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Trial Pro P.A. is proud to advocate for accident victims all over the state of Florida, including from our Central Florida office in Orlando. Our dedicated experienced personal injury attorneys handle a range of legal matters, from employment disputes to auto accidents claims. We can use our knowledge and legal skills to help you not only achieve a favorable outcome but relieve the legal burden on your shoulders as well. Our entire team understands how challenging and confusing litigation can be, which is why we are here for you through every step of the process.

The Trial Pro, P.A. attorneys, carry more than a century of collective legal experience and decades of working together as a team. We have represented hundreds if not thousands of people who have been injured due to car accidents, slip-and-fall, worker's compensation cases, and more. One thing that is clear to us is the essence of partnership. Without it, Trial Pro, P.A. could not be as effective in attaining success for our clients.

Are Pedestrians Required To Obey General Traffic Laws?

Frequently Asked Questions - Are Pedestrians Required To Obey General Traffic Laws?

Are Pedestrians Required To Obey General Traffic Laws?

According to Florida Statute 316.130, pedestrians and bicyclists must obey any and all traffic control devices in accordance with Florida law.  Pedestrians have an obligation to act in accordance with the law and to use common sense.  Sidewalks are maintained for pedestrians so they don’t have to walk in the roadway.  Cities have also implemented bike lanes along most roadways so that bicyclists do not have to travel on the sidewalks where they are more likely to collide with a pedestrian.  If you are a bicyclist traveling in the bike lane in the roadway, you most definitely are required by law to abide by all traffic control devices just the same as motor vehicles. 

At an intersection, pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk and most large intersections have crosswalks and pedestrian traffic signals.  When the traffic signal indicates the pedestrian may cross, the pedestrian has the right of way and all traffic must yield until the pedestrian has reached the other side of the road.  Pedestrians must cross in the crosswalk and are prohibited from crossing from corner to corner.  Pedestrians are only permitted to cross at a crosswalk when they have the appropriate traffic signal to cross with either a walk signal or a green flashing light.  If a pedestrian crosses in a crosswalk when they have a steady red hand signal indicating they are not allowed to cross at that time, the pedestrian can be given a ticket for jaywalking.  This applies to bicyclists also.  Any driver of a motor vehicle who fails to yield for a pedestrian in a crosswalk with the appropriate traffic signal can be issued a citation for failure to yield the right of way, a fine, and possibly points on their license.

Jaywalking is a traffic offense in the United States.  Not many other county issues fines to pedestrians for not crossing in marked crosswalks as most other countries are more pedestrian friendly.  In the 1920s, in the dawn of the motor vehicle era, there were astonishing amounts of pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accidents.  Obviously, people began blaming the number of accidents on the increased amount of motor vehicles on the road.  Car manufacturers were worried people would start a petition to ban motor vehicles so they started a propaganda campaign to blame the accidents on pedestrians.  This caught on and people started to ridicule pedestrians who failed to cross the road in the marked crosswalk.  Car manufacturers would also hire people to stand on the sidewalk and yell obscenities at pedestrians if they were on the road.  These pedestrians were referred to as Jays, which was another word to describe someone of less intelligence at that time.  The word jaywalker stuck and is still used to this day.  By 1930, most cities had adopted anti-jaywalking laws that still stand to this day.

Not only is it a traffic offense to jaywalk, it’s also a traffic offense to walk or bike on the wrong side of the road.  In cases where there is no sidewalk, it is illegal to walk or bike in the direction of oncoming traffic.  All pedestrians and bikers have an obligation to abide by the same laws as motor vehicles and are subject to the same fines and citations.  Just like a driver of a motor vehicle, if you receive too many citations as a pedestrian, you run the risk of having your driver’s license suspended or revoked due to carelessness.  If you are a pedestrian under the influence, you can be arrested for public intoxication and can be fined, jailed or have your license suspended or revoked.  A large percentage of pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accidents happen at night with pedestrians under the influence. 

Jaywalking is extremely dangerous as any impact with a vehicle can result in major bodily injury or possibly death.  A pedestrian absolutely has the responsibility of walking or biking with due care.  If you are struck by a motor vehicle as a pedestrian and you were found to be at fault for the accident, you are responsible for paying your medical bills, and any out-of-pocket expenses and could also be subject to a lawsuit from the other party, just the same as you would be if you were operating a motor vehicle.  If you are involved in a motor vehicle vs. pedestrian accident, a lot of the time it is more difficult to determine who is actually at fault for the accident.  If there are no eye witness accounts, a large amount of all pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accidents result in comparative negligence.  If the case ends up in a lawsuit, it is a jury’s job to listen to the facts and determine who was at fault or if both parties were at fault, which percentage of each party was at fault. 

Florida’s pedestrian statute 316.130(11) states that if you “fail to cross a street in a crosswalk where required, you are liable for a traffic ticket”.  It also states that pedestrians must cross “between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk”.  Until recently, a large number of pedestrian traffic citations were issued incorrectly as police officers were not correctly citing the statute and issuing tickets to pedestrians for crossing in places that are not between intersections with traffic signals.  Not all intersections have marked crosswalks or traffic signals but still pedestrians were being issued citations.  With new city planning and placement of more pedestrian safety crossings, these citations are being reduced.  Until about the early 2000s, cities and streets were designed for motor vehicles.  There were not many options for pedestrians to cross the road so they had no choice but to jaywalk.  Many city planners today have begun designing cities around pedestrians in order to limit the number of motor vehicles on the street and encourage people to walk, bike, or ride public transportation more often.  With the new amount of people on the street, many cities have taken into consideration the importance of pedestrian bridges, increased sidewalks, foot and bicycle paths and more crosswalks, and longer crosswalk signals.  Pedestrians still have to abide by the traffic laws but these new advances are making it much easier for people to walk safely around their cities and neighborhoods and fewer pedestrians are being issued citations or fines.



