A bicyclist was hit by a car right next to the Panhandle in San Francisco.
Bicycle accident: A cyclist was hospitalized Thursday night after being struck by a car along the Panhandle in San Francisco.
• A bicyclist was hit by a car while riding on Fell Street, along the Panhandle.
• The driver stopped and called 911.
• The cyclist was hospitalized. His injuries were not deemed life-threatening.
• Investigators were trying to determine whether the car or the bicycle had the right of way.
The accident was reported at 9:40 p.m., according to a report in the San Francisco Appeal.
Fire captain John Feeney said a 25-year-old man riding a bicycle was struck by a car at the intersection of Fell and Lyon streets.
The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, hit the hood and windshield of the car. The driver stopped and called 911 immediately. He remained at the scene to speak with police.
The exact nature and extent of the victim’s injuries were not released, but Feeney said they were not life-threatening.
Police had not yet determined who was at fault in the accident. Investigators were attempting to discern whether the car or the bicycle had the right-of-way.
Feeney said the accident was a reminder that both drivers and cyclists need to vigilant on the city’s roads.
“With the increase in bicycling in the city, especially in the Panhandle area, we want to reiterate that drivers and bike riders respect each other,” he said.
Bicycle Accident Statistics and Safety Tips
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), 630 bicyclists were killed and another 51,000 were injured in traffic accidents in 2009. The vast majority of those accidents — 70 percent — occurred in urban areas. Most of the accidents — 72 percent — occurred between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m., rather than during late-night hours.
The NHTSA urges both motorists and cylclists to heed the following safety reminders:
All bicyclists should wear properly fitted bicycle helmets every time they ride. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash.
Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators; they are required to obey the same rules of the road as other vehicle operators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings. When cycling in the street, cyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic.
Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous—allow at least three feet clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals. Be especially watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.
Bicyclists should increase their visibility to drivers by wearing fluorescent or brightly colored clothing during the day, dawn, and dusk. To be noticed when riding at night, use a front light and a red reflector or flashing rear light, and use retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.
San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyers
The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented bicycle accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126
