Traffic laws are enacted to keep everyone safe on the road, and no group is more at risk than motorcyclists, with Florida topping the list of fatalities nationwide. Unfortunately, even if you ride and follow the rules, there is no guarantee that any driver or trucker you share the road with will follow the applicable Sarasota motorcycle traffic laws.
Thousands of motorcyclists are injured yearly in accidents caused by negligent drivers. Following all traffic laws helps decrease your chance of a wreck, but if you are in one, Dannheisser Injury Law is the first call you should make after receiving stabilizing medical care. Evidence disappears quickly, and you need competent representation from our diligent motorcycle accident attorneys.
What Are the Motorcycle Helmet Laws?
The choice to wear
motorcycle helmets has interested state legislatures for years because one group finds them repressive and another crucial. Florida requires motorcyclists to wear Department of Transportation-approved protective helmets, with goggles or face shields, although riders 21 or older can forego helmets if they carry medical insurance of at least $10,000.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that motorcycle helmets reduce fatalities by 42 percent and catastrophic injuries by 69 percent. Whether riders are wearing helmets or not, the team at Dannheisser Injury Law helps them when they are involved in accidents and need tenacious representation. Our attorneys are dedicated to recovering the total value of clients’ injuries, damages, and lawsuits.
Additional Motorcycle Traffic Laws
The Florida Statutes and Code of Ordinances for Sarasota County, Section 122, provide laws concerning vehicles, including motorcycles. Along with helmet laws, motorcyclists must ensure headlights, taillights, and turn signals work, the bike is equipped with mirrors, mufflers comply with noise limits, and handlebars are at shoulder level or below when the rider is seated. According to traffic laws for motorcycle riders in Sarasota, passengers are limited to two and must refrain from lane splitting.
Motorcyclists younger than 21 are issued a special license plate when they register their bikes, and all riders’ driver’s licenses carry a designation for motorcycles unless they carry a motorcycle-only license.
The Tort Reform Impacts Motorcyclists
In March 2023, the Florida Legislature overhauled how civil lawsuits are conducted, calling it tort reform. This reform includes rules for filing a negligence lawsuit when the motorcyclist is injured but also partly to blame.
Since the 1970s, the injured motorist, pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist could still win compensation if they were partially at fault for the accident, even as much as 99 percent at fault under the pure comparative negligence doctrine. Under the modified comparative negligence doctrine for traffic laws, the Sarasota motorcyclist cannot be more than 50 percent to blame for collecting an award. Under both doctrines, the compensation awarded is reduced by the motorcyclist’s percentage of fault.
Our Sarasota Attorney Can Help You Understand the Necessary Motorcycle Traffic Laws
You can follow the necessary Sarasota motorcycle traffic laws, but you can still be injured if a motorist is negligent. We can help restore some of that control by advocating for you.
We want to use our decades of successful litigation experience to help you. Call Dannheisser Injury Law now to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
