Virginia Bicyclists Hit by Drunk Driver, Escape with Minor Injuries

              Early last Friday morning, two bicyclists were riding on Azalea Avenue, just outside I-95 in Henrico County, Virginia.  As they approached Sandpiper Drive, a suspected drunk driver crashed into them and knocked them to the ground.  Luckily, they only suffered minor non-life-threatening injuries.  Police are still investigating the circumstances of the accident, including any other factors that played a role or might have contributed to the crash.  Virginia is one of the few states that have contributory negligence, which means that if you are injured in an accident, but your actions contributed to that accident as well, you cannot recover anything in compensation for any injuries suffered.  Riding a bike in the middle of the night is not the safest thing to do, especially if you are not wearing any protective gear, such as reflective clothing, flashing lights, and a helmet.  It is difficult for drivers to see a bicyclist when it is dark outside, therefore, if you must ride your bike at night, you should always have a light or reflective gear so that you are visible to cars on the road.  Information regarding what the two bicyclists were wearing and whether they were obeying traffic laws on the road is unknown at this time. 

           

              Driving under the influence of alcohol almost always results in someone getting hurt or killed.  A drunk driver has no control over their vehicle when they have large quantities of alcohol in their system.  Their reaction time in avoiding accidents is much slower than under normal conditions.  The bicyclists that were hit in this accident are very lucky that they were not seriously injured or killed by this drunk driver.  There are so many options out there for people who have been drinking to use in order to get home safely without hurting anyone else. 

             

              If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of a drunk driver and would like to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Fredericksburg or throughout Virginia or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml