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Bicyclist Run Over By Truck and Killed on Westside of Jacksonville

By Eddie Farah

Expect to hear more stories like this as the price of gasoline becomes prohibitively expensive for many.

Bicycles are a great way to get around- in a perfect world with fewer cars. But an increase in bicycles on the road requires people behind the wheel of a car to keep their eyes opened for those on two wheels.

Unfortunately that didn't happen on Thursday afternoon.

A cyclist was cutting through a Shell station on the Westside of Jacksonville. That's when a tow-truck, obviously blinded, backed out of a diesel fueling area. He struck the cyclist even though bystanders were yelling at the driver to stop. When he did, he pulled forward and then ran over the cyclist for a second time, killing the bicyclist.

Charges could be pending against the driver of the tow truck, who is required by law to exercise caution and courtesy on the road.

But too often we hear about bicyclists who, just like those on motorcycles, are just not seen by the motorist.

According to national statistics, the most serious injuries, resulting when a bicycle and car collide, are traumatic brain injury to the cyclist.

A helmet helps reduce head injury risk by 85 percent, but unfortunately in 2006, the vast majority of bicyclists killed were not wearing helmets. No word on whether this rider was wearing one or not.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - 770 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2006.

A bicyclist or his loved ones may have right to recover fair compensation if a motorist was negligent or failed to exercise a reasonable amount of caution on the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on July 11, 2008 (boomark / email).