Nov 29, 2012 | Bicycling Accidents, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
A 57-year-old bicyclist is hospitalized after he was struck by a vehicle Tuesday morning on N.C. Highway 8.
According to reports, the man was in stable condition Thursday at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
The accident happened around 10:16 a.m. when man was riding his bicycle on the 3000 block of N.C. 8 and was struck by a 88-year-old Lexington man driving a 1992 Dodge.
A trooper from the N.C. Highway Patrol said that the driver attempted to pass the bicycle by moving over to the left to provide room for the bicyclist. As he was passing, the biker swerved over into the Dodge and sideswiped it. The bicyclist was thrown from his bike.
The bicyclist suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke after the crash.
According to the NHTSA, around 53,000 bicyclists have died in traffic crashes in the United States since 1932, the first year in which estimates of bicyclist fatalities were recorded. Moreover, this number only reflects those fatalities that were reported. Even though bicycles only have two wheels and are powered solely by pedals, they are entitled to the same considerations as all other road users. If you or a loved one is involved in a serious bicycling accident, hire the best attorneys that can get you on a successful path to recovery. Call the Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Nov 8, 2012 | Bicycling Accidents, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Last Friday, a 31-year-old man pleaded guilty in Davidson County Superior Court to a pair of charges in the death of a man who was struck and killed on a bicycle one year ago on Old N.C. Highway 109.
Superior Court Judge Richard Stone sentenced the man to between 1 year, 10 months and 2 years, 3 months in prison. He will receive credit for 366 days spent in jail since turning himself in Nov. 2, 2011.
The man pleaded guilty to felony hit-and-run resulting in serious injury/death and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
The crash happened around 7:10 p.m. Nov. 1, 2011, on Old N.C. Highway 109 near Jolly Road, about a mile from Silver Valley Elementary School. The now deceased bicyclist was riding south when a vehicle approached him from behind and struck him. The bicyclist was thrown from his bike and landed in a ditch.
The man who hit the bicyclist expressed remorse about the accident to family and friends of the victim.
The rate of traffic deaths that happen after dark are three times higher than those that occur during the day. Night driving presents an entirely new set of hazards that many drivers may not be aware of or don’t know effective ways to deal with them. The most obvious reason for this is the fact that it is dark. In fact, an alarming ninety percent of a driver’s reaction depends on vision, which is severely limited at night. After sundown, depth perception, peripheral vision, and color recognition are all compromised. If you are involved in a serious accident, you need competent attorneys guide you on your most successful path to recovery. Call the Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Oct 17, 2012 | Bicycling Accidents, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Tips from Charlotte motorists assisted area police in the arrest of a Charlotte woman for a hit-and-run crash that left a bicyclist with life-threatening injuries early Thursday morning.
According to authorities, the crash happened at approximately 5:50 a.m. when the 50-year-old bicyclist was struck in the 13900 block of Brown Grier Road off of Steele Creek Road, near Kennedy Middle School in South West Charlotte. The bicyclist underwent surgery for the serious injuries that he suffered from the crash that evening.
Shortly after the crash, police received tips from a motorist of someone driving erratically on I-485 in eastern Mecklenburg County. N.C. Highway Patrol spotted the woman driving on Interstate 485, at least 30 miles from the scene of the hit-and-run crash. She was taken into custody and is facing charges of driving while impaired, felony hit-and-run, and felony serious injury by vehicle.
Authorities found pieces of broken class and other car parts on the scene of the hit-and-run. Investigators are also examining the damage to the woman’s vehicle which include a shattered, partially collapsed windshield.
The woman remains in Mecklenburg jail under a $52,000 bond.
Road safety is the responsibility of all road users, whether it’s pedestrians, motor-vehicle drivers, bicyclists and other road using travelers. When it comes to bicycle safety, it’s important for drivers to stay alert and bicyclists to practice safe riding. Motorists should always keep out a careful eye for bicyclists before making turns, merging and opening doors next to moving traffic. Drivers should also remember that bicyclists are entitled to share the road with motorists and to respect the right of way even with bicycles. Bicyclists should always remember to maintain control of the bicycle, always wear a protective helmet, stay visible to drivers, and ride with traffic.
Call the law offices of Robert J. Reeves at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free and have your claim evaluated today. We are ready, willing, and able to meet with you one-on-one, free of charge to discuss possible recovery. Hire the best accident attorneys with whom you and your loved ones can invest the most confidence.
Jul 30, 2012 | Bicycling Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Friday night was a tragic one when a bicyclist was involved in a fatal “hit and run.” The cyclist was riding along side Heckle Boulevard in Rock Hill, SC, when a man hit the cyclist with his motor vehicle, and then continued on his path. He was shortly after apprehended by the police after a witness described the vehicle to the officers. The defendant is currently under arrest and charged with a Felony DUI and Leaving the Scene of an accident.
Pursuant to South Carolina Statute 56-5-3420, “a person riding a bicycle upon a roadway must be granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter.” Thus, when a ” hit and run” occurs, the cyclist is afforded the same rights as that of another driver in a motor vehicle.
To help prevent possible future accidents, The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles has provided 9 tips to “share the road” with others:
1. When attempting to pass a bicyclist, you must treat the bicycle as any other vehicle you would pass.
2. Allow for the bicyclist to make mistakes. Watch for swerving cycles and sudden turns.
3. The horn should be used to attract the bike rider’s attention and not as a threat to get out of your way.
4. Drivers must be careful when driving close to cyclists and should maintain a safe operating distance between the motor vehicle and the cyclist.
5. Before passing a cyclist in a narrow traffic lane, wait until the traffic is clear in the opposite lane and then change lanes to pass the cyclist. Do not attempt to squeeze past the cyclist.
6. Leave ample room when turning right after passing a cyclist so the cyclist is not cut off when you slow for the turn.
7. Even with a proper headlight and rear reflector, a bike is still difficult to see. Use extra caution after dark, especially in poorly lighted areas.
8. Automobile drivers should anticipate cyclists at parks, playgrounds, near schools and especially in residential areas. Night is a very difficult time for the bicycle rider and the automobile driver; alertness is required from both.
9. After parking on streets and before getting out of a motor vehicle, the driver and passengers should be careful not to strike a bicyclist when opening car doors.
The South Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
If you or someone you know have been injured or killed in any type of accident, call the South Carolina personal injury attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower at 877-374-5999, or use this form, for a free consultation with an attorney to help you evaluate your claim and to get the recovery you deserve.
