A Norfolk bicyclist riding along East Little Creek Road died from injuries he sustained when a car struck him last week. No charges have yet been filed against the driver, but the investigation is ongoing. Bicycle and motorcycle accidents are all too common in Hampton Roads, where our highways and secondary roads are extremely congested, particularly in Virginia Beach during the tourist season.
Last year in Virginia, there were over 130 bicycle and motorcycle fatalities. Were all of the fatalities and injuries to bicyclists and motorcyclists due to careless automobile and truck drivers? Of course not. However, there is a tendency of drivers to not always see or pay attention to bicycles and motorcycles on the roadway. The most common causes of bike and motorcycle crashes are pulling out in front of an oncoming cyclist, running a stop sign or not yielding the right of way to cyclists. Not surprisingly, the majority of motorcycle and bicycle wrecks occur at intersections.
Despite the growing popularity of Harley-Davidson, jury research indicates that jurors still have bias against motorcycle riders versus drivers of cars or SUVs. Perhaps it stems from the way motorcycles sound, the way that some motorcyclists drive or the number of “near misses” experienced by drivers who encounter motorcyclists and bicyclists. Overcoming the bias against bicycle and motorcycle riders is critical to winning a personal injury case involving a cyclist. At Pierce & Thornton, we have handled cases involving serious bicycle and motorcycle injuries and fatalities. If you or a loved one has been injured while driving or riding as a passenger on a motorcycle or bicycle, call one of the attorneys at Pierce & Thornton for help.