A 15-year-old bicyclist suffered serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Cape Coral on Friday night. Reports say the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was distracted picking up a spilled drink when he took his eyes off the road. The motorist told Cape Coral Police he tried to avoid hitting the cyclist but could not. The injured bicyclist was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital.
According to a Fort Myers News-Press article, police said the bicyclist was "32 inches from the fog line and was wearing dark clothing" at the time of the collision. This implies the teen may have not been as close to the right side of the road as practicable. Regardless, the person driving a vehicle has a greater responsibility since their vehicle is moving much faster than a person on a bike and is capable of causing injury or death.
Careless driving is the leading cause of serious motor vehicle accidents in Florida. After a collision, we often hear a motorist say they "didn't see the cyclist," but this is an unacceptable excuse. Since driving is probably the most dangerous activity the average person does each day, motorists must avoid distractions and use more caution while driving to circumvent causing harm to people on bikes.
Attorney Jim Dodson is the author of the Florida Bicycle Accident Handbook and publishes Florida Bike Magazine, both of which are available to you at no cost.