In the case of a serious motorcycle accident, without the added protection of the body of a car, crumple zones, and airbags, you could suffer serious injuries. An unfortunate number of these crashes cause life-altering or life-threatening injuries. Miami motorcycle accident lawyer Prosper Shaked discusses some statistics about these accidents, including the number of deadly motorcycle crashes each year in Florida. If you were injured in a motorcycle crash, or if a loved one was killed in a crash, contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA today to discuss your case.
How Many People Die in Motorcycle Crashes in Florida?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FLHSMV) tracks data on fatal motor vehicle accidents. FARS, the Fatal Accident Reporting System, collects this data into usable forms. Most of the statistics discussed here come from this system.
In 2021, the most recent year with complete data, 593 people died as the result of a motorcycle accident in the State of Florida. There was a total of 8,638 motorcycle crashes in Florida in 2021. This means that 0.069% of the motorcycle crashes in Florida in 2021 resulted in a death. According to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there was a total of 5,579 fatal motorcycle crashes in the United States in 2020, the latest reporting year. Year after year, Florida is responsible for mote motorcycle accident fatalities than any other state in the country.
Most concerning is that the number of motorcycle accident fatalities in Florida has steadily risen year after year:
- There were 8,045 motorcycle crashes and 552 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2020
- There were 8,995 motorcycle crashes and 550 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2019
- There were 9,143 motorcycle crashes and 531 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2019
Florida is home to more motorcycle accident fatalities for several reasons. First and foremost, riders are not required to wear a helmet to operate a motorcycle in Florida. Motorcycle accident statistics demonstrate that the vast majority of fatal motorcycle accident victims in Florida were not wearing helmets when they crashed. Additionally, Florida weather allows for year round riding. With it’s large population, Florida simply has more riders on the road without helmets than every other state.
Suing for Wrongful Death in a Motorcycle Crash
If you lost a loved one to a motorcycle accident in Florida, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This lawsuit can help you recover compensation for the end of life medical expenses and pain and suffering that your loved one faced. You can also recover the cost of funeral expenses, burial costs, and other expenses related to their death. These damages can help cover the cost of the following:
- Loss of consortium (for spouses);
- Lost companionship;
- Lost counsel;
- Lost income;
- Lost inheritances;
- Lost investments;
- And more.
These damages cannot replace a loved one, but they can help your family keep going if the family member you lost provided for your family.
You can sue for the death of immediate family members, including spouses, parents, and children. If you do not share one of these relationships with the deceased, you may still be able to recover compensation if you were a dependent of the deceased, such as a sibling, grandparent, or aunt or uncle that they took care of.
When filing a wrongful death suit, you must prove that the accident was the other driver’s fault. This involves pointing to traffic laws that they violated or other unsafe driving habits that lead to the crash. Things like drunk driving, distracted driving, texting while driving, and other serious driving issues can be clear ways to prove fault. However, even more mundane issues like speeding or running a red light could show the other driver was at fault.
Many serious accidents involve errors from both drivers. If your loved one was partly liable for the crash, e.g., because they were speeding, you can still recover compensation for their loss. Under Florida law, these damages are reduced by the percentage of fault that the victim shared, but you can still recover damages proportional to the at-fault driver’s share of the harm.
Call Our Miami Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident or a family member was killed in a motorcycle crash, contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA today. Miami personal injury lawyer Prosper Shaked offers free consultations, which help victims and their families understand what they might be entitled to and how their case can proceed. For help with your case, call our office today at (305) 694-2676.