Two Avon Park teens were injured Thursday night, October 21, when they were riding on a single bicycle on the shoulder of northbound U.S. 27 and for some unknown reason, they pulled in front of a motor vehicle, causing the bicycle and car to collide. Deyven Lee Bottner Scott, 16, and Jim Allan Bass, Jr., 17, and were listed in critical and serious condition respectively following the 9 p.m. crash with the 2010 Chevy 4-door being driven by William Edgar Futch of Sebring.
The story in The News Sun says nothing about the condition of Futch following the Florida bicycle accident, but Bottner Scott and Chevy were thrown from the bike onto the road and the bicycle was lodged under the bumper of the Chevy. A medical helicopter was called to the scene to pick up the teens to take them to area hospitals.
The Florida Highway Patrol reports that alcohol was not a factor in the Florida bike accident.
Florida Bicycle Accident Statistics
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that in 2009, bicyclist and passenger fatalities declined 15% from 118 the previous year to 100 fatalities.
However, Florida remains one of the top states for accidents involving both bicyclists and pedestrians and has 9 out of the 10 most dangerous metropolitan areas including Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville, according to the nonprofit group Transportation for America. The group concludes that southern roadways are dangerous by design and that streets were geared for speeding cars and not for alternative transportation.
The Florida auto accident attorneys at Farah & Farah warn motorists that the roadways are increasingly being shared with bicycles and pedestrians. That’s why the state has a Share the Road campaign to bring awareness and appreciation for all modes of transportation.
If a loved one has been injured by a speeding automobile, our experienced Florida car crash attorneys may be able to determine the at-fault party who is responsible for compensating bicycle and pedestrian victims for their injuries.
