A Florida Highway Patrol trooper is recovering in the hospital after he was recently hit along the side of State Road 528 near Orlando. The man was hit just as he got on his motorcycle after stopping another driver and was thrown onto the windshield of a woman's car. The man is lucky to be alive, but is still recovering after breaking several bones. After losing control of her car a mere 50 feet from the officer, the young woman, who received a ticket for careless driving, is very lucky that she didn't cause more damage to the officer.

Whether you are a police officer or a civilian, Florida bikers know just how dangerous it is to be out on the road with very little protection. There is certainly a draw in being so free while driving down the freeway, but that freedom also means that motorcyclists are more apt to become injured or killed when hit by a car. Like any motorist, however, bikers have the right to be safe on the road and motorists must do whatever they can to avoid hitting or injuring motorcyclists.

The Florida Highway Patrol believes that the woman who ended up hitting the motorcycle cop had been driving too fast as she approached the traffic stop. According to Florida law, a motorist must move over one lane when there is an emergency vehicle on the side of the road. If he or she is unable to move over, the driver must drive 20 mph under the speed limit while passing the emergency vehicles.

It is unclear how fast the woman was driving as she attempted to pass the officer, but she was driving fast enough to lose control of her vehicle. Unfortunately, she drove off the road and hit the officer as he sat on his motorcycle.

The Florida Highway Patrol trooper was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he told members of the media how important it is to obey the traffic laws.

Source: My Fox Orlando, "FHP trooper recovering from accident," Feb. 3, 2012