Florida Safety Officials Emphasize Preventing Pedestrian Accidents

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) October 12, 2015 – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is taking its pedestrian safety information campaign to high schools across the state as part of an effort to reduce accidents.

About 27 percent of all Florida roadway deaths involve pedestrians and bicyclists. Students are among the most vulnerable, as they often walk or bike to school.

“Unfortunately, Florida has one of the highest rates of pedestrian traffic fatalities in the country,” said Jason Chalik, a Florida car accident attorney with Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers. “Pedestrians and bicyclists are particularly vulnerable to serious injuries and death in car accidents.”

Trenda McPherson, the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Program Manager for FDOT, said that drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists all have a responsibility to help avoid accidents. She said that pedestrians should use crosswalks, bicyclists should ride in the direction of traffic and drivers should be alert to people on foot or on bikes, and share the road with them. McPherson said that dangerous practices like speeding and distracted driving are also major causes of accidents.

Scott Lagasse, Jr., a NASCAR driver and spokesman for Alert Today Florida, also spoke at the Florida high schools, reminding young drivers that they must be alert and yield or stop for pedestrians.

According to data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida was ranked as the worst state for pedestrian fatalities four years in a row. However, Florida is now ranked fifth worst, with a fatality rate of 2.46 per 100,000 in population. FDOT officials said the improvement can be attributed to its efforts to install bike lanes, crossing signals, warning signs and foot bridges across the state.

Learn more at http://www.chaliklaw.com/. Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers 28 W Flagler St, #1000 Miami, FL 33130 Phone: (305) 944-2035

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