Pulling over to the side of the road can be deadly in the state of Florida

Roadside accidents happen. It does not matter if you are a cyclist, pedestrian taking a walk, a jogger, someone on their motorcycle or a driver who had to pull over to the side of the road. Anyone can find themselves the victim of a roadside accident. When this happens, the victim is almost always caught off guard and does not have enough time to get out of the way.

Due to heavy population, it only makes sense to find Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Orlando area on the top of most accident lists in the sunshine state. Unfortunately, accidents on the shoulder or roadside of a highway or street can happen anywhere in the state of Florida – not just high traffic areas.

Shoulder of road or highway – false safety

The shoulder or road of a highway is there for vehicles when they need to pull over. A driver can pull to the side of the road due to mechanical issues, a possible flat tire, putting up the roof of a convertible if it begins to rain or a traffic stop by law enforcement. A shoulder is even required to have a certain amount of room for a driver to be able to get out of their car safely without being struck by oncoming traffic – anything less could be considered a road design flaw. Yet, even with these safety requirements, people are often hit and killed by cars that are driving by. Roadside accidents are often fatal because of the speed the vehicles are traveling when they strike the people on the side of the road or highway. Victims of roadside accidents can also include construction workers, roadside workers, tow truck drivers and police officers.

You need to move over. It’s the Law!

Because of so many police officers killed by roadside accidents, Florida law enforcement is serious about the Move-Over-Law. Here are some things to remember and make sure you are doing your part to keep officers (and everyone else) safe:

• If you are on a two lane highway and see an emergency vehicle or police vehicle on the roadside, you need to slow your speed to 20 mph under the posted speed limit.
• If you are in the same situation but are driving on a multiple lane highway like I-95, then you must vacate the lane that is closest to the puled over vehicle(s) as soon as you safely can. If you are not able to move over, then you must slow down till you are traveling 20 mph under the posted speed limit.
• Violating the Move-Over-Law can put others at risk, as well as result in a fine or points on your license.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in roadside or shoulder accident, then you need to hire a law firm that handles these types of cases so you and your family can receive the financial compensation that is deserved. The Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys at Madalon Law have been helping roadside accident victims and serve the Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach areas, as well as the rest of the state of Florida. Contact our office now for your free consultation.