An accident in Avon involving a young boy and a police cruiser yesterday evening is under investigation. Anthony Charette, age 7, was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a Holbrook police officer. Charette first landed on the cruiser´s windshield and then fell into the street. He was taken to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries, but reportedly not life-threatening. He is reported to have multiple broken bones. Police report that the police cruiser was travelling at a slow speed. The boy was out with his grandmother and younger sister and had just come out of the driveway and onto the street at the time of the accident. The name of the cruiser´s driver has not yet been released.
This bike accident comes at the time of National Bike Safety Month and last week was Massaschusetts´ Bay State Bike Week, from May 14th to 20th. MassBike and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, along with several statewide departments, have created Same Roads. Same Rules., a helpful safety resource for bicyclists of all ages.
Safety guidelines for all bicyclists are to:
• Give yourself space from cars • Ride in the same direction as traffic • Always wear your helmet • Stop at red lights and stop signs • Put front and back lights on your bike at night • Give pedestrians the right-of-way
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children under the age of ten should not ride in the street as is recommended for older bicyclists. They recommend that the sidewalk is a safer place for a child under ten to ride their bike. The NHTSA also reports that 630 bicyclists were killed in 2009 in the U.S. and 51,000 bicyclists were additionally injured in accidents with cars.
At Altman and Altman we have been representing individuals who have been injured in bike accidents, motorcycle accidents and mo-ped accidents for over three decades. We have seen that once springtime arrives, bicyclists hit the roads after a long winter hiatus. Drivers are not often used to seeing bicyclists, which often leads to an increase bicycle accident injuries. When a bike accident occurs often times it is confusing for the cyclist. There are insurance coverage questions, lost wage issues, and bike repair bills that need to be addressed.
In addition, bicycle accidents can sometimes be catastrophic. If you have been involved in an accident, it is generally in your best interest to get a lawyer involved sooner than later. Preserving the evidence, hiring experts, bringing in accident reconstruction teams, often has to be done immediately after an accident. These types of steps among others are often needed to identify which party was at fault.
If you have been injured in a Massachusetts bicycle accident or involved in an accident with a bike and a car, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer.
Sources:
Child hit by police cruiser, Fox25/ MyFoxBoston.com, May 23, 2011
Same Roads. Same Rules., MassBike.org
Bicycles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Related Blog Posts:
Keeping Safe on the Roads; May is National Bike Safety Month
74-year-old Bicyclist Killed in Boston
SRPEDD Releases List of 100 Most Dangerous Intersections in SE Massachusetts
Sedan Injures Boy on Bike in Lowell Traffic Accident
If you have been injured on the road, an experienced Massachusetts accident lawyer can advise you.