Bicycle Accident

A pedestrian died of injuries that he suffered when he was struck in Pickens County by a sport utility vehicle Friday night, say news reports.

According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, at approximately 6:30 p.m. the SUV struck the man was walking along side Ponder Cemetery Road while his son was riding his bicycle on the road when. Reports indicate that a 12-year-old boy was also struck by the vehicle.

Both the man and the boy were transported to an Easley hospital where the man was pronounced dead less than a hour after the incident, according to the Pickens County Coroner’s Office. The boy is said to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities report that the driver of the SUV, a 36-year-old Easley woman, told investigators that she did not see either the man or the boy on the bicycle because she was blinded by a sunset as the SUV rounded a curve in the roadway.

No charges have been filed in connection to the incident, which remains under investigation.

As a Beaufort personal injury attorney, I have witnessed first-hand the sorrow and pain of those left behind after a traumatic death. My heartfelt condolences go out to the man’s family, friends and loved ones. I hope that they are getting all of the help and support they need during this challenging time. Being a Beaufort auto accident lawyer, I am well aware of the types of injuries that can be suffered in a bicycle–motor vehicle collision. I wish the boy a rapid recovery from his injuries.

A man who was lying near his bicycle on a road in rural Richland County was struck and killed by a sport utility vehicle, report news sources.

According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, at approximately 11 p.m. the 54-year-old Blythewood man was lying on Lorick Road near Dozer Lane roughly two miles south of Blythewood when an SUV came around a curve, traveling toward the man. A bystander rushed into the roadway, attempting to warn off the driver of the SUV, but the vehicle struck the man.

An autopsy revealed that the Blythewood man died when he was struck by the SUV, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office. However authorities are not certain how or why the man came to be lying in the roadway in the first place. The incident remains under investigation.

As an Orangeburg auto accident attorney, I have witnessed first-hand the sorrow and pain of those left behind after a sudden death. My heartfelt condolences go out to the man’s family, friends and loved ones. Being an Orangeburg personal injury lawyer, I know how important it is for grieving people to have a strong support network. I hope the man’s loved ones are getting the care and support they need during this difficult time.

A bicyclist was killed Wednesday after being struck by a car in Spartanburg County one mile north of the town of Pacolet, report news sources.

According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, at 4:30 p.m. the 48-year-old Pacolet man was riding his bicycle southbound on Southport Road when he was struck by a southbound Chevrolet sedan at Pin Oak Lane. The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the bicycle.

The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office reported that the cyclist died as a result of the collision. The driver of the sedan, a 62-year-old Union man was unharmed in the crash.

The collision is under investigation by the Highway Patol, and an autopsy is pending.

As a Greenville car accident attorney, I have witnessed first-hand the grief and sorrow of those left behind after an unexpected death. My heartfelt condolences go out to the bicyclist’s family, friends and loved ones. Being a Greenville personal injury lawyer, I know how important it is for grieving people to have a strong support network. I hope the cyclist’s loved ones are getting the care and support they need during this difficult time.

As a car accident attorney in Florence, I’ve seen a lot of tragic crashes caused by vehicles who don’t see riders. Now, a new invention might help drivers see bikers, by turning bicyclists’ hands into turn signals.

The “YouTurn,” which is still just a prototype, allows bike riders to wear a glove that has wiring and lights built in, allowing them to act like a turn signal.

“That day, I was coming home, and there was a bicyclist in front of me. And I saw them moving their hand for the left turn signal, and a light bulb went off,” the inventor Jack O’Neal said to news reports.

The inventor said he hopes to build his idea into a product he can sell on the market for about $50.

“There are just so many bicyclists in Portland,” O’Neal said. “I’m always riding behind somebody on the road who’s on a bike riding in front of me and I’m always afraid they’re going to turn out in front of me without notice, especially at night.

As a Florence personal injury lawyer, I think this invention is a great idea because it allows bikers to be safer by easily warning drivers what direction they are going.

