Carmichael Bicyclist Fatality. A Carmichael bicyclist fatality occurred on November 17 when the rider was struck and killed by a car at a local intersection in the late afternoon. It was reported that the bicycle rider was a man from Sacramento, age 75, and that the collision impact caused the man to be ejected from his bicycle, according to a report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The driver of the vehicle that struck the rider remained at the scene of the accident. It was determined by police that neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the accident.
Carmichael Bicyclist Fatality Details
The collision occurred shortly before 5:30 in the afternoon at the Rampart Way/Winding Way intersection when a man from Carmichael, age 50, and driving a Lexus, said he went into the intersection at about the same time as the bicycle rider. He noted after the accident that the bicyclist was not using a helmet and did not have a light on his bike. Although 5:30 is considered late afternoon, the sun had gone down at 4:51 the day of the accident, so it was fully dark outside. The CHP is asking that anyone who may have witnessed the accident to call 916-348-2337 with their information.
Sacramento Efforts to Protect Bicyclists
Sacramento, in an effort to provide further protection for bicyclists on main city streets, is installing protected bike lanes along 20 blocks next year. The city has completed a number of projects so far in 2018, including along J Street, the 2nd Avenue to 24th Street project and added a crosswalk and hybrid beacon along Del Paso Boulevard at Jackrabbit Trail. Other projects are either in the planning stage or ongoing.
Motorists and Bicycle Riders
- Drivers in California are required by law to stay a minimum of three feet away when passing any cyclist to avoid bicycle accidents. This is because a bike rider can strike an object on the ground and lose his or her balance and fall. When lanes are narrow, changing to another lane can be a good idea if it can be accomplished safely.
- The rights and responsibilities of motorists and bicycle riders are the same. Both must exercise caution to prevent injuries and deaths by obeying traffic laws.
- Bicycle riders in California are required by law to have a white light on the front of the bike when riding after dark. It must be visible from 300 meters away. They also require a red reflector or red flashing light that can be seen from 500 meters away and a yellow or white reflector on each side near the front and back of the bike. This makes the rider more visible to motorists after dark.
- Intersections are where 50 percent of all traffic accidents occur. This means that both bicycle riders and motorists should use extreme caution when passing through one.
- Although helmets are not required for adult bicycle riders, it only makes sense to wear one. This can protect the rider from head trauma, including traumatic brain injuries.
Carmichael Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Carmichael wrongful death lawyer. Bicycle collisions often result in serious injuries and fatalities because of the lack of protection to the rider. If you lost someone dear to you because of a negligent driver, I would be honored to give you my free and friendly legal advice. You can reach me at (916) 921-6400 from the Carmichael area or by using (800) 404-5400 if you are elsewhere in Northern California. An online contact form at my website, AutoAccident.com, is also available if you prefer to get in touch that way.
I join other trial lawyers around the nation as a member of milliondollaradvocates.com, who have won a verdict/settlement of more than one million dollars for a client.
Over my 36+ year career working as an injury lawyer, it has been my privilege to have helped many people from Carmichael, along with other Northern Californians, to obtain fair compensation in all types of car accidents, crashes involving pedestrians and trauma such as brain injuries.
By checking out the following links, you can see comments and reviews by clients as well as a synopsis of some of our cases and how they concluded:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_94043046_l-2015
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