cruiser.

Police said the man refused medical care. He was later arrested on charges of unlawful racing on a highway and reckless driving. As of Monday morning he remained in the Hillsborough County Jail with bail set at $750.

An officer who was in the cruiser during the accident was taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure.

The Causeway was reopened around 4:30 a.m.

Unlawful street racing on city streets and highways is a very dangerous activity that can lead to many accidents, injuries and even fatalities on the road. Innocent drivers, passengers and pedestrians are at a heightened risk of being harmed by individuals who participate in illegal racing. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 100 people die every year from street racing incidents in the United States and thousands more are injured.

Some of the many dangers of illegal street racing include:

• Property Damage
• High Speed Collisions
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Paralysis
• Lacerations
• Disfigurement
• Neck and Back Injury
• Wrongful Death
When vehicles travel at high speeds, drivers have limited control of them, which is why it is extremely dangerous to other vehicles or pedestrians that may cross a fast moving car’s path. The racing driver is often not able to turn or avoid a collision should something get close to the racing location.

Articles Posted in Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyer

Tampa Bay Injury Lawyer :: Bicyclist Killed in Collision with Pickup Truck in Plant City

Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyer :: Street Car Race Leads to Crash with Police Cruiser on Courtney Campbell Causeway