Southern California is one of the best locations to be a cyclist because of the year-round beautiful weather. It is no wonder that Orange County, California is one of the premier places in the U.S. to ride a bike; however, it is also one of the deadliest places for bike and car crashes. And as spring and summer are approaching, the warmer weather entices more people to ride bikes. Unfortunately, many bicyclists are killed in the beach areas during summer.
Car vs. Bicycle
There are many motorists in Southern California who believe bicyclists do not belong on the streets with vehicles. No matter what your view of this issue, one thing is for certain – bicycles are considered legal vehicles on the roads of California. Even though motorists might resent being forced to share the streets with bicyclists, they must respect a cyclist’s rights of the road.
Sadly, a cyclist just died at the hands of an alleged drunken driver in Newport Coast this past February 21, 2011. This type of fatal Orange County car and bicycle crash occurs more frequently than people realize. In fact, a recent OC Register news article came out stating that one cyclist is killed on average every month in Orange County.
In light of these horrific statistics, law enforcement in four Orange County cities including Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach joined forces to crack down on drivers and cyclists. The campaign was called the Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operation and took place on Saturday, February 19 and again on February 24.
Orange County Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operation
The goal of this campaign was to educate and promote safe driving and cycling, and to increase the public’s awareness in hopes of turning this deadly trend around and start saving lives. Law enforcement believe that if people know the safe and lawful use of vehicles and bicycles, then fatal crashes in Southern California may start decreasing in numbers.
We have all heard the phrase Share the Road, but in light of these astonishing statistics, motorists and cyclists need to do a better job of sharing the road in order to prevent and decrease the number of injuries and fatalities. Police in the above mentioned cities are planting this message equally into both motorists’ and cyclists’ minds by giving out tickets. They are cracking down on both motorists and bicyclists for traffic violations that could lead to bicycle and car crashes, such as rolling through stop signs and failure to yield to traffic.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a bicycle accident due to a negligent or aggressive driver, you may have rights to financial compensation. Bicycle accidents can lead to serious injuries including paralysis, traumatic brain injury and even death. Contact the Law Offices of John P. Burns today at (877) 320-1338 to find out your legal rights.
If you were in an Orange County car and bicycle crash, make sure to order your FREE book, 9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Vehicle Accident Case, compliments of Orange County personal injury attorney John Burns.