Land O’ Lakes Bicycle Accidents: Stats and Facts

If you’ve ever been in an auto accident in Land O' Lakes, you know how scary and how dangerous it is. Now imagine that same scenario but this time you’re on a bicycle. Quite a different story.

With nothing standing between a bicyclist’s body and the vehicle involved that hits them, inattentive drivers can cause serious or fatal injuries to bicyclists in Land O'Lakes bicycle accidents.

We are fortunate to live in a state with beautiful weather year-round and the desire to be outside riding bikes in Land O' Lakes is understandable. But sadly, Land O' Lakes and other Florida bicyclists are at a high risk on the road, even if they are following bicycle traffic laws.

In Florida, bicycles are considered vehicles, and bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways as motorists. They also adhere to the same traffic laws such as obeying traffic signs and traffic lights, riding with the flow of traffic, and using lights at night. But no matter how much a bicyclist does to follow traffic rules, their safety is ultimately in the hands of other motorists.

Florida Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 2011 Florida Trash Crash Statistics Report, bicyclist fatalities in Florida increased between 2010 and 2011 by almost 58% from 76 to 120 respectively.

Pasco County statistics follow this trend as well. In Pasco County alone (where Florida Highway Patrol responds to most accidents), there were 192 bicycle crashes in 2023 (as of November 1). 

Causes of Bicycle Accidents

Most of the time, bicycle accidents are caused by a negligent or inattentive driver of the vehicle involved in the accident. Collisions can occur when:

• The driver fails to yield at an intersection, stop at a stop sign or red light, or look both ways before resuming driving after a stop sign
• The driver turns directly in front of a bicyclist
• The driver pulls into traffic in front of the bicyclist
• The driver isn’t paying attention while driving past a bicyclist
• The driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol

What to Do When a Bicycle Accident Happens

If you or a loved one are in a bicycle accident, treat it the same way you would an auto accident. Report it to the police and seek medical attention—even if it’s a minor accident. You may not realize that you are injured until later on and the extent of damage to your bicycle might not be apparent until you take it to a shop. However, you should not repair your bicycle at this time. Leave it and any other damaged property in the same state it was after the accident. You should also take photos of the damage and the scene of the crime.

When the police arrive, make sure to give them a statement of what happened. Gather information on the driver and contact information from witnesses. Then, you should contact a bicycle accident attorney. Do not speak with insurance companies until you’ve discussed the accident with an attorney. The insurance company will be gathering information to use against you. You should also avoid any kind of bargaining with the driver. The driver may apologize and ask you not to report the accident.

Contact a Pasco County Bicycle Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one has been in a bicycle accident, call an experienced bicycle accident attorney at the Lowman Law Firm for a free consultation. We know that bicyclists can easily become a reckless driver’s next victim and will do everything we can to help you while representing your case. There are no fees or costs unless we are successful. Call now!