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Dan Moser, a founding member of BikeWalkLee, a coalition advocating for public transportation, pedestrians and bicyclists in Lee County, recently said, “Southwest Florida, Lee County in particular, has consistently been well-above average in traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities. It’s especially bad for pedestrians, as documented by our ranking as the most dangerous metro area (all of Lee County) in the U.S. per the Dangerous by Design report, with seven more of the top-10 most dangerous communities being in Florida. The report’s title says it all – We’re still designing public rights-of-way in a way that results in this predictable outcome.”

Although Lee County pedestrian crashes dropped from 279 in 2017 to 263 in 2018, pedestrian fatalities rose in 2018 by 4 deaths to 22. Bicycle crashes in the county dropped from 216 in 2017 to 203 in 2018. The number of bicycle fatalities remained the same at 3.

Some of the more high-profile crashes included:

• December 19 – A 58-year-old man from Cape Coral was riding his bicycle north on U.S. 41 in the center of the right lane when a 20-year-old woman from Punta Gorda struck him. The bicyclist was a local bike safety advocate, according to the Fort Myers News-Press.
• December 7 – A Pennsylvania woman was attempting to cross a San Carlos Park street at night when she was killed.
• April 1 – A 29-year-old bicyclist died in an accident with a Lee County Sheriff’s Office cruiser at U.S. 41 and Estero Parkway in South Lee County. The Florida Highway Patrol reported the bicyclist was crossing the street into the cruiser’s path.

"Troopers see preventable tragedies on our roadways all too frequently, and it’s heartbreaking to deliver such tragic news to loved family members," said Lt. Gregory S. Bueno, a public affairs spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol in Southwest Florida. "Every time you get behind the wheel you must be focused, sober and law abiding. A momentary lapse of focus or one poor choice not only puts your own safety at risk, it endangers the lives of everyone in your immediate vicinity as well. All of our families share the same roads every day, so slow down, have patience, drive defensively, be alert and buckle up."

2019 has already started with at least one tragic accident. On Monday, January 14, a 12-year-old girl was killed in North Fort Myers when she was walking with a friend after taking her sister to the bus stop. The child’s family said they want drivers to pay more attention and remember to slow down if children are around.

“We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. join the Florida Highway Patrol, and others, in urging drivers to be careful when driving, especially when children are going to bus stops and the early morning hours are often dark. Pedestrians and bicyclists are particularly vulnerable. Drivers must always be alert when driving on our roads. Should you or a loved one be injured in an accident, we are available to assist you 24/7. There are no costs or attorney fees unless we make a monetary recovery for you,” said Fort Myers Personal Injury Lawyer, Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Personal Injury Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.