A North Carolina State University student was critically injured after being hit by a car driven by a person who was detained suspicion of driving while impaired. The accident occurred at around 3 am, and the impact was great enough to shatter the car’s windshield.
The cyclist was sent to the hospital and remains in critical condition. Testing at the scene showed the driver’s BAC to be .12.
My thoughts are with the recuperating cyclist. As a car accident attorney, I’ve seen first hand just how dangerous accidents involving bicycles and cars can be. Car accidents are certainly always dangerous, but when they involve cyclists or pedestrians, they almost always result in injury or death. From a size perspective, bicycles just don’t stand a chance against the size of the average vehicle.
College students should remember the bike safety lessons learned in childhood. Always wear a bicycle helmet when riding. If riding at night, consider wearing clothing made with reflective materials. Including small lights and reflectors on the bike can also help make a bicyclist more visible on the road.
Still, in situations like this one, there’s only so much protection bicyclists can afford themselves. When drivers choose to drink, they put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk. This careless decision has left a student in serious condition in the hospital. I can only hope the bicyclist can pull through a make a full recovery.
CD