Pedestrian Perils in a Car-Infatuated State

Central Florida has earned the dubious honor of being the most dangerous place for pedestrians in the nation. For more than 10 years, the Orlando metro area topped the list of pedestrian deaths. Statistics alone cannot measure the effect of a pedestrian accident on the lives of many Florida families.

Why Central Florida is so pedestrian-unfriendly

Florida’s rapid and vast development was designed with automobiles in mind. Vehicles travel on large thoroughfares that were constructed to enable drivers to travel to and from widespread suburban enclaves. On a long “superblock,” a driver may travel at an exceptionally high speed. In addition, bus stops, placed between intersections on long roads, are often far from crosswalks and streetlights. As a result, many bus passengers are forced to cross highways, are not visible to cars and are therefore at a higher risk of being hit.

Pedestrian compensation

If you are injured, you have insurance coverage options:

• Florida insurance laws compel every driver to carry a minimal amount of coverage, which should cover 60 percent of your lost wages and 80 percent of your medical expenses, up to a maximum of $10,000 for severe injuries.
• If you have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for a motor vehicle you own, your own policy covers your pedestrian accidents.
• If you do not have a car, but you reside with a relative who does, your relative’s policy covers you. If there is no policy to cover you, you can seek compensation from the driver’s PIP coverage.

These levels of compensation are obviously insufficient to cover all your expenses in the event of an accident. Given the potential catastrophic injuries involved in pedestrian accidents and the associated medical costs, injured pedestrians often commence a personal injury lawsuit to receive full compensation for their injuries.

Work with a Florida attorney who is known for his experience in effectively representing Central Florida pedestrians injured by motor vehicles.