The host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me,” was injured in a Chicago bicycle accident while riding through the west suburbs, Trib Local reported.
Peter Sagal, who is an Oak Park resident was hurt in an accident with a hatchback at an intersection. He remained hospitalized with minor injuries last week, while awaiting additional testing.
Our Chicago injury attorneys continue to report on the large number of serious and fatal bicycle accidents. The next two months will be especially dangerous for riders, as cyclists seek all the riding time they can get before the onset of winter. More kids will also be riding to and from school as classes resume.
In 2008, a total of 716 cyclists were killed and 52,000 were injured in accidents nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 27 riders were killed in Illinois bicycle accidents.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m being hit by a car,’ because it’s the kind of thing you hear about,” Sagal said in a phone interview with Trib Local from a hospital. “It’s like, ‘wow, so this is happening.”
He entered an intersection on his bike around 10 miles from his residence, he observed the car, but he does not think the driver saw him. There was a collision and a bystander called for help. He was wearing a helmet, which cracked but likely saved him from a serious head injury.
Bicycle accidents at intersections are one of the most common types of injury accidents. Seven of the Top 10 accident scenarios on BicycleSafe.com involve intersection accidents.
Earlier this year on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, we discussed ways to avoid those accidents. That blog also announced that Chicago had been named on of the nation’s Top 10 cities for cycling.
It should be noted that this blog was co-written by Gary Annes, a fan of “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me”.