Tampa Bay Injury Attorney Blog
A 20-year-old dancer with the Sarasota Ballet died in a bicycling accident on Wednesday after he collided with a delivery truck, according to reports.
The dancer, from Brazil, was transported to Blake Medical Center in Bradenton where he died from his injuries Wednesday evening.
The accident occurred in the 5400 block of North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota around 2 p.m.
According to Sarasota Police, the delivery truck, driven by a 58-year-old Tampa man, was making a right turn onto a service entrance road leading into the Ringling Museum.
Police believe the delivery truck pulled in front of the dancer as he was approaching the road. Reports indicate that the driver may have failed to see the man or the bicycle.
The man’s bicycle hit the side of the delivery truck, causing significant injuries.
The driver of the delivery truck has been charged with violation of right-of-way to a bicyclist.
The accident is currently still under investigation.
Bicycle riders suffer an astounding number of serious injuries and fatalities every year in accidents involving motor vehicles. Many of these accidents are the fault of the motor vehicle drivers. In 2012 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted that 49,000 bicyclists were injured in traffic accidents in the United States and another 726 were killed.
As many bicyclists are aware, drivers of cars, trucks and SUVs can easily fail to notice cyclists, and many choose to ignore their rights. When motorists do not pay attention to their surroundings, they can make moves that threaten the lives of bicycle riders and others sharing the roadways. Bike riders can suffer severe injuries or even death when motorists fail to check their blind spot before changing lanes, execute right turns directly in front of bikers, sideswipe cyclists travelling on the shoulder, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, open car doors in front of them, fail to stop at stop signs or even back out from driveways without looking. Even worse, many motor vehicle drivers do not respect the fact that Florida laws protect bicyclists and award them the same rights to use the streets as motorists.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident, or have a loved one that was killed in a bicycle accident that was caused by the negligent or careless actions of another driver, please do not hesitate to contact a Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Lawyer at Whittel & Melton at 813-221-3200 or statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529 for a free initial consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist with your personal injury or wrongful death claim, so contact us today.