WINDSOR, CA (September 12, 2016) – A a 55-year-old Sebastopol resident, was on a bicycle ride west of Windsor in the morning of Saturday, September 10, 2016, when she was tragically killed after apparently colliding with an oncoming, passing vehicle. The crash occurred on Eastside Road near Windsor River Road after 11 a.m.
Tamika from the Lower Haight asks, “Who is responsible when a bicyclist is killed by a car in a hit and run?”
Tamika, I assume your question is triggered by the shocking and senseless deaths last Wednesday in San Francisco of Heather Miller and Katherine Slattery. Both cyclists were observing and obeying the traffic laws when they were struck and killed. I offer my condolences to their families and friends.
Two different forms of liability exist for the offending drivers: criminal and civil. Criminal charges can result in a sentence of prison time while a civil case can lead to a monetary judgment imposed against the defendant.
Who can be held liable for a bicycling accident? In many cases, it’s motor vehicle drivers who are not wary of a bicyclist’s right to be on the roads. Liability for biking injuries comes down to negligence in many situations, so proving that the driver involved was negligent is key to your case.
San Francisco continues to rank as one of the busiest cities for bicyclists in the country. As any cyclist in an urban setting can tell you, the opening of car doors into bike lanes can be a major cause of bike accidents. According to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, “dooring” is the #1 injury for motorist-caused bike accidents in San Francisco.
At the Dolan Law Firm we love our bikes. Whether cruiser or fixed gear, 500cc or scooter, we probably have someone in our office who rides it.
Our firm had a great weekend at the Laguna Seca. The race was awesome and a lot people entered to win the “Bone Bike.” You can check out the complete set of photos from our weekend on our Flickr page.
This morning started with another serious accident in San Francisco.
At 8:33 this morning a woman in her 40’s was struck by a bicyclist, as she was crossing the street, reportedly sustaining serious head injuries from the collision.
A bicyclist was killed yesterday evening, October 7th, in a collision with a Muni bus. The accident occurred at around 5PM at the corner of 6th and Clement in the Richmond district. The Muni bus involved was the 44 O’Shaughnessy. The bicyclist, declared dead at the scene, was described as a white male, age 25 to 30. The SFPD say he has not yet been identified.
According to a recent San Jose Mercury Article, the California Highway Patrol is considering reviewing its police pursuit policy. In the last few months, crash after crash involving the California Highway Patrol has turned public sentiment against the current CHP high speed chase policy. The latest incident occurred this morning, November 4th, when a car fleeing from the CHP in East Oakland collided with another vehicle. The pursuit started on Interstate 580 near 150th Avenue in San Leandro. The fleeing suspect exited the freeway during the chase and the pursuit continued through city streets in East Oakland until the suspect crashed into another vehicle at 106th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard, killing both drivers.