The Life and Death of a Cyclist: Bright Day, Bad Accident

As a popular science teacher and cross country coach, Robert Lennon was a fixture at St. Francis DeSales High School where he taught and coached for 40 years. The 64-year-old Columbus man volunteered at foot and other races throughout central Ohio and was well-appreciated throughout the community.

An avid cyclist, Mr. Lennon was riding along Miller Paul Road in Delaware on Sunday, September 15^th when he was struck by a driver who left the scene. Mr. Lennon died in a roadside ditch, discovered by passing cyclists approximately an hour after the accident, his bicycle almost broken in two.

According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, there were 1,760 crashes involving bicycles in 2011, resulting in 16 deaths. Pedalcyclist fatalities rose nine percent between 2011 and 2012, according to report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, statistics do not tell the story of the grief and damage caused when bicyclists and automobiles collide.

Elements that contribute to bicyclist fatalities vary based on:

• Geographic area: Most bicycle collisions occur in urban settings.
• Location: Fatal bicycle accidents are not as likely to occur within an intersection.
• Time of day: More bicycle crashes occur between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. than other times of the day.

Mr. Lennon was riding on a sunny day and might have been stopped in the bicycle lane. Days after the accident, a woman was questioned about the incident. She first said she hit a deer, but later admitted she hit a person along Miller Paul Road. Her severely damaged car was impounded and charges are pending.

Bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians are all at increased risk due to their lack of protection in traffic. Wear bright clothes, stay alert and try to stay alive. If you are injured through the negligence of others, talk to an attorney from our law firm.