Recently Steve Hogen, the athletic director of Mesa Public Schools, was injured in a hit-and-run accident that occurred while he was riding his bike. While accidents like these occur far too often, they serve as a reminder of practicing safety every time you get on the road.
Recent Hit-and-Run Serves as Reminder of Bike Safety
Just this passed Saturday Hogen was riding his bike at 8 a.m. when he was struck. He broke his neck, and according to Hogen’s wife Cindy, might need to have several surgeries. The driver of a four-door white sedan left the scene and most likely had some damage on its front side. Authorities are still trying to track down the driver.
Any time there is a hit-and-run accident, we are all reminded of just how precious life is and how important it is to practice safety when you are out on the roads.
What You Need to Do to Be a Good Driver
Here are some precautions to take to ensure you are a good driver:
- Be cautious
- Remain alert when approaching streets or busy intersections.
- Make sure you are aware of any pedestrians that might be entering the road or on the road (running or bicyclists).
- If you are driving at night, make sure all of your headlights and tail-lights are working, and that you are clearly visible.
- Make sure your car is properly maintained. This includes frequent brake checks.
- Pay special attention when entering or exiting parking lots, as often you will need to cross a sidewalk to enter.
- Follow posted speed limits.
- Avoid distractions including texting, phone calls, or reaching for things that have fallen.
What you Need to Do to Be a Good Bicyclist
Here are some precautions to take to ensure you are a good bicyclist:
- Be cautious
- Remain alert when approaching streets or busy intersections.
- Make sure you are aware of any pedestrians or vehicles that might be entering the road or on the road.
- If you are riding at night, make sure you are wearing reflective gear, or that your bike is equipped with reflective gear, and that you are clearly visible.
- Make sure your bike is properly maintained. This includes frequent brake checks.
- Pay special attention when entering or exiting parking lots, as often you will need to cross a sidewalk to enter. This can mean hitting a pedestrian, or exiting or entering cars.
- Avoid distractions including texting, phone calls.
- Make sure you can hear the road and everything on the road, including cars approaching from behind.
Most Important for a Bicyclist
If you are a bicyclist, it is crucial that you wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet is the number one thing you can do to ensure you are safe on the roads. It will provide some form of protection for your face, head, neck, and brain should you fall down. You should never ride without a helmet, even if you are only going a short distance, or if you are just riding around in a parking lot or enclosed area. It’s important to also remember that just because you’re wearing a helmet you can be reckless. Just because you are wearing protective gear, that doesn’t mean you are free from danger.
Helmet Safety Standards
Bike helmets are so important that the U.S. government created safety standards for them. Your helmet should have a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sticker that says it meets standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). A lot of helmet are lightweight. If you hate how it looks, consider personalizing it. This might also help you become more visible to oncoming cars.
Helmet Fit
Your bike helmet should fit you properly and not be too small or too big. If you’re unsure if your helmet fits you well, you can ask someone at a local bike store, or check online for how the helmet should fit on your head. It should be worn level and cover your forehead. Do not tip it back so that your forehead is showing. The straps should also always be fastened and snug enough so that you can’t pull the helmet off or around your head.
Taking Care of Your Helmet
Take care of your helmet. That means not throwing it around. This could damage the helmet and thus cause it to be less protective in a fall. Also, if you have fallen, and have thus used your helmet, get a new one. They tend to work less well after they have been put to work.
Reconstructing an Accident
When an accident occurs, and there are no eye-witnesses, it’s hard to understand exactly what occurred. The accident needs to be reconstructed by investigators in order to get a full understanding. Once that understanding has been given, liability can be assessed. The dynamics, methodology, and principles involved in reconstructing a pedestrian accident are slightly different than those used to reconstruct car accidents. A investigator looks at car speed as well as pedestrian speed (which can be very difficult to determine), perception and reaction time, as well as highway design and sign placement. The pedestrian’s impact kinematics (which is how the pedestrian moved at or through the impact phase of the collision) are reconstructed. Once all these factors have been identified, a lawyer can build a negligence or wrongful death case based on the investigator’s findings.
Spinal Cord Injuries Resulting From Car Accidents
Spinal cord injuries resulting from a car accident may entitle you to compensation if it is proven that the driver was negligent or that product liability was somehow responsible. In a product liability lawsuit, a victim and car owner may seek compensation from the manufacturer for the defective product responsible for causing the accident.
Negligence in a Spinal Cord Injury Case
In cases where you have been injured due to another person’s negligence, our personal injury attorneys can assist you in collecting important evidence that will be essential to your claim’s legitimacy and success by evaluating crime scenes, reviewing witness testimonials, reviewing traffic footage, as well as insurance, medical and accident reports.
Types of Compensation for a Spinal Cord Inury
When you suffer a spinal cord injury, your life can be dramatically affected, especially when pertaining to work. Worries about how one will effectively provide for a family and pay necessary bills weigh heavily on the mind and can be all consuming. Worker’s compensation provides certain benefits for medical expenses and lost wages due to injuries sustained at the workplace, and in exchange for these benefits, injured workers are unable to take legal action against their employer. Workers who have been denied the benefits of worker’s compensation should consider contacting an attorney immediately, and our skilled personal injury lawyers are available to support you with your potential claim. For a lawsuit pertaining to a spinal cord injury, your lawyer may assist you in recovering damages for the following:
- Current and ongoing medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
Working with a Personal Injury Attorney After an Accident
If you have been a victim in a car, truck, pedestrian, or bicycle accident, you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney that understands the specific laws around these types of accidents. They will be able to perform a full investigation and build your case. It’s crucial that you work with someone that knows the intricacies of the laws surrounding these types of cases as well as your specific state’s laws. The attorneys at Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC have experience handling personal injury cases such as car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle accidents. They will help build a case to ensure you receive everything you need to recover from your specific accident.
