Ontario Provincial Police in Caledon were called to Orangeville on June 14 for a hit-and-run accident between a cyclist walking his bike and a motor vehicle. The incident occurred a little before 3 p.m. on Porterfield Road.

After an investigation involving the Orangeville Police Service, authorities determined that the northbound cyclist was walking with his bike along the shoulder when a northbound Chrysler Sebring crossed the fog line. After hitting the pedestrian’s left elbow, the Sebring’s driver returned to his lane and continued driving. The cyclist suffered a minor injury due to the collision.

Witnesses tried to stop the Sebring but were unsuccessful. Later, Orangeville police found and detained a 32-year-old man suspected of driving the vehicle and handed him over to the OPP when they arrived. Authorities charged the man with careless driving and failure to stop at an accident scene. The man was released, and a court date was scheduled for July 24.

Vehicles are likely to cause serious injuries to the victims of bicycle and pedestrian accidents. This is because the average car weighs more than 1,500 kilograms, and pedestrians do not have safety gear to protect them from that weight. Even at slow speeds of 50 km/h, cars have the potential to cause injuries that range from fractured and broken bones to brain and spinal trauma.

Anyone who is injured in a pedestrian accident, including the cyclist in the recent Orangeville case, could be entitled to compensation for the injury. The amount of compensation that the pedestrian may be awarded is based on the severity of the injury and the amount of out-of-pocket expenses the individual has had to pay. The pedestrian could also receive compensation for pain and suffering. A lawyer could evaluate an injured victim’s case and determine the best way to go forward.

Source: Banner, “Man charged after cyclist struck“, June 17, 2014