Minneapolis Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents on the Rise
In 2010 Minneapolis was named the nation’s “best city for bicycling” by Bicycle Magazine. We would like to see it become the safest bicycling city in the nation. In spite of a bicycle-friendly culture and designated bicycle lanes Minneapolis bicycle and pedestrian accidents are on the rise. On average, every year 8 people are killed in bicycle and pedestrian accidents in Minnesota.
Summer has not even started and we are halfway to the yearly average. Just in the last two weeks the following accidents were reported:
- Minneapolis Pedestrian Accident: A pedestrian was injured when hit by a pickup truck near Target Field.
- Uptown: A taxi cab hit four people while they were crossing the street at Hennepin Avenue and Lake street in Minneapolis, in the crosswalk. One woman was killed.
- Dinkytown: A hit-and-run driver struck three pedestrians, killing one and injuring the other two.
- Dinkytown: A bicyclist was hit and killed by a right turning truck at 15th Avenue SE and 4th Street SE.
- Winona Bicycle Accident: A 73-year-old woman was killed in a bicycle – school bus collision. The bicyclist was in the bike lane on Sarnia Street when a 2003 International school bus made a wide left turn from Chippewa Street onto Sarnia, hitting and killing the bicyclist.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, the number one contributing factor to bicycle – pedestrian – motor vehicle accidents is failure to yield. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians share the blame:
- Motorists fail to be observant of bicycles and pedestrian.
- Bicyclists disregard traffic signals and do not obey the rules of the road.
- Pedestrians disregard traffic signals and jaywalk in congested areas.
With the warmer weather, drivers need to exercise more caution as they drive. Then, even though the law is on their side, pedestrians and cyclists need to be alert and watch out for themselves.
Attorney Fred Pritzker is an avid bicyclist and he knows how to get injured cyclists the compensation they deserve. If you were injured in a Minneapolis bicycle accident, a Minnesota bicycle accident lawyer at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. will meet you wherever it is convenient for you. For a free consultation with a Minnesota bicycle accident attorney, please call 612-338-0202 or submit our free consultation form.
Bicycle Accident Lawsuit Seeks Compensation for Permanent Spinal Cord Injuries
In a lawsuit filed in King County Court, the plaintiff claims he suffered permanent spinal cord injuries when his REI bicycle “broke apart underneath him” as he rode it. According to the plaintiff, the 2006 Novara Team Trionfo triple-butted aluminum frame broke in three places1.
The complaint alleges that the design of the bike is defective because it should have been made with stronger materials.
In a case unrelated to this one, our lawyers have been contacted by a bicyclist who sustained injuries when his handles fell off. In both of these cases, there has not yet been a bicycle recall.
For obvious reasons, bicycle accidents often result in spinal cord injuries (SCI). Read about bicycle accident spinal cord injuries (SCI) and cervical fractures, including:
- C1, C2 and C3 Spinal Cord Injury: These spinal cord injuries result in quadriplegia and 24-hour-a-day care is needed;
- C4 Spinal Cord Injury: Victims are generally permanent quadriplegics;
- C5 Spinal Cord Injury: Arms have some sensory responses, but there is paralysis of the trunk and legs, and the wrists may be paralyzed;
- C6 Spinal Cord Injury: Victims are often permanent paraplegics with some loss of sensory response in the arms;
- C7-C8 Spinal Cord Injury: Chest muscles, at least some, are generally paralyzed, and there is still loss of bowel and bladder control.
Source: 1. http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/15/28074.htm
$2.4 Million Settlement in Wrongful Death Lawsuit over Fatal Bicycle Accident
A $2.4 million dollar settlement has been reached in a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Menlo Park1:
Deborah Johnson, 54, was riding her bike with a friend on Sand Hill Road on a Sunday afternoon in July 2007 when she fell and struck her head. She was taken to Stanford University Medical Center, and pronounced dead two days later.
Her husband, John Gerrity, told The Daily News that Johnson’s friend saw her fall from her bike after hitting an object in the bike lane — the flat black octagonal rubber base of a “candlestick” delineator that had become separated from its plastic orange pole. The lane divider should never have been there in the first place, he said.
Mr. Gerrity is now advocating for safer bike lanes and strict adherence to state and federal regulations:
According to the federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, used by road managers nationwide, “posts or raised pavement markers should not be used to separate bicycle lanes from adjacent travel lanes.” The same notation is made in the state’s adaptation of the manual.
The underlying problem with this and hundreds of other accidents is inadequate and poorly enforced safety regulations for construction zones, particularly temporary work zones.
1. http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15280180?nclick_check=1
Steps to Take before You Ride Your Bike
- Wear a helmet that fits properly. For more information, go to “Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet.”
- Make sure the bicycle is in good working order. Check all parts to make sure they are secure and work as they should. Check the tire pressure and the brakes.
- Adjust the bicycle to fit you. Stand over the bicycle. There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle. The seat should be level front to back. The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
- Wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night. Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights. Good colors for your clothing are bright yellow or bright lime green. Red appears black in fading light, so it should not be worn once the sun starts going down.
For more information, please see our bicycle safety booklet.
Jeep-Bicycle Accident Injures Minnesota Bicyclist
A bicyclist from Afton, Minnesota was hit and injured by a Jeep Wrangler in Star Prairie, Wisconsin on Saturday. The bicyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was hospitalized.
Head injury is the most common serious injury in bicycle crashes with motor vehicles. Head injuries cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), a type of injury in which the victim does not always recover. Using a helmet while biking can prevent serious TBI; however, we have had clients that suffered serious TBI even though they were wearing a helmet.
Minnesota law does not require bicyclists to wear a helmet, but helmets can prevent serious injury and death. Your bicycle helmet should fit properly and be worn the correct way. For more information on fitting a helmet, go to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute or State Bicycle Advisory Committee website.