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11-28-05, 03:41 PM
Fatal bike-vehicle accidents rise in Hampton Roads, across state
By JIM WASHINGTON, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 28, 2005
Last updated: 3:16 PM
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
Last year, there were no bicycle-vehicle fatalities locally. There were nine cyclists killed in Virginia.
So far this year, six bicyclists have died in accidents in the region. There have been 17 deaths in the state.
Some blame increased bicycle traffic, resulting from high gas prices, and a lack of safety awareness – none of the cyclists killed locally this year was wearing a helmet.
The number of cyclists killed in accidents with vehicles in Hampton Roads this year is only three fewer than the number killed in the entire state of Virginia last year.
So far in 2005, six bicyclists have died in accidents in the region, including one in Southampton County. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, nine cyclists were killed in Virginia in 2004.
Preliminary numbers for 2005 show 17 bicycle fatalities statewide, including those in Hampton Roads. There were no bicycle-vehicle fatalities locally in 2004 .
Last year, 834 cyclists were injured in accidents involving vehicles throughout the state and 195 were injured in similar accidents in Hampton Roads. Injury data for 2005 is not available.
Bicycle fatalities in Virginia had been decreasing before leveling off last year. There were 18 deaths in 2000, 17 in 2001, 12 in 2002 and nine in 2003 before the nine in 2004.
“This is a significant increase,” said Mary Ann Rayment, DMV’s program manager for transportation safety who is based in Norfolk . “It’s been a bad year.”
She cited a lack of safety awareness and increased bicycle traffic because of high gas prices as possible reasons for the surge.
“It’s probably a combination of issues,” Rayment said. “More people are using alternative transportation because of gas prices. Those individuals may not be particularly aware of traffic rules, like when the light is red that means you, too, or using hand signals to let drivers know what you’re going to do.”
None of the cyclists killed locally this year was wearing a helmet.
“People have to remember that safety equipment is critically important,” Rayment said. “Just like, we hope, you wouldn’t get into a car without putting on your seat belt, you wouldn’t get on a bike without wearing a helmet.”
Allen Turnbull, executive director of the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group BikeWalk Virginia, would like to see more crosswalks, lower speed limits and more education.
“The state does not have a booklet for adult cyclists or motorists,” Turnbull said. “That would be helpful.”
In addition, he said, cyclists can make themselves safer by wearing a helmet and using lights and reflective clothing at night.
“That’s something you can do immediately,” he said.
The local fatalities are diverse in terms of time of day, age and sex of victims, types of vehicles involved and other circumstances. The fatalities all occurred from June through September.
“It’s so hard to track any kind of pattern,” Rayment said.
Here is a breakdown of this year’s local fatalities:
June 8, Norfolk: Ricardo Uri Mendoza, 65, was riding in the 9300 block of Granby St. about 9:45 p.m. when he ran a red light and rolled into the path of a motorcycle, police said. He died the next day at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. No charges were filed.
July 12, Chesapeake: Bernard S. Diggs, 42, was riding on South Military Highway at 8:50 p.m. when he was struck by a car that ran off the road, according to police. He died the next day at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The driver was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Aug. 10, Norfolk: Kenneth Ray Harris, 53, whom police described as homeless, rode his bike into the path of a car at night in the 2600 block of E. Ocean View Ave . According to witnesses, Harris had turned to adjust his backpack. He died of his injuries two weeks later at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. No charges were filed against the driver.
Sept. 5, Virginia Beach: Cynthia L. Scott, 47, of Virginia Beach was killed on Labor Day when she ran into a truck backing out of a driveway while riding her bike along the sidewalk, police said. The accident happened in the 5400 block of Virginia Beach Blvd. at 9:10 a.m. The driver of the truck was not charged.
Sept. 6, Chesapeake: Ignacio Z. Ramirez, 24, was riding on North Battlefield Boulevard at 8:40 a.m. when he was hit by a dump truck as he pedaled across an exit lane from Interstate 64. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was not charged.
Sept. 19, Southampton County: Eric Orlando Tennessee, 36, of Courtland was killed when he was hit by a tractor-trailer while riding along U.S. 58 at 8:50 p.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer fled the scene and has not been located.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call State Police at (757) 424-6800.
Reach Jim Washington at (757) 446-2536 or jim.washington@pilotonline.com.