Drivers know not to run red lights, avoid stopping behind a school bus and not pass on a solid yellow line, but what about the other traffic laws you may not know about. Along with the basic traffic laws, some states carry unusual laws to ensure safety, avoid traffic backups or just keep the rats away, according to news reports.

Here are 10 unusual traffic laws and the states you better avoid violating them in, according to news reports:

10. It’s illegal to screech your tires – Kansas. According to law, acts that cause “unnecessary rapid acceleration, unnecessary tire squeal, skid, smoke or slide upon acceleration or stopping including the casting of tread, gravel, dirt or other road surface materials from the tires” is illegal. Violators

could be fined up to $500 and/or imprisoned up to 30 days.

9. It’s illegal to sleep in a public space – Eureak, Calif. Sleeping in the street, alley or sidewalk in Eureka could get you a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail.

8. It’s illegal for pets to “molest” a vehicle – Fort Thomas, Ky. If your pet causes “annoyance, discomfort or injury to the health and welfare of persons in the community” including “molesting pedestrians or passing vehicles” you could be fined up to $500.

7. It’s illegal to park in front of the donut shop – South Berwick, Maine. Parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Main Street could warrant a fine of up to $175 and/or jail time of up to 30 days. The law is to ensure traffic wouldn’t be blocked near a school next door.

6. It’s illegal to swear in public – Rockville, Md. Swearing at the guy who just cut you off could warrant you a $100 ticket and/or jail time up to 90 days if other people hear you.

5. It’s illegal to drive a dirty vehicle – Minnetonka, Minn. Driving a “truck or other vehicle whose wheels or tires deposit mud, dirt, sticky substances, litter or other material on any street or highway,” is illegal and could warrant a fine of up to $2,000, after a several warnings and other measures.

4. It’s illegal to take off your clothes in your car – Sag Harbor, N.Y. The popular beach town bans disrobing on the street, in your car or any public place. The law carries a fine of up to $100 and/or jail time up to three months.

3. It’s illegal to roller skate in the street – Canton, Ohio. If you ride “any coaster, toy vehicle, skateboard or similar device” on a Canton street, you may be ticketed up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Crossing the street, of course, is legal.

2. It’s illegal to leave your car door open too long – Oregon. Leaving your vehicle door open on the side of traffic, pedestrians or bicycle “for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.” The law carries a fine of $90 and possible jail time.

1. It’s illegal to have trash in your car – Hilton Head, S.C. It’s illegal to store trash in your car. You could get a $500 and/or jail time of up to 30 days if you “ place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage, rubbish or trash in any building, vehicle and their surrounding areas in the town so that the same shall or may afford food or harborage for rats.”

As a Moncks Corner car accident attorney, I always like to review traffic laws. I urge drivers to follow all road laws and know your local laws to ensure everyone’s safety and wellbeing.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Moncks Corner

South Carolina has been named one of the worst states for road safety in a GJEL Accident Attorney report. According to news reports, South Carolina ranks third in the top five worst states for road safety.

According to the report, South Carolina ranks high because:

“First-time DUI offenders are not required to install ignition interlock devices. Permits are issued age fifteen; one year later, teens are eligible for unrestricted licenses. Motorcyclists under age twenty must wear helmets, but bicyclists may ride bare-headed at any age. Forty-four percent of auto accident deaths are related to DUI.”

South Dakota topped the listed for its repeat DUI offenders and driver permit availabilities to 14-year-olds. Montana ranked second and Pennsylvania and Idaho ranked fourth and fifth.

“All five worst road safety states permit cell phone use and text messaging while operating a motor vehicle, although a “distraction in/on vehicle” in Idaho lists some common driver distractions. Four of the five states listed do not suspend driver’s licenses after the driver’s first DUI conviction. Idaho suspends first-time offenders’ driving privileges for 90 days.”

GJEL ranked the states in recognition of April 2011 Distracted Driving Awareness Month, according to news reports. They hope by calling out states with too lenient safety laws will bring awareness to the issue.

