Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
A motorcyclist struck two bicyclists on Saturday as he rounded a semi-blind highway corner in California, and a viral YouTube video of the crash shows just how violent these collisions can be.
The video depicts a motorcyclist rounding a corner and coming upon two bicyclists riding in his same direction. The motorcyclist is unable to avoid the collision, rear-ends the first cyclist, and then continues forward and hits the second cyclist. The first cyclist hit flies over the motorcyclist and lands on his back, striking his head on the ground.
The collision took place along Mulholland Highway, a scenic two-lane highway originally constructed to connect the city of Los Angeles to the ocean. The area is very popular with motorcyclists and bicyclists alike because of the scenic views through the Santa Monica Mountains as well as the twists and turns that can make riding the area both challenging and entertaining. Local laws allow motorcyclists and bicyclists to ride in the area and require both types of riders to share the road with one another. However as this accident depicts, crashes often happen in the area, many caused by speeding or decreased visibility.
Police and paramedics responded to the scene and examined all three individuals involved in the collision, and fortunately it appears that there were no serious injuries. All three individuals were wearing helmets at the time of the crash and it is likely that the helmets prevented significant injuries to the face and heads of the riders, including the first cyclist whose head struck the ground with significant force.
Like Illinois, there is no California state law requiring all bicycle riders to wear helmets, though there are laws governing helmet use among minors. This crash shows the importance of wearing proper safety equipment when riding a bicycle in an area with heavy traffic and there is no doubt that helmets save lives. Despite the fact that nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries, only about 20 to 25 percent of all bicyclists wear helmets.
Chicago is home to a large number of bicyclists who ride for both pleasure and transportation along the crowded roadways, making helmet use particularly important. In 2010 there were five fatal bicycle collisions in the city of Chicago alone with another 1,566 bicyclists suffering injuries in other crashes, many of which included head injuries.
Bicyclists have the right to ride the streets with motorized traffic but unfortunately other drivers tend to forget this fact or ignore cyclists’ rights, causing collisions and serious or fatal injuries. If you have been injured while riding a bicycle in Illinois or if a family member has been injured or killed, you may be able to make a claim for your damages. Call the Chicago bike lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today to discuss your injuries and what rights you may have. We offer free in-home and in-hospital consultations if you are too injured to make it to our office. We also provide free telephone consultations so please call us today toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575.
Resources:
Motorcycle Crashes Into Cyclists On California Highway, Huff Post Los Angeles, posted May 1, 2013.
Bicycle Helmet Use Laws, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, January 2008.
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Supreme Court Justice Breyer Has Shoulder Surgery, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 30, 2013.
Illinois Transplant Recipient Receives Rabies Vaccine After Doctors Give Him Organ From Infected Donor, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 28, 2013.