Bicyclist Serious Injured in Ukiah Collision
On Monday, September 11, 2017, a collision between a vehicle and bicyclist left the cyclist with traumatic injuries.
Accident Details
According to officers of the Ukiah Fire Authority (UFA), the accident occurred at the corner of Brush Street and Low Gap Road at about 11:15 a.m. According to UFA, a 23-year-old man driving a white delivery truck had been driving west on Brush Street when he stopped at the red light on Low Gap Road. The van driver reportedly saw the intersection was clear and began to turn right in order to drive north onto North State Street.
While turning, the van driver encountered the cyclist who authorities reported was riding south in the northbound lane of traffic, close to the edge of the curb on North State Street. Officers indicated that the bicycle struck the van, throwing the cyclist off of the bike and onto the roadway.
Injuries
UFA initially responded to a call indicating that a collision had occurred in front of the Quest Mart convenience shop at 915 North State Street. Medical responders found that the bicyclist had received a serious laceration injury on her left leg and had her transported by VeriHealth ambulance to the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Medical Center for emergency care.
Causal Factors
Authorities are investigating this collision in order to understand what factors were at play. So far, officials have not indicated if they suspect DUI to have had anything to do with the injury accident. Other factors that may have contributed to the crash include distracted driving, bicycle defects, medical emergencies, and more.
Bicycle Accidents in Ukiah
Research data from UC Berkeley shows that since 2013 there have been 14 total bicycle accidents leading to injuries in Ukiah, accounting for almost ten percent of Ukiah’s total injury-causing traffic collisions. This figure is much higher than the figure for Mendocino County as a whole, for which bicycle accidents only make up around 3 percent of all collisions.
Safe Biking
Bicycling can be dangerous. Not only are bicyclists less protected from the force of collisions than those in passenger vehicles, but bicycles are small and difficult to notice on the road. In fact, vehicle-bicycle collisions are usually caused by right-of-way violations.
In order to stay safe while riding your bicycle on the road, you should always try to remain visible by wearing bright colors and riding where cars can see you. Assuming that you are visible to vehicles can lead to dangerous accidents that might have otherwise been easily avoided. Additionally, it is important to ride your bike predictably and follow the rules of the road, so that vehicles can anticipate your maneuvers and better avoid collisions.
More Blogs by Ed Smith, Ukiah car accident lawyer.
Ukiah Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Ukiah car accident lawyer. Traffic accidents are often traumatic. If you or a loved one has been in a collision, call (707) 564-1900 to receive my free, friendly advice. Callers outside the immediate area can call (800) 404-5400 toll-free, or contact me online.
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