As a Charleston personal injury lawyer, I’m saddened to hear about South Carolina ranking high for the worst road safety. I hope the state can make some improvements to increase safety.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact a car accident lawyer in Charleston.

On the first day of the 2011 Tour de France, a spectator caused a massive bicycle accidnet, according to news reports. The pileup occurred when a person watching the race too close to the roadway sparked a domino-collision involving a sizable chunk of the bicycle riders.

Luckily, none of the bicycle racers were seriously injured in the collision.

Here is a video of the collision:

Other accidents have occurred during the Tour de France, which is not yet halfway over.

“A motorcycle hit a rider in the tour’s fifth stage, but the more serious collision with a Tour vehicle came in Stage 9, when a French television car hit Juan Antonio Flecha of Team Sky. He then hit Vacansoleil’s Johnny Hoogerland, sending him hurtling him into a barbed wire fence,” according to news reports.

At least 20 riders were pulled from the race with injuries so far. The man who won last year’s Tour de France has crashed four times, so far.

As a Charleston personal injury lawyer, I hope no one is seriously injured in a bicycle accident during the race.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, contact a personal injury lawyer Charleston.

One man was injured in a bicycle accident Friday morning in Anderson, according to news reports.

The motorcycle accident occurred around 3:45 a.m. along SC 81 North near Bowen Road. A 38-year-old man was reportedly driving a bicycle when he was hit by a Mercedes as it tried to pass him.

The bicyclist was injured in the collision and transported to AnMed Health Medical Center. He was treated at the hospital then released. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

South Carolina Highway Patrol investigators are looking for a white Mercedes, model year 1981-87. “The car may have damage to the front right bumper near the headlight, according to information from the highway patrol’s accident reconstruction team.”

As a personal injury attorney Greenburg , I urge anyone with information on this collision to contact police. Troopers are looking for is asked to call the highway patrol at (864) 241-1000 or (800) 768-1503 or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStopppers at (888) CRIME SC or (888) 274-6372.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, contact a Greenburg personal injury attorney.

Unfortunately, sometimes bicyclists and drivers have a hard time sharing the roadway. Now, after one bicyclist was involved in two collisions with vehicles during a two-day span, he is fighting back, according to news reports.

The view from the helmet camera of a bicyclist shows a van side swiping the biker on a South Carolina road.

The van’s brush against the cyclist is just the first of two crashes (the biker) was involved in on his bike in a two day span. Deputies were able to track down the van after (the biker) yelled out the tag information.

The second crash happened two days later when a car turned into the biker in Newberry County.

The first crash is still under investigation, but the highway patrol charged a Newberry teen in the second crash with hit and run, and driving without insurance.

As a Sumter personal injury lawyer, I’m saddened to hear about these bicycle accidents. I’m glad this man was not seriously injured in these collisions on his bike. I hope investigators can work to make roadways safer for bicyclists.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, contact a Spartanburg personal injury lawyer.

Quality Bicycle Products are being recalled because of links to a falling hazard, according to news reports.

Bicycle carrier racks are being recalled because the rack’s mounting bracket can crack or break causing it to fall onto the bicycle’s front wheel posing a falling hazard to the rider, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Included in the recall is: Quality Bicycle Products “Civia Loring bicycle racks, with black aluminum tubing and bamboo panels, that mount to the bicycle’s front fork—the word “Civia” is printed on the rack’s side panels.”

The recalled racks were sold at independent bicycle stores nationwide from December 2009 through February 2011 for about $175 and were manufactured in Tawian, according to news reports.

As a Charleston personal injury attorney, I urge consumers to check for this recalled item. For information, call Quality Bicycle Products toll-free at (877) 311-7686 or visit their website at http://civiacycles.com/aftermarketloringfrontrackrecall/

While we don’t handle this type of recall we feel that it’s important to educate the community that there has been a recall to help protect your safety. If you have been injured in a recall like this you might wish to contact a Charleston personal injury lawyer who can help.