Vallejo Bike Crash Seriously Injures Woman
I’m Ed Smith, a Vallejo car accident Lawyer. Last week in Vallejo, on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, authorities reported that a local woman suffered major injuries when she was struck by a vehicle while riding her bicycle in the downtown area.
What Happened?
The Vallejo Police Department reported that a woman, whose name and age were not reported, had been riding her bicycle along Curtola Parkway in the vicinity of Sonoma Boulevard at just about 5:47 p.m. when the accident occurred. According to the report, it was at this time that a 2005 GMC Envoy collided with the cyclist.
Preliminary investigations have suggested that, at the time of the accident, the cyclist had been traveling north across Curtola Parkway while the GMC was driving west on the same street. Witnesses noted that the cyclist had ridden her bicycle off of the southern sidewalk between Marin Street and Sonoma Boulevard and was maneuvering her bicycle toward the westbound lane of Curtola Parkway. Once she reached the westbound lane, according to witnesses, she collided with the Envoy.
Injuries
While the driver of the Envoy was unharmed and no other parties were involved in the accident, the cyclist received serious injuries. When medical officials arrived at the scene of the accident, they immediately transported her to the nearest hospital for treatment of injuries that were serious enough to be deemed life-threatening. There are currently no further reports available on the status of the cyclist’s injuries.
Possible DUI and Investigation
The Vallejo Police Department has reported that they do believe that drugs and/or alcohol were a contributing factor to the accident. Who is at fault for the accident is as-of-yet unclear. VPD currently has the incident under ongoing investigation and has asked anybody with relevant information to call Officer Jim Melville of the Vallejo Police Department’s Traffic Division at (707) 648-4014.
Bicycle Accidents
About 20 percent of people over 18 in the United States ride bicycles regularly, and in 2012, over 726 cyclists lost their lives and 49,000 suffered injuries as the result of accidents. As cyclists do not have the same protection as people in motor vehicles, accidents involving cyclists often result in serious injuries. While riding a bicycle on roadways alongside motor vehicles, it is important to remember that drivers are not always aware of their surroundings. Assuming that all drivers can see you can lead to harmful, and even fatal, accidents that could have been avoided.
Common causes of bicycle accidents include negligent drivers, defective roadways, or even faulty parts on the bicycle itself. Some of the more common types of collisions that occur between bicycles and cars include motorists turning in front of a cyclist without leaving the cyclist time to avoid their vehicle, and motorists stopping suddenly in front of cyclists, causing the cyclist to rear-end the stopped vehicle.
Vallejo Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Vallejo car accident lawyer. If you, or a loved one has been severely injured in an accident, call me at (707) 564-1900 for free, friendly advice. Or, contact me toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
For over 35 years, I’ve been assisting residents of Vallejo in recovering fair compensation in cases involving wrongful death and personal injury.
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Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons – Bike_post_collision_overview.jpg
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