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Car Accident Attorneys

With more than a century of collective legal experience and a commitment to hard work, excellence, and integrity, we have recovered millions of dollars in damages on behalf of our clients.
Our goal is to enable our clients to sit back and focus on their recovery, knowing that the team at Trial Pro, P.A. has the experience and resources to effectively handle all of the legal details involved in their case.

Personal Injury Law

We put our knowledge and legal abilities into action to assist you to attain a positive outcome and ease the legal stress from your shoulders simultaneously. Trial Pro, P.A., holds a reputation for achieving real success for clients. Please leave it to us to fight wisely but aggressively.

Car Accident Attorneys

Experiencing a car accident can be frustrating and scary, but our promises to you are fully authentic. Trial Pro, P.A.'s injury attorneys, do not under-deliver. Instead, we do everything in our capabilities to go above and beyond your expectations.

Slip and Fall Accidents

Our objective is to enable our clients to relax and concentrate on healing, recognizing that the legal professionals at Trial Pro, P.A. holds the knowledge and resources to adequately tackle all the legal and financial specifics associated with their dispute.

What Our Clients Say

What Our Clients Say About Our Personal Injury Attorneys

"From the beginning we knew we were in good hands."
Clarence,
Personal Injury Case
Trial Pro got me $491,000
"I wouldn't be where I am today without Trial Pro."
Clarence,
Personal Injury Case
Trial Pro got me $998,000
"Trial Pro satisfied client 2021"
Client,
Car Accident Case
Trial Pro got me $1,900,000
"We are really glad that we choose you guys to represent us."
Nicole,
Personal Injury Case
Trial Pro got me $1,000,000
"Trial Pro makes sure you get what you deserve."
Ashley,
Personal Injury Case
Trial Pro got me $795,000
"Trial Pro satisfied client 2021"
Client,
Car Accident Case
Trial Pro got me $1,510,000
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Trial Pro got me $810,000

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Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible for you. You don't even have to come into our office if you cannot travel or adjust your schedule to make it to us. We're more than happy to come to you!

In addition to traveling directly to our clients, the team at Trial Pro, P.A. also pledges to provide clear advice and regular client communication. We know how vital regular contact with our clients is - we never leave you hanging or delay our responses. 

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Orlando Personal Injury Attorneys

After experiencing an automobile accident, the last thing you desire is to have an attorney at hand that doesn’t know how to represent you adequately. You want a reputable law firm that will.

Serious Representation
We put our knowledge and legal abilities into action to assist you to attain a positive outcome and ease the legal stress from your shoulders simultaneously. Trial Pro, P.A., holds a reputation for achieving real success for clients. Please leave it to us to fight wisely but aggressively. 
Unmatched Case Results
Experiencing a car accident can be frustrating and scary, but our promises to you are fully authentic. Trial Pro, P.A.'s injury legal attorneys, do not under-deliver. Instead, we do everything in our capabilities to go above and beyond your expectations. 
Committed to Our Clients
It would help if you didn't have to beg for a call back from your attorney. It would be best if you didn't have to beg for an update on your case. At Trial Pro, P.A., we don't operate in that manner. We constantly call our clients to give them updates on their claims. If we miss a call, we promise always to return it.
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Our objective is to enable our clients to relax and concentrate on healing, recognizing that the legal professionals at Trial Pro, P.A. holds the knowledge and resources to adequately tackle all the legal and financial specifics associated with their dispute.

Pursuing Client Victories

Based in Florida, Trial Pro, P.A. represents clients across Florida from our offices in Miami, Orlando, Ft. Myers, Naples, Delray Beach, Jacksonville, and Daytona Beach. We are dedicated to fully serving you to every degree. We vow to make the entire process of working with us as easy and as stress-free as possible. Therefore, we are more than happy to meet with you at your home, place of employment, hospital room, or other business that you find more convenient. You are always welcome to come into our office as well.

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 Our Locations

Trial Pro P.A. is proud to advocate for accident victims all over the state of Florida. Our dedicated, experienced personal injury attorneys handle various legal matters, from employment disputes to auto accidents claims. We can use our knowledge and legal skills to help you not only achieve a favorable outcome but relieve the legal burden on your shoulders as well. Our entire team understands how challenging and confusing litigation can be, which is why we are here for you through every step of the process.


Trial Pro P.A. Orlando Office

  (407) 300-0000

 250 N Orange Ave 14th Floor
Orlando, FL 32801


Trial Pro P.A. Tampa Office

  (813) 522-5444

 1000 N. Ashley Drive, Suite 512
Tampa, FL, 33602


Trial Pro P.A. Naples Office

  (239) 300-0000

 870 111th Ave N #1
Naples, FL 34108


Trial Pro P.A. Fort Myers Office

  (239) 400-5000

 9341 Marketplace Rd
Fort Myers, FL 33912


Trial Pro P.A. Melbourne Office

  (321) 586-2088

 2551 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Suite 102
Melbourne, FL, 32935

Contact Info

250 N Orange Ave, 14th Floor

Orlando, FL 32801

help@trialpro.com

(407) 300-0000


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Trial Pro, P.A. Car Accident Attorneys

Trial Pro, P.A.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. The Information presented at this site should not be construed as formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. For medical advice and treatment, you should contact a licensed medical professional.