In May a serious accident occurred in San Francisco between a bicyclist and a police car. The accident occurred at Second and Mission Streets. Since the accident occurred, video of the accident has surfaced from an Uber driver who was in the area.
The video allegedly shows the bicyclist riding in a safe fashion, when suddenly he was struck by a police car that was making a turn. The bicyclist suffered broken bones and a serious leg injury, but fortunately his injuries are expected to heal. The bicyclist is an experienced biker who has been riding in the area for 25 years.
Police have launched an internal investigation to uncover more details about why the accident occurred. The police officer involved called paramedics to the scene immediately after the accident, and they transported the bicyclist to the hospital. Police are performing both a collision investigation and an administrative investigation. Once they have finished both they will forward the results to the Department Accident Board of Review. In the meantime, the officer involved is not allowed to drive, which is standard in all crashes.
According to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, this accident could have been prevented. A spokesperson for the organization says that cars attempt to make turns into bicyclists frequently, but those types of turns are not allowed if there are protected bike lanes on the roads.
Although San Francisco is a great town for bicycling, it can also be extremely dangerous for bicyclists on our city streets. The city is taking steps to make the streets safer for both pedestrians and bicyclists, but there is clearly a long way to go.
Most bicyclists who are hurt in crashes are injured due to the negligence of other drivers on the road who drive recklessly or fail to pay attention. Unfortunately, when cars or other types of vehicles hit bicyclists, the bicyclists typically sustain serious or even fatal injuries. In many cases, when there is an accident between a bicycle and an automobile, there is more than one individual who contributed to the accident, which makes it difficult to determine who is financially responsible.
Accidents between bicyclists and automobiles can be especially dangerous for the cyclist because of the obvious difference in size and protection. That National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that over 600 bicyclists are killed each year in crashes with motor vehicles, and 52,000 are injured. Many of those injured are children, whom may require lifelong medical care as a result of the accident.
The most serious injury that many bikers sustain in accidents with motor vehicles is a head injury. Brain injuries are the leading cause of death in bicycle accidents. It’s vital that bicyclists wear proper helmets while riding, but in many cases the helmets are insufficient in the event of a serious accident.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle in the San Francisco area, it’s critical that you obtain legal representation. Your attorney can help investigate the accident and can help protect your legal rights.
At Liberty Law, Micha Star Liberty and Seth I. Rosenberg believe that bicyclists who are injured in an accident with an automobile in San Francisco should act immediately to secure their legal rights. Call the San Francisco bicycle accident attorneys at Liberty Law at 415-896-1000 or 510-645-1000. Our attorneys can help. We work with clients throughout the San Francisco Bay area, including Hayward, Tracy, Fairfield, San Jose, Oakland, and the surrounding areas. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.
