Driver Charged In Connection To Fatal Richmond Truck Accident

A 62-year-old Richmond, Virginia, bicyclist was killed last week in a collision with a box truck. NBC12 News said the accident happened Thursday at around 3:00 p.m., on Mechanicsville Turnpike.

Reports from the Richmond Police Department say the victim was riding south along the turnpike when he was suddenly struck from behind by a commercial box truck driven by a 53-year-old man. The victim was rushed to a local hospital, but died from his injuries sustained in the Richmond truck accident a short time after arrival.

Yesterday, Richmond Police charged the truck driver with one count of reckless driving.

The Virginia Department of Motor vehicles reports that in 2009 alone, 11 bicyclists were killed and 607 riders were injured as the result of collisions with motor vehicles. Statistics show that a majority of accidents are caused by motorists’ failure to share the road, with 135 accidents being caused by failure to yield the right of way.

Virginia state law states that motorists should allow between three and six feet of space between a vehicle and a bicycle when passing in legal locations.

The Richmond-based personal injury attorneys at Geoff McDonald and Associates would like to remind both motorists and cyclists alike of the importance of both sharing the road and obeying all traffic signals at all times. Giving one another just a little extra time and space can go a long way in working to prevent a serious accident.