On Saturday evening, a man from Indianapolis was riding his bicycle near
downtown when he was struck by a vehicle driven by a man who was intoxicated.
Nielson, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver did not
stop but was pursued and caught by police a short time after the crash.
Joshua Stephens, 24, was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle
while intoxicated causing death and failure to stop at an accident resulting
in death. The accident happened around 7 p.m. on South East Street.
Cyclists Are Especially Vulnerable
Regardless of whether or not they wear helmets and undertake safety precautions,
bicyclists are never on an even playing field with motor vehicles. Cyclists
are physically vulnerable to accidents because of their exposure and the
lack of protective framing provided to drivers and passengers in cars
and trucks.
According to the
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 2% of traffic fatalities are bicyclists killed in bicycle/motor
vehicle crashes. This weekend’s accident combined a deadly set of
circumstances: a vehicle driver who disregarded the lives of others by
getting behind the wheel while intoxicated and who did not heed the legal
requirement (not to mention moral imperative) to stop after hitting another
person with his car. In addition, the accident occurred during the time
frame when a majority of weekend bicycle accidents occur—between
6:00 p.m. and 8:59 p.m. During the week, bike accidents are more likely
to occur during rush hour, as people are cycling and driving home from
work. These danger hours hold especially true during summer hours, when
weather is nice, and people are more inclined to be outside enjoying a
ride on their bikes.
More adults are biking than ever before. This has raised the incidence
of bicycle accidents for adults at every stage of life. Wagner Reese has
helped families by representing victims of
bicycle accidents and taking care of the legal aspects that improve the life of the injured
or a family unfortunately left behind. If you were injured by a distracted,
intoxicated, or reckless driver while riding your bicycle, call us today
for a completely risk-free, no-cost consultation: (888) 204-8440.