Learn about the Florida bicycle helmet law
If you are preparing to ride a bike, you should consider bike helmet laws in Florida.
Sharing the road with other vehicles can be very dangerous. Therefore, it’s important to know that protecting your head with a helmet will be highly effective in reducing your risk of injury.
According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, riders with helmets in an accident found an 85 percent reduction in risk of head injury and an 88 percent reduction in risk of brain injury.
Florida Bike Helmet Law
Are bicycle helmets required in Florida? Yes, bicycle helmet laws in Florida state that bike riders and passengers under the age of 16 must wear a helmet. So if you’re asking “is it illegal to ride a bike without a helmet?” the answer to your question is no, not if you’re 16 or older.
For riders under the age of 16, you must wear a helmet that meets federal guidelines. In addition, you must fasten the helmet securely with a strap and make sure it fits properly.
Now if you get into an accident and go to court, the fact that you were not wearing a helmet cannot be used against you to gain an advantage in the case. Florida bicycle helmet law strictly prohibits this.
F.S. 316.2065 says, “The failure of a person to wear a bicycle helmet or the failure of a parent or guardian to prevent a child from riding a bicycle without a bicycle helmet may not be considered evidence of negligence or contributory negligence.”
In the case of an accident with another vehicle, cyclists are more likely to be seriously injured from the direct impact. As a result of this, all bike crash victims should remain highly cautious of this subject. It is important to avoid finding contributory negligence if you’d like to receive all the compensation possible to cover expenses.
Cycling Statistics in Florida
According to NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Publication on Bicyclists, Florida had the highest cyclist fatality rate based on population in the U.S. in 2018. Florida’s bike crash fatality rate was 7.56. Louisiana came in second with 6.22 and Delaware third with 6.20. If we look at the data in the entire U.S. for that year, we’ll find that:
- 857 cyclist deaths made up 2.3 percent of all traffic deaths, this is an increase from 806 deaths in 2017.
- 79 percent of cyclists died in urban areas.
- There was a total of 47,000 bike crash injuries.
Boca Raton Personal Injury Lawyers
Bike injuries and deaths are not uncommon. Were you involved in a bike accident in Florida? Do you need help understanding your position with Florida helmet laws? Seek help from a personal injury attorney.
At the Landau Law Group, our experienced personal injury attorneys offer free case evaluations. Contact us online or call us at (866)703-4878.
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