Raleigh To Build More Bike Lanes After 98 Auto Bicycle Accidents This Calendar Year
In data that was recently released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, it has been revealed that from July 2013 to July 2014, there were 98 car vs bicycle accidents that were reported in that time period.
Many of these accidents resulted in serious injuries to the riders – which included fatalities – while a number of drivers fled the scene of the accidents requiring law enforcement authorities to require additional resources to track the hit and run motorists down.
An example of the current dire situation on the streets of Raleigh is an incident involving 23 year old Mr. Garret Thompson – an avid cyclist and a recent victim of a serious car vs bicycle accident.
Mr. Thompson was hit at the intersection of Jackson and Gorman streets, near the N.C State University campus. The collision resulted in Mr. Thompson receiving a broken leg, a sprained ankle and numerous lacerations and bruises.
…You can’t get a group of cyclists together without swapping stories of motorists endangering our lives…”
The driver of the vehicle fled the scene and currently remains at large, while Mr. Thompson is unable to leave his residence until his body heals.
One of dozens of accidents this year
While this is just one of the dozens of accidents that have occurred this year, the catalyst for the planned increase in bicycle lanes is largely due to the killing on a prominent Raleigh developer – Mr. Christopher Mangum, who was hit by a driver that failed to yield on Lassiter Mill Road. Unfortunately, that accident resulted in the untimely death of Mr. Mangum.
In a combined effort by the city’s tightly knit bicycle community and riding organizations like the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists and Oaks and Spokes, the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program are providing a $1.1 million grant to the city, to help construct at least 27 miles of bicycle lanes.
Mr. Mike Dayton – an avid cyclist and chair of Raleigh’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission commented on the recent grant:
“There’s safety in numbers because cars are used to seeing more cyclists on the road and they come to expect them when that happens…. The best thing we can all do is to encourage other people to ride…. A big part is claiming the road and the lane when it is unsafe to have other cars coming by you,”
Have you or someone that you love been injured in a car vs bicycle accident that was caused by a negligent motorist?
At the law offices of Riddle & Brantley, for more than 25 years our team of legal professionals have been fighting for the rights of the injured throughout North Carolina and are ready to you obtain the justice that you deserve.
If you are unsure if you have grounds to file a claim, contact us today by calling toll free 800-525-7111 or click “here” to reach us online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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