Bicyclists continue to die on unsafe San Jose streets
More than 50 people have died in San Jose as a result of traffic deaths, many of them bicyclists. The latest bicycle crash victim was struck and killed during the early morning hours on Senter Road near Story Road.
The bicyclist was struck initially by a sedan, which fled the scene. A second vehicle, a GMC sports utility vehicle, also struck the bicyclist as he was laying in the road. The driver of the second vehicle stayed at the scene but police pronounced the cyclist dead at the scene. The cyclist was the 54th traffic death of 2022.
On the night of September 11th, 2022, a male cyclist was traveling on Murphy Ave in San Jose, when he was struck by a vehicle. Although the cyclist had the green light and legal right of way, he was stopped and his electric bicycle was rear ended by a 2017 Lexus.
The cyclist was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Unfortunately, he died as a result of his injuries.
For bicyclists, especially those riding at night, visibility to cars on the road is the number one safety measure to prevent accidents. A bicycle light, reflectors and a helmet can help bicyclists from becoming another statistic. Of course, drivers need to be on the lookout as well for bicyclists and other road hazards too, especially in urban areas, where accidents are more likely to happen.
But with electric bikes, the increase of speed can also increase the severity of the injuries. Bicyclists and electric bicyclists must both follow the same rules of the road as a vehicle, but unfortunately, not all bicyclists obey the rules either. AB 1096 was signed into law in California and it sets forth the specific rules of the road while riding an electric bicycle in California.
For example, in May, a 72-year old man was killed on his electric bike in Santa Clara as he was traveling against traffic, fell, and was struck by an oncoming Prius. In this situation, the bicyclist was in violation of the law for going the wrong way.
As electric bicycles gain popularity, it is not surprising then that serious or fatal collisions would occur. Riders have underestimated the differences between a traditional bike and an electric bicycle, whether through its speed, longer brake time, weight, or handling capabilities.
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/fatal-hit-and-run-bicyclist-san-jose-senter-story-road/
