Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Fountain Valley
Fountain Valley
Fountain Valley is a residential area in Orange County with a population of over 55,000. Whether it's teenagers riding to Fountain Valley or Valley Vista High School or people commuting to work, there are many bicyclists who ride on Fountain Valley streets. There are wonderful bike paths that travel through Fountain Valley including the one along the Santa Ana River that travels from Corona to the Pacific Ocean.
Fountain Valley Bicycle Accident Statistics
Unfortunately, there are a number of bicycle car accidents that occur in Fountain Valley each year. According to California Highway Patrol's 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities but 27 injuries reported in Fountain Valley bicycle accidents. Throughout Orange County, three fatalities and 1,187 injuries were reported as a result of bike crashes during that same year.
Fatal Bicycle Accident
One recent example of a fatal Fountain Valley bicycle accident involved a 25-year-old Huntington Beach man. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal crash occurred on Warner Avenue near the 405 Freeway in Fountain Valley during the early morning hours of May 15, 2011. Officials say Hung Do was pronounced dead shortly after being struck by a car that left the scene of the crash.
The Los Angeles Times, in a follow-up report, stated that Adam Carl Garrett, 19, was responsible for crashing his car into Do and driving off. He called the police shortly after the accident but failed to report that it was his Toyota Camry that struck the victim. He was later sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
Forms of Driver Negligence
Drivers who leave the scene of the crash not only violate the law, but put the injured victim in danger of suffering additional injuries. Drivers who flee the scene of an injury accident can be held both criminally and civilly liable. Other forms of driver negligence that can result in a civil lawsuit include:
- Speeding: Motorists who are speeding have a greater chance of causing a serious injury to a bicyclist in the event of a collision. Excessive speed also limits the amount of time that car driver will have to avoid a collision with a bicyclist.
- Driving under the Influence: Motorists whose ability to drive is impaired are more likely to strike and injure a bike rider.
- Failing to Yield the Right of Way: Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of other vehicles, under California Vehicle Code Section 21200. Yet, many drivers fail to yield to bike riders at intersections. Drivers who enter traffic without looking or change lanes without yielding to a bicyclist can be held accountable for their negligence.
- Distracted Driving: Drivers who take their eyes of the road, their hands off the wheel or their mind off the roadway are distracted and dangerous. It is common for distracted drivers to drift into bicyclists. It is also common for distracted drivers to run through stop signs, to fail to notice a bike rider crossing the street or to rear-end a bike rider that is legally in a lane of traffic.
Compensation for Injured Victims
Anytime there is a collision between a bicycle and a car, there is the potential for serious injuries to occur. A rider only needs to strike his or her head against the car to sustain a traumatic brain injury. Even a properly fitted helmet cannot prevent a traumatic brain injury in the case of a violent or high-speed collision. The resulting losses from these types of collisions can be significant.
The experienced Fountain Valley bicycle accident lawyers at Bisnar|Chase have a long and successful track record of helping injured victims and their families recover fair compensation for their losses. We have also helped catastrophically injured bicycle accident victims obtain significant compensation.
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