Friday, September 6, 2024
A man in his late 20s riding a bicycle was hit by at least two cars while trying to cross the intersection at Hartley Rd. and San Jose Blvd. on Friday at around 2 in the morning.
Hit & Dragged Underneath
As the man traveled west on his bicycle from Hartley across the San Jose intersection, a Volkswagen sedan travelling south hit him.
The man was knocked unconscious into the roadway, where he was then run over and dragged by a Nissan sedan. The driver of the Nissan told JSO that he immediately stopped once he noticed the man lodged underneath his vehicle.
The drivers involved stayed at the scene and claimed that they had a green light prior to the accident. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man was knocked unconscious into the roadway, where he was then run over and dragged by a Nissan sedan. The driver of the Nissan told JSO that he immediately stopped once he noticed the man lodged underneath his vehicle.
The drivers involved stayed at the scene and claimed that they had a green light prior to the accident. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
In Hindsight
This is the 99th traffic fatality in Duval County this year. No one expects someone to be crossing the road at 2 AM, let alone when that person doesn't have the right-of-way. So what can we learn from this accident? It was of course preventable on the cyclist's side, but was it preventable on the drivers' side?
Advice for Cyclists
If you're on a bike, easy advice: only cross the intersection when you have the right-of-way. And even then, only cross once you're absolutely sure that all of the cars approaching the intersection on all sides are coming to a complete stop.
Advice for Drivers
The best advice we can give is to always drive defensively, even when it's late, early, or in between. Stay aware, stay awake, stay off the phone, and keep your eyes on the road and focused on what's around you. Even at 2 AM, the unexpected can happen.
Advice for Cyclists
If you're on a bike, easy advice: only cross the intersection when you have the right-of-way. And even then, only cross once you're absolutely sure that all of the cars approaching the intersection on all sides are coming to a complete stop.
Advice for Drivers
The best advice we can give is to always drive defensively, even when it's late, early, or in between. Stay aware, stay awake, stay off the phone, and keep your eyes on the road and focused on what's around you. Even at 2 AM, the unexpected can happen.
Call Wilkes & Mee today if you've been injured in an accident. Our Jacksonville car accident lawyers will help you find the right medical treatment, investigate the crash, and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, all while you recover.