Your Injury, Our Fight!
Your Injury, Our Fight!
When you are on two wheels, you are extremely vulnerable on the streets of Norfolk, Virginia Beach or elsewhere in Hampton Roads. All too often drivers fail to give bicyclists space. We were saddened to read about how a Norfolk cyclist was hit and injured at an intersection this week.
The bicyclist was hit and seriously injured on Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of E. 26th Street and Villa Circle in Norfolk, according to media reports. His injuries were described as critical.
The driver remained at the accident scene, according to reports.
Few details were released on this crash. We don’t know if the cyclist was obeying the rules of the road or if the car driver failed to give the required amount of space to the bicyclist. Far too many cyclists and pedestrians are badly injured in the city of Norfolk.
Three years before the Norfolk cyclist was hit and injured on E. 26th Street, a bicyclist suffered serious injuries in a crash with a car in the Colonial Place section of Norfolk.
Norfolk Police said around 8:30 a.m. a woman driving a car south on Gosnold Avenue near Carolina Avenue hit a bicyclist as he entered the roadway from a sidewalk. The driver remained at the scene.
Medics took the cyclist to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, according to WAVY 10.
As a driver, you must always look out for cyclists and give them adequate clearance. At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, our attorneys are champions of the rights of cyclist and motorcyclists.
Giving cyclists space is not just common courtesy. It’s the law.
Virginia’s Three Feet Clearance for Cyclists Law
More than 20 U.S. states including Virginia have a law that says car and truck drivers should give bicyclists at least three feet of clearance on our roads. Always look out for cyclists. Rather than slowing down and speeding up when you pass a cyclist, aim to try to maintain a steady and smooth speed.
Be Aware How Vulnerable Cyclists Are in Hampton Roads
A car weighs as much as two tons while the average bike about 20 pounds, according to Tim Blumenthal of People for Bikes, an advocacy group. The cyclist will always lose in a collision and often suffer serious injuries in the process.
Know The Rights of Cyclists
Drivers often think cyclists are a nuisance. They do not realize the same laws they abide by apply to bicyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cyclists, 10 years and older should behave as though they are vehicles on the street. They should ride in the same direction as other traffic that’s going their way and following the same rules like signaling for turns.
You should be aware of cyclists on urban roads in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton and elsewhere in Hampton Roads. If you were injured on a bicycle due to the fault of a driver, please call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077 or see our help for cyclists and pedestrians in Norfolk.