Practice Areas

• Car and Motorcycle Accidents
• DUI and Criminal Defense
• Big Truck Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Serious Injuries:
  Slip and Fall | Dog Bites

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Child Cyclists and Motor Vehicles-Safety Tips to Save a Child's Life

As a personal injury accident attorney who has been in practice for 38 years, I have counseled families who have lost children to tragic and, sometimes, avoidable traffic accidents. I am especially concerned for child bike safety. Discuss these simple safety tips with your child before biking-because it just might save their life.

In 2007, 24 % (or 10,000) bicyclists nationwide who were injured in motor vehicle accidents were children 14 years or younger, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts 2007: children. Overall, 698 bicyclists were killed in car crashes in 2007-of which 13 % (or 91) were 14 years and younger. An overwhelming majority of those killed were boys (80%).

Make sure your child doesn't become one of these crash statistics. Here are some simple rules to make biking fun and safe for your child.

1. The safest place to ride for children 10 and under is on the sidewalk. The NHTSA recommends that kids 10 and younger bike on sidewalks rather than on streets due to maturity levels. (Riding on the sidewalk is generally permitted in Florida.) Otherwise, riding on the street is best.
2. Always wear a helmet. Best practice is that all children should wear a properly fitted helmet, no matter if they are 16 years of age or older. A properly fitted helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%!
3. "Drive" your bike. Bikes must follow road rules like cars and trucks.
4. Make sure biking equipment is working and properly secured, including: brakes, handlebar, tires, and the seat.
5. Carry books or other items in a backpack or basket.
6. Be predictable and Ride with the Flow of Traffic. This means ride in a straight line and in the direction that the other cars are driving (not against traffic).
7. Wear visible clothing and avoid riding at night.
8. Watch out for parked cars, driveways, or congested areas like shopping plazas or areas where delivery trucks frequent.
9. Signal with a bell to let pedestrians know you are passing. Don't hit people walking on the sidewalk!
10. Try to make eye contact with a motor vehicle driver before crossing the street. Stop and look both ways before crossing!
11. Map out a safe route, if riding to school. Get your child to school safely.

For more information:

Bicyclists - Know the Law and Stay Alive

Kids and Bike Safety - Know The Law!

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/KidsandBikeSafetyWeb/index.htm

Ride Smart video for Children (2002)

NHTSA-How to fit a Helmet:

Accident attorney, Jeffrey Meldon, strongly believes that public education is the first step in the prevention of and/or recovery from a serious accident. 

He and his Office take pride in their work, and in results they get for their clients.  

The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates is a regional law firm that is located in Gainesville, Florida. They are personal injury lawyers, litigators and trial lawyers that have been working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 37 years throughout North Florida and all over Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, and motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents, dog bites, slip and falls and medical malpractice are all included in their practice as accident attorneys.

They have been proudly representing injured victims in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, Daytona Beach, Dunnellon, Palatka, The Villages, and the counties of Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Citrus, Volusia, Sumter, Putnam  and the entire North and Central Florida since 1971.

For more information on how they can help you, or any other question you may have, feel free to contact their office at 1 800 373 8000

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