Legally reviewed by Dean Levy, Florida personal injury attorney (Florida Bar No. 1012164). Last updated September 16, 2026.
After a bicycle accident in Florida caused by a motor vehicle, personal injury protection pays the cyclist’s first medical bills through the rider’s own auto policy, a household relative’s policy, or the striking vehicle’s insurer. Fault follows Florida’s traffic code, including the 3-foot passing rule, and the injured cyclist can pursue the driver for damages beyond PIP.
Key takeaways
- PIP covers cyclists struck by cars, even cyclists who own no vehicle.
- Florida drivers must give bicycles at least three feet when passing.
- Broward County recorded nearly 1,000 bicycle crashes in 2025.
- A cyclist’s own fault reduces a claim but rarely eliminates it.
- The 14-day PIP treatment deadline applies to injured cyclists.
Does PIP cover a cyclist hit by a car in Florida?
Yes, in most cases. Florida Statutes § 627.736 extends personal injury protection to people struck by a motor vehicle while not occupying a self-propelled vehicle, and a bicycle qualifies. The cyclist claims first under their own auto policy, then under a household relative’s policy, and finally under the striking vehicle’s insurer if neither exists.
The benefits and the trap are the same as for drivers: 80 percent of medical bills and 60 percent of lost wages up to $10,000, a $2,500 cap without an emergency medical condition finding, and initial treatment required within 14 days. Our guide to Florida’s 14-day rule covers the window in detail.
PIP is the floor, not the claim. A cyclist with a serious injury pursues the driver’s bodily injury coverage for full damages, subject to Florida’s permanent injury threshold for pain and suffering, and uninsured motorist coverage on the cyclist’s own or household policy if the driver carried nothing.
What Florida laws decide fault in a bicycle crash?
The same traffic code that governs cars, plus one rule written for bikes. Under Florida Statutes § 316.2065, a cyclist has the rights and duties of any vehicle driver: obey signals, ride with traffic, use lights at night, and stay in the bike lane or as far right as practicable when the statute requires it.
Drivers owe cyclists a specific distance. Florida Statutes § 316.083 requires a driver overtaking a bicycle to pass at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet, or to stay behind until a 3-foot pass is possible, and the same 3-foot rule applies when the cyclist is riding in a bike lane.
Fault is then apportioned by percentage. Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule reduces a cyclist’s recovery by their share of fault and bars it only when that share exceeds 50 percent, so riding without lights or outside the lane hurts a claim without automatically ending it.
How dangerous is cycling in Broward County?
More dangerous than most riders assume. Broward County recorded nearly 1,000 bicycle crashes in 2025, according to FLHSMV Crash Dashboard data, and a Florida Department of Transportation safety plan identified Broward as one of the five counties with the most pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and serious injuries on state roads, as WLRN reported.
Statewide, FLHSMV counted 207 bicyclist deaths in 2024, as reported by the Florida Phoenix, and the state’s hit-and-run data shows cyclists and pedestrians make up the largest share of hit-and-run fatalities.
The corridors tell the story locally. The beachfront along A1A, the east-west arterials feeding downtown Fort Lauderdale, and the intersections in our review of the most dangerous intersections in Fort Lauderdale combine high speeds with heavy bike traffic.
What should an injured cyclist do first?
Get treated within 14 days, then preserve everything. The bicycle, helmet, and clothing are evidence of impact speed and angle and should stay unwashed and unrepaired. Photograph the scene, the vehicle, and any bike lane markings, and request the crash report through the Florida Crash Portal, which can take up to 10 days.
Check every policy in the household for PIP and UM before assuming there is no coverage. The table below shows where a cyclist’s compensation comes from.
| Payment source | What it covers | How a cyclist qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | 80% of medical bills and 60% of lost wages, up to $10,000 | Own policy, a household relative’s policy, or the striking vehicle’s policy |
| Driver’s bodily injury coverage | Full damages, including pain and suffering for qualifying injuries | The driver was at fault and bought this optional coverage |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage | Stands in for an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver | Purchased on the cyclist’s own or a household auto policy |
| Health insurance | Continuing treatment under normal plan terms | After PIP benefits are exhausted |
Decline recorded statements to the driver’s insurer until you have advice, and mind the clock: bicycle injury lawsuits carry the two-year deadline in Florida Statutes § 95.11(5)(a). Dean Levy Injury Law reviews Broward bicycle crash cases in a free consultation, and the firm’s practice areas page covers the range of cases it handles.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get PIP if I don’t own a car and was hit while biking?
Yes, in most cases. A cyclist who owns no vehicle claims PIP through a policy belonging to a relative in their household, and if no household policy exists, through the insurer of the car that struck them. The benefits match what drivers receive, and the 14-day treatment rule applies. A cyclist hit by an uninsured or unidentified driver should also check household policies for uninsured motorist coverage.
Does Florida’s 3-foot passing law apply in a bike lane?
Yes. Florida Statutes § 316.083 requires a driver to leave at least 3 feet when passing a bicycle in the same travel lane and separately requires 3 feet when passing a cyclist riding in a bike lane. A driver who cannot pass safely must stay behind. A sideswipe or close-pass crash gives the claim a specific statutory violation to point to rather than a general argument about carelessness.
I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Does that hurt my claim?
Florida requires helmets only for riders under 16, so an adult riding without one broke no law. The insurer may still argue that a helmet would have reduced a head injury, which is a comparative fault argument, not a bar to recovery. It reduces the claim only to the extent the defense can prove the helmet would have made a difference, and it has no bearing on injuries below the neck.
What if the driver who hit me left the scene?
Report it immediately and gather anything that identifies the vehicle. PIP pays regardless, and uninsured motorist coverage on your own or a household policy stands in for the missing driver. Leaving the scene of an injury crash is a felony in Florida, and cyclists are among the most frequent victims of hit-and-run deaths, so law enforcement treats these cases seriously and cameras along Broward’s corridors frequently identify the car.
Can a cyclist claim pain and suffering in Florida?
Yes, when the injury clears the threshold that applies to claims against an insured driver: a significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, a permanent injury, significant and permanent scarring, or death. Fractures, head injuries, and road rash that scars are common in bicycle crashes and often meet that standard. Economic losses beyond PIP can be claimed either way.
How long do I have to file a bicycle accident lawsuit in Florida?
Two years from the crash date in most cases, under Florida Statutes § 95.11(5)(a), and two years from the date of death for fatal crashes. Crashes before March 24, 2023 kept the older four-year deadline. The practical deadline is much shorter: PIP requires treatment within 14 days, and camera footage along the corridor is often gone within days.
Talk to a Fort Lauderdale attorney about your bicycle accident
Dean Levy Injury Law represents injured cyclists across Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, and Lighthouse Point. Dean Levy has practiced Florida personal injury law since his admission to the Florida Bar in 2018, and every case starts with a free consultation on a contingency fee basis. Call (888) 613-3326 or visit the office at 955 South Federal Hwy, Suite 416, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Dean Levy Injury Law. Fault and coverage always depend on the facts of a specific crash. Consult a licensed Florida attorney about your situation before making any decision based on this information.
