A 46-year-old cyclist was admitted into the hospital in critical condition Tuesday after being struck by a pole protruding from out of a manhole. The accident occurred just after noon at 7800 S and 900 E in Midvale where road crews were flushing out a water line and had sectioned off the portion where the accident happened with cones and barricades. According to witnesses, the cyclist ran a red light going at top speed and realized too late that there was a pole sticking out of a manhole just in front of him. He was knocked to the ground and transported to a hospital. He was not wearing a helmet.
Tale of the tape
According to the Christensen Law Firm’s new infographic ‘Cycling Injuries Revealed,’ 91% of bicyclists killed in 2009 were not wearing helmets. Helmets will:
1. Decrease the risk of head injury by 85%
2. Decrease the risk of brain injury by 88%
3. Decrease the risk of severe brain injury by 75%
To put it simply, helmets save lives. There are no states, however, that require all bicyclists to wear helmets at all times according the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. There are 21 states that require some bicyclists to wear helmets, mandating that those below a certain age must wear helmets. Utah figures into those states that have no bicycle helmet use laws, so while nationally hundreds of cyclists die every year, and the vast majority of these not wearing helmets, most states continue to have no laws promoting a practice proven to have an overwhelmingly protective capacity.
The Utah Bicycle Lawyers
It is difficult to know what to do when you have been the victim of bike accident, did all you could to protect yourself (including wearing a helmet), and still find yourself fighting an insurance company just to cover your basic medical needs. The Christensen Law Firm offers you a free book entitled The Utah Bicycle Accident Handbook that will help you know what to do in case of such an accident. More importantly, though, we want you to know that we promise compassionate legal service when you’ve been injured. Call us at (801) 506-0800 for a free book or free consultation and find out how we can help you.