BICYCLE ACCIDENTS should decline on the new improved Gulf Boulevard in Indian Shores.

PINELLAS COUNTY - After two years of work, construction on Gulf Boulevard is finally nearing completion. The improvements include clearly marked bike lanes. The stretch of Gulf Boulevard that runs through Indian Shores has been a general inconvenience. But now all of the road work is finished, many say the end result is a major improvement. The three-mile long improvement project runs from Park Boulevard north to the Walsingham Bridge. The improvements include a newly paved and marked roadway, complete with dedicated bicycle and jogging paths.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, CALL the TRIPP LAW FIRM for an immediate FREE telephone case evaluation.

Florida Injury Attorney G. Alan Tripp, Jr., and the injury law team are available 24 hours a day. CALL NOW (888) 392-LAWS (5297).

NO FEE or NO COSTS if NO RECOVERY.

Prompt and Aggressive Representation – www.trippfirm.com

PREVENT BICYCLE ACCIDENTS • Be sure your child knows how to stay safe this SUMMER! • LARGO • SEMINOLE • PINELLAS PARK • ST. PETE • CLEARWATER

BE SURE YOUR CHILD KNOWS HOW TO STAY SAFE THIS SUMMER!

• Always Wear a Helmet - It's the Law!


• Make Sure Your Bike is Adjusted Properly


• ABC Check - Check Air, Brakes, & Chain


• See and Be Seen


• Avoid Biking at Night


• Ride to the Right with Traffic


• Stay Alert


• Check for Traffic - particularly at driveways


• Obey All Traffic Laws - remember, Bikes are Vehicles!

Want more information? Bicycle Safety Tips from SAFE KIDS Click the link: www.allkids.org/body.cfm?id=259

www.trippfirm.com

AVOID ACCIDENTS WITH CHILDREN ♦ Bicyclist ♦ Pedestrians ♦ Scooters ♦ Skateboards ♦ School is out for summer

SCHOOL’S OUT for summer.

Here are some reminders for motorists:

• Slow down and pay attention when traveling in neighborhoods and near parks, schools and playgrounds.


• Be alert for bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians’ they’re harder to see.


• Watch for kids at play! Children on foot and on bikes are unpredictable and may dart out into traffic.


• Remember that the longer daytime hours mean that children may be outside playing later than usual.

TRIPP LAW FIRM, P.A. – A Personal Injury Law Firm that is Dedicated to Helping Injured People throughout the State of Florida.

CALL FOR A FREE CONSULTATION - 1 (888) 392-LAWS (5297)

Prompt and Aggressive Representation, with a personal touch.

NO FEE OR COSTS IF NO RECOVERY. www.trippfirm.com

BICYCLE ACCIDENT Ι Dunedin Ι Largo Ι Countryside Ι Seminole Ι Pinellas Park Ι St. Petersburg Ι Land O' Lakes Ι Madeira Beach Ι Bay Pines Ι KennethCity

If you've been injured as a bicyclist, we encourage you to call our firm. Our staff will take down some basic information about the accident and injuries for the attorney to review. Of course, there is NO CHARGE or obligation for you to talk to us.

You are more than welcome to stop by our office for an in-person consultation. We can even arrange for the attorney to come to your home or hospital room free of charge. We are AVAILABLE to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, absolutely FREE.

To tell our firm about an injury you sustained as a result of someone’s negligence, please call us at 888-392-LAWS (5297) to speak to Florida Injury Attorney G. Alan Tripp, Jr.

NO FEES or COSTS if NO RECOVERY. www.trippfirm.com

BICYCLIST Ι PEDESTRIAN Ι PARKING LOT Ι HIT & RUN Ι LARGO Ι SEMINOLE Ι MADEIRA BEACH Ι TYRONE Ι BAY PINES Ι PINELLAS PARK Ι NO HEALTH INSURANCE

The FHP said almost 5,000 crashes involving bicycles took place in Florida in the last year, with 121 people killed. Some of these bicycle crashes occurred in Seminole, Bay Pines, Largo, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Countryside, Dunedin , Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Citrus Park, Oldsmar, Tampa, Brandon, Valrico, Ruskin, Gibsonton, Ellenton, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota as well as Hudson, Spring Hill, Weeki Wachee, Inverness, Homosassa, Dunnellon, Citrus Springs, Lecanto, Hernando.

Deputies that work for the Pinellas County Sheriff, Hillsborough County Sheriff, Pasco County Sheriff as well as other Officers that work with other agencies like Tampa Police Department, Largo Police Department, and Clearwater Police Department would all agree, “Bicycle safety is key for both the bike rider and the automobile driver when traveling on Florida highways and roads.” Too often drivers fail to keep a proper lookout for bicyclists either sharing the roadway or traveling in designated bike lanes. The NHTSA suggests that drivers give three (3) feet of clearance when passing bicyclists, yield to cyclists at intersections, and to be mindful of bicyclists' presence when turning, opening doors, and pulling out of parking spaces.

