[B’ Spokes: Nice map of highest frequency of bike-car crashes in Maryland.]
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\nCrashes between cyclists and drivers are on the rise in Maryland.<\/p>\n
By Josh Birch, CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE<\/p>\n
Accidents between cars and bicyclists in Maryland increased sharply over the last five years, according to a Capital News Service analysis of crash data. <\/p>\n
There were 841 accidents between cars and bikes in Maryland in 2012, according to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, a 5 percent increase over the 799 bike-car accidents in 2008.<\/p>\n
Pam Moore of Bel Air never worried about sharing the road with cars until she was struck by one while riding her bike in August. She lost consciousness and suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs, abrasions and a concussion from the accident, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was nothing I could do different,\u201d Moore said. \u201cI was following the laws. I was where I was supposed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2012, five people in Maryland died from bike-car crashes and 689 people were injured. <\/p>\n
Many motorists do not view bicycles as vehicles that have an equal right to use the road, said Neil Buchness, president of Chesapeake Spokes, a bicycle group in Harford County.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re actually people. We aren\u2019t just something to contend with in the road or go around,\u201d he said. \u201cGive us a little more respect out on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buchness said the state needs to ensure motorists know the law.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest thing that will help us is education. Getting it out there. The more people that realize that we are cyclists and we do have a right to the road,\u201d the better, Buchness said.<\/p>\n
According to the law, drivers must leave three feet between their car and bicyclists when passing them on the road.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think a lot of motorists feel that bicyclists are trespassing on the public roadways and that leads to resentment,\u201d said Michael Jackson, director of bicycle and pedestrian access for the Maryland Department of Transportation.
\n…<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to have people that don\u2019t like cyclists, people who don\u2019t like runners, people who don\u2019t like that because they don\u2019t want to share the road,\u201d Moore said. \u201cI think you have to have stricter laws.\u201d
\n…<\/p>\n