Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A motorcyclist riding near Miami International Airport died after crash that threw them over an overpass where they landed on train tracks, officials told The Miami Herald.
The crash happened on exit 2 of State Road 112 near Miami International Airport. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
The Miami-Dade County Police Department’s Traffic Homicide unit is investigating the crash.
Additional details including whether the driver of the car involved in the crash was injured was not immediately available Monday.
Motorcycle and Bicycle Crash Stats
In Florida in 2024, there have been 7,373 motorcycle crashes and 7,326 bicycle crashes resulting in 429 motorcyclist deaths and 143 bicycle fatalities. In 2023, there were 9,542 motorcycle crashes with 628 deaths and 8,415 bicyclist crashes with at least 236 deaths.
In 2024, the statewide number of bicyclist crash incidents remained steady in the upper 700s to mid 800s per month range but did drop to 442 tallied for October 2024. The motorcycle numbers for 2024 showed that October was the month with the lowest number of crashes so far this year with 411 incidents.
In Miami-Dade County for 2024, there have been approximately 47,569 crashes with 224 fatalities and 23,288 injuries overall. Motorcycle-involved accidents accounted for about 1,058 of these crashes and resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people on motorcycles. Bicyclists were involved in 770 of these crashes, which caused the death of at least 13 bicyclists.
Previous Cases
With nearly five decades of experience advocating for injured drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists on Florida roads, the attorneys at Leesfield & Partners have built an extensive record of handling some of the most complex and heart-wrenching cases. Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has become a staunch advocate for road safety after decades of representing clients in personal injury law. In the last three decades, Mr. Leesfield has partnered with numerous road safety groups through his charitable organization, The Leesfield Family Foundation. In that time, Mr. Leesfield has contributed annually to groups dedicated to making the roads a safer place by advocating against impaired and or distracted driving.
In the firm’s decades of representing clients injured on Florida roads, over $28 million in settlements and verdicts have been recovered in motorcyclist-involved accidents. One such Leesfield & Partners case, involving permanent and severe injuries to a 27-year-old motorcyclist, was the result of a faulty kickstand on his Honda motorcycle. A design defect in the kickstand paved the way for his motorcycle to spin out of control, resulting in a spinal cord injury that left him as a high-level quadriplegic.
The company refused to settle and a settlement of $19.8 million was secured for our client.
In an ATV crash that injured our client, a $4.75 million award was secured by Leesfield & Partners attorneys.
A motorcycle crash involving a trucking company resulted in a $2 million recovery for clients.
Another product liability case involving the manufacturer of a faulty motorcycle returned an award of over $1 million.
A bicyclist crash that injured a Leesfield & Partners client who was stopped on the shoulder of the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys resulted in a $5,350,000 settlement for our client who was
The firm has also recovered more than $21.3 million for pedestrians injured on Florida roads.
State Law
While helmets are strongly encouraged, motorcyclists in Miami-Dade County are not required to wear them if they have at least $10,000 in medical insurance. Riders must have a valid, Class M driver’s license. This typically requires a driving skills test and a written test. Additionally, riders must have at least $10,000 in personal injury protection insurance and property damage liability insurance, each.
While there is no sure-fire way to prevent incidents on the road, staying alert and having the proper equipment can be key to minimizing injury and preventing a fatality while out riding a motorcycle.
- Ride defensively and assume that other drivers on the road may not see you and be prepared to react.
- Wear protective gear such as a helmet, gloves, jacket and long pants.
- Stay focused on the road and avoid distractions like cell phones.
- Be on alert to spot any potholes, gravel and or other debris on the road that can lead to instability or loss of traction and may result in ejection.
- Follow all traffic laws pertaining to motorcycles and avoid lane splitting, which is illegal in Florida.
- Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other substances. The same laws for drivers found to be under the influence apply to motorcyclists.
- Practice emergency maneuvers such as emergency braking and swerving to avoid obstacles that way, when you need to, you are prepared and know how to react quicker and safer.
