Dade City Bicyclist Killed in Collision on State Road 35

A 29-year-old Dade City man was killed Saturday night after being hit by two cars on State Road 35 near Wilds Road.

He was apparently travelling south when he was struck by a 2008 Mazda driven by a 25-year-old woman heading in the same direction. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, he bounced off the woman’s car and into the northbound lanes of the roadway. He was then run over by a 2001 Nissan Sentra driven by a 25-year-old man.

He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 11 p.m.

Neither of the drivers involved in the collision were injured.

An investigation was pending as of Monday morning.

More than 500,000 people across the U.S. are treated in emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sadly, more than 700 people are killed each year as a result of injuries sustained in a bicycle-related accident. Florida’s roadways are considered some of the deadliest in the nation for those not traveling in an automobile. Many of these roads and highways were designed for cars and trucks moving at high speeds, which is why many fatalities occur annually. In 2010, 76 people were killed in bicycle traffic accidents in Florida. For those that use bicycles as their main forms of transportation, many of these dangerous roads cannot be avoided. When careless drivers enter the mix, unfortunate and unnecessary accidents can occur.

Negligent drivers are generally a major factor in bicycle accidents. Numerous situations can result in a traffic fatality, including the following:

• A driver turning directly in front of a bicyclist
• A motorist failing to yield at a red light, stop sign or intersection
• A driver entering or merging into traffic directly in front of a cyclist
• A driver operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol

The injuries bicyclists may suffer in an accident with an automobile can be extremely painful and often fatal. A bicycle is no match for a motor vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds. Drivers that engage in reckless or negligent behavior when behind the wheel of a car or truck must be held accountable for their actions, especially when someone is killed as a result. Wrongful death statutes in Florida allow surviving family members to seek monetary compensation for losses, including funeral costs, lost wages, loss of companionship and emotional pain and suffering. The Pasco County Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help you determine what legal options may be available to you and your family.

If someone you love was killed in a bicycle accident in Dade City, New Port Richey, Zephyrhills, Land O’Lakes, Hudson, Holiday, Lutz, Trinity or Wesley Chapel, contact the Pasco County Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call 727-847-2299.