A bicyclist died Thursday morning after being hit by a car in Miami Gardens, officials say.
Emergency responders were called to the scene at 6:15 a.m. near Miami Gardens Drive and U.S. 441 after a driver in a black Nissan lost control of their car near Northwest 182nd Street. The car went off the road into trees before landing on a side access road, hitting the bicyclist.
The bicyclist died at the scene, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
Additional details including what caused the driver to lose control were not immediately available Thursday afternoon.
In Miami-Dade County, there have been 540 reported bicycle crashes for 2024 with 10 of those crashes being fatal, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles. Of the 952 pedestrian crashes reported in 2024, there have been 41 fatalities.
With more cars on the road and more distractions than ever before, it is imperative to remain vigilant when behind the wheel of a car. Of the numerous practice areas Leesfield & Partners attorneys have specialized in, motor vehicle crash litigation is among one of the top most-filed injury claims in civil court.
Over the years, Leesfield & Partners attorneys have seen the devastation that car wrecks can have on clients and their families from life-altering injuries requiring round-the-clock care to tragic deaths of loved ones. Car wrecks can happen from one second to the next and can change the lives of our clients and their loved ones forever. It is important to remain vigilant when behind the wheel and avoid distractions such as GPS systems, cell phones or adjusting the radio. It only takes a second for your wandering attention to have serious consequences.
One Leesfield & Partners client knows this better than most after she was hit while on her bicycle by a distracted driver. Our client was off the road on the shoulder of the Overseas Highway when a driver adjusting the GPS of their car hit her. Our client sustained multiple life-threatening injuries as a result of the harrowing ordeal. Attorneys with the firm were able to secure an over $5 million award for the client.
A confidential case handled by Leesfield & Partners attorneys involving a bicyclist resulted in a $3 million award for the victim and their family.
Pedestrian injuries and deaths are another devastating reality when it comes to tragedies on the road. Leesfield & Partners attorneys once represented the family of a woman who was crushed by a pickup truck while crossing the street in Fort Myers. The woman had been visiting the area from Toronto, Canada with her family who witnessed the horrific incident. An $8,500,000 settlement was reached with the defendant following a $27 million arbitration award for the woman’s family.