PALM BAY, FL- As reported by mynews13.com, the investigation continues into the cause of a fatal accident that occurred in Palm Bay early on the morning of Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Tammy A. Jones, 52, was attempting to cross Palm Bay road at 6:22 a.m. when she was struck by a pickup truck that was traveling east near the intersection of Culver Drive.
Jones, who was a resident of Palm Bay, died at the scene. According to officers, the driver of the pickup truck remained at the site of the crash and waited for the police to arrive. No one else was injured in the accident.
This accident is just one of many tragedies involving cyclists being struck by cars in Florida. With a total of 150 cyclist deaths in 2015, bicycle accidents are more common in Florida than in any other state. Florida’s warm weather makes cycling a year-round activity, and many people are attracted to the benefits of cycling to work. The high number of cyclists sharing the roads with vehicles creates a greater risk of accidents.
However, Florida’s rate of cyclist fatalities outnumbers even California, another warm weather state with a much higher population. Florida has attempted to make the roads safer for cyclists, but the number of accidents has continued to remain much higher than the national average.
The majority of cyclist deaths are the result of distracted drivers. People driving while texting or talking on their cellphone present hazards to others who are sharing the road, especially individuals such as cyclists who are less visible and are not protected like individuals in a vehicle.