© 2005 HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com
It seems that in several of these incedents the cyclist may have been at fault.
By JIM WASHINGTON, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 28, 2005
Last updated: 3:16 PM
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
Last year, there were no bicycle-vehicle fatalities locally. There were nine cyclists killed in Virginia.
So far this year, six bicyclists have died in accidents in the region. There have been 17 deaths in the state.
Some blame increased bicycle traffic, resulting from high gas prices, and a lack of safety awareness – none of the cyclists killed locally this year was wearing a helmet.
The number of cyclists killed in accidents with vehicles in Hampton Roads this year is only three fewer than the number killed in the entire state of Virginia last year.
So far in 2005, six bicyclists have died in accidents in the region, including one in Southampton County. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, nine cyclists were killed in Virginia in 2004.
Preliminary numbers for 2005 show 17 bicycle fatalities statewide, including those in Hampton Roads. There were no bicycle-vehicle fatalities locally in 2004 .
Last year, 834 cyclists were injured in accidents involving vehicles throughout the state and 195 were injured in similar accidents in Hampton Roads. Injury data for 2005 is not available.
Bicycle fatalities in Virginia had been decreasing before leveling off last year. There were 18 deaths in 2000, 17 in 2001, 12 in 2002 and nine in 2003 before the nine in 2004.
“This is a significant increase,” said Mary Ann Rayment, DMV’s program manager for transportation safety who is based in Norfolk . “It’s been a bad year.”
She cited a lack of safety awareness and increased bicycle traffic because of high gas prices as possible reasons for the surge.
“It’s probably a combination of issues,” Rayment said. “More people are using alternative transportation because of gas prices. Those individuals may not be particularly aware of traffic rules, like when the light is red that means you, too, or using hand signals to let drivers know what you’re going to do.”
None of the cyclists killed locally this year was wearing a helmet.
“People have to remember that safety equipment is critically important,” Rayment said. “Just like, we hope, you wouldn’t get into a car without putting on your seat belt, you wouldn’t get on a bike without wearing a helmet.”
Allen Turnbull, executive director of the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group BikeWalk Virginia, would like to see more crosswalks, lower speed limits and more education.
“The state does not have a booklet for adult cyclists or motorists,” Turnbull said. “That would be helpful.”
In addition, he said, cyclists can make themselves safer by wearing a helmet and using lights and reflective clothing at night.
“That’s something you can do immediately,” he said.
The local fatalities are diverse in terms of time of day, age and sex of victims, types of vehicles involved and other circumstances. The fatalities all occurred from June through September.
“It’s so hard to track any kind of pattern,” Rayment said.
Here is a breakdown of this year’s local fatalities:
June 8, Norfolk: Ricardo Uri Mendoza, 65, was riding in the 9300 block of Granby St. about 9:45 p.m. when he ran a red light and rolled into the path of a motorcycle, police said. He died the next day at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. No charges were filed.
July 12, Chesapeake: Bernard S. Diggs, 42, was riding on South Military Highway at 8:50 p.m. when he was struck by a car that ran off the road, according to police. He died the next day at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The driver was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Aug. 10, Norfolk: Kenneth Ray Harris, 53, whom police described as homeless, rode his bike into the path of a car at night in the 2600 block of E. Ocean View Ave . According to witnesses, Harris had turned to adjust his backpack. He died of his injuries two weeks later at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. No charges were filed against the driver.
Sept. 5, Virginia Beach: Cynthia L. Scott, 47, of Virginia Beach was killed on Labor Day when she ran into a truck backing out of a driveway while riding her bike along the sidewalk, police said. The accident happened in the 5400 block of Virginia Beach Blvd. at 9:10 a.m. The driver of the truck was not charged.
Sept. 6, Chesapeake: Ignacio Z. Ramirez, 24, was riding on North Battlefield Boulevard at 8:40 a.m. when he was hit by a dump truck as he pedaled across an exit lane from Interstate 64. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was not charged.
Sept. 19, Southampton County: Eric Orlando Tennessee, 36, of Courtland was killed when he was hit by a tractor-trailer while riding along U.S. 58 at 8:50 p.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer fled the scene and has not been located.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call State Police at (757) 424-6800.
Reach Jim Washington at (757) 446-2536 or jim.washington@pilotonline.com.
© 2005 HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com
It seems that in several of these incedents the cyclist may have been at fault.