(321) 242-7000
The Space Coast offers some of the best riding in Florida. Long open stretches of two coastal highways (US1 & A1A) make it a great place to hop onto your trusty motorcycle. Feel the wind blowing in your hair and the sun shining on your face. It feels like freedom. But that same freedom comes with elevated risk. In Brevard County, motorcyclists make up a disproportionately high share of serious injuries and fatalities compared to their numbers on the road.
Here at O’Neil Injury Law, we are riders ourselves. We enjoy riding just as much as anyone. But we also see the downside on a regular basis. Motorcycles are involved in a significant number of the traffic fatalities in Brevard County and the state of Florida overall.
Why Space Coast Motorcyclists Face Higher Risks
Motorcycles leave riders far more exposed than passenger vehicles. Without the protection of a steel frame, airbags, or seatbelts, even a moderate-speed collision can cause catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal damage, road rash, fractures, or worse.
Local factors amplify the danger:
- High traffic and tourism volumes on corridors like U.S. 1, Wickham Road, Babcock Street, and A1A increase the chance of interactions with distracted or unfamiliar drivers.
- Vulnerable road user statistics in Brevard show motorcyclists accounting for a significant portion of deaths and serious injuries (often around 20% in recent data), far out of proportion to their share of traffic.
- Weather and road conditions—sudden afternoon storms, glare from coastal sun, debris, or uneven pavement—can quickly turn a routine ride dangerous.
- Visibility challenges—motorcycles are smaller and easier for drivers to miss, especially at intersections or during left turns.
These realities mean that when a crash occurs, the injuries (and the stakes) are usually higher than in a typical car accident.
Our goal at O’Neil Injury Law is simple. We are here to protect motorcycle rider’s rights and seek maximum compensation should any accident occur. The simple fact of the matter is that the roads have distracted drivers, impaired drivers or just plain old bad drivers at any given time. Motorcycles are smaller than full sized vehicles and a distracted or impaired driver doesn’t react appropriately.
Key Florida Laws That Affect Your Claim
Helmet requirements: Riders under 21 must wear a DOT-compliant helmet. Riders 21 and older may ride without one only if they carry insurance providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits specifically for motorcycle crash injuries. Eye protection is required for everyone. Not wearing a helmet (when required or even when optional) can be used by insurers to argue that your injuries were worse than they otherwise would have been.
No PIP for motorcycles: Unlike cars, motorcycles are excluded from Florida’s no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system. Injured riders generally must look to the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, their own medical payments coverage, health insurance, or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.
Modified comparative negligence: Under Florida’s 51% bar rule (in effect since 2023), if you are found more than 50% at fault for the crash, you recover nothing. If you are 50% or less at fault, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies often try to shift as much blame as possible onto the rider.
If you or someone you know has been in a motorcycle accident and needs legal assistance, please reach out. We are in the office five days per week and have an answering service on weekends. We will get back to you right away.