photo by: (MCSO)
A man died in a crash Thursday morning near Stuart when his e-bike collided with a car shortly before sunrise.
The sheriff’s office says traffic fatalities are occurring at an alarming rate in Martin County.
The crash happened at the intersection of U-S 1 and Southeast Morningside Drive.
Authorities are urging everyone to drive cautiously, especially those on e-bikes.
“When I drove back by and saw that it was indeed a bicycle, I was just, I was in tears,” said H A, owner of Bikes Plus South Stuart.
Anderson, whose bike store sells bicycles and e-bikes, drove by the scene of a crash Thursday morning on US-1 near Stuart, that claimed the life of a 59 year old man riding an e-bike.
Deputies say the man on the e-bike rode into the path of an oncoming car on U-S 1 shortly before 6AM.
“That e-bike rider was struck, was thrown a significant distance north of the actual impact, at least I would say 100-150 feet. It was quite a distance,” said JB, Martin County Sheriff.
Sheriff’s officials say so far this year, counting the e-bike fatality Thursday morning, there have been 12 traffic fatalities in Martin County.
That compares to 23 traffic fatalities in all of last year.
Since last Friday, they’ve had three traffic fatalities in Martin County.
“We lost a bicyclist, an e-bicyclist and a dirt bike rider so that’s alarming to us,” Sheriff B said.
Anderson, who has owned her bike shop for six years, feels kids and adults on e-bikes need to be extremely careful and need to be riding in bike lanes.
“I feel like there needs to be a lot more education and rules and regulations regarding bicycling and e-bikes, especially the throttled e-bikes that you don’t have to pedal and can go super-duper fast,” she said.
The sheriff says all drivers need to be careful and keep their eyes on the road. And that includes anyone on an e-bike.
“Our concern is even though e-bikes are legal and even though they’re in their proper lanes of traffic, they still have to be extremely defensive in their driving. They’re small. They move a little slower than traffic,” Sheriff B explained.
The owner of the bike shop we spoke with feels the state needs to pass a law requiring e-bike riders to take a course to learn to operate e-bikes safely.
And she feels parents should not get their child an e-bike if they’re younger than 16.
E-bike accidents can result in serious injuries and unexpected challenges. Ovadia Law Group is here to provide the legal support you need during this difficult time. Our experienced attorneys specialize in e-bike accident cases, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries, medical bills, and other related expenses. We handle all aspects of your case, from investigating the accident to negotiating with insurance companies. Don’t navigate this challenging situation alone. Call us at 1-800-674-9396 for a free consultation and let us fight for your rights and help you get back on track.
Source: cbs12
