Car Strikes and Kills Cyclist on Sharp Road in Rockingham County, North Carolina

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NC- Myfox8.com writes that a cyclist died in a collision with a vehicle in Rockingham County earlier this week.*

The crash took place in the late afternoon on Sharp Road at its intersection with Gold Hill Road. The victim was biking on Sharp Hill Road when a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe traveling on Gold Hill Road collided with the cyclist. 

State Troopers indicate that the bike was not equipped with brakes making it impossible for the cyclist to stop in time to avoid the accident.

Data indicates that about twenty people die in biking accidents in North Carolina every year. About 1,000 accidents are reported, and around 60 people suffer severe injuries in these accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Americans are biking more often than ever before. Last year, this method of transportation and recreation left 857 people dead. The death toll indicates an increase in bike-related fatalities over 2017 of about six percent.  

While many places are investing in protected bike lanes to help facilitate safe cycling, the reality is there are still plenty of places where cyclists must share the road with vehicles. Drivers should respect bikes on the road and give them space. Cyclists should take proactive steps to keep themselves safe. 

The NHTSA points out that it is important for cyclists to use helmets. It is important to note that bike crashes occur more frequently at night because of low visibility. Cyclists can put lights on their bikes to help make sure cars see them. Cyclists should also use reflective clothing that can help increase driver visibility as well. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://myfox8.com/2019/12/03/bicyclist-killed-in-crash-in-rockingham-county/ and http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/pbcat_nc/about.cfm and https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/bicycle-safety