The duty of every motor vehicle driver is to be on the lookout for smaller, more vulnerable vehicles such as motorcycles and bicycles. A failure to exercise the appropriate amount of caution could lead to a serious — if not fatal — auto accident. One driver recently found this out the hard way when he was involved in an accident with a South Carolina woman on a bicycle.
Shortly before 4 p.m. on March 26, a 44-year-old woman was riding her bicycle down the street from her home. She was headed eastbound in the westbound lane. An SUV, turning west onto the same street as the bicycle rider, slammed into her. The impact caused the South Carolina woman serious injuries from which she did not recover. She was pronounced dead there at the scene.
The Traffic Safety Unit of the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Coroner’s Office are conducting the investigation into the collision. The results of their investigation will provide the information and evidence necessary to make a determination as to whether criminal charges will be filed against the driver of the SUV.
No other details are available at this point.
The outcome of the investigation may prove useful to the family of the deceased victim if they choose to exercise their right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver in connection with the auto accident. If the family can prove to a civil court’s satisfaction that the driver was negligent and caused or contributed to the death of their loved one, the court may award monetary damages to the family in accordance with state laws.
Any financial award received could assist the family in paying the expenses that invariably accompany such tragedies.
