Injured in a Moped or Scooter Accident? You Are Not Alone
The Florida Keys are unique, in that many of its residents own mopeds and scooters as opposed to cars. Additionally, tourists routinely rent mopeds or scooters to explore the many attractions of Key West. Many tourists driving in cars, however, are not familiar with how mopeds and scooters maneuver around town. This results in a higher number of moped and scooter accidents, not only to our residents but to tourists. Unfortunately, some of the accidents are catastrophic. Neck and back injuries, as well as broken bones, are common. Our law firm is experienced in these types of accidents, contact our Florida Keys moped & scooter accident lawyers today for a free consultation.
Moped and scooter drivers are at a high risk to be involved in a motor vehicle accident.
Tourists drive around Key West with their head on a swivel to take in at all the beauty the Keys has to offer. This leads to distracted drivers. Worse off, some of these tourists are impaired. Mopeds and scooters are much smaller than vehicles. Moped and scooters are also easily maneuverable, so they can fit in spots where cars and trucks cannot. As a result, mopeds and scooters can be difficult for (distracted) drivers to see, especially in “blind spots” when a vehicle is changing lanes. Some of the more populated intersections in Key West (i.e. Duval and Fleming and North Roosevelt and Palm Avenue) are notorious for moped and scooter accidents because of these blind spots. We commonly receive calls for “merging” accidents and T-bone accidents.
We understand mopeds and scooter! We’re on your side!
Moped and scooters are a way of life in Key West. Similar to cyclists, drivers need to learn how to share the road with operators of mopeds and scooters.
Our personal injury attorneys have handled hundreds of moped and scooter accident cases in and around Key West. We are skilled at educating insurance adjusters on why vehicles should see/anticipate mopeds and scooters – especially in the Keys. (Unlike big Miami firms), we are also familiar with the roads throughout the city and why the Keys are unique, compared to the rest of the Florida. We know which roads are dangerous and why they are known for being dangerous. This gives us a tremendous advantage when advocating that the other party was at-fault for your crash.
We recently resolved a case where our client, a local resident of Key West, was traveling on a moped to her job. An out-of-town tourist driving a rental vehicle pulled out in front of her while attempting to cross the intersection of North Roosevelt and Palm Avenue. This intersection is notorious for drivers trying to make U-turns at the light (even though there is a “NO U-TURN” sign prominently displayed.) The at-fault driver failed to use reasonable care (by making an illegal u-turn) and crashed into our client. Our client suffered injuries to her neck, wrist and knee. We were able to get our client the necessary treatment she needed despite her not having health insurance. We were also able to demonstrate the potential need for further treatment based on our expert’s analysis and report. The insurance company originally blamed our client for “not knowing how to operate a moped and driving at an unsafe rate of speed”. We explained that our client had operated her moped for 7 years as it was her primary source of transportation and
that she was familiar with the speed limit. Additionally, she had on a helmet and was not on her cell phone. Once we educated the out-of-state adjuster on the fact that many people (like our client) in Key West use scooters and mopeds as their primary source of transportation, the insurance adjuster changed her tune. Her offer went up 10x and we were able to resolve the case.
We also know the doctors in town. Navigating treatment in the Keys – even for locals – can be challenging. In the aforementioned case, we helped our client receive medical treatment even through she didn’t have health insurance. Lean on our experience to help you get the treatment you need and deserve. We are available 24/7 to answer any questions you have.
What can moped and scooter drivers do to protect themselves?
The best way to avoid an accident is to expect the worst and plan accordingly …
- Be visible. Wear bright clothing. Make sure your lights and signals are functionable. Use hand signals. Anything you can do to make yourself visible to a distracted driver, tourist, or someone not familiar with the roads, the better.
- Act responsibly. Wear a helmet and eyewear. Stay off your phone.
- Be predictable. Stay in your lane. Do not weave in/out of traffic. Try not to pass in between vehicles – especially at a high rate of speed, whenever possible. Be extra vigilant during dusk (where visibility is lessened, and people are driving home from work or home from the bars). According to a recent study by the National Center of Biotechnology Information, 26% of moped and scooter crashes occur at or near dusk. If you are driving at dusk, stay vigilant and drive cautiously.
Call our Florida Keys moped and scooter accident lawyers today!
Whether you are a tourist or resident, we are on your side! We proudly (and aggressively) represent victims of moped or scooter crashes. Speak to one of our Key West moped or scooter accident lawyers now for a free consultation.
