Driver Hits Cycling Group, Injuring Seven

Seven cyclists were struck from behind by a car while riding on a highway in Arkansas, according to THV 11 News in Little Rock. The accident occurred at the intersection of Highways 37 and 17, north of McCrory. The car and the cyclists were both traveling northbound on Highway 17 when the car hit seven of the cyclists from behind.

The seven cyclists were part of a group of 13 cyclists on a cross country trip organized by Overland Summer Camps of Williamstown, Massachusetts. The cyclists were made up of 11 high school students and two adult guides, and they had begun their trip in Charleston, South Carolina and were heading for Santa Monica, California.

“On July 2, 2013 seven individuals on an Overland bicycle touring program were injured when a car traveling on Route 17 struck the group,” read a statement released by Overland Summer Camps. “Police and paramedics responded to the scene. Three of the individuals were airlifted from the scene, including one individual who is in critical condition. The remaining four individuals were transported by ambulance and were being treated at local hospitals. Of these four individuals, two have been released. At this time, we at Overland would like to express our deepest concern for those injured and our gratitude to the emergency response teams.”

AR24News later reported that one of the cyclists, an 18-year-old woman from Massachusetts, died from her injuries in a Memphis, Tennessee hospital.

Cyclists are more vulnerable than motorists are and need to be treated with more care and given more space as a result. As the cycling culture grows, so does its reach. Bicycle-friendly cities are popping up all across the country and each one that does is helping to improve bicycle safety from coast to coast. However, until drivers, as a whole, do a better job of recognizing the simple fact that a bicycle is a fellow vehicle sharing the road with them rather than an obstacle along their path, then these types of accidents will continue.

Please visit our site for more information on bicycle safety laws and accidents, and if you have lost a loved one or suffered an injury in a bicycle accident, contact our firm at (858) 261-5454 for a free consultation today.

Did you know?: In 2009, the average age of bicyclists killed in crashes with motor vehicles was 41, up from 32 in 1998 and 24 in 1988.

Bonnici Law Group, APC—San Diego bicycle accident lawyer



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