Pick-up Truck Driver Kills Five Cyclists, Injures Four in Michigan

A tragedy in Michigan that claimed the lives of five cyclists has again demonstrated the vulnerability of riders to reckless and erratic drivers.

Five cyclists were killed and another four were hurt in a hit-and-run incident in Michigan, police say. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the riders that died and we hope those who are injured make a full recovery. One of them is reported to be in a critical condition.

The cyclists were hit by a blue pickup truck that was seen being driven erratically only minutes earlier, police in Kalamazoo said.

The driver of the truck, a 50-year-old man from Michigan, fled the scene on foot and was arrested nearby soon afterwards.

Jeffrey Getting, a Kalamazoo County prosecutor, confirmed there had been a spate of alerts about the blue Chevrolet’s erratic driving, but that a police chase was not under way when it crashed into the riders.

One witness, Markus Eberhard, told a local TV station the truck almost drove over his foot before heading towards the cyclists.

This is one of the worst tragedies to befall cyclists in recent years in this country. We don’t know the motives of the driver of whether or not he was intoxicated at the time. It’s hard to imagine the devastating effect an incident like this can have on a small community.

Although the number of cycling deaths in the United States is just over 2 percent of the total death toll on our roads, it has been increasing in recent years, according to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  In 2013, there were 743 deaths of bicyclists, the highest number since 2006.

Cities such as Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are notoriously unsafe for cyclists. They lack segregated multi-use paths and drivers often fail to give cyclists the space they need. In this video, I talk about Virginia’s three-foot rule which means you have to give at least three feet of space when you pass a cyclist.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a cycling accident that was the fault of an inconsiderate driver, you should talk to our Virginia cycling injury lawyers. Call us today for a free consultation at (757) 455.0077.