Kissimmee Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident
The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that a 41-year-old Kissimmee man recently died while riding his 2010 Kawasaki motorcycle when another vehicle turned directly in front of him. Julio Cerda was headed south on Pleasant Hill Road, approaching Brighton Lakes Boulevard, just before 9:00 p.m., when the driver of a 2005 Nissan sport utility vehicle that was headed north attempted to turn left onto Brighton Lakes Boulevard. This placed the Nissan directly in the path of the oncoming motorcycle, which collided with it, killing Cerda. The 68-year-old driver of the SUV was not injured in the collision.
Motorcycle Fatalities and Injuries
Motorcycles are a common mode of transport across the state of Florida, particularly due to the temperate climate throughout much of the state that permits motorcycle riding nearly all year long. However, since motorcycles are much smaller than most other vehicles, and motorcycle riders do not have the same protections as the occupant of a larger vehicle, it is all too common for motorcycle accidents resulting in injuries and even death to occur. Drivers of larger vehicles often overlook the much smaller motorcycles, which can result in tragedy. Likewise, motorcycle riders do not have seatbelts, airbags, or even the protections of a vehicle frame around them. While motorcycle riders can and often do wear helmets and other protective gear, those safety precautions are typically no match for the sheer weight and size of other vehicles, such as cars and trucks.
Florida Focuses on Motorcycle Safety
By implementing some common safety strategies, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) hopes to reduce motorcycle fatalities, which numbered 491 in the year 2012, the most recent year for which data is available, by five percent each year. FDOT provides motorcycle safety information to motorcycle riders, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency personnel in an effort to stem the many motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities in the state of Florida. The State also promotes motorcycle rider training and conducts outreach on the dangers of riding motorcycles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Despite these efforts, however, cases like that of Julio Cerda, as described above, still occur on a frequent basis. When a motorcycle rider suffers serious injuries or even death as a result of another individual’s negligence, the injured rider or his surviving family members may have a valid claim for personal injury or wrongful death under Florida law.
Call Salazar & Kelly Law Group, P.A., for Help
If you are injured in a motorcycle accident or any other type of vehicle accident, you may not know where to turn first. At the Salazar & Kelly Law Group, P.A., we are here to help you through difficult times such as these and take some of the pressure and stress from you. Allow us to look into your case, determine who might be liable for the injuries that you received, and consider whether you have any personal injury claim. Call 407-483-0500 right away, and set up an appointment at one of our office locations today.