Florida Injury Attorney G. Alan Tripp, Jr. encourages bicyclists to wear proper safety equipment, obey the rules of the road, and increase their visibility by wearing bright colors and equipping their bikes with reflectors and lights.

If you or a loved one has been injured while riding a bicycle in the State of Florida CALL 1-888-392-LAWS (5297) for your FREE initial consultation. We are happy to discuss your case with you and to help you understand your rights. Our on call staff and licensed investigators are available 24 hours a day seven (7) days a week.

We can also arrange home or hospital visits for your convenience. There are NO FEES or COSTS if we do not recover money for you.

CALL NOW for a FREE initial consultation (888) 392-LAWS (5297).

www.trippfirm.com

PINELLAS TRAIL – Pedestrian, bicycle, skater, and rollerblade injuries

According to the Pinellas Trail Guidebook, the Pinellas Trail began as a vision in 1983. A man whose son was killed while riding his bike, helped form the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organizations Bicycle Advisory Committee, consisting of bicycle enthusiasts. The committee, in conjunction with the Pedestrian Safety Committee, wanted a safe place to enjoy bicycle riding, strolling or jogging. The county had a separate problem - what to do with a 34-mile corridor of abandoned CSX railroad right-of-way.

Today, Florida residents and visitors alike now enjoy using the Pinellas Trail. You can get on the north portion of the Trail near the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs and pedal south all the way down through the Bay Pines area of Seminole as you head past the Tyrone Mall and finish your journey in St. Petersburg.

An average of 90,000 people uses the Trail each month. The Trail is a unique greenway corridor linking some of Pinellas County’s most picturesque parks, scenic coastal areas and residential neighborhoods. The construction of eight (8) overpasses allow Trail-goers to travel safely above traffic at busy intersections as they travel through cities and communities such as Tarpon Springs, Crystal Beach, Palm Harbor/Ozona, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Bay Pines, Tyrone Mall, and St. Petersburg. Even though some of the busiest intersections have raised overpasses, there are still eighty-eight (88) street crossings along the trail. These street crossings along the Trail pose a potential danger to pedestrians, skaters and bicyclists if they fail to obey the basic rules of the Trail, or if a motor vehicle fails to yield the right of way while crossing the Trail resulting in a crash or accident.

TO HELP EVERYONE ENJOY THE TRAIL, THERE ARE SOME BASIC RULES:

• The Trail is only open during daylight hours.
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Pedestrians and handicapped have the right of way, wheelchairs should use the pedestrian lanes and electric handicap wheelchairs are always permitted.
• Bicyclists are required to obey all traffic controls and signals.
• Bicyclists are not permitted to wear headphones at any time and under age 16, they must wear a helmet.
• Electric bicycles are not allowed on the Pinellas Trail.
• Bicyclists and skaters should obey the posted speed limits. No racing, race training or pace lines. Skaters should use the bicycle lanes, and both skaters and cyclists should give an audible warning when passing.
• Motorized vehicles (except electric handicap wheelchairs, maintenance, law enforcement and emergency vehicles) are not allowed on the Trail. Neither are horses.
• Pets must be kept on a six (6) foot leash or less and under control.

If you have been injured due to the negligence of someone else while using the Pinellas Trail, call the TRIPP LAW FIRM at (888) 392-LAWS (5297) for an immediate case evaluation.

www.trippfirm.com

Bicycle Safety

According to The American Red Cross of Central Florida:

• Many bicycle injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet. Always wear a correctly-fitting helmet when riding. Even children using tricycles or bikes with training wheels should wear helmets. Adults should also wear helmets at all times, including when riding with children. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has more information on how to fit a helmet.
• Be sure that helmets meet standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Snell Memorial Foundation or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Look for a label or a sticker on the box or inside the helmet indicating that it meets the above standards.
• Wear closed shoes when riding a bike.
• Make sure your bike and your child's bike have good brakes, a front light and effective reflecting material.
• Ride only in safe areas and at safe times.
• Make sure bikes are the correct size for the rider.
• Learn about bicycle etiquette, laws, and safe riding practices and teach your children about them.

March is Florida Bicycle Month

Did you know? By Florida Law, bicycles are vehicles and have the same right of way to the roadway. As of 10-1-2007 it is Florida Law to pass cyclists by a minimum of 3 feet.
It is best for both bicycle riders and motorists to ride and drive in a respectful manner. Florida roads are to be shared by those who ride bikes and those who drive cars and trucks.

Bicycle Rules of the Road - Bicycle safety is a two-way street.

Be aware of these basics Rules of The Road

ONE - Bicyclists may ride on all Florida roads, except where restricted.
TWO - Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
THREE - Motorists must at all times maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
FOUR - Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.
FIVE - Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to each other.
SIX - Bicyclists should signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
SEVEN - Lights and reflectors are required at night.
EIGHT - Bicyclists should always wear helmets.

http://floridabicycle.org/resources/pdfs/bicyclemonthproclamation09.pdf