Bicyclist Killed in Lake City Crash Highlights Need for Bike Safety Reform

Around Northeast Florida, numerous beautiful bicycle trails beckon to cyclists. From the sandy shores around Little Talbot Island State Park to the 15-mile-long Jacksonville Baldwin Rail Trail, residents and tourists alike have a myriad of bike-riding options. Visit Jacksonville lists half a dozen great trails to ride.    But, what happens when a bike ride…

Safety for bike riders of all ages is a serious issue in our state. Florida consistently rates ahead of the rest of the country in cyclist injuries and fatalities. In fact, rates of cyclist fatalities tend to be triple that of the rest of the U.S. If you ride a bike in The Sunshine State,…

A Manatee County jury has awarded a 52-year-old Longboat Key bicyclist $2.3 million after he was struck while riding his recumbent bike and dragged underneath a car. The jury determined that his injuries, which included three fractured vertebrae and multiple facial injuries, prevented him from continuing his riding lifestyle. The accident happened in March 2010,…

Riding a bike, especially in Florida, can be a hazardous activity. An article in FloridaToday.com reported that the Cocoa Beach City Commission was considering an ordinance designed to curb abuse and harassment of bicyclists, pedestrians, and joggers. Skip Beeler, the mayor of Cocoa Beach and an avid cyclist, proposed the ordinance as a means to…

An Orange City teen was injured when he rode his bicycle into an SUV Wednesday afternoon, September 21, and has been cited by the Florida Highway Patrol for violating the right of way of the SUV and for not wearing his helmet. A helmet is a requirement for any bicyclist under the age of 16….

In Lakeland, Florida, a 68-year old man from Vermilion, Ohio was riding his bicycle when he was struck and killed by a vehicle that left the scene of the fatal accident, according to The Morning Journal. A 54-year-old woman was driving southbound on US 98 North, and reportedly drifted off the road and into the…

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.,…

Roger Grooters, 66, of Gulf Breeze, Florida wanted to help the victims of this year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, so he decided a cross-country bike ride would raise awareness and funds. On Wednesday morning, October, 6, he was struck by a truck being driven by Eddie Hogg, 41 of Molino, just…

It was just the second day of school and a teacher was turning into Lakeside Junior High School in Orange Park, Tuesday, August 24. Unfortunately, the teacher struck bicyclist, Joshua Gallettan, 33, who was heading south on the sidewalk. The accident happened at about 8:20 a.m. along Moody Avenue, according to an article on News4Jax.com. The…